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NHL General

The Case For Sean Avery

Trash talk, it’s done everywhere, in every sport. We hear it every week, from the disgruntled former player all the way to good friends just getting pumped up for a game. It’s good harmless fun, right? Not according to the National Hockey League. Sean Avery of the Dallas Stars is now testing the limits of what is acceptable and unacceptable “trash talk”. Prior to their game against the Calgary Flames, Avery called cameras over to air a grievance against his former girlfriend, Elisa Cuthbert, who is currently dating Flames defense man Dion Phaneuf. Avery went on to say, “I am really happy to be back in Calgary, I love Canada. I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don’t know what that’s about. Enjoy the game tonight.”

What is the harm in those comments? Is this really enough to warrant a suspension? “I believe there are two reasons why Avery was suspended indefinitely pending his hearing with Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell. First is his specific choice of words, two words to be precise, ‘sloppy seconds’. It’s vulgar, the imagery is not good and in the mind of the National Hockey League, it’s misogynistic, shows a lack of respect and objectifies women, in this case Elisha Cuthbert, his former girlfriend and current girlfriend of Flames’ defense man Dion Phaneuf. If he’d said ex-girlfriends, we wouldn’t be talking about this,” Bob McKenzie said on TSN.

Let’s look into this “sloppy seconds” comment. Avery has dated more than one woman that is currently dating NHL players. Rachel Hunter is dating Kings center Jarrett Stoll. Plus, Cuthbert has been linked to other players in the past; Mike Komisarek of the Habs dated her. On the misogynistic side of things, I can see Bob’s point, however, I hear women using that phrase as well. Does that objectify men? Should we start throwing women in prison for using that phrase?

McKenzie went on, “secondly, there has been a long litany of things that he hasn’t been punished for. He flipped the bird to a cameraman in New York, had verbal exchanges with Darcy Tucker as well as the allegations of what he may or may not have said about Jason Blake. There have been a number of things he hasn’t gotten in trouble for and now that he has said this and crossed the line, the hammer has come down.”

So, the NHL now suspends players on hearsay instead of on ice actions? Isn’t that a bit hypocritical? This is a league that only suspended Chris Simon a combined fifty-five games for almost ending two careers. This is a league that suspended Todd Bertuzzi only twenty games for breaking Steve Moore’s neck, Marty McSorley only got twenty-three games for teeing off on Don Brashier’s head. Yet, with the calls for Avery to be kicked out of the league by so-called analyst John Tortorella and others, you would think Avery was worse than the aforementioned players.

If you want to stick to trash talking, how many games did Brad May get for placing a “bounty” on the head of Steve Moore? Zero. He wasn’t even fined for it, and in that case a player’s career is over. In the NHL’s eyes, calling someone’s girlfriend “sloppy seconds” is worse than placing a bounty on someone’s head.

On to the Dallas Stars, namely their owner, Tom Hicks, who released a statement following the suspension. “Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so.”

Here’s the problem with that. The Stars, namely co-general manager Bret Hull, who is no stranger to foot-in-mouth syndrome, knew what they were getting when they signed Avery. They knew he was a powder keg waiting to explode. If he wasn’t, given his talent, he would still be with the New York Rangers. They knew he likes to talk. They knew all of this, yet chose to sign him. That makes them complicit with Avery’s statements.

Why are they shocked? Why is anyone shocked? Did the NHL ever think this might be a great way to grab headlines? This is a sport struggling to catch an audience in the United States, wouldn’t this be a great way to get some of those viewers? The NFL allows trash talking to the media, mostly because they know it add flavor to some games that would be unwatchable otherwise.

There’s one element I purposely left out of this, until now. What ever happened to “players policing their own”, is that dead? Why not allow Avery to play and face Dion Phaneuf? If Phaneuf runs him and beats him up, problem over, and Avery will keep his mouth shut about his ex. Then again, what did you expect from a society that wants dodge ball and tag banned? The NHL has made yet another huge public relations mistake. They sent the message that breaking people’s necks and ending careers is okay, but talking about other players’ girlfriends is out of bounds.

    What is the harm in those comments? Is this really enough to warrant a suspension? “I believe there are two reasons why Avery was suspended indefinitely pending his hearing with Gary Bettman and Colin Campbell. First is his specific choice of words, two words to be precise, ‘sloppy seconds’. It’s vulgar, the imagery is not good and in the mind of the National Hockey League, it’s misogynistic, shows a lack of respect and objectifies women, in this case Elisha Cuthbert, his former girlfriend and current girlfriend of Flames’ defense man Dion Phaneuf. If he’d said ex-girlfriends, we wouldn’t be talking about this,” Bob McKenzie said on TSN.

    Let’s look into this “sloppy seconds” comment. Avery has dated more than one woman that is currently dating NHL players. Rachel Hunter is dating Kings center Jarrett Stoll. Plus, Cuthbert has been linked to other players in the past; Mike Komisarek of the Habs dated her. On the misogynistic side of things, I can see Bob’s point, however, I hear women using that phrase as well. Does that objectify men? Should we start throwing women in prison for using that phrase?

    McKenzie went on, “secondly, there has been a long litany of things that he hasn’t been punished for. He flipped the bird to a cameraman in New York, had verbal exchanges with Darcy Tucker as well as the allegations of what he may or may not have said about Jason Blake. There have been a number of things he hasn’t gotten in trouble for and now that he has said this and crossed the line, the hammer has come down.”  

    So, the NHL now suspends players on hearsay instead of on ice actions? Isn’t that a bit hypocritical? This is a league that only suspended Chris Simon a combined fifty-five games for almost ending two careers. This is a league that suspended Todd Bertuzzi only twenty games for breaking Steve Moore’s neck, Marty McSorley only got twenty-three games for teeing off on Don Brashier’s head. Yet, with the calls for Avery to be kicked out of the league by so-called analyst John Tortorella and others, you would think Avery was worse than the aforementioned players.

    If you want to stick to trash talking, how many games did Brad May get for placing a “bounty” on the head of Steve Moore? Zero. He wasn’t even fined for it, and in that case a player’s career is over. In the NHL’s eyes, calling someone’s girlfriend “sloppy seconds” is worse than placing a bounty on someone’s head.

    On to the Dallas Stars, namely their owner, Tom Hicks, who released a statement following the suspension. “Had the league not have suspended him, the Dallas Stars would have. This organization will not tolerate such behavior, especially from a member of our hockey team. We hold our team to a higher standard and will continue to do so.”  

    Here’s the problem with that. The Stars, namely co-general manager Bret Hull, who is no stranger to foot-in-mouth syndrome, knew what they were getting when they signed Avery. They knew he was a powder keg waiting to explode. If he wasn’t, given his talent, he would still be with the New York Rangers. They knew he likes to talk. They knew all of this, yet chose to sign him. That makes them complicit with Avery’s statements.

    Why are they shocked? Why is anyone shocked? Did the NHL ever think this might be a great way to grab headlines? This is a sport struggling to catch an audience in the United States, wouldn’t this be a great way to get some of those viewers? The NFL allows trash talking to the media, mostly because they know it add flavor to some games that would be unwatchable otherwise.

    There’s one element I purposely left out of this, until now. What ever happened to “players policing their own”, is that dead? Why not allow Avery to play and face Dion Phaneuf? If Phaneuf runs him and beats him up, problem over, and Avery will keep his mouth shut about his ex. Then again, what did you expect from a society that wants dodge ball and tag banned? The NHL has made yet another huge public relations mistake. They sent the message that breaking people’s necks and ending careers is okay, but talking about other players’ girlfriends is out of bounds.

By matt Jordan

Matt is an in-studio producer for three radio stations in a six station cluster. He has produced and co-hosted three sports talk shows, with one of them becoming number one in the market. He also is a play by play announcer for the Florence Redwolves, who play in the Coastal Plain League, the nation's hottest College Summer League. He is in his fourth season. He also was the PA Announcer for the Florence Phantoms indoor football team.

In his spare time Matt enjoys reading, writing, playing RTS video games, debating on religion, and good music. He is currently writing a play, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2009. Matt also writes for Medusa's Kiss magazine.

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