NHL 2008-2009 Thread

[titsrock]

I beleive even the players themselves will ask the direction to get rid of him.

If it was possible, that would be nice to see him traded to a siberian team in the Russia league.

Maybe I haven't been following hockey as closely as I think I have? Are you serious about this?

How is Sean Avery's behavior anything materially different than Terrel Owens, Chad Johnson, or any number of high profile American sports "personalities"? The NHL is not a Canadian entity anymore. It's in bed with America...

Hockey might have a "tighter-knit" culture in the lockerroom but I have to say his "antics" in the media and on the ice (from what I've seen) are evidenced in other sports.....

 

[Dawn]

Maybe I haven't been following hockey as closely as I think I have? Are you serious about this?

How is Sean Avery's behavior anything materially different than Terrel Owens, Chad Johnson, or any number of high profile American sports "personalities"? The NHL is not a Canadian entity anymore. It's in bed with America...

Hockey might have a "tighter-knit" culture in the lockerroom but I have to say his "antics" in the media and on the ice (from what I've seen) are evidenced in other sports.....

Mike Modano and Marty Turco both talked in the media against Avery, something i have never seen done in the NHL by teammate against another teammate... But i'm highly exagerating there regarding the players asking to get rid of him. More some kind of wishful thinking from me there

On a serious note: Avery is the living proof that the instigator rule should be dropped for good. In the NHL culture, you have to pay the price and Avery-like players couldn't survive long if it wasn't of that stupid rule.

 

[Mauser98k]

Mike Modano and Marty Turco both talked in the media against Avery, something i have never seen done in the NHL by teammate against another teammate... But i'm highly exagerating there regarding the players asking to get rid of him. More some kind of wishful thinking from me there

On a serious note: Avery is the living proof that the instigator rule should be dropped for good. In the NHL culture, you have to pay the price and Avery-like players couldn't survive long if it wasn't of that stupid rule.

and don't foget Brad Richards, one of the single nicest guys on and off the ice is sick of Avery's antics too.

Sean Avery would've been fine if he'd said that on the ice and not in front of millions of viewers on TV. the TV crews weren't even talking to Avery when he walked up and opened his mouth. there is a lot of trash talk on the ice, but even the biggest jerks know to leave it there and not drag former girlfriends under the bus with you on TV.

 

[Dawn]

Richards spoke in front of camera too? I haven't saw/read him - i might have missed it.

 

[Mauser98k]

Richards spoke in front of camera too? I haven't saw/read him - i might have missed it.

they questioned him about it, and Richie replied with something to the effect of "I don't want to talk about Sean Avery".

 

[titsrock]

He should be made to make a donation to a women's charity in Elisha Cuthbert's name and a charity of Phaneuf's choice in Phaneuf's name and this should be the end of it from a Dallas Stars standpoint.

Maybe Elisha Cuthbert should look into filing a defamation lawsuit against him as well.

I don't see how Dion Phaneuf would look to pound a Dallas Star "in retribution" because Avery's comments were personal, not professional and not pointed at the Flames.

The Stars SHOULD HAVE made him play. Hello ratings spike?

His comments were vulgar, for sure, but I fail to see how this soils the reputation of the Dallas Stars organization or the NHL. A lot of people are overreacting to this instance. Maybe he has accrued a lot of bad blood over the years and this was the "straw that broke the camel's back." Maybe so.

But he's practically laughing when he says it. He has to be a fan of Howard Stern. This was trash talk taken to an NFL-type level.

 

[lost1dc]

The thing is, there was a level of respect between the players. They'd say things about each other on the ice but not drag in relationships and other outside the game things into the trash talking. The clown has flapped his gums before and never backed his mouth when challenged. If it wasn't for the instigator rule, I'm sure somebody would have made an attitude adjustment to him awhile ago.

With the instigator rule, pests are allowed to get away with a lot and not answer for their actions. Not to mention players that have questionable hits and use some stickwork.

 

[titsrock]

I agree that the time has come to eliminate the instigator rule. I just think in this case that Sean Avery is being raked over the coals for what other professional sports would simply slap a fine and call it a day.

I don't really know why NHL fans are up in arms over this and the Dallas Stars president is a fool.

Plaxico Burress ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING WORTHY of being outright dismissed from his team. Sean Avery simply embarassed people with his crassness? And his season should be over for that? C'mon.....

 

[Mauser98k]

I agree that the time has come to eliminate the instigator rule. I just think in this case that Sean Avery is being raked over the coals for what other professional sports would simply slap a fine and call it a day.

I don't really know why NHL fans are up in arms over this and the Dallas Stars president is a fool.

Plaxico Burress ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING WORTHY of being outright dismissed from his team. Sean Avery simply embarassed people with his crassness? And his season should be over for that? C'mon.....

that's just it, the NHL doesn't want to be lumped in with the NFL. the NHL wants to be more dignified and resptable than the National Felon League.

 

[Dawn]

You are right, titsrock.

The NHL might be a tad old school when it comes to event like this. The unwritten code of conduct enforced by the NHL authorities is extremly conservative when it comes to behavior outside the ice. They want their players acting like gentlemen outside the ice and unleash the beast within when they are on the ice.

Maybe that's also why the veterans of the Dallas Stars are embarrassed with Avery conduct: it detracts from the unwritten but enforced behavior in place in the NHL since forever.

The mentality is miles away from the NFL and a lot closer to the MLB.

Avery have constantly gone beyond boundaries of the NHL habits.

I do remember a player some years ago, Ric Nattress. He was playing for the Habs. He said, once, in an interview that he smoked a joint or two when he was younger. Habs suspended him and he never played a single match again for the team!

The morals in NHL are that much conservative. And fans are somewhat used to that, i guess, hence the (over)reaction to Avery's behavior.

I just can't imagine what could be the reaction of the NHL people if one of the player was involved in dog fights or shoot himself in the leg...

 

[titsrock]

that's just it, the NHL doesn't want to be lumped in with the NFL. the NHL wants to be more dignified and resptable than the National Felon League.

:1orglaugh That's funny.

Marty McSorley, Ulf Samuelsson, Claude Lemieux...I realize these guys would never survive today. But maybe the NHL needs to rediscover it's working class roots and not worry about offending Corporate America (and Sponsors) so much...

 

[Dawn]

Marty McSorley, Ulf Samuelsson, Claude Lemieux...

Those guys were asses on the ice and abiding by the gentlemen unwritten rule outside the ice.

But maybe the NHL needs to rediscover it's working class roots and not worry about offending Corporate America (and Sponsors) so much...

The NHL never had a working class root and have always been that way. Clean and (over)moralized.


Totally unrelated to the discussion: Corporate America provides less revenues to the NHL than Corporate Canada. As long as we talk about the NHL, it might be more appropriate to speak about Corporate North America. The NHL is not American. Neither Canadian. :2 cents:

 

[Marlo Manson]

I agree that the time has come to eliminate the instigator rule. I just think in this case that Sean Avery is being raked over the coals for what other professional sports would simply slap a fine and call it a day.

I don't really know why NHL fans are up in arms over this and the Dallas Stars president is a fool.

Plaxico Burress ACTUALLY DID SOMETHING WORTHY of being outright dismissed from his team. Sean Avery simply embarassed people with his crassness? And his season should be over for that? C'mon.....

I somewhat agree with you, but sean avery is a low class bafoon who is out of control! both on the ice and off! he has no respect for the game of hockey and he doesn't follow the code of honor recognized amongst his fellow players, teammates and opposition players alike!!

I imagine their is an unwritten rule what you can chirp about on the ice before it gets disrespectful and uncool!

Why should an NHL game get ugly and out of hand because of a tiff between 2 guys chirping about girlfriends and ex-girlfriends?!?

What plax did was ILLEGAL and very IGNORANT! YOU DON'T PUT A GLOCK WITH ONE IN THE CHAMBER IN YOUR FUCKIN WAIST BAND OR POCKET!! THATS A HOLSTER GUN!! duh too plax!! why cuz the safety is on the fuckin trigger sherlock...

 

[Dawn]

By the way, anyone else is glad that Ron Francis have been named assistant coach for Carolina? Ron Francis is one of the players i had most respect for. I'm very glad he is back in the game

 

[titsrock]

Totally unrelated to the discussion: Corporate America provides less revenues to the NHL than Corporate Canada. As long as we talk about the NHL, it might be more appropriate to speak about Corporate North America. The NHL is not American. Neither Canadian. :2 cents:

I am not demeaning the sport by referring to it as a working class sport. Boston, Chicago and Detroit have strong working class communities (or had back in the day, today, maybe not so much). Hockey is Canada's national sport, but I think most of the financial problems are the U.S.'s fault, not Canada's. There are more teams in America than Canada. Hockey's financial problems today are due to the lack of American TV revenue. The NHL awarded most recent American franchises in markets that had no Hockey history, but large, growing family bases (San Jose, Anaheim, Tampa, Miami). Maybe instead of 2 franchises in Florida, the NHL needs to look at moving one to Seattle or Portland?

Hockey has a rich history of strong personalities. Yeah Marty McSorley disgraced himself at the end of his career, but didn't he get the assist on Gretzky's record-breaking goal? Stu "The Grim Reaper" Grimson was a devoutly religious man when he was a popular player. Sean Avery's crime is saying something incredibly stupid to stir up emotions before a big game. Hardly worthy of the Stars wanting to ban him for the season. There is no way he thought he would land in so much hot water of that comment. I seriously doubt that.

 

[Marlo Manson]

Hockey maybe canada's National sport but 4 of the original six were US cities! Detroit, Chicago, NYRangers, Boston, with toronto and montreal being the only 2 canadien teams!

*the city of Detroit, a river between Detroit and Windsor,Ontairio the river is maybe an 1/8 of mile wide between the 2 countries for those that don't know*

So not taking any credit away from canada or your passion, but I as a life long Detroit resident that can cross into canada in 15 quick minutes from my front door and I have loved hockey just as and every bit as much as any canadien has since I discovered hockey when I was a child!

Canada despite it being the national sport is poorly sponsored or should I say supported in canada! Quebec, Winnipeg, and Ottawa lost their NHL franchise's / teams, I feel the US market has both helped and hurt the NHL!!

the NHL has flourished in the USA despite poor choices of where to allow expansion teams too take root!!

I think where the US influence has hurt the NHL is because of the cities that have a poor fanbase / attendance and for the most part up until the salary cap / market sharing (which is absolute IMO) its the only reason the newer expansion teams still exist!

I liked hockey when it was the NASTY HOCKEY LEAGUE, the real NHL per say, not this NO HIT LEAGUE or these insitagator rules and all the pansy penalties that are drowning the game as tradition meant the game too really be played!! die hards remember, cherish, and pray that NHL comes back sooner rather then later!!

We definitely have a watered down NHL thanx too SCARY BETTMAN trying too shove the watered down PC friendly version of the NHL, which was otherwise a very violent exciting game up AMERICANS ASSES by introducing hockey too cities its never really been too popular!!

 

[Mauser98k]

Boston at Tampa tonight...uh oh...

 

[Dawn]

I am not demeaning the sport by referring to it as a working class sport. Boston, Chicago and Detroit have strong working class communities (or had back in the day, today, maybe not so much). Hockey is Canada's national sport, but I think most of the financial problems are the U.S.'s fault, not Canada's. There are more teams in America than Canada. Hockey's financial problems today are due to the lack of American TV revenue. The NHL awarded most recent American franchises in markets that had no Hockey history, but large, growing family bases (San Jose, Anaheim, Tampa, Miami). Maybe instead of 2 franchises in Florida, the NHL needs to look at moving one to Seattle or Portland?

I couldn't agree more

Seattle and Portland had both a franchise in the 1920ish - might be more suitable to establish franchise than... many of the current ones. I think even moving back to Winnipeg is also a solid option now that there is a modern center build there. They can't do worste than Florida Panthers!

The Bettman era is one that shown the worst vision when it came to establish new franchise in my opinion. Maybe he hoped that new franchise in non traditional hockey areas could lead to better TV revenues from the US but... it didn't worked at all. The NHL isnt able to become a major sport in the USA (major as the NFL, MLB or NBA).

There is plenty of good traditional hockey markets uncovered (both in US and Canada): the future is there i think.

 

[Dawn]

Hockey maybe canada's National sport but 4 of the original six were US cities! Detroit, Chicago, NYRangers, Boston, with toronto and montreal being the only 2 canadien teams!

*the city of Detroit, a river between Detroit and Windsor,Ontairio the river is maybe an 1/8 of mile wide between the 2 countries for those that don't know*

So not taking any credit away from canada or your passion, but I as a life long Detroit resident that can cross into canada in 15 quick minutes from my front door and I have loved hockey just as and every bit as much as any canadien has since I discovered hockey when I was a child!

Sorry if i sounded like saying it's an all canadian sport - that's not what i meant neither what i think! It's a real North American sport (USA+Canada) unlike NBA, NFL or MLB which are truely American

I'm used to say that the roots of the NHL are around the Saint-Lawrence River, the Great Lakes and New England. And i'm not saying that to denigrate other great hockey towns and areas

 

[titsrock]

I agree. The Panthers need to move to the Pacific Northwest. Probably Seattle since they have an arena ready to go (goodbye Sonics). They could maybe name the franchise the Sonics too.

Maybe Portland could get the Hurricanes or the LA Kings?