haroldsnepsts

Here he is, the man who's gonna save the NHL.

Tampa Bay was dead last in the league last season pre-Melrose, and they gave him 16 games before getting rid of him. He got fired. He didn't even get the chance to fail at anything.

Apparently not. I saw many articles where Holland said he felt uncomfortable paying Hossa more than Lidstrom, but don't remember anything about actually going to Lidstrom to approve a salary above his own. Not saying it didn't happen, but I also don't remember reading anything about Holland promising not to pay anyone more than Lidstrom if he took a hometown discount.

No worries. It's an asshat move on my part, but is a pet peeve of mine I guess. Lately I see ludacris used more than ludicrous. Just you crazy kids and your MTV destroying the English language! *shaking my cane at you*

Ludacris = ludicrous = amusing or laughable through obvious absurdity, incongruity, exaggeration, or eccentricity

Agreed. I doubt this something that Lids is even really a part of. Like he's the godfather and has to give the nod before someone can make more than him. Lidstrom gave the Wings a hometown discount. It set an example for the team and Holland uses that as leverage in contract negotiations with the implication, "One of the greatest defenseman to ever play the game signed for 7.5 million to play here. Do you think you deserve more than him?"

I can't help but think how Kane will become even better than he already is once he hits puberty.

You can say all that stuff. On the ice. You guys are ignoring the context of what was said and who said it. It's about more than the words "sloppy seconds." I can't say for sure, but it's probably because he was actually talking about another pro hockey player and teammate when being interviewed about the incident. Still pretty weak to do it anonymously though. The Dallas Stars team chemistry must be such a mess right now. Honestly I think the league overreacted. There should've been a fine and they should've let the Stars deal with this. But I think it has as much or more to do with the yapping mouth it came out of as it does the specifics of what was said. And again, there's more than two possibilities here. It doesn't just have to be idiots like Avery or boring ass stock answers. You guys are making this the rallying cry of all that is wrong with the *earmuffs* pussification of the NHL. This is the league shutting down one a-hole who's had it coming for a looong time. First of all, I doubt the league would've suspended a player for criticizing Bettman specifically because it would seem like clamping down on dissent and ruling with an iron fist. Second, Chelios is still in the league. EDITED for typos do to lack of coffee. And how have you guys been getting that little edit box thingy? am I missing something??

To be clear, I think this suspension had nothing to do with Elisha Cuthbert specfically or that is some attempt to defend her honor because she's somehow a part of the league's marketing plan.

Freedom of speech has nothing to do with it. He's an employee of the Dallas Stars and NHL. When he's speaking as a representative of those organizations, like he was in the lockerroom when he asked if cameras were present, they're relatively free to control his speech however they see fit. Especially since pro hockey is entertainment, so an integral part of the job is interacting with the media. And it's really not a slippery slope. We're talking about one guy who has repeatedly made an ass of himself in the league. He called the media over to insult a player's girlfriend. The league has had enough. Avery thinks he is bigger than the game, and the league is reminding him that he isn't. Again, everyone seems to resort to the extreme opposite example to justify their argument. Like there's no room between Avery's badly rehearsed "sloppy seconds" line and the boring canned answers that all hockey players give. The league could use a few more characters. I think they miss mouths like Roenick and JR. AO is a great example. Avery is not. As I said before, this league needs to do a much better job of marketing itself, but if Avery is the best answer, the NHL is fricked.

It happens in other leagues, though usually the suspension is handled by the team, not the league itself.

I'm afraid so. It would take some sort of miracle to keep Hossa, Franzen and Z. Because as you point out, a lot of that is because we have two of them signed WELL below market value, and Hossa took a discount too. Plus the Wings have very little tied up in goaltending. So you have a Conn Smythe winner making $2.9 million, a guy on pace for 50+ points and a ridiculously good goal scoring streak signed for $1.15, Hossa taking a discount on a one-year deal at $7.45, and only $2.5 million tied up in your goalie and backup. None of that is really sustainable.

Has anyone posted his official apology yet? Funny how wanting your job back can make even a guy like Avery rather contrite. http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=493216

It's also not even an ad for or made by the NHL. Though I'm guessing the NHL had to grant some rights because I think the guys were actually wearing their team sweaters. And as I've said before, this has a lot to do with who said it. If some player without Avery's track record makes that comment, they probably get fined. The league has clearly had enough of him.

That's probably something Hull should've considered before he signed him to a 4 year $15.5 million deal with a No Trade Clause.

I would totally agree with that. I think the NHL should be marketing itself to UFC fans, and should specifically target NFL fans towards the end of football season. And if the WWE is more popular than the NHL, that's really depressing...

The thing is, Avery called the media over and used a disparaging remark off the ice to refer to a player's girlfriend. People can't see how that's over the line? Such churchgoing NHL fans as John Tortorella and Matthew Barnaby thought it was a stupid thing to say. I can understand the merits of suspension versus fine, but it doesn't make the comment any less inappropriate. Like I said, the NHL needs to market itself better, "sloppy seconds" is not the answer.

Did you read that link? "In the United States today, a reasonable estimate of the popularity order might be:" It's basically a discussion on how to measure popularity of a sport, then it supplies that list but doesn't seem to use any criteria. I'm not saying the WWE maybe isn't more popular (though i'd be surprised), but that link is not evidence that it is.

Too real? His comment was anything but "real." It was rehearsed and had nothing to do with what anything anyone was talking about. It was off color. Not real. I agree, Avery should've left this on the ice. And honestly a fine is more appropriate in my opinion than suspension, but it seems the NHL has had enough of him. Avery is free to be Avery, but not always when he's employed by the NHL. Maybe he'll be sloppy seconds for yet another team, or even league. And the league should crack down on headshots, but that has little to do with Avery's comments. The two are not directly related nor mutually exclusive. Like they're going to use up their suspensions on him and won't be able to save any for Pronger.

But you're already a hockey fan. People who can't follow the puck probably won't pick up on the possibility that Phaneuf is one of the big hitters in the league and may try to put Avery through the glass during the game. Like I said, the league absolutely needs to market itself better. Avery isn't it.

So is assuming that the only two options are letting Avery say things like that to the press, or marketing the game to "church ladies." This game can have characters and villains and rivalries. This is one case where a particular douchebag once again crossed the line. I feel like people who support this are somehow lumping it in with all they hate about Bettman, the new NHL and trying to reduce fighting in the game.

link?

You guys are all working on the assumption that somehow all the misbehavior of pro athletes is somehow an asset for the other major sports in the same way Im assuming it's ultimately bad for the NHL. It's a difference of opinion, but doesn't make you any more right. I think someone reading the headline "Hockey player suspended for making crude remark" and deciding to become a hockey fan is a pretty unlikely scenario. And the rest of your argument is a weak one. Not tolerating Avery calling over the media for a badly rehearsed line about sloppy seconds does not equal the NHL trying to draw in fans "with hugs and kisses." I think the NHL does a horrible job of marketing itself and marketing the game. Avery is not the solution. I agree that people who don't watch the game aren't interested because they don't know the players and can't follow the puck. Sloppy seconds isn't going to get them there. I do agree that the league could use a few more characters, but more along the lines of an AO, or even how Hull and Roenick used to be. If the NHL is relying on guys like Avery to bring in new fans, this league is screwed.

Another recent incident from Avery that I hadn't heard about. http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/columns/stor...&id=3740622 I'm soooo glad the Wings got rid of this guy early.

So to be clear, you say I'm making ridiculous assumptions that have no reason whatsoever of being true, then you refute it with an unfounded assumption of your own? My unfounded opinion is wrong, but yours is right? Makes sense. Do you really think most people watch football because of guys like Ocho Cinco and Plaxico? Because in spite of the fighting and violence in hockey, it's a pretty family-oriented game. Most of their players stay out of trouble, are good teammates, and pretty humble. The league clearly is weary of Avery's antics and is sending a message. It's one thing to yap on the ice, but to intentionally call the press over to make an off color comment is idiotic. As for Avery, he got exactly what he wanted. Attention. No matter what it does to his struggling team or the league that writes his paycheck. EDIT: Watching the clip, it's even more pathetic. It was so rehearsed and was pretty much a non sequitur.