Avery comments & suspension

[isbister 0]

The statement is usually to the effect of "there's no such thing as bad publicity." That's not true. Of course there's bad publicity.

I'm sure a lot of people watched Bert's first game back. Were they new fans to the game? probably not. But I bet a lot of people who don't watch hockey got to see Bert chase Moore down and suckerpunch him when they showed the clip on the evening news, including Moore being carted off the ice. That's bad publicity.

The one thing it seems we can agree on is hatred of watching basketball. Though I'd be curious to know what Shaq and Kobe said that was more off color than one of them calling the other ones girlfriend sloppy seconds. I remember a lot of yapping about each other, but that's different. A lot of places carrying the Avery story won't even print the phrase he used.

Can't remember everything said, but Shaq had said something about Kobe and that whole rape thing. It was pretty harsh stuff though.

[isbister 0]

If you have ever been in marketing or even taken a marketing class, you would know the first people you need to market towards in order to grow your business are your existing customers.

I typically only watch the Red Wings, but if I know the Bruins are playing the Canadiens or the Penguins are playing the Capitals or the Flyers, I'm going to try and catch it because I know those will be exciting games. Football games attract tons of viewers that are fans of other teams.

Agree 100%

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

If you have ever been in marketing or even taken a marketing class, you would know the first people you need to market towards in order to grow your business are your existing customers.

I typically only watch the Red Wings, but if I know the Bruins are playing the Canadiens or the Penguins are playing the Capitals or the Flyers, I'm going to try and catch it because I know those will be exciting games. Football games attract tons of viewers that are fans of other teams.

Actually I have a degree in marketing.

Of course they need to market to existing customers. But by virtue of the fact that the people you're referring to are on NHL forums, they're likely already hardcore fans. Not to mention a handful of posts saying they would've watched is hardly a valid representation. Especially considering the people who have a strong opinion about the suspension are more likely to make a post about it. So you're using a tiny sample of already hardcore fans commenting on the game to somehow show that it would've attracted a lot of positive attention to the game. Though I'm sure some of them really did want to watch the game tonight because of Avery's mouth. But the NHL had to make a decision whether to cater to that segment at the risk of alienating a lot of existing and potentially new viewers.

Because the reality is, Avery calling his ex-girlfriends "sloppy seconds" is probably going to offend more potential fans than it's going to win over. And while you need to market to current fans, the goal is ultimately to grow the fanbase while preserving the integrity of the sport.

[Outsider 42]

Yeah cause the NFL is going to lose all there viewers since Plax shot himself, Pacman shot up a strip club and Nate Newton got pulled over with enough weed to kill a small horse. Lets see, shouldn't the MLB viewers quit watching since Manny pissed in left field or the fact that alot of them were called out for doing roids? The fact is, like it or not no publicity could be a bad thing for the NHL right now. It would interest people and draw attraction to the game.

Unbelievable. I don't mean to single you out, but your post in particular tweaked something....

Please READ what you are writing. Please.

Every player you've mentioned above is either a scumbag, a drug addict, a CRIMINAL, or a combination of "all of the above"!

Honestly! Do you REALLY want the NHL to attract more "fans" with a marketing campaign of:

"The New NHL! Tune in.....Our stars are just as scummy as THEIRS are, now!"

Puhlease! Keep those fans, AND those types of athletes, FAR away from the NHL.

[YoungGuns1340 1]

Pffffft. Big Deal. What do you know about their relationship anyway? She's the one who dumped him so it's not like he needs to have a high opinion of her.

Ex's say and do worse things to each other all the time and this wasn't even that bad. Anyway, I think it's a joke he's suspended for speaking his mind.

Even more reason for Avery to shut the hell up. She dumped him...and moved on to Phaneuf. What does that say about Phaneuf in comparison to Avery.

As much as I think Avery is a ******* loser for half the s*** that comes out of his mouth, NO ONE in the NHL gets the NHL more outside press than Sean Avery. So what if hes running his mouth? Thats certainly not suspension worthy. Especially when you consider some of the dangerous plays that guys make. cough *Pronger *cough..

[GMRwings1983 8,804]

Actually I have a degree in marketing.

Of course they need to market to existing customers. But by virtue of the fact that the people you're referring to are on NHL forums, they're likely already hardcore fans. Not to mention a handful of posts saying they would've watched is hardly a valid representation. Especially considering the people who have a strong opinion about the suspension are more likely to make a post about it. So you're using a tiny sample of already hardcore fans commenting on the game to somehow show that it would've attracted a lot of positive attention to the game. Though I'm sure some of them really did want to watch the game tonight because of Avery's mouth. But the NHL had to make a decision whether to cater to that segment at the risk of alienating a lot of existing and potentially new viewers.

Because the reality is, Avery calling his ex-girlfriends "sloppy seconds" is probably going to offend more potential fans than it's going to win over. And while you need to market to current fans, the goal is ultimately to grow the fanbase while preserving the integrity of the sport.

Who's it going to offend besides his ex-girlfriends?

Some of you guys are making ridiculous assumptions that have no reason whatsoever of being true. The average American sports fan loves this kind of stuff. Just look at the other leagues.

What makes you think this will offend non-sports fans in general? If some NASCAR driver said this, I wouldn't all of a sudden lose respect for all their drivers and assume that they were all animals of some sort. It's just unfounded assumptions on your part, and that of several other posters who happen to agree with your view.

[egroen 384]

Because the reality is, Avery calling his ex-girlfriends "sloppy seconds" is probably going to offend more potential fans than it's going to win over. And while you need to market to current fans, the goal is ultimately to grow the fanbase while preserving the integrity of the sport.

A healthy fine would discourage such tactless comments in the future, but the fact is Avery just handed them a very nice ratings boost on a silver platter and the NHL was too stubborn or clueless to realize it.

With the crap that goes on with players from the other (much) more popular sports, I'm ok with an off-the-cuff tasteless comment every once in a while in the NHL. In fact, I am desperate for it... the canned "awww shucks, they sure played a great game" interviews drive me crazy.

Edited December 3, 2008 by egroen

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

I'm of two minds on this. On the one hand, I say more mean-spirited and rotten things every single day and don't feel bad about it, so Avery's words, specifically, don't bother me.

The fact that he went out of his way to try and start s*** in front of the media, however, screams of an infantile attention-***** frantically waving his arms and making racket to get anyone and everyone to look his way.

All things considered, I would have been OK with whatever happened.

[Outsider 42]

Who's it going to offend besides his ex-girlfriends?

Just out of curiosity....

If an ex-boyfriend of your wife/girlfriend called your woman "sloppy seconds", would YOU be offended? Would your kids be offended that someone had called their mother "sloppy seconds"? Would her father be offended? How 'bout if an ex-boyfriend called your DAUGHTER "sloppy seconds"?

How 'bout if the ex-boyfriend specifically brought the media, camera in tow, into the picture, and called your wife/girlfriend/daughter "sloppy seconds" on national television, for no other purpose than to be a scumbag?

You still think that "she" would be the only one who'd be offended?

[egroen 384]

Just out of curiosity....

If an ex-boyfriend of your wife/girlfriend called your woman "sloppy seconds", would YOU be offended? Would your kids be offended that someone had called their mother "sloppy seconds"? Would her father be offended? How 'bout if an ex-boyfriend called your DAUGHTER "sloppy seconds"?

How 'bout if the ex-boyfriend specifically brought the media, camera in tow, into the picture, and called your wife/girlfriend/daughter "sloppy seconds" on national television, for no other purpose than to be a scumbag?

You still think that "she" would be the only one who'd be offended?

Am I a public figure?

Take a moment and do a search of Elisha Cuthbert or even Dion Phaneuf, on any popular media, and you will find plenty of rotten things said about them, *gasp* even on this site!

[e_prime 1,936]

Avery is an idiot. ...and he wouldn't have fought Phaneuf ...even if Phaneuf were dumb enough to challenge him to fight.

I hope Dion does the right thing and doesn't even acknowledge Avery's comments.

[Outsider 42]

Am I a public figure?

Take a moment and do a search of Elisha Cuthbert or even Dion Phaneuf, on any popular media, and you will find plenty of rotten things said about them, *gasp* even on this site!

I'm sorry. I fail to see how that pertains to my post. The question was "Who's going to be offended other than his ex-girlfriends?" Is Elisha Cuthbert's father a "public figure"? Her mother? Sister(s)/Brother(s)? Her Aunt Fannie?

Avery's comments were made after practice, in the lockerroom of an NHL Arena, to the National media, and while he was officially "on the job", as an employee of both the Dallas Stars AND the NHL.

He was out of line. WAY out of line.

Are you telling me that you could go into the office tomorrow, stand up on the table in the breakroom, call everyone's attention to yourself, and announce to EVERYONE that Vicky in Accounting, (a girl you dated briefly, but who now dates your co-worker), is "sloppy seconds", and not be FIRED for the offense? Immediately?

[Yzerman191 37]

Just out of curiosity....

If an ex-boyfriend of your wife/girlfriend called your woman "sloppy seconds", would YOU be offended? Would your kids be offended that someone had called their mother "sloppy seconds"? Would her father be offended? How 'bout if an ex-boyfriend called your DAUGHTER "sloppy seconds"?

How 'bout if the ex-boyfriend specifically brought the media, camera in tow, into the picture, and called your wife/girlfriend/daughter "sloppy seconds" on national television, for no other purpose than to be a scumbag?

You still think that "she" would be the only one who'd be offended?

I absolutely agree. That's the first thing I thought when I read his comments. I'm honestly surprised how people can ask how someone could be offended by such a comment!

Edited December 3, 2008 by Yzerman191

[eva unit zero 271]

Avery is such a tool. He should be sent to the KHL and left there.

[daniel1 32]

The NHL is a joke, how the f*** can this be a suspension? I think it is atrocious that he got suspended for what he said and I don't even like the guy..... but as soon as I saw this thread I looked for the game on TV IMMEDIATELY!

By the way, the term sloppy seconds is not demeaning if you understand the term. I guess it's all context.

You've gotta be kidding me! Implying that after you've nailed some chic and she's all loose and sloppy when the other guy gets his turn isn't "demeaning?". Maybe in the world of quadruple X rated movies it's a compliment, but in any other context it is degrading, demeaning and incredibly rude. It's locker room talk pure and simple; we used to raz each other back in junior and about girlfriends, sisters and mothers after the games in our own locker room, but we would never, ever, dare to say those things when our wives and girlfriends were within earshot. I still wish they hadn't suspended Avery though cause the storyline would have been the most exciting thing to happen in the NHL this year. It's pretty sad that in the course of the 82 game schedule there is very little drama or excitement till the playoffs get within sight. Gone are the days of "grudge-matches", "line-brawls" and heavyweight rematches in the mold of Probert-Domi II... those were the things that got us Canadian boys all riled up on a Saturday night!

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Avery is such a tool. He should be sent to the KHL and left there.

He'd learn Russian, run his mouth, get in the paper, and then get assinated all in the same week. Avery stylez.

[egroen 384]

I'm sorry. I fail to see how that pertains to my post. The question was "Who's going to be offended other than his ex-girlfriends?" Is Elisha Cuthbert's father a "public figure"? Her mother? Sister(s)/Brother(s)? Her Aunt Fannie?

Avery's comments were made after practice, in the lockerroom of an NHL Arena, to the National media, and while he was officially "on the job", as an employee of both the Dallas Stars AND the NHL.

He was out of line. WAY out of line.

Are you telling me that you could go into the office tomorrow, stand up on the table in the breakroom, call everyone's attention to yourself, and announce to EVERYONE that Vicky in Accounting, (a girl you dated briefly, but who now dates your co-worker), is "sloppy seconds", and not be FIRED for the offense? Immediately?

What a great analogy. I know that if I get in a fist fight with my coworkers my boss makes me sit in the bathroom for 5 minutes.

[puckloo39 5,686]

that was a disgusting thing to say, although I don't doubt there are worse pronouncements made daily by players on every team.

Most have the common sense and decency to not make a media event out of them, however. Stars are already suffering the loss of three key players to serious injury (Ott, Morrow, and Joel Lundqvist), and didn't really need one of their players drawing attention in this manner. As Hicks was quoted today, if the NHL hadn't suspended Avery, the Stars would have.

If Avery was making an ill-advised comment in order to rattle the Flames (Phaneuf in particular), it might be working. Stars are ahead by a goal, 2-1, end of the second.

[puckloo39 5,686]

What a great analogy. I know that if I get in a fist fight with my coworkers my boss makes me sit in the bathroom for 5 minutes.

ew?

[Outsider 42]

What a great analogy. I know that if I get in a fist fight with my coworkers my boss makes me sit in the bathroom for 5 minutes.

Many apologies! I was under the impression that Avery had made his comments in a lockerroom, to the National media, rather than ON THE ICE, where comments such as that, much like fist fights, are not only accepted, they are EXPECTED.

They are both also, mind you, LEFT ON THE ICE.

[miller76 463]

Sean Avery = Dennis Rodman........Both are a couple a crazy outspoken cross-dressers if you ask me!

:flush: = their careers!

[puckloo39 5,686]

Many apologies! I was under the impression that Avery had made his comments in a lockerroom, to the National media, rather than ON THE ICE, where comments such as that, much like fist fights, are not only accepted, they are EXPECTED.

They are both also, mind you, LEFT ON THE ICE.

I think you're right about this. The Dallas announcers just said the same, basically, during the intermission. They said if Avery had wanted to say such things, he should have done it on the ice, and things would have sorted themselves out - which is why he didn't say it to Dion's face, most likely.

Maybe instead of suspending Avery, they should have made him play tonight.

[Outsider 42]

I think you're right about this. The Dallas announcers just said the same, basically, during the intermission. They said if Avery had wanted to say such things, he should have done it on the ice, and things would have sorted themselves out - which is why he didn't say it to Dion's face, most likely.

Maybe instead of suspending Avery, they should have made him play tonight.

I've a sneaking suspicion that playing hockey will not be nearly as enjoyable an experience for Mr. Avery, going forward.

His conduct has been reprehensible throughout his taudry little career. He's made himself plenty of enemies amongst opposing Teams players. Now it appears that he's sickened even his own Teammates to the point where they're openly disgusted with him.

Paint a bullseye on the guys' back.

[Shaman 713]

NEW YORK - Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery was suspended indefinitely by the NHL on Tuesday, pending a hearing with NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. The League said the suspension was issued in accordance with the provisions of By-Law 17 and Article 6 of the NHL Constitution for conduct "detrimental to the League or game of hockey." The suspension was imposed following inappropriate public comments about the personal lives of opposing players, and not pertaining to the game, made by Avery earlier in the day.

NHL story

[syntax 359]

Well deserved. What a tool.