Hockey Night In Australia With Bleacher Report

I Skyped my sister in Australia yesterday and she swears this is a true story: On Sunday in Adelaide she saw a guy wearing a Toronto Maple Leafs jersey. That's just the start of the story.

It's very rare to see a Maple Leafs jersey in Oz, she said hi to the guy and they talked a little hockey. The guy said he was a Leafs fan even though they had a bad year.

My sister said she was a Toronto fan when she lived there but became a Canadiens fan when she moved to Montreal. The guy said he was becoming a New York Rangers fan.

Why? she asked. He said it was because the Rangers were winning and he liked the daily updates about the Rangers and Sean Avery on Bleacher Report.

Oh really, my sister said. Yeah, the Toronto guy said. Bleacher Report is the best and the daily updates on Sean Avery are too much!

He actually used a different expression, that sounded like something Sean Avery might say, but it meant the same thing, more or less.

Yeah, the guy went on, there's all these articles written by a columnist called Martin Avery. I've got a bet with a buddy that he's Sean Avery's father, brother, cousin, or something.

Oh, my sister said, Well I can assure you they're not related.

How do you know? The guy asks her.

She shook his hand and introduced herself, saying she was related to me and we're not related to him.

The Canuck in Oz said the equivalent of "no kidding," using language that would get an NHL player suspended, if he used it on TV.

My sister tells me anger management is in the news in the land down under as it is in North America. Adelaide Roosters forward Anthony Cherrington is undertaking anger management classes after pleading guilty to an assault from last year, according to RugbyLeagueLive.com.

The 20-year-old forward admitted to striking a woman in the face and on the body, threatening her with a knife, and smashing her sunglasses, mobile phone, and car mirrors 10 days later.

Also, fellow Rooster Setaimata Sa will appear in court next month to appeal a conviction for fracturing a man’s skull in a pub fight more than 12 months ago. He received 250 hours’ community service.

Another rugby player, All Blacks flanker Sione Lauaki has been ordered to attend an anger management classes, according to ESPN scrum. He was charged with deliberately damaging property at an Auckland motel in the early hours of New Year's Day.

To bring the story full circle, as Oprah likes to say, Relationships Australia runs anger management courses, and guess who works for R.A.? My sister, who is not related to Sean Avery.