Smiles for the Cliche Camera

By now I am sure everyone is sick of talking about Sean Avery. I have to wonder though, what does this suspension do to the fans of not only hockey, but sports in general? Not from an on ice point of view, but more importantly off the playing surface. I mean if the NHL tossed him right now it would not matter. The NHL moved on without Gretzky and Lemieux, while the NBA exists without Jordan, Magic, and Bird. The NFL survived the retirement of Sanders, Taylor, White, and Marino and MLB has seen Williams, Mays, Mantle, and Ryan hang them up.

So great games will survive even when great players call it a career. No Sean Avery equals no problem. But, the suspension makes me wonder will the next time a player wants to be candid, will he?

If the rest of you are like me, you are sick and tired of people giving 110 percent, when we know by definition the most effort they can give is 100 percent. We are tired of the answer being sticking to the game plan when we know the game plan does not work. I am pretty sure we all understand that, “they just have to find a way to put the puck in the net.” So what now?

I mean are basketball teams going to continue to, “live and die by the outside shot?" Or are they going to tell it like it is. The Raptors are only a competitive team when Chris Bosh does not settle for jump shots and dunks the ball down people’s throats. I know that.

Peyton Manning wants to “open up the passing lanes.” Can you tell me why they are not open already? It is either because the offense is predictable or because the linemen are doing a piss poor job of opening them. So, can we say that?

I do not know if we can. Sean Avery said something completely unrelated to hockey and his teammates will not even let him back in the room to apologize to them. His owner claimed if the league did not suspend him, the team would have.

Imagine if instead of “it shaping up to be a real pitchers duel,” someone actually said what was really going on. We have been in a slump for two weeks, we could not hit a baseball to save our lives right now, and the coaches have no answers. What happens if they said "our hitting coach is working on some weird technique that has everyone’s average down like 19 points.”

Go talk to him about this pitchers duel. Why are we giving credit to a guy that is 8-9 with an ERA of 4.98 in 26 starts. We know what he is, and that is a pitcher that gives up an average of five runs per game. Or is that worthy of a team imposed suspension as well?

I am worried the more we look into this, the more cliché we are going to get. So, I would like to thank Sean Avery for being candid. Then, I would like to thank the NHL for jumping the gun. Is he stupid? Sure is. But unfortunately, he was one of the last athletes left speaking his mind. Well him and Charles Barkley. But, Chuck is getting paid to say his peace now.

For Avery though, it is costing him dollars and the suspension does not make any cents!