Update: here’s the video
Canadian hockey player Sean Avery was suspended indefinitely by the NHL pending a hearing with officials on rude remarks he made to the press ahead of a game. Avery, 28, plays for the Dallas Stars and was dating fellow Canadian actress Elisha Cuthbert, 26, for about two years up until the summer of 2007. Cuthbert is now seeing hockey player Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames. The Stars were set to play the Flames yesterday in Calgary, and Avery decided to make a public remark about his ex girlfriend dating a member of the opposing team, calling her “sloppy seconds.” He was cut from the game and suspended as a result:
For the record, Avery – unsolicited – stepped in front of a bank of microphones in the visitors’ dressing room yesterday morning and said: “I’m really happy to be back in Calgary; I love Canada. I just want to comment on how it’s become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don’t know what that’s about, but enjoy the game tonight.”
And with that, Avery walked away.
Phaneuf is now dating Cuthbert, Avery’s former girlfriend, who was also once romantically linked to Mike Komisarek of the Montreal Canadiens.
Previously, Avery was involved with actress Rachel Hunter, now the girlfriend of former Edmonton Oilers centre Jarrett Stoll, who now plays for the Los Angeles Kings.
Avery speaking at all was something of a surprise. He has been picking his spots this year, willing to sit down for some media organizations (ESPN), but not others. He didn’t do interviews in New York, upon his return to play his former team, the Rangers. He didn’t speak in New Jersey, where the last time through town, he called Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur a “fatso.”
Presumably, Avery’s comments also embarrassed his coach, Dave Tippett, who went to extraordinary lengths to defend his player just before Avery shot off his mouth.
[From The Globe and Mail]
The Stars went on to beat The Flames without Avery, 3-1. Avery has a four year free agent contract worth $15.5 million, and the Dallas Stars may attempt to kick him out of his contract after he so publicly embarrassed them.
I wonder if Cuthbert is mortified at being called “sloppy seconds” or if she’s more ashamed to have ever dated that jerk in the first place. Avery has also dated Lake Bell, Mary-Kate Olsen, and Rachel Hunter so at least she’s in good company.
Avery is shown in the header on 10/20/08 and below on 5/20/08. Credit: WENN
What a jerk. That comment says so much more about him than it does about her. And since he’s dating Rod Stewart’s ex…he really, really doesn’t have much room to talk, does he?
He’s an obvious loser.
The NHL never has been known for their classy players!
Now we know why they are exes… what a piece of work this guy is.
They are sloppy seconds, HOLLYWOOD in general is actually like sloppy ninths and tenths, depending on the individual, their respective age and their duration in bizarro-world.
@Mel: because the latter isn’t hockey
and Nicole, Wendel Clark was a pretty class act. There’s more but he comes to mind first, oh and then Borje Salming, Darryl Sittler and Mats Sundin. My Leafs’ bias is showing… 🙂
Gary Roberts too!!
What do they see in him? He looks like a male bimbo. Not too bright obviously.
I responded to Mel whose post is no longer showing. S/he said hockey players pounding each other to a bloody pulp is okay but calling someone a ‘sl*t’ isn’t?
I agree, what is ever. The thought of it makes me want to gag.
He’s disgusting. She’s no treat either, but that was harsh.
I thought what the NHL did was the most silly thing. I mean this is hockey where guys beat each other up at every game. A few words from some guy being bitchy about an ex? Like we all haven’t done that before, ragged about sloppy seconds and thirds? He’s only speaking the truth. The game would have been rather exciting with all the Flames beating up on Avery and his teammates doing nothing. But of course the NHL took the easy way out. Pffft. Lame-o NHL and good on Avery for telling it like it is in the NHL.
I don’t know who he is and I don’t watch hockey.
What right do they have to suspend a man for opening his mouth.
So what if he’s an ass? A-Rod is a tool and Shaq’s a quack but they are there to play the sport. Not to have a sense of what is prpoer behavior. Let’s be honest this is hocket not, say dressage.
It may not have been a very adult thing to say but since when can you suspend an athlete for being immature?
at least the dallas stars were able to succeed without avery in the lineup. that fool can hardly stay in position.
You can suspend a player for being a dick? I mean, it’s not like he said something super offensive like the n-word. Imagine if professional boxers were banned for trash talking!
Sean Avery has officially broadcast to the world that he is a major league A-hole.
On behalf of single women worldwide, I can safely say they certainly thank you for the advance warning! You have saved then alot of time and wasted dates getting to know you!
Good luck on the dating scene now you shmuck!
I don’t see why the NHL has to step in and suspend the guy. He’s a jerk, yes. Let him portray himself as a jerk. His job is to show up and play, not to be Mr. Congeniality. He has freedom of speech and can say whatever he wants. If there’s a microphone set up on the street, couldn’t any passerby go up to it and say whatever they want? So why not just let him speak his mind? His true nature shows that he is a jerk and the NHL’s stepping in is just silly.
Oh, I’m sure the ladies will be lining up outside his door regardless of what he says. He’s rich and famous, and that’s usually all it takes.
His face looks like it’s been busted and reassembled many times over. Ick.
Honestly, it isn’t just the comment that Sean Averys being suspended for.
He’s a player known to cause trouble. He gets suspended alot for fighting, really just think Bash Brother from Mighty Ducks….I’m sure they look for any reason they can find to get him off of the ice so that he can’t cause more trouble.
“What right do they have to suspend a man for opening his mouth”
They have every right to, if he signed a contract that compels him to comport himself in a particular manner. I would suspect that saying vile things about an ex girlfriend (or about any woman) falls into that category.
What’s a hockey game if there isn’t blood on the ice?
I get that he’s a trouble-maker, but sometimes things are best left resolved with a hard body check and a good ol’ fashioned bare knuckle brawl. I mean, the guy’s made no qualms about being an attention craving dickfor, why not turn it into entertainment value?
These guys knock each other’s teeth out and he gets kicked out for calling his ex out? Lame.
Sean Avery is an embarrasment to Canadian hockey players.
He should be thanking the NHL for the suspension.
You could pick anyone of 5-6 players on the Flames that would have loved to play him last night after his trashy comments.
As usual he should keep his head up and not forget that karma is bitch….just like him!
amy, it may not be the “n” word, but it’s just as derogatory to women… players beating eachother up is on them… they chose to be part of the game… why he would bring someone who has nothing to do with why people are there is childish and immature and he definitely needs to be taught a lesson…
what an immature and bitter jerk. stupid, too. probably not even smart enough to know he didn’t succeed in hurting/making anyone look bad – except himself.
Someone has already ‘edited’ his Wikipedia page.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Avery
And the fact is lots of attractive hollywood types will still date him.
Because of his status and his money.
The best statement on this whole thing is from D Listed, “You can knock out a bitch’s tooth out with your head, but you can’t slag off a C-list actress! The NHL is only filled with the finest gentlemanly gentlemen!”
Steady on!! The NHL is not just a dumping ground for a-holes and dickheads! There are some massively class acts in there as well…The Great One comes to mind…the thing I miss most about Canada…Ice Hockey…and “Welcome to Hockey Night in Canada!!!” on the CBC 🙂
No wonder they broke up. I used to live in Denver when Peter Forsberg played and served him at the restaurant where I was employed. He was the epitomy of a class act. Such a fine human being, and gorgeous to boot.
we all know how you present yourself and what you say has consequences… obviously, one wouldn’t expect to go to an interview and spout out “what’s up bitch” wearing dirty clothes and expect to get a job… freedom of speech doesn’t mean that you can’t have priveleges taken away cuz you’re an idiot…
Avery was suspended not over this remark, but his history of being a diarreha mouthed A-hole. He’s slagged a FELLOW TEAMMATE who was suffering from cancer; he has made inflammatory remarks to other players during games just to get them to jump him and cause a penalty. The NHL is fighting their blood-n-guts image, and having a douche like this (and a very public douche at that) being a representative of your league doesn’t help their cause.
He wasn’t suspended for this comment. He was suspended for his past. And I say good riddance…Anna Wintour can keep him! (He was a Vogue intern last summer).
Some sports have a clause in their contracts about not bringing their game into disrepute. If Hockey’s one of those sports they’re well within their right to suspend this f&ckwit.
I just saw the video clip where he asks the media if they have a camera; (while in the locker room) then stands there and waits while they set up to make his comment.
That’s so very strange.
I’d like to hear the official word on his suspension. this or that?
Nicole:
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:18 pm The NHL never has been known for their classy players!
Not in the slightest bit true. Luckily Avery is the exception rather than the rule.
While I personally think this specific incident is HILARIOUS, it doesn’t change the fact that Avery is a racist asshole who brings nothing positive to the game. Shame he didn’t get to play in the game vs Calgary – have you SEEN Dion Phaneuf? Guys injure themselves just bumping into him. 😆
Anyway the main issue I have with Avery is not just his mouth, but that he’s also a diehard turtler. You wanna run your mouth? Fine. But make damn sure you back it up. Avery usually runs. P*ssy. 😆
interesting that he got fined for the comment. yes it was offensive but I thought being a major d.ouch.e was an NFL requirement. 😛
Behavior that reflects badly on the franchise is a big no-no.
feebee- hockey is one of them and a public behavior bylaw is what he’s being brought up on.
i’ve said it before and i’ll say it again: the term ‘sloppy seconds’ is far more derogatory towards the second partner than the person they’ve both ‘known’. it implies that they are socially inept and unable to find someone on their own, so they have to swoop in on nearby exes. i used the term myself when my former roommate started dating my ex-boy-hookup-type-thing (kids these days and their undefined relationships), and believe me, the insult was directed at her. the worst “sloppy seconds” says about the person in the middle is that they’re willing to dip their chip in the same bowl twice. which is icky for literal AND figurative reasons.
Elisha Cuthbert is from Greenfield Park next to my town. She should have known way better than to date a smack talking cowboy hockey player like Avery. I have met quite a few losers on their way up in the hockey world (here in Quebec). Guys who had been drafted and played University hockey and they all had attitude problems. Their IQs were limited as well as their educations. Dion Phaneuf seems to be quite intelligent comparatively however. Good luck Elisha!
What a thorough douche.
Has he been pucked too many times to the head, or has he always lashed out like a 12 year old?
“I wonder if Cuthbert is mortified at being called “sloppy seconds” or if she’s more ashamed to have ever dated that jerk in the first place.”
I’d imagine a bit of both. She used to be engaged to Justin Timberlake’s BFF, Trace Ayala, until she cheated on him with Mr. Personality. JT even wrote a song about it; “What Goes Around….” and damn if it’s not ringing true. He’s an ass but she chose that ass over her fiance so she’s clearly getting what she deserves. It always ceases to amaze me that people just won’t break up with someone if they want to screw around with other people!!
I think “suspended indefinitely” is a little harsh and an overreaction. Players always talk smack before games. Shit, Plaxico had a gun and the NFL hemmed and hawed before issuing his suspension.
Kudos to the Dallas Stars for calling BS on his behavior and pulling him. Rumor in Dallas is that many of his team mates want him gone for good.
They recognize this for what it is …. waste. 👿