Re: avery, why is it a big deal?
I think Mirtle nailed it today:
NHL right to suspend*Avery - From The Rink
Quote:
It's fully understandable that many of those in the media (and blogosphere) are calling for a sideshow given the great copy it would produce, but I absolutely endorse what the NHL's done here. Promoting the game is one thing; childish, and downright crude and insulting, antics are another, and the last thing any professional sports league should be looking for is someone like Sean Avery setting the bar for what's in good taste.
To be honest, I'm a little taken aback at just how many hockey fans are calling the NHL on the carpet tonight. Why on earth should players' girlfriends, wives and families be subject to public slurs — no matter how benign — as part of some ridiculous Avery-orchestrated marketing campaign?
What if his next move is to dump on the daughters of opposing general managers? What if he does it when the Stars next game is against the Canadiens? And, hey, let's make fun of ol' Walter Gretzky while we're in Phoenix, too!
That is not how you build a brand. It's a sideshow, plain and simple, and if you rely on the Averys of the NHL to determine where the line is and if they can cross it, we're heading into ugly territory indeed.
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