Avery IS back on the Rangers

[s4gobabygo 0]

Which clearly seems to be the case. I'm not trying to sound all homerish and what not, which if I am then I apologize, but it seems that whenever a penalty is taken against Avery it isn't called. Perhaps its just me but I've seen numerous instances where Avery either gets tripped, interfered with, etc. and the refs seem to turn their heads. But again, this maybe a biased view on account of the fact that I am a Ranger/Avery fan.

i AM a lifetime rangers fan, but until recently have very much NOT been an avery fan. at first i was pissed to hear that they were taking him back. i actually like the way he's handled his return to the league, though. i was worried that he would simply be a nuissance, but (at least in my opinion), he's proven that he's a valuable player, and has refrained from taking stupid penalies. I also can't make a good argument for why his style of "pushing the rules" should be penalized. i would personally never play the way he does, but he's one of the best in the league when it comes to drawing penalties because of it.

i do see what you're talkng about, and again, this may be because i'm a fan, but i think a lot of players are taking liberties with him and not being called where there would be a call if we were talking about a player who has made a reputation for being almost strictly "clean" like callahan or staal. that part i think is completely unfair... reputations shouldn't factor into what's a penalty and what's not... that should be a decision based solely on the events that are being penalized.

i do agree that he was clearly taunting clarkson by floping his wrists around and ultimately dropping the one glove, but that's nothing new... that's become a very common practice in the NHL, but this is the first time i've seen it resulting in a penalty.

love him or hate him, he certainly hasn't been boring!

[LkptTiger 1]

Penalty or no penalty - getting tossed around like that and doing nothing about it is embarrassing.

[NYR4NG3R5 0]

Penalty or no penalty - getting tossed around like that and doing nothing about it is embarrassing.

Agreeably enough I still can't decide whether it was because he truly had no intention of fighting or if Torts had some influence here. Torts does NOT condone unnecessary fighting and with a 3-0 lead that fight would have been more than unnecessary.

[bigtime49 0]

Avery just needs to go away! Hes making the league look bad and hes a pussy for not fighting back against Clarkson

[Fire0nIce228 1]

In my opinion he's making himself look good by coming back and not doing anything stupid. Factor in that he's actually producing a bit and doing his job well...Yeah Avery is lookin pretty okay right now in my book.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

Bigtime.. you need to think some more before posting... What has Avery done since his return that's made the league look bad? Headlining a showdown between him and Brodeur? Hyping up an already big game? yes, very bad for the league indeed. Why would he fight Clarkson when his team is up 3-0? He would probably loose and the devils would gain some type of momentum. He did what hes paid to do, draw penalties. How he got one on that play.. i don't know. Probably because his name is Avery. He has been great since his return. Id give him an A- Hes done a terrific job of keeping things on the ice. Id love to have this version of Avery on my team.

[Chadd 916]

It's not like the guy did stupid things in every game before the suspension. In fact, on most nights he did a lot of the things he's doing now. I, and some others, just believe that at some point he is going to do or say something stupid that makes the team or league look bad. I hope I'm wrong and he has seen the light, I'm just not sure anything can change your personality that much in such a short period of time. I'm not rooting against him, I'm just rooting for him either.

[furlanitalia 1]

So far Avery has done a fantastic job. Stayed out of the spotlight and added enthusiasm to already great games. Really good to see.

[Fire0nIce228 1]

It's not like the guy did stupid things in every game before the suspension. In fact, on most nights he did a lot of the things he's doing now. I, and some others, just believe that at some point he is going to do or say something stupid that makes the team or league look bad. I hope I'm wrong and he has seen the light, I'm just not sure anything can change your personality that much in such a short period of time. I'm not rooting against him, I'm just rooting for him either.

Exactly true. Even before, he played a pretty good game on most nights. He has always gotten some rep as a gritty player with decent hands - he just forgets his brain every now then. If Avery does screw up real bad again, I mean, yeah the NHL might look bad for letting him back in. Then again, its not like football players or even NFL coaches don't spout off at the mouth now and then. I think New York is the best possible place for Avery. Seems like there is too much for him to do that keeps him from getting bored and doing something stupid.

[#96 0]

Mark Bell gets beyond drunk, gets in his car and proceeds to get into an accident with another person, endagering himself and whoever else was on the road that night, but he still has a job. Plaxico Burress goes into a club and shoots himself, endangering countless others, and will most likely still have a job when the season starts. Michael Vick gets convicted of a grotesque crime, and will most likely eventually have a job. Baseball players left and right are testing positive for drugs they know they should not be using, something that went as high as a Senate committee, and all have jobs after suspensions.

Avery SAYS something about sloppy seconds and everyone's panties get in a twist and are surprised he still has a job?

I don't get it. I just don't get it. Is this because hockey is an unpopular sport? Is hockey the red-headed step child of the sports world? Do people, including hockey fans, just like to point out all of hockey's negatives and make 1 person a scapegoat as to why hockey is going down the tubes? I'm sorry, I know Avery plays on the edge and shoots his mouth off, but there are clearly much, much worse things he could be doing that are being done in other sports by other athletes, and HE's the bain of the hockey world?

What's the saying, let he in who lives in a glass house throw the first stone...or something like that.

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

+1 to that. I agree 100% I think its because Canadian and American mainstream are much different. Take a look at the NBA and Lebron James. They have fake photo shoots before each game, pretending to pose, he takes baby powder into his hands and throws it into the sky.. and the fans LIKE it. Lebron told Ovechkin his 'Hot Stick' was the hottest celebration and that OV was 'Prime Time'. Being totally honest, hockey is the driest of the big 4 sports. Avery is another big personality, and it seems like the NHL does not want big personalities in their league. Your sport wont grow to the size of the other 3's size solely on the on ice product. There needs to be some X factors, something on sportscentre to talk about other than nice plays and pretty passes. Controversy sells. The NHL's pride in its past and its inability to adapt is hurting it.

[Gummer12 134]

Avery just 'Bumped' Tim Thomas in the back of the head with his stick during a TV Timeout, while Tim was kneeling. Claimed he never saw him, but blatantly knew what he was doing. And just when I thought he MIGHT have learned a lesson...I guess Ron White is right... 'You Can't Fix Stupid'.

[Darshu 0]

You've got to figure his thought process is "It's been 55 minutes and we haven't scored, let's see if I can get him off his game." I'm sure he knows Thomas is gonna come back at him and take a penalty, so it's not really stupid so much as it is classless.

[mik3 1]

You've got to figure his thought process is "It's been 55 minutes and we haven't scored, let's see if I can get him off his game." I'm sure he knows Thomas is gonna come back at him and take a penalty, so it's not really stupid so much as it is classless.

His thought process was, "I'm looking around, I don't think anyone's looking, so I'm going to be my normal scumbag self and do something completely classless like usual."

[RiSeOnFiRe 0]

You've got to figure his thought process is "It's been 55 minutes and we haven't scored, let's see if I can get him off his game." I'm sure he knows Thomas is gonna come back at him and take a penalty, so it's not really stupid so much as it is classless.

His thought process was, "I'm looking around, I don't think anyone's looking, so I'm going to be my normal scumbag self and do something completely classless like usual."

Jeeze man, you gotta have a reality check. A tap to the back of the helmet... is that any worse than a good 'ol palm to the face during a scrum? Not really. That was probably the best play of the whole game by the Rangers. They didn't go anything else. With a game that late, and that important, someone had to do SOMETHING. and what did it get the rangers? a 4 on 4 which led to a 4-3. Im no ranger or avery fan, but i can look at the situation without thinking everything avery does is full of scum and classlessness.

[NYR4NG3R5 0]

You've got to figure his thought process is "It's been 55 minutes and we haven't scored, let's see if I can get him off his game." I'm sure he knows Thomas is gonna come back at him and take a penalty, so it's not really stupid so much as it is classless.

His thought process was, "I'm looking around, I don't think anyone's looking, so I'm going to be my normal scumbag self and do something completely classless like usual."

Yes, the move was indeed classless. Sean Avery knew what he was doing when he bumped Timmy in the head with his stick. He knew Thomas would get flustered, and hoped it would throw him off his game. Even better, Tim's inability to remain calm got him a penalty so as an added bonus there was a 4 on 4. Sean Avery doesn't commit classless acts for his own sick twisted amusement. He reads Vogue for that. Sean Avery does what he does to get people on edge and hopefully throw them off their game in order to help his own team out. If some of you had the balls to do what Sean Avery does, even if it be to lesser extent, I'd put my money on it that you would.

[mik3 1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XC51RZNmQBw

Yeah, that takes a lot of balls. Then to skate away from Thomas like your skates are on fire when he comes at you.

[NYR4NG3R5 0]

Would you do it knowing that 6 opposing players will more than likely be all over you afterwards? I think not.

[mik3 1]

As to avoid a long pissing match this will be my last post on this.

Perhaps if he stood there after doing something like this then more than Avery/Rangers fanboys would have an ounce of respect for him.

The act is one thing, that's his shtick, to then skate away at top speed from a goalie is why everyone hates the guy.

[NYR4NG3R5 0]

Alright then, I'll let this be my last post on the matter as well.

You must be a slow skater if you think that's top speed. The only time he speeds up is when he sees Tim on his tail and that is so he can allow himself some room to turn around. Watch the replay a few more times, I'm positive you'll see it. Then Montador picked him off and they entangled.

[Chadd 916]

Would you do it knowing that 6 opposing players will more than likely be all over you afterwards? I think not.

I don't do things like that, I wouldn't know.

[Steve_v3 289]

Tha really sad part was he was having a pretty good game until he pulled that bush league tap on Thomas's haed. I don't think people have a problem with him when he just plays hard. It's all that crap is why a lot of people hate him.

[furlanitalia 1]

Didn't see the game but saw that tap. Not sure how bush league it was, definitely wasn't a class act but what was an act was him pretending to do it by accident. Definitely worth a laugh.

[LkptTiger 1]

Jeeze man, you gotta have a reality check. A tap to the back of the helmet... is that any worse than a good 'ol palm to the face during a scrum? Not really.

I must be missing something - lemme try to figure this out, here. Are you really trying to equate the following:

1) A stick to the back of the goalie's head after an uneventful, "peaceful" whistle

-to-

2) Rubbing your hand in a guy's face during a shoving match?

He shows a complete lack of class, a lack of respect for other players and a lack of respect for the game.

Would you do it knowing that 6 opposing players will more than likely be all over you afterwards? I think not.

When a guy has got the Instigator Rule on his side, he can do just about anything he wants. I'd hardly say what Avery did required balls; especially given the way he just grabbed on and waited for a ref to arrive when Montador got a hold of him.

[jsmart 0]

Come on it was a weak attempt to get in his head (pun intended)...had he wound up his stick or knocked him over maybe it's a big deal, but a tap to the head...give me a break...nobody got hurt, just like in all his other little shows...it's Avery being Avery...I think he would make some of the folks on here cry...