Look, I don't want to like Sean Avery as much as you don't want to like Sean Avery. But the reality is that he's an ostentatious, scab-picking provocateur who frequently backs up his shtick with his ability to give his team a timely offensive spark and an emotional kick in the ass. So as a writer who still proudly wears his No. 22 Claude Lemieux jersey, I have to hand it to Avery: He's one of the few guys in this emasculated and frequently tedious league that can draw an instant reaction.
Avery returned to the Rangers in their Saturday night
On his Fire & Ice blog, Gulitti had details of two other Avery agitations. The Rangers' pest pointed his stick in Devils winger David Clarkson's face during warm-ups and later called him "a bonehead minor leaguer." He also tried to piss off Devils goalie Marty Brodeur before the game, during the game and then after the game; that's when Avery said "we're not friends. It's not an (expletive) secret," and called him "Marty the diver" because Brodeur was hit with a diving penalty in the first period. (Avery should know: He cried like a child when the NHL fined him $1,000 for his own Louganis routines.)
Like I said: Whether he's rumored to be dating one of the most famous twins in the world (no, not Daniel Sedin) or taunting a world-class goalie who'll be long remembered after Avery has picked his last fight, the guy gets a reaction. Like this one from Devils blogger Steve Lepore on Battle of NY -- a nice rant with a great bottom line, which is that "Aaah, it's good to hate the Rag$ again!"
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
11-04-2007 @ 11:29PM
beth said...
You gotta love Avery!!! Especially when he calls it like he sees it and his team wins!!
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11-05-2007 @ 5:49AM
kevin said...
AVERY IS THE PEST AND PAIN IN THE ASS THAT Y ALL HATE WHEN HE IS ON THE ICE BUT ALL WISH HE WAS ON YOUR TEAM KEEP IT UP SHAWN LETS GO RANGERS WE DIDNT EVEN START TO ROLL YET WATCH OUT WE R GOING TO GO ON A TARE
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11-05-2007 @ 10:16AM
grapevinesooner said...
I don't think Marty could hear Avery. What with his three Stanley Cup rings in his ears.
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11-05-2007 @ 11:58AM
A Null said...
Avery's a joke and will be playing for another team before the end of the season. He's a temporary distraction for Rags fans, who are just fine with their overpaid but weak offense.
Avery will take more diving penalties this season.
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11-05-2007 @ 12:25PM
Don said...
At least he doesn't to it by blind-siding a guy and smashing his face into the ice while on top of the guy's back, like some other NHL schmucks--who should have been banned from the sport for life--have done. OH, and I'm a Devils' fan.
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11-05-2007 @ 3:41PM
Tom Mantzouranis said...
As much as I hate Avery now, I'd sure like to see him wearing red and black (not Chicago's, mind you).
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11-05-2007 @ 3:42PM
Greg Wyshynski said...
I'm with you Tom, but I'm pretty sure that's a notion you and I should keep on the down-low around other more...ahem..."passionate" Devils fans.
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11-06-2007 @ 2:04AM
Jeff Nozilo said...
Like every other "player you love to hate, but want on your team" I am glad he is on our team (yes, a Ranger fan here). And I dain to say that I am sure just about EVERY Devil fan secretly wishes for their version, if not the real Sean Avery. I remember the same things being said for, and I will name just two in recent history, Ulf Samuelsson and Darius "who just is way to old and useless" Kasparitis. Another thing recently being said about him, and I agree wholeheartedly, is that his skills are underated. If Aves can pull it all together he will be considered more than just an agitator. Keep it rollin' Aves! While he may not get a rise out a "Parise" or a "Brodeur", he is certainly getting under their skin and into their psyche. You got to love a thinking man's player!
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