Sean Avery Loses Temper During Meeting With Bettman
Ever since Sean Avery received his six game suspension from the NHL for his comments before the Dallas-Calgary game a few weeks ago, people have been outraged. “Why is Avery getting more games for talking than others are for hitting?” “Why does Avery need anger management, but Bertuzzi didn’t?”
Well, my fellow Bleacher Creatures, I have the answers. Here it is, the story behind Avery’s suspension.
On December 4, 2008, Sean Avery met at the NHL Offices in New York City with Commissioner Gary Bettman, Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, Players’ Association Director Paul Kelly, and Senior Vice President Colin Campbell. The meeting was to discuss his comments regarding Dion Phaneuf and Avery’s ex-girlfriend Elisha Cuthbert.
The room was arranged as such, with Bettman, Daly, and Campbell on one side of the table, Kelly and Avery on the other side. Bettman started the meeting, asking Avery to answer the question, “Why are you here?”
“I’m here because of what I said the other night about Dion and Elisha, and I know what I did was wrong. It was highly inappropriate, uncalled for, and for that I apologize,” Avery explained.
Bettman did not buy the apology, nor did Daly or Campbell. Kelly, though usually in support of his players, seemed to be in agreement with the three NHL officials.
“We are trying to gain popularity with our sport and create more fans,” Bettman explained, “And you just continue to make a mockery of it…first with that crap in the playoffs last year with Brodeur, now with this…you don’t seem to understand that you are a cancer on this game. And I’m going to be whatever cures cancer.”
“That hasn’t been discovered yet, Gary,” Avery came back with. “You won’t be able to stop me.”
“What does that mean?” Bettman shouted furiously.
At this point, merely seven minutes into the meeting, Daly told Bettman and Avery to take a break. Avery and Kelly left the office, while the three NHL officials remained in the office to discuss what to do next.
Fifteen minutes later, Avery returned, and apologized to Bettman for the outburst. Bettman, though reluctant, accepted the apology, and asked him to sit down in order to continue the meeting.
Gary Bettman: “Sean, what do you think we should do with you?”
Sean Avery: “What are you, my mother? Don’t ask me what you should do, just tell me what you are going to do.”
Bill Daly: “Sean, you need to take it easy. We do not want to end your career, but we will be glad to if you’d like.”
SA: “I’m sorry, it just pisses me off that you are treating this like it is the worst thing in the history of the NHL, while guys are getting injured and no one is being punished.”
Colin Campbell: “It’s a matter of principle. That is on-ice material, it is bound to happen. You, however, calling the media over to say this, is just a load of crap.”
SA: “What did I say that is such a big deal? Sloppy seconds? What’s wrong with that?”
GB: “Didn’t you start by saying you know what you did wrong? If you know, then why are you asking me?”
SA: “Because you are being ridiculous.”
GB: “Sean, I don’t want my 12-year old daughter asking me what ‘sloppy seconds’ means. Would you?”
Paul Kelly: “I got to say, Sean, he’s right. I don’t want my kids hearing that crap. That’s the kind of thing that would make me not allow my kids to watch hockey.”
SA: “Well judging by that picture of her on your wall, I’ll bet she knows all about it, Gary.”
(Bettman leaps up in anger, Campbell and Daly hold him back, and tell Sean to leave again).
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