Update, 5:33 p.m.:Bob McKenzie at TSN double confirms the Wisniewski two-game suspension.
Update, 5:15 p.m.:
Jesse Rogers at ESPN Chicago, who Chris Botta (NYI Point Blank) says is connected, confirms that it is a two-game suspension.
Update, 5:03 p.m.:
Hearing Wisniewski received two game suspension. No confirmation.
...seems fair to me. Although Avery would have easily gotten 10 games.
Original Post:
Tony Care at CBC has this quote from former Islanders GM Mike Milbury actually blaming Sean Avery for the James Wisniewski obscene gesture...
"He has been a pretty good player, but he's become a caricature of a professional," Milbury told CBCSports.ca. "It's not good for hockey, it's not good for the image that [the league] is trying to portray. We're not all poster boys for this business and never will be, but this has gone on far too long with his focus on being a distraction and an agitator rather than honing his craft.
"Here we are we're talking about Avery again, not because he made a great backhanded pass to set up the game-winning goal, but because he's part of another unsavoury incident. It's like watching a car wreck. You know it's not going to be pretty but you can't seem to turn away from it until you've had a look."
...Mad Mike is known for his stupidity but this tops it all. Now it's Avery's fault when some borderline NHL player wants to make a name for himself by simulating a sex act towards him?
...Milbury should look at himself and the Canadian media in the mirror for their unfair portrayals of Avery. Why is Avery the car wreck when it's the media reporting more on this incident than on his great backhanded pass? Milbury is actually contradicting himself by talking about this rather than Avery's hockey skills which are on display every night if Milbury ever bothered to watch.
...I doubt he was even watching the game to begin with and only saw the incident after one of his friends e-mailed him the YouTube video.
Care adds that Wisniewski travelled to the NHL's head office in New York to speak with the league's disciplinarian, Colin Campbell, on Tuesday. A decision is likely to be handed down in a day or two.
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30 comments:
Milbury is an idiot and will do/say anything to get publicity.
The guy who jumped into the crowd and talks about old school hockey and how the players today use their sticks to much instead of their fists....yeah this guy really should just not talk anymore. The pre-game stuff with the Islanders was plain fun. These guys throw "your mama" jokes back and forth all the time. Mad Mike is a joke.
milbury is the biggest loser th ehockey world has ... this guy was a dipshit as a player and coach and even worse as a GM.. (worst GM ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) and continues to be a dipshit as an "analyst" get rid of this asshole.. makes a mockery of the game... unbelievable how stupid people are that they would actually blame this on avery lol.....wow this is pathetic..
And I didn't even post the best quote. Milbury says he doesn't have time for Avery, but he has no problem talking about him at length to a reporter.
Given the "eurotrash" incident and other idiodic things he's said, you can pretty much use Milbury's entire quote against him to describe his own career as a broadcaster:
"He has been a pretty good [broadcaster], but he's become a caricature of a professional." . . . "It's not good for hockey, it's not good for the image that [the league] is trying to portray. We're not all poster boys for this business and never will be, but this has gone on far too long with his focus on being a distraction and an agitator rather than honing his craft.
"Here we are we're talking about [Milbury] again, not because he made [did a good job announcing a game], but because he's part of another unsavoury incident. It's like watching a car wreck. You know it's not going to be pretty but you can't seem to turn away from it until you've had a look."
It's amazing how the media and the NHL ignore players like Steve Ott, Jaarko Ruutu and Matt Cooke despite the fact they're the dirtiest players in the game, yet target Avery for name calling.
"Called us names!"
Milbury is the Matt Millen of the NHL (awful GM that has a job as a commentator). Milbury is actually worse as a commentator than Millen is though. I can't think of one useful thing the guy has ever said analyzing the sport.
To blame the guy's reaction to Avery snowing the goalie/talking smack show that Milbury has no concept of player accountability. I imagine this is why he couldn't put together a winner. Not even Ray Bourque could give this clown a Cup. Douchebag.
"borderline NHL player" <-- LMAO.
Millbury is a clown anyways. People pay attention to him for the same reasons they pay attention to Avery.
They are a lot more alike than I bet he'd care to admit.
MedalChick, not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but if you are, yes a player who has averaged less than 50 games per season and has scored just three goals in the last two years is a borderline NHL player. As is 3/4 of the Islanders lineup.
Although you guys just beat us so I'm not sure what that says about the Rangers.
first of all, how did he think his image was when he jumped into the stands at msg?
second, the canadian media at least the hockey media is as biased and one way as it comes. when you look at tsn every comment has the same theme to it: The coyotes must move to winnipeg, all russians are lazy especially ovechkin who cant touch crosby, sean avery is always wrong, etc. ITS PATHETIC!
New Rule: If you once beat a fan with his own shoe, you're not allowed to talk about the image the league is trying to portray.
If you watch the video closely, and certain reports will confirm this, you can see Avery making a gesture towards his own mouth before Wisniewski proceeded to make his. Wisniewski claimed Avery was taunting as well. It would be difficult to determine this because Avery's back was towards the cameras, but I doubt Avery was doing his own thing. Perhaps thats what Mike meant. Obviously, yes, Avery would get 10 games because of his history of making derrogatory and insensitive sexual comments. He would deserve it, frankly.
Correction: I would doubt it if Avery wasn't doing his own thing (taunting Wiz)
Jim, looks like he's either fixing his mouthpiece or taking it out of his mouth. Nice try tho.
And I'm sure Avery did do something to instigate it, but that doesn't make Wiz' gesture his fault.
If it wasn't caught on camera, we wouldn't be having this conversation. Just like Avery's racist, derrogatory comments directed at Ted Nolan after the Simon-Hollweg incident were never recorded, thus he was never suspended. Team officials and players testified to that incident, but Avery was never suspended. Sounds like Glen Sather's exchanging "pleasantries" of some sort with Colin Campbell. But what do I know.
This is the same guy who went into the stands and beat a fan with a shoe. He's got some pair to complain about someone else's lack of professionalism.
jim, quit while your way behind
milbury was a caricature of a manager and a caricature of a commentator (and human being)
Wisniewski is FAR from a borderline NHLer. If he was on the Rangers he'd be their #2 Dman.
Nice to see Mr. DeLury get into the mix.
And rightfully so. Say what you want about Avery, He antagonizes people to the point where they display the worst in themselves.
And remember, as reported in this very blog on 9/20/09...
"Sean Avery won a settlement in his libel case against Toronto radio reporter Howard Berger following mediation earlier this month...
"The suit was brought in the aftermath of the pregame incident in Toronto on Nov. 10, 2007, after which Berger alleged that Avery had made comments to Jason Blake relating to the Leaf winger's previously diagnosed cancer."
Call your lawyer, Jim
KC are you serious? You think he's better than Girardi and Del Zotto? Hell I'd take Sauer over him.
What am I missing about Wiz?
Ha! Here's the image consultant at his finest:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Yw8GTNOECY
it's fuzzy, but he's the one beating the fan with a shoe.
Kevin usually enjoy reading your stuff but Wiz is not a borderline NHL player by any means. That comment is almost laughable. Go look at any analysis of the isles, most analysts hail Snow for fleecing Anaheim of the Wizzer. Just because he is on the islanders doesn't make him bad.
http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=329072 this is the story on the acquisition.
He may not be a #1 dman but a borderline NHLER is way too harsh.
Again, show me some stats about Wiz that makes him a solid NHLer.
Averages less than 50 games a season and just three goals a year.
Sure he is a workhorse, but he was also a minus player last year.
Foresite, the article you link to is a fantasy hockey article as it says one of his positives are all the penalties he takes. Not sure Gordon would agree with that.
Listen, if he comes out and has a great season, I will be the first to say I was wrong.
"Just because he is on the islanders doesn't make him bad."
---
??? Does.Not.Compute...
Imagine if the Islanders had Palfy, Chara, Lounngo, Jokinen, and Jason Spezza all during their primes. Well they don't, possible Millbury is a worse GM than Sather?
Kevin you're basing your analysis of Wisniewski on his stats??? He's a defenseman!!!
He started his NHL career late in 06, played 50 games the next year, then 68, missed all but 48 due to injury the next year, then played 69 last year, missed 8 due to suspension. He makes 2.75 million. Where do you get borderline NHLer from??
Better than Del Zotto? Hell yeah, not even close.
Hockey's not baseball, you can't tell everything from the statsheet.
KC, I've still yet to hear anything to change my mind.
All you've told me is how many games Wiz has played and that he makes $2.75.
Great, Redden's played a lot of games the last few years and makes $6.5 million per. By your logic he's a Hall of Famer.
Wow, you just don't get it do you. WOW!!!! Do borderline NHLers play full NHL seasons earning big dollars(NOT UFA money, bringing up Redden was ridiculous)?? I cited his games played since you felt the need to erroneously list his averages, you were off on his goals per season also. That being said, I would suggest watching some more hockey before assuming a guy is a no name because you are not familiar with his work.
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