Angry Avery fined twice
Outspoken King lashes out over $1,000 diving fine ‘It’s a (expletive) joke,’ says forward who can’t appeal
Los Angeles winger Sean Avery is the first NHL player this season to be fined $ 1,000 ( all figures U. S.) for diving — and his comments on the penalty earned him another $ 1,000 fine yesterday.
Avery sounded off after receiving the first fine, which came after he was called for a second diving incident this season. The league doesn’t announce the fines, but Avery spilled the beans Monday. He was upset because his second diving offence wasn’t deemed a penalty during the Nov. 3 game. But Big Brother was watching.
“ How can a guy sitting in an office in New York determine if you dived or not by watching a tape?” Avery told the Los Angeles Times. ‘‘ They don’t know if you had a bad ankle or torn bursa sac or something. I can’t even tell you what play they are talking about. They don’t have to tell you a play, just what game they are looking at.
“ No question that this is a way ( for the league) to do something to me. It has nothing to do with diving. How can Colin Campbell, or whoever it is, sit at a desk and make that call? They should send the tape to all seven members of the competition committee and let them look at it.”
Campbell, the NHL’s director of hockey operations, wasn’t amused.
“ Mr. Avery’s comments showed a complete lack of respect for all those associated with our game, most importantly his fellow players,” Campbell said in a statement. “ Mr. Avery has besmirched the reputation of all NHL players, coaches, general managers and owners who, collectively, have been successful in providing a more entertaining game for our fans.”
Thirty to 40 players have received warning letters from the league for diving incidents, including Avery on Oct. 19, but Avery is the first to get nailed a second time, which carries the fine. As per the direction of the NHL’s competition committee, a group that includes four players, a third diving incident results in a $2,000 fine and a fourth offence warrants a onegame suspension.
Avery feels the league is out to get him because of controversial comments he has made in the past, including this year when he was warned by the league for saying a hit by Phoenix defenceman Denis Gauthier on Kings centre Jeremy Roenick “was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not back anything up.”
Avery later apologized, but was then accused of racism by Edmonton forward Georges Laraque.
Avery also took a shot at his own union members on the competition committee (Rob Blake, Jarome Iginla, Trevor Linden and Brendan Shanahan) when he realized he could not appeal the diving fine.
“ It’s a ( expletive) joke and the players’ association is a ( expletive) joke,” Avery told the Los Angeles Daily News. The competition committee is made up of four players, four general managers and one team owner.
“ It’s in the collective bargaining agreement,” Avery said. ‘‘That’s something our great competition committee did.”