Avery might be laughed at, but the NHL is the real joke

Many wonder why the NHL is so obviously overlooked by the American audience. Some say it's because it's too expensive of a sport, other say it is because it's too complicated, too hard to watch on TV, yet to expensive to go see live. Others just simply don't like it because it's too violent and fighting is allowed (GASP!) yet those same people will shell out hundreds of dollars on violent video games and go see every Stallone and Schwarzenegger movie thrown on the big screen. But the biggest reason for the NHL never getting attention in most U.S. markets...is because it is a joke.

Only in the NHL will a player get suspended for saying something about an actress. In case you haven't heard or read the comments, click here. And if that is too much work for you to do, what Dallas Stars' agitator Sean Avery said was "I just want to comment on how, it's become a common thing in the NHL for for guys to fall in love with my sloppy-seconds, I don't know what that's about."

Were those comments wrong to say? Yes and no. On the ice, those comments would have been the equivalent to saying hello. The vulgar, disgusting and ruthless things said on the ice don't even COMPARE to what Avery said. Yet, off the ice, to the media, it's a different story. No, he shouldn't have said that. It wasn't awful, but it was something he should have said to the player that he was referencing in those comments, Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames, on the ice.

Phaneuf is happens to be dating Avery's ex-girlfriend, actress Elisha Cuthbert.

That is Avery's game, he instigates, just ask New Jersey Devils' goalie Marty Brodeur or Colorado's Darcy Tucker.

But, back to my point. The NHL is a joke. Why? Not only was he suspended for this, but he was suspended six games! SIX GAMES! I personally think a fine would have been just plenty, but SIX GAMES! There are players in the league that are repeat offenders of illegal hits that haven't been suspended six games. Maple Leafs' winger Ryan Hollweg has dished out some of the leagues dirtiest hits and hasn't even been suspended that long. Don't get me wrong, Avery has been a thorn in the side of the league since he first laced up his skates for the Detroit Red Wings, and has always been in the middle of controversy. Hell, he even has a rule implemented because of his actions. But, he has never been suspended. This was his first suspension and he gets six games? I mean, he didn't illegally hit someone from behind, or in the head, he didn't have drugs on him, he didn't shoot himself in the thigh, he didn't beat up his bodyguard or skip practices and then call a news conference about it. No, he made remarks about his ex-girlfriend. Bravo, NHL.

Rather than clean up the game of the dirty, head-hunting hits, commissioner Gary Bettman decides THIS is what will bring the sport down. Hey Gary, ever think it's your fault that the only time the NHL gets this much exposure is when an "incident" occurs?

In an interview with ESPN, Avery actually pointed out how terrible the NHL is at marketing it's sport (and rightfully so). "It would certainly be good for the game if we marketed the game. The NHL does a terrible job of marketing. They just ... they haven't figured it out that heroes and villains are what sells." Amen!

Why do people love-to-hate the Dallas Cowboys so much? Because they are the bad-boys of America. The NFL does a great job at marketing it's villains.

Avery goes on to say that nobody cares about the players like Calgary's Jarome Iginla. Which is true. How many people outside of hockey die-hards actually know who Iginla is? Nobody. And it's a shame because he is one of the most talented players in the league. There is a plethora of young, amazing, MARKETABLE talents in the NHL that simply don't have any exposure.

Why? Because the NHL would rather focus on hushing it's players rather than exposing them. Think about how many times Terrell Owens or Chad Johnson have said something so extraordinary that it had you say "wow, I might just watch that game just to see what happens."

No, rather than do that, Bettman and Co. would rather suppress the personalities.

Just ask Washington Capitals' phenom Alexander Semin. Alex actually had the guts to speak out about NHL poster-boy Sidney Crosby in a Russian newspaper and was slammed for it. Did the NHL look at this as a way to promote arguably the top-four players in the NHL today -- Pittsburghs' Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and Washingtons' Semin and Alex Ovechkin? No, Semin was criticized and basically ambushed by everyone in the business. You would think the NHL wants exposure and ratings. Nope, guess not.

And for everyone who still says Avery is a moron, should be banished from the league, has no right to even skate with the class-act Dallas Stars...if it weren't for rules implemented by the NHL, guys like Avery wouldn't even be in the league. In the past, if a guy like Avery skated around, ran his mouth and did the things he did today, he would pummelled to no end. Now, thanks to the brilliant "instigator rule" which penalizes the starter of the fight, the enforcers of the league are handcuffed. So guys are allowed to skate around freely taking cheap shots and don't have to worry about a thing. Hey Bettman, want less "incidents" get rid of that rule!

Say what you want about Sean Avery, love him, or hate him, but the NHL is the real joke.