NEW YORK – After suspending Dallas Stars forward Sean Avery for six games, without pay, as a result of 
inappropriate public comments that he made Tuesday in Calgary, it’s obvious that NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman is out of touch with his players and should consider stepping down from the league.
To play Bettman’s game, Avery has agreed to seek a professional anger management evaluation and, if necessary, structured counseling in response to a pattern of unacceptable and antisocial behavior.
During a conference call with the NHL Media, Bettman added that if the counselors decide Avery “needs more time”, his time away from the game could be longer.
“Mr. Avery has expressed remorse for his recent comments and has sought a professional anger management evaluation,” Bettman said. “I will require that he follow through with that process as a condition of his returning to the ice and that he complies with any and all recommendations.
“Playing in the National Hockey League is a privilege, requiring a high standard of personal behavior. Mr. Avery forfeits that privilege for six games.”
A reporter asked Bettman what “anti-social remarks have to do with anger management” and “why other players who have in the past been suspended for violent acts on the ice were not required to attend anger management classes”.
Bettman, whos league was beaten out in the ratings by Sponge Bob during last year’s playoffs, could muster up no logical response to those questions.
Chris Pronger has been suspended several times for high sticking or other violent injury-causing attacks on the ice and when Todd Bertuzzi jumped off the bench, sucker-punched opposing player Steve Moore, 
breaking his neck and ending his career, he was not required to get any anger management counseling whatsoever. (see the pic of Moore leaving the ice on a stretcher with his broken neck)
Bettman tried to skate around these and other questions simply stating Avery’s situation was “Completely out of the norm”.
Sounds more like there exists a commissioner in one of the major sports who is the one that is “out of the norm”, are you listening Mr. Bettman?
Copyright © 2008 – Sports Climax