Avery, Marbury Are Birds Af A Feather

With Stephon Marbury expected to sign with the Boston Celtics sometime today, one expects that New Yorkers will breathe a little easier. But as a certain hockey player comes closer and closer to coming to New York, another headache is on the horizon.

The player is Sean Avery, late of the Dallas Stars, currently filling a spot on the Rangers AHL affiliate. Like Marbury, he had signed with a big market team for a bundle and wore out his welcome fast. After stirring up problems in the dressing room, both players found themselves not playing their sport at all.

Marbury’s off-court antics (peaking in an infamous truck party) and fights with management led to an exile from the team and his eventual banning from practice. Avery’s off-ice problems – and especially saying Dion Phaneuf went after his sloppy seconds – led to his out from the league.

Both were suspended indefinitely, not allowed to dress for games or attend practice or even travel with the team. Avery went to counseling, Marbury infamously flew to LA to watch his Knicks play the Lakers.

And now, both players could end up in a homecoming kind of way. Avery is likely headed to the Rangers, the team where he first rose in stature in the past few seasons. Marbury is likely to sign with the Boston Celtics, where he would play alongside Kevin Garnett again, like his did in his Minnesota days.

Let’s not get carried away here, though, since there are some pretty big differences between the two. Marbury is the more talented of the two and in his prime was one of the best point guards in the NBA. He went to two All-Star games, led the league in assists in 2004 and has been named to two All-NBA teams.

Avery, at his best, is been a second-line forward who works best by drawing the other team into taking penalties. True, he scored 18 goals once, but he’s only had one season – his first – with less then a 150 penalty minutes.

Obviously, Marbury coming to the Celtics means a lot more on paper then Avery coming to the Rangers does.

The Celtics now have somebody to backup Rondo and Marbury is an improvement from Sam Cassell. Boston is hoping that either Garnett’s influence or Marbury’s desire to win a title will temper any problems that may arise, like if Marbury decides he doesn’t want to come off the bench.

Of course, him acting out is unlikely and doesn't give Marbury any credit. At this point in his career, Marbury likely realizes his situation and won't stir up much trouble.

But if Avery comes to New York, he doesn’t add much. A little depth, perhaps, but he doesn’t address their problems: their lack of a scorer, their lack of defence and their power play – it’s ranked 28th in the NHL right now, behind Tampa Bay, the NY Islanders and Phoenix. The Rangers have deeper problems then Avery can fix, but by signing him they at least look like they’re trying.

While he might not bring his baggage to the team – he loves the spotlight, but I’m sure he loves actually playing more – he doesn’t really solve anything and doesn’t make the Rangers any better.

If they can get him, anyway. Unlike Marbury, Avery has yet to clear waivers – and the rumour mill says St. Louis, Minnesota, Edmonton and Pittsburgh are all interested in him too.

Sorry, Sean, but we've moved on

I should probably start this by saying I defended Sean Avery, pretty much just to be contrarian. It did net me a link from Deadspin (pretty cool) and at least one comment (meaning this isn't just a complete vanity project). And still, I think Avery is a bizzare kind of player.

He's good, but not great. He's a role player who doesn't play a role, if that makes sense. At his best, when he's most effective, he's a modern Esa Tikkanen. He's a pest, a third-line player who bugs people, draws the other team into penalties. And if he can score a few goals, then good for him. But primarily, he's just a nuisance.

And boy, was he ever one in Dallas.

I read a story from about the time he made his "Sloppy Seconds" dig about how it went over in the dressing room. Even his team thought he had crossed a line. Even his team thought he was too much of a pest. He had played his role almost too well.

Remember what it was like back in early December? Dallas had just paid a ton of money for an agitator, the team was in the cellar and the season was looking lost. Marty Turco wasn't playing well; his record was 7 and 14. Since then, he's basically found his groove: he's now 24 and 24 - a vast improvement in the past six weeks. Obviously, they don't miss Avery.

And nobody else does either, it seems, since Avery has cleared waivers.

Still, there is talk of his coming back to New York, where the team has floundered since he left last spring. But to say that he's the solution is wrong. The Rangers have taken some big losses this year, Jagr and Shanahan the biggest of them. Avery is not the solution to the problems they have.

At best, he brings maybe 15 goals. At worst, his ego flourishes in the media spotlight and he becomes another distraction for a team trying to find itself. Granted, maybe his exile has leveled him down a bit. Or maybe it's a little unfair to say he'll act out prematurely.

But honestly, with his track record, I don't see it not happening. Avery loves the spotlight and he'll never get into it with his talent alone. If he comes back, he will do something to make himself noticed again. One can only hope it isn't as stupid as his last one.

Avery is Hockey's Heel

When Sean Avery shot his mouth off a couple days ago, he wasn’t just slamming Dion Phaneuf – or even his ex girlfriend. He was carving his niche, building his role as hockey’s heel.

Heel, as in wrestling villain. He’s the player that you want to root against, that you love to hate.

It’s a role he’s been carefully cultivating and it’s one that shows in the media’s treatment of him.

For a player in what is maybe the fourth-popular league in the states, Avery is getting attention is above and beyond the rest of the league. Columns are written about him on Fox Sports, his quotes appear on SportsCenter, and people who don’t follow sports know who he is.

Even those who disagree with what he does have to at least admit that he’s good for the league.

Why? There’s a school of thought that says any press is good press; this is to say that Avery is getting himself out in the media spotlight, and hockey will inevitably follow.

In this sense, Avery is filling a good cause for the league. Superstars like Sidney Crosby, Alexander Ovechkin and Jerome Iginla are positive models for the league, sure – but they’re boring.

They’re almost in the Michael Jordan school of superstardom; be on TV, but don’t offend. Don’t be controversial. Don’t stir up any debate. As Jordan once said, Republicans buy shoes too.

But Avery doesn’t seem to care about selling shoes, only selling himself. He’s the guy who puts himself out there by acting out and acting controversial.

He may pay for it, sure. He’s been fined and suspended by the league. Reportedly, he’s worn his welcome out in more then a few dressing rooms.

Avery’s not the first guy to fill such a role: Ulf Samuelsson and Claude Lemieux were both reviled for parts of their careers.
They were heels too. They, like Avery, drew people to cheer against them.

In that sense, Avery’s what hockey needs to stand out from the pack. He’s marketable, he’s noteworthy and his quips can fill notebooks and blogs. For better or worse, he’s perhaps the most marketable player in the NHL today.

So, in a way, the NHL needs Avery more then Avery needs the NHL. He’s the one who appears on both gossip blogs and ESPN. If the NHL wants to stand out in a crowded sports market or attract more then just niche fans, they should learn to use him.
Not just shut him up.