Indefinitely Inappropriate?

I thought I would make it through the semester without posting on sports, hockey specifically, but sadly, recent events make that an impossibility.

Last night, uber-pest Sean Avery of the Dallas Stars, one of the game's most prolific instigators, was suspended indefinitely for comments he made regarding his former girlfriend, Elisha Cuthbert of "24" and "Girl Next Door" fame.

"I just want to comment on how it's become like a common thing in the NHL for guys to fall in love with my sloppy seconds. I don't know what that's about. Enjoy the game tonight." -Sean Avery

The verbal jab was intended evidently for both Cuthbert as well as his prospective opponent at the time, widely feared Calgary Flames defenseman Dion Phaneuf.

Hockey is a game that struggles to get mainstream media attention. This gave a meaningless regular season game, one of 82 for each club, an extremely interesting storyline. Sadly, the commissioner was wrong to suspend the opinionated forward, and sent reprocussions that far outweighed the offense.

Not only that, but I was looking forward to seeing the two collide last night. After the suspension was handed down, I chose not to watch. It took all the fun out of the game for me. In a world where wide receivers are shooting themselves in the leg in crowded nightclubs and covering it up, what's wrong with a little war of words and a compelling storyline? The NHL botched this one, big time.