Avery Gets Cut

Sean Avery's lacerated spleen caught the attention of a blogger at Blueshirt Bulletin. Girl said something like, if they took Avery to the hospital for a lacerated spleen and didn't operate on him, exactly what did they do and why was he in the intensive care for two days? Did they lie him down in a certain way? Spray him with that freezy stuff they use in soccer when a player is pretending to be hurt? Give him blood thickeners (is there such a thing?)? Yeah, I thought. What is up with that story?

Today Jim Matheson of the Canadian press did Glen Sather's bidding it seems.

Sean Avery, who's spending his summer working at Vogue magazine, wants $3.5 million a season. But the New York Rangers, as much as they know that Avery is a huge fan favourite, aren't going to give him that much. He's a third-liner and he's not that popular in his own dressing room.

Sunday past Matheson had this item. Slats shows no mercy as he lacerates Avery with extreme prejudice.

"Elisha Cuthbert, who co-stars on the television program 24, looks better on the arm of Edmonton product turned Calgary Flames star defenceman Dion Phaneuf than NHL pest Sean Avery, her former beau."

Wonder if that mentioning of Edmonton in the Phaneuf item was a slick Sather reference. Like, look, don't fuck with me, boy! Or, maybe he just wanted Avery to know ultimately how he appreciated Sean's contribution. These items seem designed not just to cushion Rangers fan disappointment. It's like Sather wants to eff it up for him with other teams.

But, what do I know?

Is there a hidden story here? Keep thinking about the Mary Kate Olsen rumor. There never were pictures of them together which to me strongly suggests it never really happened. Yet tmz had it.

MK was also linked to the tragic death of Heath Ledger. Then she's dating the Fiat heir who last year od'ed.

So, we have two guys closely associated with her. And with od'ing.

Avery goes to hospital and what the Rangers claim is curious. Okay.

Like to point out also that John Dellapina in the Daily News was the first to report Avery's being admitted. His original story didn't jibe with what the Rangers ultimately got reporters to say. He retracted, sort of. Incredibly perhaps, during the Finals Sather gave JDP the only interview a NY writer got with him all year. JDP says he just happened to run into him and Sather reached out.

Oh well. The important thing is Friday. I hope the Rangers pick a winner in every round.

Not hockey (so far)

Wondering if Italy is thinking about dropping Pirlo for the France match. If Holland take the three from Rumania, it could set up the 2006 World Cup rematch top dream of: win if you want to live.

Benzema isn't in the starting 11 against Holland. I was hoping to see the form which allegedly makes him so coveted, esp. by Sir Alex. Andy Gray says he's too young to play in the hole.

Have to begrudgingly admit respecting Dirk Kuyt. He may be dorky but he is no donkey. If Gerrard had Kuyt's bottle right now England would be on the continent.

In the first half Adrian Healey and Andy Gray discussed Thierry Henry's goals for France. Instead of telling us how many of his 44 strikes in 101 games came in friendly matches, they just vaguely concurred with the notion that Henry may be a great goal scorer but perhaps not often enough a scorer of great goals.

People from somewhere else perhaps with some justification have accused American sports broadcasting of being stats happy. Maybe the commentators in this instance would have done well to provide the audience reportage, American style. Must be better than gossip, right?

Adrian later in the half mused that Henry doesn't score many with his head. Andy said, "few and far between."

These guys maybe don't like Henry? One of the few footballers American audiences see in commercials yet he seems to rank high for stick among certain fans. At Barcelona this campaign past he allegedly experienced tough-season like-symptoms.

Watching the game delayed two hours. At the half I search for Henry's goal scoring record. It isn't going well. So I give up. Along the way I noticed he actually had 45 goals in 101 appearances. A few minutes later, I realize he would end up scoring in the Holland game.

After the game does one say Henry had a great match or no?

Henry scored an insurance goal for Arsenal in a league match I was watching. Then he retrieved the ball from the net and handed it to the beaten keeper. Real class, that.

First time I ever had almost-tripping like-symptoms was during a shot of Hargreaves entering the director's box at OT during a Man U game. The arc of the whole culture thing never seemed so brilliant. Happened again with Robben, Sneijder and Van Persie. The wunderkids of the Old World gig must be heavy. Real Madrid times two and Arsenal: when healthy each is automatic first 11 . As they are for Holland.

Can see why that boy Ronaldo must play for the world's number 1 club.

Acton Gets a Job

What Would Acton do? aka, at least we're not Toronto Maple Leafs fans:

Paul Maurice was fired as coach of the Maple Leafs on Wednesday after Toronto failed to make the playoffs during his two years. The dismissal was the first big move in what is expected to be an active offseason for the team.

"This is a start of a new era for the Maple Leafs," interim general manager Cliff Fletcher said at a news conference at Air Canada Centre. "This is all part and parcel of that."

The Maple Leafs finished 12th in the Eastern Conference with a 36-35-11 record and missed a playoff spot by 11 points.

They are looking for a full-time GM after firing John Ferguson in January. In other moves Wednesday, assistant coach Randy Ladouceur was dismissed while assistant Dallas Eakins was offered a position elsewhere in the organization. Keith Acton will remain an assistant.

Fletcher said the ouster will pave the way for the new management team to bring in its own staff.

Yup, that's how I see it.

Acton has spent eight seasons as an assistant coach with the Leafs. He was appointed to the Toronto staff in August 2000 after two seasons as an assistant with the New York Rangers. Prior to that, he was an assistant/associate coach with the Philadelphia Flyers for four years.

Served as N.Y. Islanders assistant coach while Al Arbour was suspended from Jan. 7 to Jan. 15, 1994. ... Named Philadelphia assistant coach on July 12, 1994, had title upgraded to associate coach on July 7, 1997, shifted back to assistant coach on March 9, 1998, and remained in that position until June 16, 1998. ... Named N.Y. Rangers assistant coach on June 18, 1998, and remained in that position through 1999-00 season. ... Named Toronto assistant coach on Aug. 4, 2000.

Keith Acton went to the playoffs the first four years he AC'ed in Toronto. 3 years starting after the lockout, nil. Just before Tor he ac'ed for my team, the New York Rangers. In neither of these years did the Rangers make the playoffs. And what is the difference between assistant and associate coach?

Now he's on a new run. During that time and presuming he remains on the Leafs bench he'll have worked for three GMs and 3 HCs in 9 years. And the Leafs apparently think he's indispensable behind the bench. Why?