Snark break...

One thing you as a Canadian do not mind voting for so often ... the Canadian Blog Awards, best sports blog category, Round 2.

Gary Bettman suspending Sean Avery for "conduct detrimental to hockey" is like Nero fining someone for playing the fiddle for too long. Like Puck Daddy says,

"Seriously, if the NHL were half as vigilant on hits to the head as they are for Sean Avery's nonsense, Simon Gagne might not hear church bells every time he closes his eyes."

At the same time, the WAGs are not fair game for trash-talk. It did rate a mention from TMZ: "Hockey Fun Fact: You can punch the hell out of an opposing player on the ice, but when you refer to his girlfriend as your 'sloppy seconds' — that's where the NHL draws the line." (Fist jab to Taking Note, and to play off Duane's post from last night, Sean Avery, Sean Avery, Sean Avery ... Sean Avery, Sean Avery, Sean Avery.)

It's like she has a reverse Midas touch or something. The world's most famous hockey mom, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, spoke in Augusta, Georgia on Monday, and the city's ECHL team folded on Tuesday.

An ECHL team folding is like a canary in a mine shaft in The Wonderful World of Gary Bettman. The Augusta Lynx were affiliated with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, so really, the Lightning could just play out their remaining schedule. They're pretty much an ECHL team beyond Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and the gentleman goalie from Verona, Mike Smith.

Future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. broke into the majors in 1989, the year the first President Bush took office. Nineteen years later, he's having trouble getting a contract, largely because of what happened while the second President Bush was in office. Maybe Griffey should have run for President.



Please read the Daily Norseman's take on Pat and Kevin Williams' suspensions -- it's about due process, not who took what: "The NFL completely and totally mishandled this case in so many ways that it's damn near comical."

From the department of Took Them Long Enough, the entire World Junior Hockey Championship will be broadcast in the U.S.

This post was worth nothing, but this is worth noting:

• Dave Van Horne broadcast baseball in Canada for how many years (quite a few, Neate) and the Vancouver-centric media doesn't know there's an E in his last name. Way to spoil a nice article about Larry Walker!
• Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Stefan Legein is ready to rejoin the AHL NHL team (TSN.ca; via Loose Pucks).
• Matt Auffrey, who was a pretty decent forward for the Kingston Frontenacs in '06-07, was on that Augusta ECHL team which folded.
• Fronts fans who long for better times (now why would they do that) should take note that former captain Cory Emmerton is on a bit of a roll with Grand Rapids of the AHL. Let's all start praying for an injury bug to hit the Detroit Red Wings, so he can wear the winged wheel. He earned the right to sport an iconic crest after those years wearing a Count Frontenac sweater.

(Sorry, no photo of Elisha Cuthbert to dress up this post. Find one your damn self.)