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Offside: My Life Crossing the Line
Hockey's most polarizing figure takes us inside the game, shedding light not only on what goes on behind closed doors, but also what makes professional athletes tick.
As one of the NHL's most polarizing players, Sean Avery turned the rules of professional hockey on their head. For thirteen seasons, he played for some of the most storied franchises in the league, including the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Rangers, making his mark in each city as a player who was sometimes loved, sometimes despised, and always controversial.
In Offside, Avery displays his trademark candor about the world of pro hockey and does for it what Jim Bouton's game-changing Ball Four did for baseball. Avery goes deep inside the sport to reveal every aspect of pro athletes' lives, from how they spend their money and their nights off to how they stay sharp and conditioned and employed. Avery also examines his singular career path–while playing the talented villain on ice, he skated out of character in the off-season, taking on unexpected and unprecedented roles: Vogue intern, fashion model, advertising executive, restaurateur, gay rights advocate, and many more.
Rollickingly honest and compelling throughout, Offside transcends the sports book genre and offers a rare, unvarnished glimpse into the world of twenty-first-century hockey through the eyes of one of its most original and memorable players.
As one of the NHL's most polarizing players, Sean Avery turned the rules of professional hockey on their head. For thirteen seasons, he played for some of the most storied franchises in the league, including the Detroit Red Wings, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Rangers, making his mark in each city as a player who was sometimes loved, sometimes despised, and always controversial.
In Offside, Avery displays his trademark candor about the world of pro hockey and does for it what Jim Bouton's game-changing Ball Four did for baseball. Avery goes deep inside the sport to reveal every aspect of pro athletes' lives, from how they spend their money and their nights off to how they stay sharp and conditioned and employed. Avery also examines his singular career path–while playing the talented villain on ice, he skated out of character in the off-season, taking on unexpected and unprecedented roles: Vogue intern, fashion model, advertising executive, restaurateur, gay rights advocate, and many more.
Rollickingly honest and compelling throughout, Offside transcends the sports book genre and offers a rare, unvarnished glimpse into the world of twenty-first-century hockey through the eyes of one of its most original and memorable players.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
110 people are currently reading
923 people want to read
About the author
Sean Avery
9 books37 followersSean Christopher Avery is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. During his career in the National Hockey League (NHL), he played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers, gaining recognition for his agitating playing style and controversial behaviour both on and off the ice. He is also known for his eclectic interests, having worked in fashion, most notably as an intern at Vogue magazine; as a model; and as a restaurateur. He finished his 12-year career with a total of 90 goals, 247 points and 1,533 penalty minutes in 580 games.
After retiring in 2012, Avery began working at Lipman, an advertising and creative agency in New York City. He was promoted to senior staffer, but the firm closed without notice in September 2013, reportedly due to financial problems, later filing for bankruptcy, and owing Avery $229,167.
Avery's memoir, Ice Capades: A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey, was published by Blue Rider Press in 2017.
After retiring in 2012, Avery began working at Lipman, an advertising and creative agency in New York City. He was promoted to senior staffer, but the firm closed without notice in September 2013, reportedly due to financial problems, later filing for bankruptcy, and owing Avery $229,167.
Avery's memoir, Ice Capades: A Memoir of Fast Living and Tough Hockey, was published by Blue Rider Press in 2017.
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October 23, 2017
I was an active member of the Professional Hockey Writers Association covering the New York Rangers during Sean Avery's two highly entertaining and eventful tours of duty with the Blueshirts. I got to know Sean and talk to him during that time, strictly within the bounds of reporter interviewing subject, never on a personal level. Taking a slightly different tack than most beat writers, my focus was more on the X's and O's of the game than the "tell us about..." or "how do you feel about..." or "what do you need to do..." angles that are more common.
With Sean Avery, my approach still had less to do with how he played the game so successfully than with how he motivated himself to play the way he did -- unorthodox, feisty, trashy, hateful, nasty, iconoclastic, defiant, and yet still able to generate positive hockey plays while driving opponents batty. Of course, wanting to be entertaining as well as informative in my own writing, my reporting on Sean's escapades in my monthly "Sean Avery Show" recap column traded on his various and sundry antics on and off the ice.
Ice Capades is Sean's memoir of his entire hockey career from his breakthrough with the Detroit Red Wings, his growth with the L.A. Kings, his stellar turn with the Rangers, and his year in hell in Dallas. His motivation takes center stage as he explains (including many juicy examples) how he used that relentless drive to shape the villainous on-ice character who could kill you with a surprisingly well researched bon mot, a not so subtle jab to a vulnerable body part, or a timely goal. Whether you believe Sean when he insists (numerous times) that he was only playing a carefully crafted character on the ice will depend on what you thought of him at the time. If you loved him, you'll buy his rationalizations. If you hated him, well, you probably will not read this review or consider buying his book, so it goes without saying you'll disbelieve him.
I'm in the middle. For one thing, he did tell me on at least two occasions that his shenanigans fired him up and made him play harder and better, as opposed to just trying to throw his opponents off their game. He was motivated from the start (which goes back to age 8, he tells us repeatedly) to make up for his physical shortcomings (lack of height and size) by devoting himself slavishly to working as hard as he could and finding ways to win, no matter how much collateral damage that might cause. Yet he reminds us over and over that winning was his route to achieving his personal goals. As he tells his stories, it becomes difficult to distinguish his priority -- was it winning per se, or winning as a means of elevating himself in hockey and in life? These are not mutually exclusive objectives, but with Sean it remains difficult in the end to reconcile the two.
Sean spends much of the early sections of the book on this subject. But that's not really why you're here. You want to know what he said to Marty Brodeur to make him go postal during a critical game, why he said what he did about Elisha Cuthbert to get suspended and sent to rehab, how his relationship with his second Ranger coach John Tortorella grew so toxic that Sean comes close to accusing him of homicide. You want to know what Sean thought about everyone under the sun. And you want to know what was really going on off the ice with these guys.
And he will tell you.
The partying is unexpected, to be honest. I thought we'd reached the point in professional sports where the level of competition for major league jobs is so intense, so highly crowded with elite players, that maximizing your performance with a clean off-ice life-style that protects your body is more important than it apparently is in real life. Silly me.
Most shocking is the vitriol Sean has for Tortorella. That is already getting most of the press in the hockey world in advance of the publication of this book. I liked Sean, I despised Tortorella, I quit covering the Rangers precisely because of Tortorella, so you know which side I'm on. Even so, I never imagined it could be this bad. But based on what I know from my own interactions with Tortorella, I find myself with no skepticism at all on this topic, as I do with some of Sean's other protestations and rationalizations.
I read an uncorrected proof of the book provided by NetGalley. I hope the authors and editors have since made the thousands of necessary corrections to make this book readable. What I saw was so amateurishly written that it distracted from the subject matter. The worst style crime is the mixing of tenses. Sean talks about the past in the present tense, which is fine. Except that a) since he is talking about his present day feelings about those events concurrently, it is often difficult to tell whether he's referring to now or then, and b) he often lapses back into the past tense, even within the same sentence, even multiple times within the same sentence and the same paragraph. It's tough sledding.
I don't want to come off as a prescriptivist, especially in reviewing a non-professional writer (just as I hope Sean would do in critiquing my seriously deficient hockey technique), but he has a co-writer who is a professional (Michael McKinley) and there are professional editors at Blue Rider Press and Penguin working on this book. I know they want to preserve Sean's voice, but often these rules are in place to remove precisely this kind of ambiguity, to help the reader better understand the material. Trust me, Sean's voice will not be squelched if you clean up his mixed tenses. In fact, we will get to hear his actual voice speaking these words in the audio edition, which I for one intend to listen to.
But again, you're not here for stellar wordcraft. You want dish. You will not be disappointed.
With Sean Avery, my approach still had less to do with how he played the game so successfully than with how he motivated himself to play the way he did -- unorthodox, feisty, trashy, hateful, nasty, iconoclastic, defiant, and yet still able to generate positive hockey plays while driving opponents batty. Of course, wanting to be entertaining as well as informative in my own writing, my reporting on Sean's escapades in my monthly "Sean Avery Show" recap column traded on his various and sundry antics on and off the ice.
Ice Capades is Sean's memoir of his entire hockey career from his breakthrough with the Detroit Red Wings, his growth with the L.A. Kings, his stellar turn with the Rangers, and his year in hell in Dallas. His motivation takes center stage as he explains (including many juicy examples) how he used that relentless drive to shape the villainous on-ice character who could kill you with a surprisingly well researched bon mot, a not so subtle jab to a vulnerable body part, or a timely goal. Whether you believe Sean when he insists (numerous times) that he was only playing a carefully crafted character on the ice will depend on what you thought of him at the time. If you loved him, you'll buy his rationalizations. If you hated him, well, you probably will not read this review or consider buying his book, so it goes without saying you'll disbelieve him.
I'm in the middle. For one thing, he did tell me on at least two occasions that his shenanigans fired him up and made him play harder and better, as opposed to just trying to throw his opponents off their game. He was motivated from the start (which goes back to age 8, he tells us repeatedly) to make up for his physical shortcomings (lack of height and size) by devoting himself slavishly to working as hard as he could and finding ways to win, no matter how much collateral damage that might cause. Yet he reminds us over and over that winning was his route to achieving his personal goals. As he tells his stories, it becomes difficult to distinguish his priority -- was it winning per se, or winning as a means of elevating himself in hockey and in life? These are not mutually exclusive objectives, but with Sean it remains difficult in the end to reconcile the two.
Sean spends much of the early sections of the book on this subject. But that's not really why you're here. You want to know what he said to Marty Brodeur to make him go postal during a critical game, why he said what he did about Elisha Cuthbert to get suspended and sent to rehab, how his relationship with his second Ranger coach John Tortorella grew so toxic that Sean comes close to accusing him of homicide. You want to know what Sean thought about everyone under the sun. And you want to know what was really going on off the ice with these guys.
And he will tell you.
The partying is unexpected, to be honest. I thought we'd reached the point in professional sports where the level of competition for major league jobs is so intense, so highly crowded with elite players, that maximizing your performance with a clean off-ice life-style that protects your body is more important than it apparently is in real life. Silly me.
Most shocking is the vitriol Sean has for Tortorella. That is already getting most of the press in the hockey world in advance of the publication of this book. I liked Sean, I despised Tortorella, I quit covering the Rangers precisely because of Tortorella, so you know which side I'm on. Even so, I never imagined it could be this bad. But based on what I know from my own interactions with Tortorella, I find myself with no skepticism at all on this topic, as I do with some of Sean's other protestations and rationalizations.
I read an uncorrected proof of the book provided by NetGalley. I hope the authors and editors have since made the thousands of necessary corrections to make this book readable. What I saw was so amateurishly written that it distracted from the subject matter. The worst style crime is the mixing of tenses. Sean talks about the past in the present tense, which is fine. Except that a) since he is talking about his present day feelings about those events concurrently, it is often difficult to tell whether he's referring to now or then, and b) he often lapses back into the past tense, even within the same sentence, even multiple times within the same sentence and the same paragraph. It's tough sledding.
I don't want to come off as a prescriptivist, especially in reviewing a non-professional writer (just as I hope Sean would do in critiquing my seriously deficient hockey technique), but he has a co-writer who is a professional (Michael McKinley) and there are professional editors at Blue Rider Press and Penguin working on this book. I know they want to preserve Sean's voice, but often these rules are in place to remove precisely this kind of ambiguity, to help the reader better understand the material. Trust me, Sean's voice will not be squelched if you clean up his mixed tenses. In fact, we will get to hear his actual voice speaking these words in the audio edition, which I for one intend to listen to.
But again, you're not here for stellar wordcraft. You want dish. You will not be disappointed.
September 23, 2017
Sean Avery was a very polarizing figure when he was playing in the NHL. Fans would love him (especially if he was playing for their favorite team) or hate him. He had a few controversial moments. He loved living the high life, whether it was parties, women or fashion. He covers his hockey career both on and off the ice in this memoir written with Michael McKinley.
This memoir is different than the typical sports memoir for several reasons. The biggest difference is that nearly the entire book is dedicated to his professional hockey career. There is very little space devoted to his childhood or teenage years and aside from his wedding to supermodel Hilary Rhoda, there is very little post-hockey life covered as well. So, if it is hockey the reader wants, the reader will get it as Avery writes about his ups and downs with the Detroit Red Wings, his experiences on and off the ice in Los Angeles playing for the Kings, his absolutely miserable brief stint with the Dallas Stars and finally his favorite part of his career – the time he played for the New York Rangers.
Avery was known for a few controversial incidents and he talks about them with candor. He does defend himself for not only the well-publicized ones, such as the vulgar remark made in Dallas when trying to trash talk to another player, but for others not as well known, such as selling his complementary tickets to a ticket broker who in turn put them out on the market. He also talks about the “Avery Rule”, laughing about the fact how a non-superstar player like him can rattle a legendary goalie (Martin Brodeur) so much that a rule was made with his name prohibiting facing the goalie in order to screen him.
If reading about the party life that Avery had that the reader wants, he or she will be in for a treat, as there is plenty of material on that as well. He especially writes about that during his stint in Los Angeles, where he describes many of his experiences with clarity. It was there where he first mingled with the famous and even his first serious relationship was with a celebrity – actress Rachel Hunter, who was married to Rod Stewart before dating Avery. Through the book, especially in Los Angeles and New York, he does some serious name dropping of celebrities he has encountered.
Reading about a lot of these parties started to get boring, but once he got to New York, the book is a much better reading experience. While I have never been a fan of Avery or the Rangers, it is clear how much Rangers fans love Avery and in turn he loves them and the city back. He got serious about wanting to put roots down in New York and made serious plans for running a business and getting into the fashion industry once he was through with hockey. This is something many professional athletes neglect and wind up struggling with finances. Avery instead made sure this would not happen and at the same time, he settled down with a woman who he truly loved and loved him. It isn’t right to say that he matured as the book progressed, but by the end it was clear Avery was a different man than the hard playing, hard partying person he was in Detroit and Los Angeles.
The aforementioned fans who love Avery will want to pick this book up as will Rangers fans. For those like me who are not big fans of him, the book is still one that is worth the time as it is entertaining, gives an inside look at life both on and off the ice.
I wish to thank Blue Rider Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
This memoir is different than the typical sports memoir for several reasons. The biggest difference is that nearly the entire book is dedicated to his professional hockey career. There is very little space devoted to his childhood or teenage years and aside from his wedding to supermodel Hilary Rhoda, there is very little post-hockey life covered as well. So, if it is hockey the reader wants, the reader will get it as Avery writes about his ups and downs with the Detroit Red Wings, his experiences on and off the ice in Los Angeles playing for the Kings, his absolutely miserable brief stint with the Dallas Stars and finally his favorite part of his career – the time he played for the New York Rangers.
Avery was known for a few controversial incidents and he talks about them with candor. He does defend himself for not only the well-publicized ones, such as the vulgar remark made in Dallas when trying to trash talk to another player, but for others not as well known, such as selling his complementary tickets to a ticket broker who in turn put them out on the market. He also talks about the “Avery Rule”, laughing about the fact how a non-superstar player like him can rattle a legendary goalie (Martin Brodeur) so much that a rule was made with his name prohibiting facing the goalie in order to screen him.
If reading about the party life that Avery had that the reader wants, he or she will be in for a treat, as there is plenty of material on that as well. He especially writes about that during his stint in Los Angeles, where he describes many of his experiences with clarity. It was there where he first mingled with the famous and even his first serious relationship was with a celebrity – actress Rachel Hunter, who was married to Rod Stewart before dating Avery. Through the book, especially in Los Angeles and New York, he does some serious name dropping of celebrities he has encountered.
Reading about a lot of these parties started to get boring, but once he got to New York, the book is a much better reading experience. While I have never been a fan of Avery or the Rangers, it is clear how much Rangers fans love Avery and in turn he loves them and the city back. He got serious about wanting to put roots down in New York and made serious plans for running a business and getting into the fashion industry once he was through with hockey. This is something many professional athletes neglect and wind up struggling with finances. Avery instead made sure this would not happen and at the same time, he settled down with a woman who he truly loved and loved him. It isn’t right to say that he matured as the book progressed, but by the end it was clear Avery was a different man than the hard playing, hard partying person he was in Detroit and Los Angeles.
The aforementioned fans who love Avery will want to pick this book up as will Rangers fans. For those like me who are not big fans of him, the book is still one that is worth the time as it is entertaining, gives an inside look at life both on and off the ice.
I wish to thank Blue Rider Press for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
http://sportsbookguy.blogspot.com/201...
February 20, 2018
I’m a huge NY Rangers fan so this book was a treat for me. I have it in print and on audiobook and you are missing out if you don’t listen to it being read by Avery himself. He adds a whole new perspective to things. He’s a known instigator on and off the ice in hockey. When you hear the book actually being read by him you don’t know if being the villain is really just an act or if he’s just trying to convince you that it is because he’s so good at being a villain. You listen to him talk and he sounds sincere but if you know about all the things that you’ve heard have happened you begin to wonder if it’s an act. It makes the book pretty fascinating. For a hockey fan this was really one of the most fun and intriguing memoirs I’ve read. Now I’m hungry for more.
July 21, 2018
Really neat inside look at the NHL and the life of a player.....also he doesn't write anything negative about the Red Wings and some of his closest friends are Chris Chelios and Brett Hull. Pretty cool autobiography.
December 23, 2017
As an avid hockey fan, I am well aware of who Sean Avery is. Being awarded the title of 'the most hated player in NHL history' can definitely get you noticed. Following the entirety of Avery's career, Offside is filled with the stories you'd expect, and also the ones you wouldn't. From interning at Vogue during the offseason, to opening up his own bar in downtown New York, Avery is much more than the villain he plays on the ice. And let's not forget all the tea he spilled with other NHL players and coaches. You do you, Sean! Awesome book.
March 29, 2018
Most certainly giving this 4.5. Perhaps one of the most interesting books I’ll read this year. As a hockey fan, learning about Sean Avery was most certainly an experience. This guy has been called an evil genius, an agitator, and the most hated player in the NHL. But through Sean Avery’s tells this is only his on ice mask as a role he has to play. He makes the case for his role of bringing excitement to wherever he played. Trying to pump up the fans and crowd was his job and it worked. However, I was also intrigued by the fact that his individualism was shown through the fact by working with Vogue which is rare to say the least for hockey players. It also tells about his struggles about the hockey world and gives us an inside look of the NHL. He’s also a restauranteur. Overall, this is a seriously misunderstood guy who’s trying to bring some excitement to the game he loves and is actually a pretty hard worker who gave everything. Love him or hate him he’s definitely a character who will forever be remembered in the NHL. All I can say is wish he could have been a Bruin at some point.
September 15, 2017
I received an advanced copy of this book from Goodreads. I was beyond excited when I learned I would be receiving this since I've been dying to get my hands on it since announced. I'm excited to say that it absolutely lived up to my high expectations.
As a diehard New York Rangers fan that loves Sean Avery, I was gripped from the very first page. The book doesn't waste time with boring childhood tales and coming-of-age moments – it pretty much dives right into his hockey career from the moment he entered the NHL radar until his last goal in the league. Along the way, you get the typical trash-talk that made Sean such a divisive character in the game, with a deep insight into his life off the ice.
It's refreshing to see a guy that truly loved the fans in New York and embraced them the same way he was embraced by us. I also loved reading straight from Avery what he said to some of these players that got them so incensed during games.
Even if you are a Sean Avery hater, any fan of hockey will find this book fascinating. Hopefully those that do not appreciate what Sean Avery bought to the game of hockey will develop a new found respect for the man.
As a diehard New York Rangers fan that loves Sean Avery, I was gripped from the very first page. The book doesn't waste time with boring childhood tales and coming-of-age moments – it pretty much dives right into his hockey career from the moment he entered the NHL radar until his last goal in the league. Along the way, you get the typical trash-talk that made Sean such a divisive character in the game, with a deep insight into his life off the ice.
It's refreshing to see a guy that truly loved the fans in New York and embraced them the same way he was embraced by us. I also loved reading straight from Avery what he said to some of these players that got them so incensed during games.
Even if you are a Sean Avery hater, any fan of hockey will find this book fascinating. Hopefully those that do not appreciate what Sean Avery bought to the game of hockey will develop a new found respect for the man.
April 3, 2018
I find this book to be interesting. Now I know the man and grew up with Sean right across the street in Ontario. There were times you felt he was the best 3rd liner in the NHL and other times you were afraid to say you knew him or provide some insight to his character. He was Sean Avery. An the NHL comparison was Ted Lindsay. A shit head on the ice but one you loved on your team.
This book was just what the story of Sean Avery needed. A chance to clear the air and tell his side of the story. For all Canadians I can say you had an opinion of Sean. Good or Bad. But now you have the whole story and to his credit in a different way then most other sport books. This was honest and to the point. No grinding through the season game by game but a story of how the game Is now. No bullshit. Read this book and try not to enjoy it. Well done Sean. 👌
This book was just what the story of Sean Avery needed. A chance to clear the air and tell his side of the story. For all Canadians I can say you had an opinion of Sean. Good or Bad. But now you have the whole story and to his credit in a different way then most other sport books. This was honest and to the point. No grinding through the season game by game but a story of how the game Is now. No bullshit. Read this book and try not to enjoy it. Well done Sean. 👌
September 14, 2017
I received an ARC of Ice Capades and was captivated from the very first page. I found myself not wanting to put this book down as I read about Avery's life in the NHL and life outside of the rink. I have always been a hockey fan, but over the last two years have become a huge hockey fan, following the Rangers. Honestly, until I received this book I hadn't heard of Sean Avery before and had no idea about the way people perceived him. After reading his story, I find him to be a good guy off the ice with the intelligence and skill to create his own persona on the ice. This memoir gives the reader an insight into the life of an NHLer, showing you the good, the bad, and the ugly that goes on behind the closed rink doors. I loved every page of this book and the story it told. I would definitely recommend this book to fellow hockey fans, especially Rangers fans. It's one of my favorite books I've read in a long time and I wish there was more to read!
March 27, 2019
I couldn't stand Avery when he was playing in the NHL but was very interested to read this book to see what he had to say.
Once I got about 25 pages in I couldn't put it down.
I'm still not sure if I like Avery but I do like the honesty in his book. At times he does seem like the narcissist he was portrayed as in the media. Other times he seems really genuine and heartfelt. He also gives a look behind the scenes of the NHL. He also left me with a different on some of the things that happened during his NHL career.
Once I got about 25 pages in I couldn't put it down.
I'm still not sure if I like Avery but I do like the honesty in his book. At times he does seem like the narcissist he was portrayed as in the media. Other times he seems really genuine and heartfelt. He also gives a look behind the scenes of the NHL. He also left me with a different on some of the things that happened during his NHL career.
July 31, 2024
man this guy was truly a dick. interesting read though, loved the chapters on his hate for Torts and the guy has killer taste in music.
November 20, 2017
First off, let me start by saying as a diehard NJ Devils fan there was a point where I hated Sean Avery! But he is the type of player who you hate when he plays your team, but respect him at the same time.
The rabid hockey fan that I am wanted to hear what he had to say, and glad that I did. I really liked this book. Great read for any hockey/sports fan.
The rabid hockey fan that I am wanted to hear what he had to say, and glad that I did. I really liked this book. Great read for any hockey/sports fan.
December 31, 2024
Sean Avery is one of a kind. Who else is taunting Marty Brodeur one week and interning at Vogue the next? Mesmerizing read for a hockey lover whether you think Sean Avery is an asshole or a NY legend. Recommend the audiobook since he narrates it
August 20, 2017
I will admit as a New York Islanders fan I didn't like Sean Avery the self admitted "character" but I appreciate what he brought to the ice. Love this book for a peek inside the locker room and I am recommending it to all my Rangers fan friends :)
August 13, 2025
300 pages of a horrible human trying to explain that he was just misunderstood. No thanks.
November 2, 2017
I am biased because I love hockey, the NYR and him in that order. I loved reading about the behind the scenes of games I actually attended. I loved reading about what was going through his head during plays he was making. I believe every word he said about Torts, the man was vile. Just sitting at home and watching the games you could see him yelling at players.You knew immediately that he was acting like a baby when good players were healthy scratches. You KNEW he was screwing with Avery's career, it was obvious to anyone with eyes. I was at the season opener against Toronto after Avery had been sent down again by Torts. A few fans in the upper bowl made a huge Avery sign that MSG actually photoshopped out (!!!) of the 360 photo they took and published. Also, the first two minutes of the game couldnt be heard because the entire garden was chanting "AVERY! AVERY!" It was amazing and im sure Avery got a kick out of it because Torts was FUMING. Him getting fired was the best. It was very visible how relaxed the players looked after he was gone.
There were a few things I wish he wouldve talked about, though. At one point, right before they moved in together, Sean and Hilary broke up for a while allegedly because of her manager mom (who she later sued for stealing her modeling money). Or how he was accused of spitting at the Hartford coach, Ken Gernander. He never mentioned being arrested right before his wedding for throwing rocks at a speeding car in the Hamptons or how he was bought out by Matt at the 3 restaurants they opened together in 2013 (and it didnt seem like it ended nicely).
But i blew through the book. Loved it.
There were a few things I wish he wouldve talked about, though. At one point, right before they moved in together, Sean and Hilary broke up for a while allegedly because of her manager mom (who she later sued for stealing her modeling money). Or how he was accused of spitting at the Hartford coach, Ken Gernander. He never mentioned being arrested right before his wedding for throwing rocks at a speeding car in the Hamptons or how he was bought out by Matt at the 3 restaurants they opened together in 2013 (and it didnt seem like it ended nicely).
But i blew through the book. Loved it.
February 23, 2020
If you want insights into the mind of an athlete with narcissistic personality disorder and severe delusions of grandeur, this is the book.
There are some interesting bits about what happens in the life of an NHL player but the problem is the source. He's a vile, superficial and extremely shallow man. And since we've already seen his tendency for self-importance, I would like to hear the perspectives of the people involved in these stories.
Finally, the book is poorly written.
There are some interesting bits about what happens in the life of an NHL player but the problem is the source. He's a vile, superficial and extremely shallow man. And since we've already seen his tendency for self-importance, I would like to hear the perspectives of the people involved in these stories.
Finally, the book is poorly written.
July 8, 2020
I'll preface this by saying I'm not a huge hockey fan and hadn't heard of Sean Avery. I read this one as part of a Canada Day Challenge. Although his story is interesting in a TMZ kind of way, it is very poorly written and shows very little self awareness. It comes off as self aggrandizing. Not a fun read, it felt like Avery was vindictive and settling scores.
January 13, 2019
Is this a well-written book? Not really. Is it extremely entertaining if you're a hockey fan? Yes. If you're a Rangers fan? HELL yes. Take it to the beach for some entertainment and enjoy - and try to ignore Avery's extreme narcissism - as he says, he's a character.
October 24, 2017
The most honest & engaging sports bio I've read since Theo Fleury's Playing With Fire. A must read this fall, and one that can be enjoyed by hockey fans and those who just love a good underdog story.
December 8, 2017
Poorly written - no surprise. But worth it for the NHL info. Avery's ego is unbelievable.
December 20, 2023
Okay, you have to be a real hockey fan to pick up this book. Avery did have forays into the world of fashion industry, but I can’t imagine ‘fashion’ fans going out to buy this book. Avery was not a star, but he was a star ‘pest’, playing a unique role on a team, in a team game. A role that developed home-team fans and even more enemies. Pests’ fame often rose beyond what their talent level warranted. I guess the word ‘asshole’ gets bandied around, when those players were discussed. Avery is unapologetic (for the most part) and that is a little refreshing when the sport has an unwritten culture every step of the way… who can be fought, when, who can be ‘chirped’, and when that too is appropriate. In hockey, winning is NOT everything. Class is admired, especially given that most of the players and thus the culture of politeness came from Canada, far boys who are shy and respectful… but are allowed to let ice time and a stick turn them into Mr. Hyde flying around at 25 mph, excuse me… 40.2 kilometers per hour. Avery astutely discusses that get-along culture of the game. Don’t shine too bright, don’t stand out. Be a team player. He wasn’t that.
Avery is smart, confident, and honest to a fault. He’s also arrogant, dismissive and even insulting of people who don’t meet his standards for cool. Andy Murray never played in the NHL, so he obviously couldn’t coach. Yet Scotty Bowman is Avery’s coaching God… (hmmm… but Scotty didn’t play in the NHL either?). And his evisceration of Mark Hardy and love tap to Dean Lombardi’s jock strap speak loudly of his personality.
That makes this a great memoir, compared to many of his cohorts. Lots of dishing of secrets and anecdotes peppered with as many celebs as he could remember (Eminem didn’t give an asswipe over hockey, but he gets mentioned as lucky to brush with the Avery greatness… and that gaul is part of his driving force that is very different from other hockey players. Avery seeks fame and enjoys his mini-celebrity. He undoubtedly works hard at everything he does, and deserves his celebrity and infamy (sorry ‘aves’ but they’re not the same thing, fame vs infamy… especially in Canada, eh!). But boy, that Avery ego runs rampant, and it’s a wonder that his editor, co-author, Michael McKinley isn’t still beet red with embarrassment
EXCELLENT stories and perspectives from a unique player who even had a hockey rule named after him (the Avery Rule)… made especially to accommodate against being an asshole (I.e., you can’t cause a distraction in front of the goalie, just to cause a distraction… it’s unrelated to the game… ungentlemanly, eh 😂) He makes a habit of coming across as Holier-Than-Thou mixed with some humblebrag, but it’s his book about himself, so no problem with that poetic license. Avery is clearly interested in his appearance. Clothes. Cars. When trying to belittle Joe Sakic about his clothes, the legend Avery anecdote is born… As Brett Hull grabs him and tells him ‘You will never talk to Mr. Sakic again, and you will never talk to him in that tone.’ Legendary place-putting in hockey lore.
Avery was labeled as not a team player “with a lack of respect for the game and a lack of respect for the players of the game.”… He refutes that throughout, but offers up evidence of lack of self-awareness through each one of his anecdotes… e.g., stealing Brett Hull’s Stanley Cup Champagne, the golf tourney with Dino Ciccarrelli, insulting Laird Hamilton just to insult Laird Hamilton, slapping Paris Hilton’s ass, etc. As for being able to turn it on and off, those incidents were all off-ice. The Marty Brodeur taunts about cheating with his wife’s sister was something else altogether. To this day, he can rationalize away the impropriety of it. Hating Coach Tortorella. Dissing Fedotenko’s older wife.
So many Priceless insights. Skate-sharpening on soft ice. Goalies veto locker room songs. Warm up etiquette. The NHLPA meeting and the cancelled 2004-05 season. Fighting (of course). ‘Intelligently Agitator’-ing 🤷🏻♂️😂. The fashion industry (never would I have guessed this education from a hockey memoir.).
So even if you hate this guy, you gotta love this book, this no-holds-barred journey, mishaps, warts, and cringe-worthy moments of perhaps hockey’s greatest oddball.
Footnote: Just watched Avery with BizNasty walking Broadway on Spitt’n Chicklets and (even though this was getting a 5 star anyways) have to say my impression of Sean Avery has flipped 180 degrees. Awesome Dude! Still odd, but actually very deliberately self-aware, and that’s okay. And Paul Bissonette brings out the best in him.
July 27, 2018
Alright, I have opinions about this book, so buckle up.
Ok, this was a fairly interesting look behind the scenes of professional hockey, but I still came away from it with the thought that Sean Avery is an asshole. Also, kind of an idiot. I mean, I respect the guy for planning ahead and prepping for his life after hockey. He worked his ass off to make it to the elite of his sport, and he was thinking ahead to when his body wouldn't be able to keep up. He put in the work (although, being able to walk into pretty much any rich-people bar in the country to meet contacts and network certainly helped) and was willing to look at unconventional avenues to pursue alternative careers.
(Something to keep in mind while reading is that this entire book is from Avery's perspective, therefore everything he says is suspect. I'm only recently an NHL fan and know basically nothing about his career, but there were several episodes he describes where I feel like he was flat out lying [i.e. - multiple Hall of Famers being jealous of him and his mad skillz. Seriously? Get over yourself.])
But he describes the Olsen twins as a Hollywood success story, and that they've ended up "normal and successful." Um, going to rehab for eating disorders and drug abuse is not normal. I mean, they're not dead? I guess that's something to be proud of?
At another point he talks about how the NHL has double standards because his teammates are allowed to chew tobacco on the plane, but he can't light up a joint. Look dude, if you really can't tell the difference between a chewing substance that nobody in the vicinity will be bothered by and smoking a joint that will stink up the entire small enclosed area that you are sharing with a bunch of other people, I don't really know what to tell you.
He speaks positively about all of his past relationships and doesn't really trash any of his exes much, which is a point in his favor, but he also throws out this gem here: "I talked about how much I loved it here [in New York], and she listened. At no point did she say, 'Well, that wouldn't be good for us.'" ...would you have said she "listened" if she disagreed with you? If she said she wanted to stay in LA for her own career? He also refers to one of his exes as 'sloppy seconds,' which he addresses in this book. He expresses remorse and indicates he meant it to insult his exes new boyfriend (another NHL player), but c'mon dude. How the fuck did you think that was going to sound? There is no way that sentence insulted anyone but your ex, and you're an idiot if you think otherwise.
Avery also sucks with money. Like, a lot.
"I made $440,000 the year before. After paying taxes and agent fees and living in one city during the season and another during the summer, even a shrewd saver could only hang on to $50,000-$75,000 at most. So after only playing a couple of years in the league, it's not like I am rolling in dough"
Uh, if you lived like a normal human being (not paying $3,000+ dollars per month on EACH apartment in EACH city you lived in, which is $72,000/year on rent alone), you would be rolling in dough, dumbass. Also, even assuming you only saved $50,000 per year and had played for 3-4 years, that's $200,000. Welcome to reality, jackass. That's a lot of fucking money.
"When I went on vacation, I'd fly in economy class to harden myself for the real world. There was that time I flew twenty hours to New Zealand in coach, even though my salary was millions of dollars a year (though, as I've explained before, NHL players only take home a fraction of that)."
You hear that guys? He's "hardening" himself by flying to NEW ZEALAND FOR VACATION. And the poor baby had to sit in economy. And not even a sentence later, he's trying to convince us that his multi-million dollar annual salary is not very much. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DUDE?!?!
On an unrelated note, if even half of what Avery says in this book is true, than professional hockey players have my deepest sympathy. They're apparently all miserable, addicted to drugs, on the verge of divorce at any given moment, and suffering from severe anxiety all the time due to the enormous pressure they're under to perform.
Ok, this was a fairly interesting look behind the scenes of professional hockey, but I still came away from it with the thought that Sean Avery is an asshole. Also, kind of an idiot. I mean, I respect the guy for planning ahead and prepping for his life after hockey. He worked his ass off to make it to the elite of his sport, and he was thinking ahead to when his body wouldn't be able to keep up. He put in the work (although, being able to walk into pretty much any rich-people bar in the country to meet contacts and network certainly helped) and was willing to look at unconventional avenues to pursue alternative careers.
(Something to keep in mind while reading is that this entire book is from Avery's perspective, therefore everything he says is suspect. I'm only recently an NHL fan and know basically nothing about his career, but there were several episodes he describes where I feel like he was flat out lying [i.e. - multiple Hall of Famers being jealous of him and his mad skillz. Seriously? Get over yourself.])
But he describes the Olsen twins as a Hollywood success story, and that they've ended up "normal and successful." Um, going to rehab for eating disorders and drug abuse is not normal. I mean, they're not dead? I guess that's something to be proud of?
At another point he talks about how the NHL has double standards because his teammates are allowed to chew tobacco on the plane, but he can't light up a joint. Look dude, if you really can't tell the difference between a chewing substance that nobody in the vicinity will be bothered by and smoking a joint that will stink up the entire small enclosed area that you are sharing with a bunch of other people, I don't really know what to tell you.
He speaks positively about all of his past relationships and doesn't really trash any of his exes much, which is a point in his favor, but he also throws out this gem here: "I talked about how much I loved it here [in New York], and she listened. At no point did she say, 'Well, that wouldn't be good for us.'" ...would you have said she "listened" if she disagreed with you? If she said she wanted to stay in LA for her own career? He also refers to one of his exes as 'sloppy seconds,' which he addresses in this book. He expresses remorse and indicates he meant it to insult his exes new boyfriend (another NHL player), but c'mon dude. How the fuck did you think that was going to sound? There is no way that sentence insulted anyone but your ex, and you're an idiot if you think otherwise.
Avery also sucks with money. Like, a lot.
"I made $440,000 the year before. After paying taxes and agent fees and living in one city during the season and another during the summer, even a shrewd saver could only hang on to $50,000-$75,000 at most. So after only playing a couple of years in the league, it's not like I am rolling in dough"
Uh, if you lived like a normal human being (not paying $3,000+ dollars per month on EACH apartment in EACH city you lived in, which is $72,000/year on rent alone), you would be rolling in dough, dumbass. Also, even assuming you only saved $50,000 per year and had played for 3-4 years, that's $200,000. Welcome to reality, jackass. That's a lot of fucking money.
"When I went on vacation, I'd fly in economy class to harden myself for the real world. There was that time I flew twenty hours to New Zealand in coach, even though my salary was millions of dollars a year (though, as I've explained before, NHL players only take home a fraction of that)."
You hear that guys? He's "hardening" himself by flying to NEW ZEALAND FOR VACATION. And the poor baby had to sit in economy. And not even a sentence later, he's trying to convince us that his multi-million dollar annual salary is not very much. WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK DUDE?!?!
On an unrelated note, if even half of what Avery says in this book is true, than professional hockey players have my deepest sympathy. They're apparently all miserable, addicted to drugs, on the verge of divorce at any given moment, and suffering from severe anxiety all the time due to the enormous pressure they're under to perform.
February 17, 2018
When I hear the name Sean Avery, I think giant jerk (or preferably, insert your favorite obscene word for jerk), and sloppy seconds. Perhaps that's unfair, that I associate him mainly with probably the worst thing he's ever done - he referred to his ex-girlfriend dating another NHL star with a vulgar quip, at a press conference. Not funny at all, vile actually. To his credit, he addresses it head on, and with remorse, not shying away from defining what it cost him. That offhand comment was the tipping point of his hockey career, which never fully recovered from the fallout. However, that incident was far from the first or the only time he was in the news.
Early in his pro career, Avery determined that his best role on the ice would be agitator. The pot stirrer, the guy always chirping at the other team's best player, trying to draw a penalty, often drawing a fight. The shit-starter. In this role, he excelled, became the self-described most hated man in hockey, led the league in penalty minutes. Not solely an enforcer, Avery had offensive skill as well and often played on the top line. He claims his on-ice persona was an act, playing the villain, a character of himself. He goes to great lengths to detail his off-ice persona, his desires to learn about music and art and fashion and to travel and see more of the world away from small town Canada. As a young kid with looks, freedom, and money, he saw a lot.
And boy, does he have a lot of stories to tell about it. This book is delightfully dishy. Often celeb memoirs give you the stories, but not the dirt. No real names and vague references. Not this book, and Avery's dirt is glorious. He hero-worships some (Hull, Chelios, Shanahan), and trolls others (Brodeur, LA Kings coach Andy Murray, and especially John Tortorella) with particular vitriol. Highly entertaining for this hockey fan.
Several times Avery discusses his frustrations with the conformity of the NHL, and how personality and individuality is frowned upon and squashed within the league. He felt like an outsider if he chose to speak up or act differently from the herd, and also felt he was punished for doing so. I believe his concerns in this area are valid, true, and a large part of why the NHL continues to be seen as a lowly stepsister to the other major professional sports leagues. Go to ESPN.com right now, and the quick tabs on the top banner read NFL (season over 2 weeks ago), NBA, MLB (not in season as I write this), NCAAM, Soccer, Olympics. No NHL in site on the face page - you have to dig to find the coverage. The NHL has no idea how to effectively market its brand. It caters to the current fan base only. I'm not a fan of the NBA, but I could easily name off several current star players and why? Because they know how to market and embrace personality. Avery has other criticisms of the league that are concerning as well, such as drug testing (if it's not steroids, no one cares), agent representation (if you aren't a superstar, no one returns your call but they'll still take a huge % of your salary), and the lack of league or NHLPA planning for life after hockey. Every NHL player, especially ones who play an ultra-aggressive game like Avery, are one hit away from forced retirement, and they deserve the support of the league.
Technically this book has some issues. Tense usage is a nightmare throughout. The sentence structure is often too long, rendering it clunky. With a ghostwriter and a professional publishing house behind this, I feel the editing should have been tighter.
I feel Avery wants the reader to see him as a man with varied interests off the ice and a beloved (by Rangers fans only I think) and valuable team player on the ice. All of which is true to a point, but issues still remain. To this day, several years out of the NHL, a quick google search shows Avery still in the news, and usually not in a good way. I think he was his own worst enemy when in the NHL, and likely that's still the case. Maybe impulse control is his real issue. I must say I enjoyed this book more than expected, largely due to his candid and juicy stories.
Early in his pro career, Avery determined that his best role on the ice would be agitator. The pot stirrer, the guy always chirping at the other team's best player, trying to draw a penalty, often drawing a fight. The shit-starter. In this role, he excelled, became the self-described most hated man in hockey, led the league in penalty minutes. Not solely an enforcer, Avery had offensive skill as well and often played on the top line. He claims his on-ice persona was an act, playing the villain, a character of himself. He goes to great lengths to detail his off-ice persona, his desires to learn about music and art and fashion and to travel and see more of the world away from small town Canada. As a young kid with looks, freedom, and money, he saw a lot.
And boy, does he have a lot of stories to tell about it. This book is delightfully dishy. Often celeb memoirs give you the stories, but not the dirt. No real names and vague references. Not this book, and Avery's dirt is glorious. He hero-worships some (Hull, Chelios, Shanahan), and trolls others (Brodeur, LA Kings coach Andy Murray, and especially John Tortorella) with particular vitriol. Highly entertaining for this hockey fan.
Several times Avery discusses his frustrations with the conformity of the NHL, and how personality and individuality is frowned upon and squashed within the league. He felt like an outsider if he chose to speak up or act differently from the herd, and also felt he was punished for doing so. I believe his concerns in this area are valid, true, and a large part of why the NHL continues to be seen as a lowly stepsister to the other major professional sports leagues. Go to ESPN.com right now, and the quick tabs on the top banner read NFL (season over 2 weeks ago), NBA, MLB (not in season as I write this), NCAAM, Soccer, Olympics. No NHL in site on the face page - you have to dig to find the coverage. The NHL has no idea how to effectively market its brand. It caters to the current fan base only. I'm not a fan of the NBA, but I could easily name off several current star players and why? Because they know how to market and embrace personality. Avery has other criticisms of the league that are concerning as well, such as drug testing (if it's not steroids, no one cares), agent representation (if you aren't a superstar, no one returns your call but they'll still take a huge % of your salary), and the lack of league or NHLPA planning for life after hockey. Every NHL player, especially ones who play an ultra-aggressive game like Avery, are one hit away from forced retirement, and they deserve the support of the league.
Technically this book has some issues. Tense usage is a nightmare throughout. The sentence structure is often too long, rendering it clunky. With a ghostwriter and a professional publishing house behind this, I feel the editing should have been tighter.
I feel Avery wants the reader to see him as a man with varied interests off the ice and a beloved (by Rangers fans only I think) and valuable team player on the ice. All of which is true to a point, but issues still remain. To this day, several years out of the NHL, a quick google search shows Avery still in the news, and usually not in a good way. I think he was his own worst enemy when in the NHL, and likely that's still the case. Maybe impulse control is his real issue. I must say I enjoyed this book more than expected, largely due to his candid and juicy stories.
January 2, 2018
I'm the rarest of hockey fans: a Philly fan who actually liked Sean Avery.
He was a ridiculous player, in every sense of the word: over-the-top in every way, from his talent to his antics to his hobbies (he interned at Vogue one off-season, for crying out loud). But he was fun to watch, fun to love, and fun to hate. So if you're a fan of Avery, the hockey-player, you'll find a lot to like here. There are sections of this memoir that are game-for-game recollections of entire seasons. There's a lot about his on-ice time, how many goals he scored, and his teams' stats. There are also long sections about how often he partied with shit-faced teammates, which celebrities he hung out with at which bars or music festivals, and what kind of apartments or houses he lived in. Avery doesn't hold back in painting an occasionally deeply disturbing portrait of what life as a professional athlete is like, from the casual sex to the booze and drugs to the stresses and dangers of being part of the sporting elite. There are a lot of things in this book that will piss off a lot of people; Avery exposes the trade and negotiation processes and the money-hungry ways of the league, not to mention their seemingly total lack of respect or care for athletes, as individuals. He talks a lot of shit about fellow players and coaches.
In short, most of this memoir is fucking awesome. It's exactly the kind of book you would expect a guy like Sean Avery to write about his time in the NHL. He tells it like he remembers it (even when he ends up looking terrible, like in an incident with Paris Hilton), and he gives zero fucks.
On the other hand, this is an odd piece of writing. The constant shifts in tense are awkward, and I'm confused by why they exist as they do. Did the editor simply give up in trying to keep Avery in a consistent voice? It does make the book feel more conversational, but it also makes it feel messy. He switches from present to past and back again, sometimes within the same sentence ("The breakfast buffet at the hotel offers boiled eggs, pickled herring, caviar in a squeeze tin, and a ton of bread, and by my fourth day in the country I actually liked it.") There are also instances when Avery's memory can't be entirely trusted, such as when he distinctly recalls celebrating his first NHL goal by dancing to a Madonna song that wouldn't exist for another eight years, and other times when he omits parts of his career and life entirely (no mentions of his 2009 clothing line or of his 2007 fine for allegedly mocking a fellow player's battle with cancer). Additionally, there's a sometimes-uncomfortable tone of misogyny to the way Avery describes women, as "puck bunnies" and "groupies" or synecdochal reductions of hair color or body types.
Overall though, this is a great sports memoir, one that exposes more than these types of books typically do. It's not exactly a tell-all, but it feels pretty close to one.
He was a ridiculous player, in every sense of the word: over-the-top in every way, from his talent to his antics to his hobbies (he interned at Vogue one off-season, for crying out loud). But he was fun to watch, fun to love, and fun to hate. So if you're a fan of Avery, the hockey-player, you'll find a lot to like here. There are sections of this memoir that are game-for-game recollections of entire seasons. There's a lot about his on-ice time, how many goals he scored, and his teams' stats. There are also long sections about how often he partied with shit-faced teammates, which celebrities he hung out with at which bars or music festivals, and what kind of apartments or houses he lived in. Avery doesn't hold back in painting an occasionally deeply disturbing portrait of what life as a professional athlete is like, from the casual sex to the booze and drugs to the stresses and dangers of being part of the sporting elite. There are a lot of things in this book that will piss off a lot of people; Avery exposes the trade and negotiation processes and the money-hungry ways of the league, not to mention their seemingly total lack of respect or care for athletes, as individuals. He talks a lot of shit about fellow players and coaches.
In short, most of this memoir is fucking awesome. It's exactly the kind of book you would expect a guy like Sean Avery to write about his time in the NHL. He tells it like he remembers it (even when he ends up looking terrible, like in an incident with Paris Hilton), and he gives zero fucks.
On the other hand, this is an odd piece of writing. The constant shifts in tense are awkward, and I'm confused by why they exist as they do. Did the editor simply give up in trying to keep Avery in a consistent voice? It does make the book feel more conversational, but it also makes it feel messy. He switches from present to past and back again, sometimes within the same sentence ("The breakfast buffet at the hotel offers boiled eggs, pickled herring, caviar in a squeeze tin, and a ton of bread, and by my fourth day in the country I actually liked it.") There are also instances when Avery's memory can't be entirely trusted, such as when he distinctly recalls celebrating his first NHL goal by dancing to a Madonna song that wouldn't exist for another eight years, and other times when he omits parts of his career and life entirely (no mentions of his 2009 clothing line or of his 2007 fine for allegedly mocking a fellow player's battle with cancer). Additionally, there's a sometimes-uncomfortable tone of misogyny to the way Avery describes women, as "puck bunnies" and "groupies" or synecdochal reductions of hair color or body types.
Overall though, this is a great sports memoir, one that exposes more than these types of books typically do. It's not exactly a tell-all, but it feels pretty close to one.
Read
July 11, 2025He does everything but flat out blame Tortorella as a contributing cause in Derek Boogaard's death. After Derek got injured, Torts made a team rule that pretty much ensured Derek wouldn't ever play again for the Rangers. Also Avery flipped out at the head of the Rangers media relations when only 6 members of the Rangers were planning on attending the funeral. He hated Torts for skipping the funeral entirely
Avery also claims the Dustin Brown lisp incident never happened and was made up by players he would yell at in the locker room for half assing it during games. He suggests that the majority of his "bad teammate" reputation came from him being willing to break the rules of Hockey culture, usually around not respecting declining Veterans by calling out Madano for being soft, lazy, and poor on the backcheck.
He has funny stories about players, specifically about his roomate in Detroit, Brett Hull, unknowingly dipped into in some homemade weed cookies and spent the night rolling around in bathroom afraid he was dying. He was still tripping on the drive over to practice convinced that he was dying. Still gave it all during practice.
Other than Torts, he criticizes Lombardi for his character assessment skills, re calling out Avery's character while he ended up with a wife beater and a drug trafficker on his team. Sean thought his head coach in LA was a weirdo but did his best. According to Avery, the moment the coach lost the team was during a practice where had the team stop skating and do pushups like some sort of juvenile hockey league coach in a Disney movie. Afterwards Avery celebrated a goal by doing pushups to mock his coach, whom was fired the next day. Avery also points out that the assistant coach that has very critical of Avery's character went on to rape his daughter.
Avery loved SoCal for breaking him out of his small town Canada shell, New York for being a lot more easy going than LA. He hatred Texas with a passion, and thought the Dallas Stars organization had a loser mentality by doing things like focusing on irreverent details like refusing Avery onto the team jet for wearing his suit shorts because they weren't manly enough.
Avery also expresses regret with Elisha Cuthbert and French Visor comments but thinks the league overreacted. He thought the blatant homophobia on the rink and lockerroom was a bigger issue but the league only cared about what players said outside the game. He also thought it was ridiculous in the first place that the media was asking him about his former girlfriend in the first place and thinks Canadian hockey culture can be snobby.
Avery also claims the Dustin Brown lisp incident never happened and was made up by players he would yell at in the locker room for half assing it during games. He suggests that the majority of his "bad teammate" reputation came from him being willing to break the rules of Hockey culture, usually around not respecting declining Veterans by calling out Madano for being soft, lazy, and poor on the backcheck.
He has funny stories about players, specifically about his roomate in Detroit, Brett Hull, unknowingly dipped into in some homemade weed cookies and spent the night rolling around in bathroom afraid he was dying. He was still tripping on the drive over to practice convinced that he was dying. Still gave it all during practice.
Other than Torts, he criticizes Lombardi for his character assessment skills, re calling out Avery's character while he ended up with a wife beater and a drug trafficker on his team. Sean thought his head coach in LA was a weirdo but did his best. According to Avery, the moment the coach lost the team was during a practice where had the team stop skating and do pushups like some sort of juvenile hockey league coach in a Disney movie. Afterwards Avery celebrated a goal by doing pushups to mock his coach, whom was fired the next day. Avery also points out that the assistant coach that has very critical of Avery's character went on to rape his daughter.
Avery loved SoCal for breaking him out of his small town Canada shell, New York for being a lot more easy going than LA. He hatred Texas with a passion, and thought the Dallas Stars organization had a loser mentality by doing things like focusing on irreverent details like refusing Avery onto the team jet for wearing his suit shorts because they weren't manly enough.
Avery also expresses regret with Elisha Cuthbert and French Visor comments but thinks the league overreacted. He thought the blatant homophobia on the rink and lockerroom was a bigger issue but the league only cared about what players said outside the game. He also thought it was ridiculous in the first place that the media was asking him about his former girlfriend in the first place and thinks Canadian hockey culture can be snobby.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2018
Why this book: My current boss with whom I’m in a reading group at work, strongly recommended it. He said it has a lot of relevance to some of the character and culture issues we are having in the SEAL Teams, and that it is a fun and provocative read, so we took it on.
Summary in 3 sentences. Sean Avery was one of the “bad boys” in the NHL from 2001 – 2015, known as an intimidator, brawler, and master “agitator” – an unofficial hockey term for a trash talker whose job it is to anger and get into the heads and upset the games of the opposing team. He describes his life from growing up in a small town in Canada to his debut in the NHL, how he built his reputation as an aggressive player, agitator and someone who some loved, but many hated, through his trades from the Detroit Red Wings to the LA Kings to the New York Rangers, to the Dallas Stars, and finally back to the Rangers. Much of his story is about his personal life, his “escapades” in various celebrity circles, heavy drinking, partying, his women, his fun and successes, but also his disappointments both on and off the ice, ending in his love affair and marriage, and the beginning of his post-hockey career.
My impressions: I liked the book, and with some reservations, I liked Sean Avery as he presents himself in this book. Several of my friends who read it couldn’t stand him. I’m always a bit skeptical of self-promotional memoirs (aren’t all memoirs to one degree or another self promotional?) since I’ve read a couple whereby I walked away with a very positive impression of the author, but people who knew the author screamed BULLSHIT! Matt Bissonette and Eric Greitens are two who come to mind. That said, I did enjoy getting into the head of a clearly high-energy young professional athlete living the dream or many young men – being a professional sports star and celebrity, the fame, the money, the jet set, the women. Opportunities for a lot of fun and adventure, as well opportunities for excess and self-destruction. Avery took advantage of both. The period of his memoir is between approximately his 18th and 32nd years of age, so a lot of energy, passion, ambition, a fair amount of immaturity and a lot of wild and crazy guy stuff.
Read the rest of my review at: https://bobsbeenreading.wordpress.com...
Summary in 3 sentences. Sean Avery was one of the “bad boys” in the NHL from 2001 – 2015, known as an intimidator, brawler, and master “agitator” – an unofficial hockey term for a trash talker whose job it is to anger and get into the heads and upset the games of the opposing team. He describes his life from growing up in a small town in Canada to his debut in the NHL, how he built his reputation as an aggressive player, agitator and someone who some loved, but many hated, through his trades from the Detroit Red Wings to the LA Kings to the New York Rangers, to the Dallas Stars, and finally back to the Rangers. Much of his story is about his personal life, his “escapades” in various celebrity circles, heavy drinking, partying, his women, his fun and successes, but also his disappointments both on and off the ice, ending in his love affair and marriage, and the beginning of his post-hockey career.
My impressions: I liked the book, and with some reservations, I liked Sean Avery as he presents himself in this book. Several of my friends who read it couldn’t stand him. I’m always a bit skeptical of self-promotional memoirs (aren’t all memoirs to one degree or another self promotional?) since I’ve read a couple whereby I walked away with a very positive impression of the author, but people who knew the author screamed BULLSHIT! Matt Bissonette and Eric Greitens are two who come to mind. That said, I did enjoy getting into the head of a clearly high-energy young professional athlete living the dream or many young men – being a professional sports star and celebrity, the fame, the money, the jet set, the women. Opportunities for a lot of fun and adventure, as well opportunities for excess and self-destruction. Avery took advantage of both. The period of his memoir is between approximately his 18th and 32nd years of age, so a lot of energy, passion, ambition, a fair amount of immaturity and a lot of wild and crazy guy stuff.
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November 13, 2017
I don't tend to be a large biography person, though I have been reading more hockey books as of late. Of course when this book came out I was certainly going to at least give it a go.
It's certainly got some interesting parts. The descriptions of how players were parying in the late 90s was interesting, as well as dealing with the league when it came down to the infractions handed down. The view behind the scenes in NHL dressing rooms provided some interesting colour, especially the shots taken at some management level NHL execs (Not that Sean is wrong, per say, I mean I'm surprised there wasn't a Colin Campbell is looking out for his son with the refs line). There's a certain level of respect and remorse shown that I didn't expect from a Sean Avery book. I expected self-reflection for sure, I remember his interview with George Strombolopolous that changed my perspective of Avery, but in a self-congratulatory book it was interesting to whom that respect was paid.
However, the writing is a little plodding at times, especially when we get into the description of what's happening during a season. The self-aggrandizing is interesting when the story is interesting, but when it's boring it feels just kind of out of touch. Mixed in with the fact that Avery admits that he was performing, which leads you to wonder how much of the truth is under the performance of the book.
That said, I'm glad I read it. If you like hockey, then you should read it particularly because you're going to know the players and management involved and it will have a lot of meaning for you. It's going to be less interesting if you don't know them, but there are still some interesting bits to read for you.
It's certainly got some interesting parts. The descriptions of how players were parying in the late 90s was interesting, as well as dealing with the league when it came down to the infractions handed down. The view behind the scenes in NHL dressing rooms provided some interesting colour, especially the shots taken at some management level NHL execs (Not that Sean is wrong, per say, I mean I'm surprised there wasn't a Colin Campbell is looking out for his son with the refs line). There's a certain level of respect and remorse shown that I didn't expect from a Sean Avery book. I expected self-reflection for sure, I remember his interview with George Strombolopolous that changed my perspective of Avery, but in a self-congratulatory book it was interesting to whom that respect was paid.
However, the writing is a little plodding at times, especially when we get into the description of what's happening during a season. The self-aggrandizing is interesting when the story is interesting, but when it's boring it feels just kind of out of touch. Mixed in with the fact that Avery admits that he was performing, which leads you to wonder how much of the truth is under the performance of the book.
That said, I'm glad I read it. If you like hockey, then you should read it particularly because you're going to know the players and management involved and it will have a lot of meaning for you. It's going to be less interesting if you don't know them, but there are still some interesting bits to read for you.
October 5, 2019
Took a lot of heat from people for reading this one. "Sean Avery is a d-bag, he's the dirtiest player that's been in the NHL, etc." but it was actually quite interesting.
The information/behind the scenes value of this book is great!
Things made clear from reading his account:
* NHL hockey teams are comprised of straight, white dudes who've been playing hockey since they could walk (and not going to school/graduating high school).
* good coaching makes a great team, but there are many players on a team and not everyone feels the same way.
* working hard and passion for something can take you to the top of your field.
* being on a professional sports team / being famous can open many doors and gets you access to a lot of clubs/parties/other rich, well known people - by the sole fact that like attracts like.
* hockey players (by extension - all professional athletes) make THE WORST life partners (evidenced by the description of hordes of groupies at all times - the mistresses - all night parties/drugs/alcohol - being away half the time, etc.), but are (mostly) rich!
I was ambivalent to Mr.Avery before I read this book and feel the same now. What I do love is the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" attitude throughout the book. He seemed to work hard to make things happen and applies the "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" attitude in all aspects of his life.
Interesting and behind the curtain look at the players and coaches that Sean Avery interacted with during his time in the NHL. Pretty decent read overall.
The information/behind the scenes value of this book is great!
Things made clear from reading his account:
* NHL hockey teams are comprised of straight, white dudes who've been playing hockey since they could walk (and not going to school/graduating high school).
* good coaching makes a great team, but there are many players on a team and not everyone feels the same way.
* working hard and passion for something can take you to the top of your field.
* being on a professional sports team / being famous can open many doors and gets you access to a lot of clubs/parties/other rich, well known people - by the sole fact that like attracts like.
* hockey players (by extension - all professional athletes) make THE WORST life partners (evidenced by the description of hordes of groupies at all times - the mistresses - all night parties/drugs/alcohol - being away half the time, etc.), but are (mostly) rich!
I was ambivalent to Mr.Avery before I read this book and feel the same now. What I do love is the "pull yourself up by the bootstraps" attitude throughout the book. He seemed to work hard to make things happen and applies the "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" attitude in all aspects of his life.
Interesting and behind the curtain look at the players and coaches that Sean Avery interacted with during his time in the NHL. Pretty decent read overall.
October 29, 2017
Sean Avery has been described as polarizing throughout his career. You either loved him or hated him. This review is not about my opinion of him as a player. I do remember him well and the chaos that caused headline sports news. Yes, he was frequently out of line and in some trouble, one way or another. That's why I was interested in reading Ice Capades. I wanted to know his version.
I really enjoyed the book. I was pleasantly surprised by his honesty and his assessment of the teams he played for, the strike, the coaches, his teammates and his overall perspective during his time in the NHL. He does name drop throughout the book. He also is very complimentary to his very talented, legendary teammates and coaches. Then again he takes swipes at other legends and coaches. His brutal honesty doesn't go unnoticed. He does talk about himself.....but it's his memoir, so that's absolutely acceptable.
If you've ever wondered what goes on from a player's point of view (what we don't get to see in the news) this book is worth the read. You don't have to like the guy to enjoy the book. He takes the time to explain his strategy to survive the NHL and his post career. He explains the ridiculous salaries, the strike issues, and personality flaws, both his and others . In the end, I've learned something, and that's what I was hoping for.
I really enjoyed the book. I was pleasantly surprised by his honesty and his assessment of the teams he played for, the strike, the coaches, his teammates and his overall perspective during his time in the NHL. He does name drop throughout the book. He also is very complimentary to his very talented, legendary teammates and coaches. Then again he takes swipes at other legends and coaches. His brutal honesty doesn't go unnoticed. He does talk about himself.....but it's his memoir, so that's absolutely acceptable.
If you've ever wondered what goes on from a player's point of view (what we don't get to see in the news) this book is worth the read. You don't have to like the guy to enjoy the book. He takes the time to explain his strategy to survive the NHL and his post career. He explains the ridiculous salaries, the strike issues, and personality flaws, both his and others . In the end, I've learned something, and that's what I was hoping for.
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