There has been quite a kerfuffle this morning over an interview that Alex Frolov did with sport.ru, in which the former Rangers left wing said that Sean Avery sometimes “called opponents ‘black monkeys.'” It’s stunning, appalling and particularly noteworthy given that Avery’s offseason has been most notable for his outspoken support of marriage equality.
What also appears to be the case here is that there is an issue of context. Here, thanks to Slava Malamud of the Russian daily Sport-Express, is the full Frolov quote, translated from Russian:
“(Avery) isn’t a fool. Lately he has become calmer, smarter. Before he’d get swept away with emotions and do something stupid. To mention each and every one of his stunts. … Something always happens around him, it’s a part of his job. He needs to be talked about. He loves it, he feels at home in the spotlight. Sometimes he called opponents ‘black monkeys.’ He did a lot of things. I can’t remember all.”
In that light, it sounds as if Frolov was talking about Avery from when they played together with the Los Angeles Kings. This, then, would not be such a great revelation.
In 2005, Avery was accused by Oilers enforcer Georges Laraque of directing a racial slur at him during a game, less than a month after Avery had told TSN, about a Denis Gauthier check that concussed Jeremy Roenick, “I think it was typical of most French guys in our league with a visor on, running around and playing tough and not backing anything up.”
Avery was with the Kings from 2003-07, Frolov from 2002-10.
While Avery has remained a controversial figure, to be sure, he has not approached objectionable levels with his mouth since his infamous “sloppy seconds” comments in 2008 resulted in a league suspension, behavioral counseling and Avery being jettisoned by the Dallas Stars to return to the Rangers. When the Edmonton Oilers accused Avery of suckerpunching Ladislav Smid last season, it was just about the on-ice action – there was nothing mentioned in that incident about Avery crossing a verbal line.
The other important thing to consider in this situation is that as much change as Avery has gone through in the past six years, so has the NHL. If Avery said something so egregious and intolerant to an opponent this past season, it stands to reason that it would have been news immediately — either the aggrieved player or a teammate would have said something to the media after the game or gone on Twitter with it. It probably would not be coming out on the first day of August.
Avery and the Rangers declined to comment on the story.
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