“Getzlaf’s comment in Thursday’s game, particularly as directed to another individual on the ice, was inappropriately demeaning and disrespectful and crossed the line into behavior that we deem unacceptable,” NHL Senior Executive Vice President of Hockey Operations Colin Campbell said in a release on the league’s official site.
The fine is the maximum punishment allowed under the latest collective bargaining agreement.
During last year’s playoffs, Chicago Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw was suspended one game, received a $5,000 fine and had to undergo sensitivity training for his anti-gay slur.
Getzlaf, on the other hand, is expected to play Game 5 on Saturday at the Honda Center with the Predators and Ducks tied 2-2 in the series.
Two (very humpy) National Hockey League stars Henrik Zetterberg (above left) of the Detroit Red Wings and Victor Hedman (above right) of the Tampa Bay Lightning have gone on record blasting Russia’s anti-gay law and its impact on the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics, Detroit Free Press reports:
Zetterberg, the Detroit Red Wings captain who will likely represent Sweden in the Olympics, reportedly told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet that the law is ‘awful, just awful’
“I think that everyone should be able to be themselves,” Zetterberg said. “It’s unbelievable that it can be this way in this time, especially in a big country like Russia.”
Fellow Swedish player Victor Hedman, who plays for the Tampa Bay Lightning, also had strong things to say about the law: “That’s completely wrong, we’re all humans. No one should have a say in what way you’re sexually oriented.”
Thank you guys for being real men and speaking up!
This is just one more reason why hockey players are HOT.
“The Toronto Marlies pledge to support all of our teammates, coaches, and fans – gay or straight,” it reads. “We stand for the idea that athletes should be judged by their character, work ethic, and talent. Not their sexual orientation.”
The pledge, created in conjunction with the You Can Play organization, started by Brian and Patrick Burke, continues with a promise to stamp out homophobic, racist and sexist comments.
The University of Connecticut Huskies hockey team has joined in the You Can Play campaign co-founded and Philadelphia Flyers scout Patrick Burke and his father Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke to promote equality, respect and safety for athletes no matter their sexual orientation by posting a short video on university’s athletic website where the players open up about their tolerance towards potential LGBT teammates.
“As the team captain, I pledge to respect the talent and work of all my teammates,” says forward Sean Ambrosie, who in the 30-second segment is suited up in the Connecticut dressing room.
“I’ll start discussions that promote the acceptance of all my teammates in order to build trust and a winning ethic,” says defenceman Alex Gerke before mentioning the potential for transgendered teammates. “We welcome any LGBT athletes who may be looking for a safe place to play.” .
Last September, the NCAA approved a policy that permits transgendered (female to male) student-athletes to compete in male sports as long as their use of hormone therapy is in line with NCAA policy and medical protocol
But UCONN’s head coach Bruce Marshall feels differently about it and insisits that the public service announcement isn’t “a beacon for the university.” According to Marshall, he warned the Huskies not to join the You Can Play campaign unless they were prepared to deal with negative fallout from opponents.
Other than praise for their video, as of this writing the UCONN Huskies have recieved absolutly no negative fallout from the PSA.
Patrick Burke of the Philadelphia Flyers and Brian Burke of the Toronto Maple Leafs are joined by James Van Riemsdyk (PHI), Mark Fayne (NJD), Frans Nielsen (NYI), Tyler Bozak (TOR), George Parros (ANA), Brandon Prust (NYR), David Steckel (TOR), Andy Greene (NJD), RJ Umberger (CBJ) and Brian Boyle (NYR) to tell LGBT athletes: “If you can play, You Can Play”
For twenty years, I worked extremely hard to become the best hockey player I possibly could — but also to be the best man I could be … So I fought and worked very hard to build a reputation that would provide a role model for others. [But] I never once stood up to anyone who spoke about someone behind their backs — talking about someone who they thought was a lesbian or talking about them in a joking way … I never stood up to my teammates … So I’m complicit.
Powerful stuff and well worth watching no matter what country you live in and if you are into sports or not.
Ontario, Canada-based Uptown Sports Management, who represents a number of NHL players including Andrew Brunette, Cody McCormick, Chris Neil, Mike Fisher and Carlo Colaiacovo, slammed New York Ranger Sean Avery publicly on TWITTER for getting involved and supporting marriage equality in New York
Todd Reynolds, Uptown Sports Management’s Vice President and son of the owner, is in charge of the agency’s Twitter feed Reynolds spoke on TSN Radio 1050 and gave this statement:
“There’s certainly a voice for the other side on this particular issue. I was merely responding to be the other voice. I believe in standing up for what you believe in. I’m passionate about what I believe in. And I believe in morality and I believe in right and wrong. I know many people with different view points for what is right and wrong.
But I’m a little disappointed in some of the response. If you oppose a viewpoint, you’re immediately targeted by some people as a hater, a bigot, intolerant, homophobic and many other terms. That’s obviously not the case for people who know me. … I don’t hate anyone. And I’m certainly not a bigot. But I believe in marriage between one man and one woman. It’s a social debate that’s raged on for quite some time. In Canada and the U.S. it’s a hot-button topic right now. I guess maybe it was how I was raised. I believe in voicing your opinion and not being part of the silent majority.
“It’s sad. I mean, my personal position is that I do not support gay marriage, and I think it’s wrong, as well. It’s not politically correct to, I guess, give your opinion about a thing like that. It’s politically correct on the other side, for people to say, ‘sure, I support gay marriage.’ But the majority, I think, of Canadians would say that they don’t agree with gay marriage – that man and woman were created to be married, not man and man or man and horse, you know?”
Incredible.
OutSports is now reporting that sports agents and hockey professionals are also coming out in support of Avery and against Uptown Sports including Agent Andrew Warren and NHL Star Paul Bissonette:
Warren: I absolutely would support any client, friend, or family member who came out. I believe that public support of gay rights in sports will make it easier for those in the world of sports that may want to come out able to do so without apprehension or fear. As a friend of Patrick’s, I supported and respected his brother Brendan for leaving an important mark on this issue and I hope more of us in this field continue to develop an environment that is welcoming to everyone
PAUL BISSONNETTE:
.Change.org has created a petition demanding Uptown Sports apologize. But to me that’s not enough. I call upon all right minded NHL players to leave this agency because of their blatant bigotry and hate. And I also ask that everyone email Don Reynolds, President of Uptown Sports and give this douche a good old fashioned cybercheck into reality —-> don@uptownsports.ca
In what hopefully will become a trend in pro sports amongst the more liberal players, Sean Avery of New York Rangers has come forward to support same-sex marriage.
“The places I’ve played and lived the longest have been in West Hollywood, Calif., when I played for the L.A. Kings, and when I moved to New York, I lived in Chelsea for the first four years,” Avery said in a phone interview. “I certainly have been surrounded by the gay community. And living in New York and when you live in L.A., you certainly have a lot of gay friends.”
Avery, who lives in the SoHo section of Manhattan and keeps a home in Los Angeles, said some of those friends had wanted to marry, and he saw no reason they should not.
“I’m certainly open to it,” he said. “Maybe I can help, and I jumped at this opportunity.”
Love the glasses. And thanks for standing up for gay marriage on a New York State level. But seriously, isn’t single issue voting a bit passe? Can we please get out of this “state-by-state” mentality and work on a National level HRC?
Oh wait , that’s right. You proved with Obama between 2010 and 2012 you can’t handle that.
