In Soviet Russia, attitude problems have YOU!!!
If Snoop Dogg still wants to watch his buddy Ray Emery play hockey, he’ll have to go a little farther than Ottawa.
The (shall we say) troubled netminder has signed a one-year, $2 million contract with Atlant Mytishchi of Russia’s new Continental Hockey League. Google tells me that Mystishchi is a suburb of Moscow and the second-largest city in Russia. Emery, who’s had enough problems away from the rink to make an Ohio State football player blush, was bought out by the Senators last week to the surprise of absolutely no one.
Emery’s not a bad goaltender and, in my opinion, was great for the league (everyone loves goalie fights!), but the reason he had absolutely no offers from any NHL teams at all is that, by all accounts he’s a bit of a problem in the locker room.
A perfunctory list of Emery’s misdeeds from the past year or so:
- Was involved in a traffic accident while speeding to the airport because he was late for the team flight after sleeping through several wake-up calls from team officials and other players
- Was fined for showing up late to practice at the end of January, an increasingly common problem in the weeks prior
- Allgedly threatened to kill an Ottawa retiree that cut him off on the freeway while headed to Scotiabank Place. Said elderly man, Jean Therien, said that Emery blocked the road with his Hummer and then lost a “war of words.”
- Was pulled over numerous times by Ottawa area police, and got into a verbal confrontation with one officer because he felt he was being “targeted” after getting nabbed for aggressive driving. “I wasn’t given a warning for anything, I will say that,” Emery said at the time. “He pulled me over for no reason. I question why I get pulled over for so much here.”
- Was the subject of many rumors in Ottawa, some circulated or perpetuated by the vague reporting and hints of The Universal Cynic’s great freelance writer Erin Nicks, suggest Emery has a bit of an off-ice problem that has nothing to do with his anger issues, if you follow. Google it if you don’t.
Emery’s agent, J.P. Barry, says that’s all a misunderstanding and, even if it wasn’t, it’s all behind Emery now.
“Unfortunately, it’s only been a short time since the buyout and there isn’t anybody willing to give (Emery) a second chance at this time,” said … Barry to the Sun Media. “I think if people knew the things that he’s done over the last little while to turn the corner, there might be more interest out there.
Does it occur to anyone else that Emery will have just as much of a problem in Russia, where the locals tend to be a little, ummm, pro-white. This is the same country, you’ll remember, that saw its fans throw bananas at Anson Carter when he went there for a few exhibition games during the lockout.
This might be it for Emery. Too bad.
