Overview

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.

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9780735232853

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Reviews

A Globe and Mail Bestseller Offside... may be described as Ken Dryden's The Game rewritten by Hunter S. Thompson. -Globe and Mail [A] lively, dishy bildungsroman on skates. -Sports Illustrated [Avery] pulls no punches... Love him or loathe him, Avery is unapologetically himself in his tell-all. -TSN The one-of-a-kind left winger gives an unparalleled inside look at the NHL lifestyle... If you ever wanted to know what players really thought of certain coaches (Mike Babcock, Andy Murray, John Tortorella), which teammates can drive a squad nuts, or just see how the NHL sausage is made (drugs, sex, partying), Avery has the scoop... Any hockey fan will be interested in the stories he has to tell. -The Hockey News Avery has happily returned the disdain in his new bridge-burning memoir. . . . [he is] the exact same disruptor as an author. -The Toronto Star He doesn't claim to be an entirely reformed character . . . and there's more than a hint of score-settling throughout the book. Nonetheless, Avery does want to prove he's more than a hate-filled wrecking ball. -Maclean's Sean Avery is the first to admit he's made mistakes [and] it makes for colourful reading. . . . Avery throws out manhole-cover-sized brickbats. -National Post [Avery's] voice is energetic and offbeat, and his get-real revelations about drugs, team jealousies, and the lingering damage from a violent sport will hold readers' attention. -Publisher's Weekly

A Globe and Mail Bestseller Offside... may be described as Ken Dryden's The Game rewritten by Hunter S. Thompson. -Globe and Mail [A] lively, dishy bildungsroman on skates. -Sports Illustrated [Avery] pulls no punches... Love him or loathe him, Avery is unapologetically himself in his tell-all. -TSN The one-of-a-kind left winger gives an unparalleled inside look at the NHL lifestyle... If you ever wanted to know what players really thought of certain coaches (Mike Babcock, Andy Murray, John Tortorella), which teammates can drive a squad nuts, or just see how the NHL sausage is made (drugs, sex, partying), Avery has the scoop... Any hockey fan will be interested in the stories he has to tell. -The Hockey News Avery has happily returned the disdain in his new bridge-burning memoir. . . . [he is] the exact same disruptor as an author. -The Toronto Star He doesn't claim to be an entirely reformed character . . . and there's more than a hint of score-settling throughout the book. Nonetheless, Avery does want to prove he's more than a hate-filled wrecking ball. -Maclean's Sean Avery is the first to admit he's made mistakes [and] it makes for colourful reading. . . . Avery throws out manhole-cover-sized brickbats. -National Post

Author Information

SEAN AVERY is a Canadian former professional hockey player. During his time with the NHL, he played left wing for the Detroit Red Wings, Los Angeles Kings, Dallas Stars, and New York Rangers. In addition to his hockey career, he has worked as a Vogue magazine intern, a model, and a restaurateur. Avery is married to model Hilary Rhoda and lives in New York.

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