The Dallas Star wears Prada

There’s more to the Dallas Stars’ new left wing Sean Avery than meets the eye.
In the hockey world, he is infamous.

He is known as the NHL’s No. 1 “bad boy,” as opposing players voted him the NHL’s most hated player of 2007 in “The Hockey News”. The reasoning? He has had numerous arguments with coaches and teammates, and he has a reputation for consistently being near the top of the league in penalty minutes.

Oh, and not to mention he has put his stamp on the league’s rule book.

In the 2008 NHL playoffs, he decided to block an opposing goalie’s vision by standing in front of him and waving his arms with his back turned to the play. As you can imagine, the rule has been dubbed “The Sean Avery Rule.”

Despite his rough-neck image on the ice, Avery has managed to gain crossover fame no hockey player and few athletes in any sport have ever attained. This summer, Avery landed an internship at “Vogue” magazine, and in June he was guest editor at “Men’s Vogue.” Among his many contributions to both magazines, he wrote about his experience in the essay “In the Crease: The Diary of a Fashion Jock.”

He also contributed to music reviews and edited a slideshow of the worst sports uniforms.

While I’m sure it had to be a shocker for the likes of “Vogue” to hand the keyboard over to a hockey goon like Avery, in his mind the idea wasn’t so far-fetched. He has always been interested in fashion and told “Vogue” he was always the best-dressed kid at school.

Avery was able to turn his interests into some great work. The response from readers was overwhelmingly positive.

As a matter of fact, things have gone so well that New Line Cinema is making a film about Avery and his experiences in the world of fashion, which will include his internship at “Vogue.” The film will be a romantic comedy. I can’t help but think of “The Devil Wears Prada.”

As IU’s “Fashion Jock” and aspiring fashion journalist, I am very inspired by what Avery has done. His success lets me know that, while it may be a shocking endeavor, it is possible. Avery has realized he can’t play hockey forever, and, therefore, he is getting himself ready by looking at other options like “Vogue.”

The way things are today, I believe it’s just as important – if not more – for athletes to have broad interests as it is to have broad shoulders.

Avery is great example of that. Whether you’re a hockey fan or not, he is worth looking up to because he might change sports – let alone hockey – for the better off the ice.

So you didn’t know of Sean Avery? Well, now you do. To me, he’s important because he can easily go from the front row of a Ralph Lauren fashion show to busting heads on the ice without missing a beat.

He’s one of a kind.