Interesting point of view from Hockey News (click link for full article)
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But here’s why part of me is secretly hoping Montreal’s election-rigging works.
For starters, from an atmosphere-in-the-arena point of view, can you imagine how loud, how crazy, how overwhelming it will be when the starting lineup is announced and the East is represented entirely by the bleu, blanc et rouge? Montreal fans, who need little to no reason to break into song at any moment, will be bellowing themselves hoarse. It will be a scene to remember, probably one of the top 10 moments in Bell Centre history. This is called an “ends justifying the means” argument.
Another situation that has been raised is the Rory Fitzpatrick fiasco of a couple years ago, when Canucks fans nearly voted in the journeyman defenseman despite the fact he was a regular healthy scratch in Vancouver.
The difference this time is, these six Habs are integral to Montreal’s fortunes. As mentioned, Koivu, Markov and Tanguay deserve to be in the game, period. And you can make a case for the others: Komisarek is a stay-at-home, physical force; Kovalev might not be playing up to his own lofty standards, but he’s still Montreal’s most dangerous forward; and, there’s no doubting Price’s caliber and upside.
Good things are ahead for them and, by extension, the Canadiens. Besides, it’s not like Kovalev is bumping Crosby right out of the game; he’s just bumping him out of the starting lineup.
And, finally…c’mon, folks, it’s the All-Star Game. Like the All-Star Game in every other sport, it doesn’t really matter and nobody cares too much. Go out, have fun, put on a good show for the fans and, for heaven’s sake, don’t get hurt. As a player, that’s all you really have to do.
As a fan, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
Which is exactly what the 20,000 home fans will be doing if their Habitants make up the starting lineup.
Sorry, there is just no justification.
“it’s not like Kovalev is bumping Crosby right out of the game; he’s just bumping him out of the starting lineup.”
No, Crosby will still make it… but some other, more deserving player will not. Perhaps it will be Phil Kessel, Marc Savard, Jeff Carter, Thomas Vanek or Matt Stajan. All rank well ahead of Kovalev and Tanguay in scoring and are far more deserving all-stars but at least two will have to sit at home because two Canadiennes were undeservedly voted into the game.
“Like the All-Star Game in every other sport, it doesn’t really matter and nobody cares too much.”
Yea, you go tell the players it doesn’t matter. You don’t think it was the utmost thrill for Savard to make the team last year and finally get vindication? You don’t think it would be huge to Phil Kessel to make it… signify his arrival in the NHL and make it clear that he has recovered from cancer? The game may not matter much to the fans, but making the roster sure as hell matters to the players and two players will not get that gratification and reward for their hard work cause some Canadiennes fans decided their guys were more deserving when they so clearly were not.
I do have a problem with “election-rigging” like the bot programs that were used to register ballots at the beginning of the voting. As far as ballot-stuffing by enthusiastic Habs fans? Well, not so much. Its by the rules…and it happens every year. But I think that TB has a point that the NHL should be looking at a better system to preserve fan involvement but ensure that the league’s best play in its showcase game.
I don’t think we should blame the fans on voting for their favorite players. That’s what the All-star ballot is for in it’s current state. The voting process is flawed and we have to live with it.
But something nobody is talking about is that while, yes, Montreal fans are voting for their favorites, who are in 3rd and 4th place for defencemen in the East? Gonchar and Whitney! Two players who have yet to play a single game in the league this year. I didn’t hear anybody talk about how Pittsburgh fans are stuffing the ballot for them and they syre as hell aren’t more deserving than a guy like Tanguay who had a strong beginning of the season.
Hopefully somewhere down the line the NHL will have a voting process that will make more sense. Maybe a shorter one where the coach decide of his roster and the fans decide who’s the starter. Maybe something else. For now, this is the way the NHL works and I’m fine with it.
Anyway, Crosby already took 3rd place in front of Tanguay and he should get to Kovalev and Koivu later on.
http://bobbyorrsbastard.blogspot.com/2008/12/yes-it-really-is-bad-thing.html
Kovalev is a piece of crap. Anything that makes him seem like a valuable hockey player is just plain WRONG. No ifs, ands, or buts.
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