Canucks' Fitzpatrick falls to third in All-Star voting

News Type: Event — Seeded on Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:04 PM EST

Article Source: ESPN.com

sports, internet, nhl, voting, all-star, all-star-game, wayne-gretzky, rory-fitzpatrick, voteforrory-com, hes-just-bitter

Seeded by Chris Casciano

The Rory Fitzpatrick write-in campaign took a hit Wednesday. Several high-profile hockey personalities have spoken out against the "Vote for Rory" campaign, including Phoenix Coyotes coach Wayne Gretzky, who suggested the NHL intervene.

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{"commentId":448995,"authorDomain":"firsty"}

firsty

good. i hope he falls further. it's a compelling phenomenon, but not something that promotes the quality of the game or the spirit of the all-stars.

{"commentId":448995,"threadId":"64059","contentId":"498169","authorDomain":"firsty"}

1 vote

#1 - Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:28 PM EST

{"commentId":449016,"authorDomain":"placenamehere"}

Chris Casciano

I can't see how the NHL could intervene without setting a really, really ugly precedent. Fan voting is what it is -- always more of a popularity contest then a skills based contest.

The only remedies I see the league has here is to lessen the impact of fan voting by adding more [in the future] selected roster spots... or for the league to get more popular and growing the pool of 'legit' voters so its harder to game the system.

The real question though, is would they even want to intervene? Or are they smart enough to use the whole event for free publicity. Get some air time on FOXNews or 60 minutes and play the story up

{"commentId":449016,"threadId":"64059","contentId":"498169","authorDomain":"placenamehere"}

2 votes

#2 - Thu Dec 28, 2006 12:37 PM EST

{"commentId":449175,"authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

Jay Butler

That whole campaign by Fitzpatrick makes a mockery of the fan balloting. He has no goals, no assists and 20 penalty minutes in 22 games played. He is lucky that he is on the Canucks roster. He has no business being on the All-Star roster.

That said, I did think that it was amusing early in the season when he started the campaign. If only his stats put him anywhere in the neighborhood of the all-stars, I might still think that it was amusing.

{"commentId":449175,"threadId":"64059","contentId":"498169","authorDomain":"jaybutler"}

3 votes

#3 - Thu Dec 28, 2006 1:53 PM EST

{"commentId":450004,"authorDomain":"nickybatts"}

Nicholas BattagliaDeleted

{"commentId":450677,"authorDomain":"nickybatts"}

Nicholas BattagliaDeleted

{"commentId":450702,"authorDomain":"firsty"}

firsty

i just think it's this kind of thing that the NHL doesnt need right now. it has set itself up for a pretty decent recovery if it can make the right decisions and create the right public image over the next 2 years or so.

but this makes the NHL look like a joke. i dont support the NHL intervening directly, but perhaps it can work with rory and his agent and some of the NHLPA to find a good solution.

{"commentId":450702,"threadId":"64059","contentId":"498169","authorDomain":"firsty"}

2 votes

#6 - Fri Dec 29, 2006 1:15 PM EST

{"commentId":452530,"authorDomain":"eElementary"}

eElementary

I don't understand the negative feelings about this. The NHL All Star game is a joke to begin with. No hitting, sans Roenick's yearly check. That's not hockey. No true all-stars invited, you know, those grinders for whom make or break a team's playoff run. Of course will see Chelios there. Roenick is a given. Will they invite Stevie Y back? What I'm saying is it's always the same people year in year out.

The whole Rory thing probably ruffles some feathers of some old timers who may be worried about not making it. That said, I believe he will probably refuse an invite if he gets one. But it's a shame. No wonder we have such problems in generating interest. Something interesting comes along (check out all the youtube videos about him), and all our golden boys (*cough*pronger*cough*gretzky*cough*) have a fit about it.

I hate to say it to some of you afraid of our public image, but it's as low as can be. If the casual fan even realizes there still is an NHL. How about the gambling exploits of certain 'demigods?' Should we draw interest to that instead. This, on the other hand has spike a least a temporary interest in the NHL. I say Vote for Rory!

{"commentId":452530,"threadId":"64059","contentId":"498169","authorDomain":"eElementary"}

#7 - Sat Dec 30, 2006 3:56 PM EST

{"commentId":460816,"authorDomain":"titan124"}

Titan124

I have no doubt in my mind that the NHL has already intervened. Rory will be kept a close third until the all-star close, meaning that he will not make it, but barely. It's a shame that they are going to tamper with the results rather then think of a new system (like one vote per person and having more deserving players on the ballot).

{"commentId":460816,"threadId":"64059","contentId":"498169","authorDomain":"titan124"}

#8 - Fri Jan 5, 2007 2:43 PM EST

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CHRIS CASCIANO

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Canucks' Fitzpatrick falls to third in All-Star voting

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