Voting For All-Stars Part One
Here comes part one of my All-Star Game rant. Why two parts? This first one is a warning. The second is the inevitable results of the All-Star Game voting, that will surely result in some ridiculous choices. I touched on this a bit last year, but I feel so strongly about this, I need to revisit and probably in much greater detail.
If the voting ended today, the starters would be:
East: Rose, Wade, James, Anthony, Howard
West: Paul, Bryant, Durant, Griffin, Bynum
I honestly can't complain about that list. But I'm sure this may be the only time I don't. I drives me up the wall, such as past years when Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming were voted starters, even though they weren't playing anywhere near All-Star levels, or in Yao's case, not playing at all. This has always bothered me, ever since I was a little kid. Remember when Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill would get voted in, even though they had been hurt a majority of the season? I was as big of Penny fan as the next guy, but that wasn't right. And it still isn't.
The argument against this is of course, "It's a fan's game, they should decide who plays." OK, then why don't they vote for the whole teams then? (Please God don't let that happen.) Also, if it's just a "fan's game" then why then when listing a players credentials does it say "Player X: Two Championships, 12 All-Stars, and an Olympic Gold Medal"? If it's truly just a "fan's game" then the amount of All-Star appearances shouldn't even be recognized; unless your only goal was to show how popular the player was/is.
The fact of the matter is that the All-Star game does matter to the players. Andrew Bynum has said for the last three seasons that it's his goal to be an All-Star. (Well dude, you look to be getting your wish this year.) They take it as a pat on the back, and love the lights shining down on them brightest. Sure there have been a few Rasheed Wallace-types that towards the end of their career were upset and would rather just have the weekend off, but the other 99.8% of the players are tickled to death to play. That there is enough reason for me to think they should vote for All-Stars, not us. Just make it so they can't vote for themselves. Because I'm pretty sure having Andray Blatche playing in the All-Star game would be worse than having Allen Iverson. (Not that Blatche couldn't make it someday.)
I would also like to point out that even though I'm against it, I do still vote, just because of the fact that if my one vote is the deciding factor between Young Stud A knocking Old Washed Up Superstar B out of the starting lineup, well then, my mission is complete.
Anyone who knows me, would probably be saying, "Well you're gonna vote for Kobe even if he sucks!" WRONG! I don't even think Kobe is the best in the NBA right now. If Kobe starts averaging 12 PPG, I would gladly vote in Kyle Lowry, Tyreke Evans, Monta Ellis, or whoever else is outplaying him. I have no sentimental attachment when it comes to who are the elite players in the NBA. Let's face it, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's not called "Popularity Contest Game." It's the All-Star Game! So treat it like one!
If you would like to vote for the All-Star starters, click here. Just please vote with your brain, and not your heart.
One final note (and a rant within a rant), Metta World Peace is the ninth-highest vote getter for the West Forwards. If this doesn't prove my point to you, then you clearly are beyond all help. Yes, I realize that he won't make it, but the fact that he is in the top ten for his position in the West makes me throw up my hands in disbelief. I'm going to go on record saying RON ARTEST aka METTA WORLD PEACE IS A TOP TEN WORST PLAYER IN THE NBA! 5.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.6 APG. Yes you would be correct in the statement that that isn't the worst stat line in the NBA, but during the Lakers-Heat game last week, the commentators pointed out that Ron Ron is shooting 6% from 3-point land. SIX! Not 16, 26, or even 36. S-I-X, as in single digit! I could name probably 30 forwards I would rather have on my team than World Peace. Don't tempt me because I will start listing them.
Thanks for reading.
If the voting ended today, the starters would be:
East: Rose, Wade, James, Anthony, Howard
West: Paul, Bryant, Durant, Griffin, Bynum
I honestly can't complain about that list. But I'm sure this may be the only time I don't. I drives me up the wall, such as past years when Allen Iverson, Tracy McGrady, and Yao Ming were voted starters, even though they weren't playing anywhere near All-Star levels, or in Yao's case, not playing at all. This has always bothered me, ever since I was a little kid. Remember when Penny Hardaway and Grant Hill would get voted in, even though they had been hurt a majority of the season? I was as big of Penny fan as the next guy, but that wasn't right. And it still isn't.The argument against this is of course, "It's a fan's game, they should decide who plays." OK, then why don't they vote for the whole teams then? (Please God don't let that happen.) Also, if it's just a "fan's game" then why then when listing a players credentials does it say "Player X: Two Championships, 12 All-Stars, and an Olympic Gold Medal"? If it's truly just a "fan's game" then the amount of All-Star appearances shouldn't even be recognized; unless your only goal was to show how popular the player was/is.
The fact of the matter is that the All-Star game does matter to the players. Andrew Bynum has said for the last three seasons that it's his goal to be an All-Star. (Well dude, you look to be getting your wish this year.) They take it as a pat on the back, and love the lights shining down on them brightest. Sure there have been a few Rasheed Wallace-types that towards the end of their career were upset and would rather just have the weekend off, but the other 99.8% of the players are tickled to death to play. That there is enough reason for me to think they should vote for All-Stars, not us. Just make it so they can't vote for themselves. Because I'm pretty sure having Andray Blatche playing in the All-Star game would be worse than having Allen Iverson. (Not that Blatche couldn't make it someday.)
I would also like to point out that even though I'm against it, I do still vote, just because of the fact that if my one vote is the deciding factor between Young Stud A knocking Old Washed Up Superstar B out of the starting lineup, well then, my mission is complete.
Anyone who knows me, would probably be saying, "Well you're gonna vote for Kobe even if he sucks!" WRONG! I don't even think Kobe is the best in the NBA right now. If Kobe starts averaging 12 PPG, I would gladly vote in Kyle Lowry, Tyreke Evans, Monta Ellis, or whoever else is outplaying him. I have no sentimental attachment when it comes to who are the elite players in the NBA. Let's face it, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, it's not called "Popularity Contest Game." It's the All-Star Game! So treat it like one!
If you would like to vote for the All-Star starters, click here. Just please vote with your brain, and not your heart.
One final note (and a rant within a rant), Metta World Peace is the ninth-highest vote getter for the West Forwards. If this doesn't prove my point to you, then you clearly are beyond all help. Yes, I realize that he won't make it, but the fact that he is in the top ten for his position in the West makes me throw up my hands in disbelief. I'm going to go on record saying RON ARTEST aka METTA WORLD PEACE IS A TOP TEN WORST PLAYER IN THE NBA! 5.4 PPG, 2.4 RPG, 1.6 APG. Yes you would be correct in the statement that that isn't the worst stat line in the NBA, but during the Lakers-Heat game last week, the commentators pointed out that Ron Ron is shooting 6% from 3-point land. SIX! Not 16, 26, or even 36. S-I-X, as in single digit! I could name probably 30 forwards I would rather have on my team than World Peace. Don't tempt me because I will start listing them.
Thanks for reading.
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