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Tailing the Komets

Now he's in trouble

Justin's jerking my chain on his blog about a column I wrote about the league needing a Defenseman of the Week Award.

Though I was pushing for this even in the IHL, here was my most recent concept from an Oct. 18 column:

``First, the league needs to come up with a way to honor its top defensemen every week and month.... Some would respond that defensemen are included in the player of the week awards, but realistically, they are not. Over the past few seasons, there's been an average of one defenseman honored per season. A lot of public relations directors won't even nominate defensemen because they know it's a lost cause.

``Last week Muskegon's Phillipe Plante was plus-8 after two games, a phenomenal achievement, but he wasn't even nominated by the Fury for the Player of the Week Award. Teammate Elias Godoy got the award despite being only plus-2. Who cares that he scored a piddling three goals and six points in two games?

``The point is if Plante or another defenseman can't win the award when they are plus-8, they can never expect to win the honor.

``It's easy to see why defensemen have an inferiority complex. Forwards get the glory, more money and usually the girls. If they make a bad play, it doesn't end up with a red light flashing over their heads and everybody screaming at them.''

MORE THAN A MONTH LATER, this was Justin's response:

``Speaking of the weekly awards, I know the idea has been floated by at least one other reporter that there should be a Defenseman of the Week Award. In theory, it's a good idea. But I don't agree it could ever work. It would end up being just an award for the best offensive defenseman. It would be too difficult for people to determine who played the best defensively from week to week. You can put a lot of stock in the plus/minus ratings, I guess, but just about everyone will agree it can be a deceptive statistic since it's dependent upon whom else is on the ice and whether or not you give up short-handed goals, things like that.''

OK, some of my original points are still valid. Why does hockey ignore one-third of their players for these awards? The proof that my theory is correct is that Mario Larocque has not received a POW award this  year, and he's not even been nominated by the Komets. How can that possibly be, except the Komets realize it's going to go to the player with the best offensive numbers? Plain and simple, it's an award for the forwards.

Also, Justin, there's a Mr. Larocque and a Mr. Dupuis who would like to talk to you about your total disrespect for defensemen. LOL.

I'll even go a step further, what if the beat writers around the league nominated defensemen for the award? Then it would be up to them to make sure the best defensive defensemen got their due as well as the offensive guys. They'd also have to focus more of their attention overall on that side of the ice.

Just because something is difficult doesn't mean it shouldn't be fixed, and it''s still wrong that defensemen are ignored. It's a crime, I tell ya! Plus, now Mario and Guy owe me lunch.

Posted in: Komets

Comments

dnl
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 5:14am

Blog Wars!!!!!!!!!!

Bob
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 5:19am

Blake, you make a valid argument. If I'm correct, don't the other sports have a way of honoring defensive and/or special teams players?....such as the NFL?

Having the beat writers participate in the selection process could make the nominating more fair and unbiased depending on what kind of rules and criteria are used in the selection process.

Even if it's awarded on a monthly basis, at least the D-men are getting some recognition for their efforts.

Great idea, Blake!

dnl
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 5:28am

I think that was part of the point that Justin was trying to make, Bob. The way the POTW is decided now is not the best way to chose. If the UHL decided the defenseman of the week the same way they chose the player of the week, it would just be a numbers game again. It would have to go back to a better system like having the beat writers from around the league vote.

Greg
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 5:57am

One would think though that anytime a d-man gets a hat trick in a game that should deserve some consideration???

Greg
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 6:04am

I wonder if Quad City is starting their fire sale. Glen Dutello got traded to K-Zoo for Mathieu Waither and Brett Pilkington.

nanci
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 7:48am

I vote for a D-Man AWARD!! They work their behind off... should get better recognition! Go Komets!

Jungle Monkey
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 8:08am

Cohny appears on The Bear, he's far more stylish to us in the youger crowd. lol...

Tony E
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 8:10am

It makes no sense to think that writers or the league can not make an intelligent vote for a D man award. Ask any goalie who their favorite guys are lol.

blake
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 8:12am

The writers used to do the selections in the IHL, but what would happen was you'd have two or three every week and then the rest would kind of weed themselves out. So what happens is the league PR director picks it because A) he has a deadline; and B) he can't wait for the writers to get around to it.

There is no perfect system, but I believe Brian Werger at the UHL does the very best anyone can do in the situation. He works his tail off.

Greg
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 8:20am

And look at it this way, all the glamour is in the scoring. Larocque could be in line for Komets first half MVP because of his scoring and yet people are wondering what's wrong because he's not hitting. He's still playing good solid d.

Greg
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 12:33pm

Okay Blake now you've done it. Justin's gettin serious. We may have to seperate you to in the press box.

blake
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 12:36pm

Doubtful. Too much respect there. We tease each other all the time in the press box.

Greg
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 12:37pm

I posted on Justin's blog that I thought it wsa sour grapes because you came up with the idea first.

blake
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 12:49pm

Nah, we're just having fun. I'm sure he and I have talked about this probably 20 times over the years.

Greg
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 12:56pm

Oh come on, let me stir the pot a little!!!

Bob
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 4:20pm

Having the beat writers make the selections is what I was trying to say, dnl. I would even suggest that each beat writer nominate two D-men from their team for consideration, but when it's time to vote, the writer may only vote for one player and the beat writer may not vote for his teams player to make sure that everyone is given equal and fair consideration.

blake
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 4:53pm

Too complcated Bob. The way it should work is we nominate and then Brian picks just like he does for the other two awards. It would take way too much time if he had to compile all the nominations and then get in touch with everybody again for their vote. That's the only way it could work.

Bob
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 7:08pm

I can see your point there, Blake. I think that your idea is something that should be given serious consideration.

Here is a thought.....how about for a few weeks you "nominate" a Defenceman that you think would be worthy of the honor....give a few lines as to why and then us bloggers could give you feedback to see if we concur with your choice(s).

I think it would be interesting....or do you think that I'm opening up a Pandora's Box?

Heather
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 7:11pm

you'd probably be opening Pandora's Box lol

Tony E
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 8:01pm

Gheesh, if the bloggers could vote on things Steve Parsons would have his name at the Hockey Hall Of Fame ahead of Gretzky! lol

Bob
Tue, 11/21/2006 - 8:33pm

Yeah, it sounds like I opened up the Pandora's Box....lol I just thought that it would make for an interesting topic to discuss.

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