Thumbs down to criticism of All-Star vote, jersey toss attention Dave Hodge extends his Sunday thumbs down to criticism of the NHL All-Star vote and Zemgus Girgensons, as well as to the attention given to fans throwing their jersey on the ice.

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Thumbs down to any time and space wasted in a scathing criticism of the Latvian All-Star vote, as it were.

Zemgus Girgensons of the Buffalo Sabres has received one of the six guaranteed spots in the January 25th All-Star Game in Columbus. In fact, he got the most votes.

Of course, he is not one of the top six players in the NHL. Meaning a player more deserving of recognition will get a short vacation instead of a trip to Columbus. That player - and somebody will surely attempt to identify an overlooked star who should be miffed - probably won't complain.

Girgensons shouldn't either. He's allowed to have as much fun as his Latvian countrymen have enjoyed in bringing some attention to the All-Star Game, and let's face it, there wouldn't be any talk surrounding the fan vote otherwise.

Before you can take anything about the All-Star Game too seriously, the game has to matter, which it doesn't.

If Zemgus Girgensons has to be its headliner, so that it has one, so be it.

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Thumbs down to the following news item: "Fan throws jersey onto the ice". It happened, yet again, last night in Winnipeg.

If you were to argue that it was of any interest at all, the reason would be that it was not the jersey of the home team, it was a Toronto jersey. If you want to argue that it should not have been reported, because it is nothing more than a nuisance, go ahead.

The more coverage given to this so-called form of "protest", the more it will continue to happen. Disgruntled fans can boo, they can display signs, wear bags over their heads, leave the arena early or stay home if they can't stand how their team is playing. There are creative ways to show displeasure.

The first fan to toss a jersey, in Edmonton, I believe, was making a statement in a way we hadn't seen before, and that was duly noted. But it's over now.

You throw a jersey and you might as well follow by trying to start a wave. Move on to better forms of expression and the media should do the same by advancing past the idea that a jersey on the ice is worth mentioning.