Time For A Change in Post-Game Awards?

[AttackSound]

As a long time fan of the OHL for decades this awards selection of the game process has always seemed to be very opinionated from game to game and city to city of who they believe should be acknowledged for the classic post-game 3 stars awards.

In a recent tweet (Below) the league office has reported that OHL member teams to use "Good/Better" judgement of awarding three stars in any given game. My question to the league is simple what do they consider better judgement when the three star selection process has nothing to do with the teams involved in a single game beyond picking a name off a roster, and yes I understand that in this situation that statistical information plays a big factor in choosing a player for these awards but lets be quite honest here if the league wants "fair play" with such post-game ceremonies then I believe it's time for the CHL in it's entirety to adapt the similar post-game award procedure the IIHF uses for the same situation.

Award one player of the game from both clubs involved in a given game no matter the outcome and move on this would be much more of a fair process to all involved as no home team city could award all 3 or 2 out of 3 stars to either the home or road city in a given game



Fred Wallace
@BayshoreFred
Reportedly
@OHLHockey has sent a memo to all member clubs advising them to use good ( i.e. better ) judgement with the 3 Star Selections. #GoodLuck #DecadesTooLate #WhoCares #AlmostNeverHappensinOwenSound.

Click to read more...

 

[member 71782]

Agree, one player of the game from each team minimizes any perceived or real biases.

 

[the dog]

Maybe have scouts pick 3 stars

 

[RoyalCitySlicker]

Someone help me out here.....why does anyone care about this? I can't understand it for the life of me.

It's virtually meaningless. There are lots of other things the OHL can focus on addressing for a better fan experience and this is what they are spending their time on?

Farwell and co. need to find a different hill to die on.

 

[AttackSound]

Maybe have scouts pick 3 stars

I'm not sure who picks the 3 stars in any given game, having said that rumors and that what this truly is I have no exact proof in this to back this up beyond my own suspicions that local media i.e newspaper columnist, or local radio media select the 3 selections however there has been no exact evidence to back this theory up.

The simple reason why I believe the the local media has some input with the selections is very simple, how can two team play a close game like an overtime or shootout and all 3 stars will be awarded to the team that wins while in another game where the game isn't anywhere close in all regards and the team who loses gets a star, and yes I understand there will always be those odd exceptions to the rule where a team loses by a very heavy margin in shots but loses a game by one or two goals that the goalie deserves acknowledgement and I'm all for that philosophy of acknowledging that player in all respect to his abilities.

But lets make this more of an even keel, and award a player(s) from each team that fit that criteria and who deserves that recognition. That way no one team could say they had the upper hand in the game versus another and no team feels that they got the short end of the stick in a close game. Of course this idea is in no way perfect but at least it would be more evened out at the end of the night then what is in place now.

 

[Truthking]

Someone help me out here.....why does anyone care about this? I can't understand it for the life of me.

It's virtually meaningless. There are lots of other things the OHL can focus on addressing for a better fan experience and this is what they are spending their time on?

Farwell and co. need to find a different hill to die on.

Exactly, it’s a meaningless tradition. If they stopped doing it altogether who would even notice?

 

[rangersblues]

Exactly, it’s a meaningless tradition. If they stopped doing it altogether who would even notice?

I think it's more for the kids. Most teams even have kids presenting the awards to the stars. But you're correct - the average fan doesn't care.

 

[LR8]

Brought this issue up last year, as the Soo is awful for this. They took great offence. Was told they choose by the local media, and also used the who cares if we cheat players on the 3 stars - means nothing, answer. Truth is the OHL should care as they use these awards to promote their players, team and product. It is on the front page of the league website everyday, and there was an advertised sponsor I think at one time. Obviously it has gotten so bad that the league has had to address the issue. Good step in the right direction. Chase some of the unprofessionalism and homers out of the game. Some teams are notoriously bad for this.

 

[LR8]

↑

You need to understand that they make these picks before overtime starts. Boka wasn't obviously better than any of the other players at that point.

I would suggest that the opinions of half a dozen home and away media members based on an incomplete game shouldn't be used to call a team biased. This kind of thing happens everywhere. I'm sorry that your player didn't get the recognition that he deserves.​

Are you saying that in the Sault they pick the 3 stars before the end of the game, including the overtime in a tie game? There in lies part of your problem, and I know this is not how it is done in other markets. Often times the GWG scorer in an overtime game is afforded a star for exactly that.

Further it was not Boka - It was Purboo who had 2 of 3 windsor goals before the start of overtime, and had an assist in the OT winner. Your comment that you are sorry your player did not get the recognition they deserve also reaffirms that a Sault player received accolades that they did not. Exactly the point.

Does the Sault choose game stars before the game is over, even in tie games? Wow

My favourite was the above post. They lost to Windsor in OT at home, and insist they choose the 3 stars before the game is over. I don't believe that to be true - it is just an excuse.

 

[Frank the Skank]

Who the frick cares??? Its a Marketing gimmick... its always been a Marketing gimmick and it will always be a marketing gimmick.

The very name "Three Stars" comes from Three Star gasoline, the initial sponsor.

It is 100% meaningless. It has no bearing on the game, no bearing on a players current or future career and does not affect his draft position. The league has far bigger things to worry about than this.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

I have an idea... scrap it

I can't recall the last time I stayed at a game long enough to even see who the 3 stars were

 

[EvenSteven]

Someone help me out here.....why does anyone care about this? I can't understand it for the life of me.

It's virtually meaningless. There are lots of other things the OHL can focus on addressing for a better fan experience and this is what they are spending their time on?

Farwell and co. need to find a different hill to die on.

Farwell has been whining about this now for years. The problem is, as a media person, he feels that if he whines long enough eventually something could happen - like this memo.

He whined for years and years about the trading draft picks years down the road. Back when Spott was coaching here some team made a trade for whoever and all Farwell could talk about was how somebody seven or eight years old was just traded because that’s how distant the pick was. And the league eventually changed the rule.

And what was Farwell’s comment after that rule was changed? Right after the Nick Robertson trade, a trade that involved 10 or 11 draft picks, right away his next whine was, “should we limit the amount of picks that are moved in a trade”.

When these people whine and complain about stuff that really at the end of the day is a nothing issue, and rules are changed, or memos go out, it gives them that much more motivation to continue whining on other issues.

 

[three dog night]

I guess Ottawa did not get the memo.

 

[tony d]

No, leave things as they are.

 

[RayzorIsDull]

What was the impetus for this? This stuff has been going on for a long time and now they decide to put out some memo?? The 3 stars mean very little to me overall and it might mean something for others but.... the toothpaste is already out of tube. Will the OHL discipline franchises if they don't adhere to this??? Totally irrelevant memo sent.

 

[Canadian Game]

What I find strange if that there can sometimes be 2 or 3 different sets of stars for 1 game. The first set in announced in arena. Usually this same group is on the OHL website, but not always, which sometimes becomes another variation of stars. The third is picked by the TV broadcast crew, who will have a different selection than what was announced in the arena for the same game.

I enjoy the 3 stars, and I stay to the end. It would just be nice for there to be consistency.

 

[Fischhaber]

Brought this issue up last year, as the Soo is awful for this. They took great offence. Was told they choose by the local media, and also used the who cares if we cheat players on the 3 stars - means nothing, answer. Truth is the OHL should care as they use these awards to promote their players, team and product. It is on the front page of the league website everyday, and there was an advertised sponsor I think at one time. Obviously it has gotten so bad that the league has had to address the issue. Good step in the right direction. Chase some of the unprofessionalism and homers out of the game. Some teams are notoriously bad for this.

They use equal numbers of local and visiting media (if available) to decide the 3 stars and always have done it that way. You chose a very strange example.

 

[LR8]

They use equal numbers of local and visiting media (if available) to decide the 3 stars and always have done it that way. You chose a very strange example.

go back and read the posts in Soo forum last March. Excuse was given that in the Soo they choose before the game is over even if it is close of tied and going to overtime, yet all kinds of examples that show that not to be true. League obviously agrees - pick them fairly. Issue closed for me

 

[Fischhaber]

go back and read the posts in Soo forum last March. Excuse was given that in the Soo they choose before the game is over even if it is close of tied and going to overtime, yet all kinds of examples that show that not to be true. League obviously agrees - pick them fairly. Issue closed for me

I sit in the media suite and they do choose before regulation ends. That's not 'unfair' as you state. It's just the way things have to work in the OHL and a note from the OHL won't change this. Both radio guys have their postgame shows, while the local and opposition media have to get down to the locker rooms. They also have to relay the selections to ice level before the players reach the locker room.

The votes in the last game would have been something like Mike Stubbs, Gerry Liscumb, Brad Coccimiglio, Peter Ruicci, and Ryan Pyette. It's usually no more than 6 or 7 people.