This whole scenario reminds me of the French anti-constitution vote in 2005. Typical political considerations contributed to that outcome: nationalists did not want a non-French authority exerting even more control over French law, leftists were wary of other Euro corporations and their intentions on France. However, one of the main reasons the non vote won out was because people were sick and tired of political elites telling them that it was a done deal; Chirac et al. didn't even properly lay out the benefits of accepting the EU Constitution until it was far too late, simply because it was assumed that the French people would continue their historical support for further EU integration. It was an arrogant tactic that looked past the importance of the actual vote. As a result, French people from across the political spectrum united to give them their comeuppance.
Fast forward to the NHL in 2006. I don't think that this campaign would have attracted very much attention beyond the Hockey's Future hoards and some bloggers, had not the talking heads (re: hockey elites) begun to froth at the mouth.
Every day that a Matheson, McCown or some other pompous asshole comes down from the mountain to bitch-slap the 'mere' fan and try to sort out their shenanigans is a day that the Vote For Rory campaign gains momentum. "How dare those fans vote for someone so unworthy! Look at them furrow their brows in a vain attempt to understand the situation!"
I'm sick of hockey media types, the majority of whom are complete hacks, using the word 'fan' as a pejorative. "Oh those wacky fans," they seem to say, "I'm sure glad I'm not one of those anymore."
Never mind that an admittedly viral movement has breathed some air into the lifeless corpse that is the NHL All-Star Game - a game that means nothing, attracts few viewers and (usually) even less debate; a game in which some selected players actively seek to avoid participating; a game that does not even resemble hockey in the way that it is usually played. The All-Star Game is a meaningless joke; it divides one half of meaningless and boring NHL power play contests from the other half until the real hockey starts up in the spring.
Yet we are supposed to be upset that fans have inexplicably taken an interest this time around.
Vote For Rory has become an indictment against this sort of arrogance. And just like France's vote, the actual deservedness of the legislation is not what is leading people to vote one way or the other. It's the pompous assholes doing the chiding, ironically, who are the greatest Vote For Rory adverts around.
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