The annual “ESPY Awards,” ESPN’s recognition of the top athletes, teams and moments of the year, will take place tomorrow night at the Nokia Theatre, across the street from Staples Center. Dustin Brown, Matt Greene and Dustin Penner are scheduled to attend, and there’s still time to vote for the nominated Kings.
Click here to vote for Jonathan Quick in the “best championship performance” category.
Click here to vote for the Kings in the “best upset” category.
Click here to vote for Darryl Sutter in the “best coach/manager” category.
Click here to vote for Jonathan Quick in the “best NHL player” category.
Click here to vote for the Kings in the “best team” category.
ESPN? I think they’ll award some of these to X-Games players, World Poker Tour players, or Pro Bowlers before they give them to a hockey player, let alone a Los Angeles hockey player. ESPN can go to you-know-where.
Off topic: The more I think about it, I’m even more grateful that the Kings won the Cup now….before the league might blow up because of the CBA mess.
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What's the frequency, Kenneth? Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
@vplaza, That’s the first thing I thought of. Hockey’s not a valid sport, but he X-Games are…LOLz.
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R. T. Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:13 pm
@vplaza, I agree screw espn
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Duncanz Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:48 pm
@vplaza,
That’s like saying they’ll give the Federal Election to the plutocrats.
You’ve still got to vote, right?
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Stuart Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
@Duncanz, is there a party of figarocrats?
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 2:29 am
@Stuart,
I believe there are Blue Fairies!
#barneyisntonlyadinosaur
Kings really should win best upset. No 8th seed in any pro sport has done what the Kings did.
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Niko Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:47 pm
@Donald_S,
Agreed, shouldn’t even go to a vote
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luc20rules Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:25 pm
@Donald_S, You do realize this is just a popularity contest, so NFL will take the majority of the prizes, right?
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broncokings Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 7:25 pm
@luc20rules, i just voted a bunch of times for each category
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Sorry, but ever since ESPN lost the NHL TV deal and basically stopped covering hockey at all, does anyone really care if we win an “ESPY”? We have the Cup, we have the Bowl, we have the Smythe, are we not actually pretty much done until we get the Cup again next June?
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Stuart Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:39 pm
@DesertKing, +1, F-ESPN!
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Scot Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:49 pm
@DesertKing,
Actually, Bettman is to blame for that one. Not ESPN. ESPN made an offer, but Bettman chose the Outdoor Life Network (OLN).
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Sebastian Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
@Scot, “ESPN had a two year deal that they opted out of after the lockout, leaving the NHL without a cable partner.” sure sounds like Bettman’s fault.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ESPN_National_Hockey_Night
last week after getting a flat tire, my first though was “Bettman must have put that nail there!!!!!”
i also have a hunch he might be behind this Drew Doughty fiasco.
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Scot Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:58 pm
@Sebastian,
That link taught me nothing. Bottom line is, if you’re the commissioner of a professional sport in the United States, you need to find a way to get your game covered by ESPN, the mothership of sports coverage. It hasn’t happened, and it’s not ESPN’s fault.
Scot Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:55 pm
@Scot,
I don’t blame ESPN one bit. They made a fair offer, and any league in their right mind should have accepted it. It’s ESPN!!! They WANT to broadcast NHL games.
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DesertKing Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:10 pm
@Scot,
Just one problem with that. Bettman may have “broke the crayons,” but if you are the “mothership” of all sports, shouldn’t you cover the 4th largest sports league in the country that has a “worldwide” following? Basically, ESPN cried spilt milk and “screw the NHL,” so whether or not Bettman screwed the deal, I still have no use for ESPN since they don’t cover hockey.
Dave's A Mess Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:44 pm
@Scot,
As a hockey fan I’ll take the deal the NHL signed with OLN > Versus > NBCSN. They have devoted more time to the game than ESPN ever did or will. When ESPN was broadcasting the NHL it always felt like they could not wait for the game to end so they could show something else. Would you rather be next in line after the NFL, NBA, MLB, College Football, College Baseketball, MLS, GOLF, Log Tossing, Log Greasing, Bowling, Arrest Reports… Or would you rather be top dog on a new network who want to use your product to grow a brand?
Let's do it again Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
@Scot, Don’t forget NBC is the reason we DID’NT get to hear Bob and Jim call the final. The fox networks should carry the NHL.
Duncanz Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:54 pm
@Dave’s A Mess,
Exactly how I feel!
Who’s worried about the big bad wolf when we can have a the porridge we want?!
Uncle Gary = Genius
variable Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 4:58 pm
@Dave’s A Mess,
yr exactly right…
it was all about the nhl having a channel dedicated to solely them in the mix of the top 4 north american sports….
Sammuch Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:42 pm
@Scot,
I disagree! Over the years hockey on ESPass was getting shafted with less & less coverage during the late 90′s…
ESPEN to ESPEN2 it got worse, I remember one year quarterfinals they cut hockey out do to overtime and had to go to NASCAR and I can remember more etc… They would have never done this if it was baseball into extra innings…
What Bettman has done was long term thinking & he won at the end with the network we have now! Covered all playoffs on three networks & never letting us fans down!!!
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Stuart Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:37 pm
@Sammuch, I think you forgot all the years of “stacked” playoff coverage on the OLN networks. How can anybody start a game at 4:30, only to “cut” to another game that startes at 5:30, AFTER the 4:30 start ended??? That was so super-redonkulous!!! I hated OLN/etc. forever because of that! I’m kinda glad the Kings never made it out of the 1st round during that era…
Only this last season (maybe the one before too, short term is fried) did they adopt the other NBC channels to show other games… I think you’re misremembering how good the ESPN coverage was.
Mark Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
@Scot, Free home landscape & Alaskan fishing excursion beat the NCAA tourney tickets.
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Scot Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:54 pm
@DesertKing,
Bettman was in desperate need of the immediate extra $$$ that the Outdoor Life Network offered up front. ESPN made an offer, and had Bettman accepted it (which he couldn’t, because the NHL was in economic crisis after the lockout), it would have marketed the NHL much better, and it would have bred more fans. Instead, the “New NHL” was broadcast on OLN, a channel about half the country didn’t even have.
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I’m almost positive Lebron and the Heat will win everything.
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vplaza Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:46 pm
@absoludicrous,
Considering basketball gets so much more coverage on F-ESPN, this is pretty much guaranteed.
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Not a chance the Kings win any of those, even if they did happen to win in the voting, I’m sure ESPN would change the outcome just because they can’t let hockey win anything.
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Forum Gold Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 6:12 pm
@Bluecoconuts, If that happens maybe Jim Rome will interview the head of ESPN and ask if it was fixed? GO KINGS GO!!!
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broncokings Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 7:25 pm
@Bluecoconuts, vote multiple times
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Sutter should have won the best coach award not Hitchcock, Kings should be winning best upset, not sure who else stands a chance in this category. Quick should also be in the running for best championship performance as he had the best numbers in NHL post season history for a goal tender.
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vplaza Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:50 pm
@TheAcaciaStrain,
The Heat coach would win because he overcame so much to get back to and win the Championship.
The Heat would win the Upset award because they had to upset the more athletic Thunder.
LeBron wins the Championship performance because, well, he’s the King.
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PW Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:53 pm
@TheAcaciaStrain, I would have given it to Hitchcock too. The vote was for the regular season and you can’t argue against the #2 team. He also came in after the season started. I think Sutter is happy with the cup.
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Kaiser Soze Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 12:59 pm
@PW, I agree. Hitchcock had way less talent than we did and they ended up a very dominant team – until we came along
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I know it is a fan vote but I bet the Kings will get the shaft. The Kings should be the best team for what they did during the playoffs but it is a fan vote/popularity contest and the Heat or Giants will win. If it was writers and sports people it would probably be the same because of the east coast bias. I hope I am wrong but it history serves me correctly I think I’ll be right. Quick should get the best playoff performance, not Lebron.
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Sammuch Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:33 pm
@PW,
ESPEN does not care about hockey, since the late 90′s, I don’t care for them… I’ll be surprised if hockey wins anything!
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LittleRhody Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 7:16 pm
@Sammuch, Even the “Best NHL Player”???
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 2:33 am
@LittleRhody,
Everyone knows they’ll still find a way of giving it to Kobe!
Just vote we will see, I did for sure!
Vote!
Vote!
Vote!
Go Kings Go!
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rick Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
@Gail Web, You win the enthusiasm award. I love your posts….
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370455VinSD Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:12 pm
@rick, +1
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Steve W Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:05 pm
@Gail Web, So did I. I also voted for Durant and Beckham.
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Duncanz Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:11 pm
@Steve W,
Heard you also voted all Lakers options too.
Is this right?
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Steve W Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 1:47 am
@Duncanz, No Lakers!
I voted a few times for each category too… Not sure if they allow multiple votes, but despite the lack of coverage by ESPN, I would like to see them win something.
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 6:46 pm
@Lauren,
You mean win something other than the Campbell bowl, Conn Smyrhe, & that large silver thing?
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 2:09 am
@Kingsfanone,
This guy just below me aint got the memo neither!
\/ \/ \/
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I can’t think of a bigger waste of time than the ESPY awards. Actually, most award shows fall under the ‘waste of time’ category.
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DesertKing Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:14 pm
@A Cup B4 I Died!,
Lets see, which award shows do I watch -
Oscars – uh, no
Grammys – uh, no
Emmys – uh, no
MTV – uh, no
Kids Choice – uh, no
Daytime Emmys – uh, no
Nobel Peace Prize – uh, no
NHL Awards – uh, yes
Telemundo – uh, no
ESPYs – hell no
Yep, that about covers it.
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Sammuch Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:29 pm
@DesertKing,
I so AGREE!!!!!
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370455VinSD Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:14 pm
@DesertKing, Agree with the exception of the NHL awards. I DVR’d it, FF’d to the categories the Kings were nominated in, got pissed and deleted it. Never again, I hate all award shows.
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DesertKing Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:26 pm
@370455VinSD,
LOL
R. T. Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:16 pm
@DesertKing, what about the Tony awards LOL
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DesertKing Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:27 pm
@R. T.,
Oops, forgot that one too – uh, no
HockeyNerd Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:28 pm
@A Cup B4 I Died!, I can. ESPN!
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I did over a week ago… It won’t allow you to do it twice…
RICH,
I have a Q? Over a year ago I would get reply if someone would reply to post, did you drop that?
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370455VinSD Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 2:15 pm
@Sammuch, Still happens to me, but sporadically.
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Help me here…
Fans vote for the winners? What is this, American idol?
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DesertKing Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:20 pm
@Michael J.,
Oops, I forgot that one – uh, no.
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Sammuch Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:27 pm
@Michael J.,
I agree Espen awards is to Hollywood for me… But this the only time I voted do to Kings being a big part of it!
I’m no fan of ESPEN for hockey made ESPEN, then they drop us like garbag…
Plus, I not a believer of the academy of awards for sports! All sports have there own awards! So believe me not watching it, never will, but, go Kings and for the sport of hockey that needs more attintion and more fans…
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ESPYs are awful. Its like the MTV Music Awards or Teen Choice Awards. Worthless and meaningless.
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Ot….kings interested in b. morrow…..according to home ice
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Michael J. Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
@neil,
There goes Hickey…
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In spite of the fact that ESPN’s attention to hockey makes me puke, I voted. Only Kings-related categories, as I could not give a flying buffalo turd about the rest.
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Looks like Doan’s party will wait until 16th to see the ownership issue with the Yotes is solved by then.
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 3:50 pm
@goldielocks,
Nuks and Hawks are reportedly after Doan.
Teddy Purcell just re-signed in Tampa at 3 years for $13.5M. He had a very quiet 65 pts (only 4 less than Parise) last year and is still only 26. Good deal for both sides.
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Gustavo Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 7:44 pm
@goldielocks,
Man, that dude’s loyalty to that organization is past the point of making much sense anymore.
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 8:38 pm
@Gustavo, Is he just so cozy being the big fish in that small pond?
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why would anybody watch a show like this …. man oh man is television garbage or what ………………… i only watch shows on aliens and bigfoot usually ……. and yes joakin phoenix in the movie signs , you are absolutely right – its because i cant get a girlfriend
lol classic
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Hey, Where do i find a list of what Kings names will be on the cup?
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chip Reply:
July 12th, 2012 at 12:56 am
@LDC7hockeyfan, Well…it’ll be on the cup.
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At tsc….ice is bad here….getting the kids ready for staples!
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Voted on all but “best upset.” Sure, the 8th seed won out, but after LAK took out VAN and went up 2-0 on the road vs STL, the Kings gradually became more and more of a darling for odds-makers. By the time they went up 2-0 on the road vs the dogs, the Kings were being viewed as favorites by virtually all bookmakers. When LAK took game 1 in the Beelzebub’s barn, the universal speculation ran to whether NJD could push the series to 5 or 6 games, not who was more likely to prevail. Those of us who had been watching Jonathan Quick were cautiously confident that the Beelzebubs were facing an unclimbable mountain. If one just camps on that _8th seed_ thing, okay, it’s an upset, whatever. But at no point did the Kings play the part of the designated loser, and once Trevor Lewis separated that puck from Hamhuis, directing it to where Stoll would skate onto it and bury it past Schneider, well, nothing more the Kings did felt like an upset to this long-suffering fan.
Best non-upset “upset”—the Kings, but the ESPN poll doesn’t include that category.
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 2:14 am
@wes,
Oops, I voted “Kings” on that one.
Guess I underthunk it?
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I voted all Kings, and the best looking woman in their respective categories. (I’m telling ya, some of those were just a toss up! lol)
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Will be going to the ESPY’s tomorrow wearing Kings gear and representing!
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 2:16 am
@Kopi Bryant,
So you think they’ll let the Trojan horse through the doors?
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This makes no sense at all compared to Oscars and Grammys. Now that I think about it those 2 make no sense either. It’s just a popularity contest it has absolutely NOTHING to do with who is actually the best in those categories. And on top of all that ESPN would rather show “world series of poker” or x-games or even bass fishing than Hockey. Who cares who wins?
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Voted!
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Expending venom on Gary Bettman may be fun (some comments above), but it’s pointless. The commissioner is an _employee_ of the league’s owners/investors, with well documented contractual and fiduciary commitments to his employers’ financial and legal interests. The day the majority of the league’s governors decide Mr Bettman has violated those binding commitments (by being the wacky lone-ranger so many fans speak of him as being), he’ll be fired. It’s basically that simple. Turns out the league’s owners/investors/governors have a larger stake in the affairs of the NHL than do we fans. The commissioner is accountable to their interests, and the day he’s some villainous lone-ranger will be followed quickly by the door smackin’ his butt on the way out (and then it’ll make a bit more sense to trot out that ever brilliant slur — Buttman!).
Sure, Bettman has annoyed me a few times too, but reality is reality, and it’s a good idea to stay connected to it. Have a quarrel with the commissioner’s actions — then take it up with his bosses. I’d say ‘good luck with that,’ but ‘take a time-out and think about it for a while’ would be better advice.
(test)
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Duncanz Reply:
July 12th, 2012 at 12:11 am
@wes, I’ve been trying to convince people on here about the veritability of my Uncle Gary for yonks now and then you come along and put it all in a nutshell, albeit a slightly largish nutshell, like this, @wes.
Thank you for helping take the heat off of who really is just a harmless little fellow doing a harmless little job.
It’s kinda like blaming the (any given) President for entirely wrecking the country.
Almost always it’s the Illuminati and a bunch of oil companies doing all the mischief multi-laterally behind the scenes!
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the espn tv hockey department consists of…:
- barry melrose (america’s version of din cherry)
and
his subordinates…:
- steve levy
- john buccigross
- linda cohn
…and that’s about it….
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variable Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 4:54 pm
@variable,
“din cherry”…that’s my favorite ice cream….
don cherry….obviously…
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Kingsfanone Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 6:42 pm
@variable,
Yummy! Din cherry ice cream! Hahaha!
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 2:20 am
@Kingsfancone,
I actually prefer Berry Melrose.
You should try it!
I get what everyone’s saying about these awards, but some of the boys are going to be there, so I thought I should vote in support.
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I voted. Just found it funny to vote for an award from a network that doesn’t even cover the NHL properly. It’s like putting “Snookie” on a panel to judge class, and ettiquette on todays young women.
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Kenny44 Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 5:42 pm
@Dominick (defrim65),
Hey Dom,
I thought you’d appreciate this nod to Purcell’s Corsi prowess:
http://www.cbssports.com/nhl/blog/eye-on-hockey/19551509/lightning-give-winger-teddy-purcell-threeyear-extension
Still a very underrated player, our boy Teddy.
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jess Reply:
July 10th, 2012 at 6:26 pm
@Dominick (defrim65),
Well said.
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Anyone else have trouble viewing the page to vote? Seems like the page is distorted when I try voting…
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I won’t be watching this clown show.
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Come on Quick, don’t let Brown pick up your award. GO TO THE MIC AND ACCEPT IT LIKE A MAN!
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Damn, who writes this guy’s lines…HE SUCKS!!!
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FU ESPN !!…Miami Heat????…really???
Change the name of the award to “WTF took you so long?”
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Duncanz Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 8:45 pm
@Gustavo, You waited a whole 2 hrs just to witness the inevitable?
MFY.
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What’d The Kings win? Just best upset? How many F-Bombs?
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Gustavo Reply:
July 11th, 2012 at 10:36 pm
@Itchy,
Only God bombs and ebonics at the Espy. First and last time I watch it.
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Itchy Reply:
July 12th, 2012 at 9:02 am
@Gustavo,
That sucks, at least The Kings won something… maybe hockey’s getting more popular in California, if they could win the vote.
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Apparently, Quickie also won best Pro Hockey player over all those Ross, Norris, Hart and Vezina Trophy winners. Too bad he couldn’t have been there to put that awards show in its proper place. Saw some of the show but not much, because, yeah, that comedian emcee sucked.
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Congrats to Quick for winning best NHL player
&
Congrats to the Team for winning best upset…
Thanks again for the memories, this year was awesome.
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