Does this strike anyone else as kind of pathetic?

“We don’t trust our own judgment enough to hire somebody based on writing talent, journalistic ability, etc. So please, take the time to vote in our popularity contest.”

Posted by shep from california on 09/06/08 at 08:55 AM ET

I don’t see what the problem is. Too often publications are slammed by some of their readers for not taking their opinions and views into consideration. Some hockey fans bitch that they don’t have enough of a voice. Well, THN is giving them that chance.

And no, I’m not saying that as a contributing writer to THN or trying to garner brownie points.

Posted by Lyle Richardson from Charlottetown, PEI, Canada on 09/06/08 at 10:01 AM ET

Please hire Bettman away from his current job.  Thanks.

Posted by Earl Sleek from Anaheim, CA on 09/06/08 at 12:05 PM ET

Eric Duhatschek seems like the obvious choice here, but would he leave the Globe and Mail?

Posted by Doogie2K from Calgary on 09/06/08 at 02:02 PM ET

I think it’s a good idea to ask their readers who the heck they want - they are the ones who read the publication, after all.  Certainly smarter than getting who they think their readers might like and then hearing about how awful they are.

Please hire Bettman away from his current job.  Thanks.

Maybe not if he writes the way he talks - cure for insomnia. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 09/06/08 at 02:28 PM ET

I submit George James Malik as a write in candidate.

Those bitches would be luck to have him.

Posted by Osrt on 09/06/08 at 06:41 PM ET

And no, I’m not saying that as a contributing writer to THN or trying to garner brownie points.

So they’re all the way down to hiring bloggers to write for them and they’re still short ideas and leads for hiring people to the point where they appear about three steps away from some kind of absurd American Idol ripoff?

Good God.

To be fair, though, there are about 5 people who write about hockey in an informed manner.  Everyone else is either an armchair observer (Bloggers), idiots disconnected from reality (99.9% of hockey writers), or blatant, shameless liars (guess).  If THN can’t get one of the 5, who cares?

Posted by HockeyinHD on 09/06/08 at 08:00 PM ET

Something tells me HockeyinHD isn’t going to be considered for that THN writing gig...

Anyway, since there’s only five people in your estimation write about hockey in an informed way, why don’t you nominate them?

Or do you prefer to whine from the sidelines?

Posted by Lyle Richardson from Charlottetown, PEI on 09/06/08 at 08:21 PM ET

damnn...no edit function to correct spelling mistakes.

Remember people, the point isn’t necessarily to write about hockey in an intelligent and informed way; it’s to write about hockey in ways that will sell subscriptions and generate tube traffic.

Posted by Osrt on 09/06/08 at 10:46 PM ET

Something tells me HockeyinHD isn’t going to be considered for that THN writing gig…

Why not?  There doesn’t seem to be much of a bar to entry.

Anyway, since there’s only five people in your estimation write about hockey in an informed way, why don’t you nominate them?

Or do you prefer to whine from the sidelines?

Because I don’t read THN, so who they do or don’t hire is entirely peripheral to my interests.  They could hire Klessel, Woody Paige and Big Bird to write alternating columns and I’d never know it unless someone mailed one to my house and made me read.

As far as ‘whining from the sidelines goes’… sensitive much?  I understand that as a community you “serious” blogging types tend to reel and gasp in horror whenever you aren’t accorded what you all percieve to be your due respect, but come on.  Whining from the sidelines is all the vast majority of blogs are.

This site isn’t even a blog so much as it is a concentration of hockey info from a variety of media sources, making it an excellent tool.  I can come to the page, see what’s being talked about across the hockey world, and move on.  If every post had to have Paul giving his two cents on each move or activity I hardly think I’d read it as often.  That’s not a shot at Paul because he seems like an informed, pleasant guy… I just don’t see any real reason why I should care what his position is on a topic.  Or every topic.

Same deal with your site.  I read it periodically, but since it tends to merely provide duplicate info to what is here it’s a secondary stop.  You have your own insights and opinions, of course, but your commentary isn’t any more or less noteworthy and/or insightful than what one would find among the upper echelon of messageboard posters out there, making the utility of reading your site just to see what you think less than critical.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 09/07/08 at 01:29 AM ET

Not sensitive at all, HockeyinHD, and you’re certainly entitled to your opinion.

I just find it amusing that you make a long post mocking THN, and after my response you made an even longer post claiming you really don’t care who THN hires,how they go about doing it, or about the opinions and writing styles of bloggers.

Guess I struck a nerve about whining from the sidelines?

Posted by Lyle Richardson from Charlottetown, PEI on 09/07/08 at 05:37 AM ET

Of course you think three or four hundred words is ‘long’, Lyle.  You’re a blogger.

Posted by HockeyinHD on 09/07/08 at 07:57 PM ET

And your envy is showing…

Posted by Lyle Richardson from Charlottetown, PEI on 09/07/08 at 08:58 PM ET