Ray Allen is not only my favorite player, he is becoming one of my favorite people. After the entire NBAtoday.net staff bashed the fans (not our fans of course) for continuing to vote for Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson into the starting position of both the Western and Eastern Conference teams, Allen is outraged. He suggests a limited accessibility for fans to vote, like having players meet certain standards, games played, and statistics. Another idea he produced was that 50% will be voted by the fans, and the other 50% by the coaches. An interesting idea. I don’t know how that would work personally, but I like it.

The voting has gotten ridiculous, and most disagree with Allen. Chris Bosh, who is getting beat by Kevin Garnett, even though Bosh is having an MVP-caliber first half, doesn’t mind the fans continually voting. “It’s all about the fans,” Bosh states. Yeah, you’re right Bosh, about nothing. You deserve to be in there, and I know the fans pay your salary, but you have been playing amazingly well. You are single-handedly carrying the Raptors into playoff contention, a feat not reached since 2006. You should start. Kevin Garnett is injured and is just a shell of who he was 3 three years ago. Chris, may I call you Chris…OK, thank you… this is your time.

Larry Brown, who coached AI, fully backs up the fans voting stating, “A lot of times voting reflects career achievement as well as yearly achievements.” Well, Mr. Brown, you have a good point, but this is the All-Star Game, not the Hall of Fame. It is a yearly award to play in said game, not a career achievement, and Iverson has played in many anyway. I think it will be OK to sit one out.

I understand what these players and coaches are saying, but this takes away from players that deserve to be there. McGrady has played a combined 54 minutes all season, and he is about to start the All-Star Game. He is now taking Steve Nash’s spot. Nash has been phenomenal. How can anyone argue he does not to deserve to be a starter in the February Classic. I’m still waiting. Ray-Ray continues on this point by saying “That’s taking away from another player in the Western Conference that’s having a great year, that’s been playing, that deserves to be in there.” I couldn’t say it better myself.

I don’t even think Allen wants himself to be in there, he is simply speaking for a lot of unhappy players and fans. I can’t stress enough how unhappy I will be when Tracy McGrady’s name will be called for the starting lineup.

David Stern, do something. Please. You have until tomorrow.

This is The Ref signaling I’m out until next time and remember: We miss calls, you miss lay ups.

(All quotes are Courtesy of ESPN News Services)