Make the Cubs Monroe, LA's Home Team- We're in a run-off!!!!

[Chocolate Milk]

Why complain when you were sending in fake leters and whatnot? I would have tossed all your fake letters too.

 

There was nothing fake about the letters. They were signed by real people who put real addresses on them.

 

The emails may have been one thing, but these letters were signed by real people who live right here in Monroe.

 

Were the letters all the same other than the names?

[sethuel1]

Why complain when you were sending in fake leters and whatnot? I would have tossed all your fake letters too.

 

There was nothing fake about the letters. They were signed by real people who put real addresses on them.

 

The emails may have been one thing, but these letters were signed by real people who live right here in Monroe.

 

Were the letters all the same other than the names?

 

What difference does it make? When you sign a petition, do you have to write it up in your own words as well?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Why complain when you were sending in fake leters and whatnot? I would have tossed all your fake letters too.

 

There was nothing fake about the letters. They were signed by real people who put real addresses on them.

 

The emails may have been one thing, but these letters were signed by real people who live right here in Monroe.

 

Were the letters all the same other than the names?

 

Yes. But that doesn't violate anything. At the bottom of the letters, the people hand signed them and printed their address. Some even added their age.

 

There was nothing in the publicity that said votes had to be hand-written or anything. So, there was no cheating and nothing was dubious about them.

 

It's simple. They didn't want a real contest and apparently decided to cheat when they got one.

 

Furthermore, while they may not have liked people outside the area voting, there was no "rules" published as to who was eligible.

[Chris]

Sick 'em Vance.

 

Have an attorney call them.

[Chocolate Milk]

I think you are taking this way more seriously than the newspaper intended it to be taken. Just my two cents.

 

They probably expected to get a bunch of cute letters from kids about their favorite teams. Your 100 form letters with different signatures probably wasn't what they were looking for.

[Rob]

So Vance, what's the plan from here?

[Chris]

They probably expected to get a bunch of cute letters from kids about their favorite teams. Your 100 form letters with different signatures probably wasn't what they were looking for.

 

Then they should've worded their intentions that way IMHO.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think you are taking this way more seriously than the newspaper intended it to be taken. Just my two cents.

 

They probably expected to get a bunch of cute letters from kids about their favorite teams. Your 100 form letters with different signatures probably wasn't what they were looking for.

 

Oh I agree they didn't ever intend for it to go the way it went; though I don't think it was ever intended for kids to vote.

 

In fact, last year they made a mention of my nephew's hand-written letter being from the "youngest voter."

 

I know what their intentions were, though. The sports editor and chief writer are Astros fans. Geographically, we are closer to the Rangers. They wanted a reason to cover the Astros more indepth than other teams and started this vote three years ago. In the first year, the Astros won in a landslide. I didn't vote at all that year as I was busy with a new child and didn't learn of the vote at all until the last minute.

 

Last year, I decided to seek help and the Cubs made a race of it. After seeing what happened this year, I'm not certain if we didn't win it last year.

 

So, what started out for them as an excuse to shift coverage to a team they (meaning the writers) would prefer to cover they created a contest. They never envisioned someone like me would attempt to make them write about a team they don't care for and that's 900 miles away. However, if they didn't like the possibility, they shouldn't have put it to a vote.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

So Vance, what's the plan from here?

 

Not much else. I made my post on their site. If I ever meet Nick, I may say something to him personally. I'm sure I'll run into him at some point.

 

My guess is there won't be a vote next year.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Furthermore, it's not like the vote is representative anyway.

 

They claim 449 votes. Monroe has a population near 75K. That doesn't include surrounding areas.

 

The votes for the Cubs may not have been from Cub fans, but they were from Monroe residents who had no problem voting for the Cubs. I took advantage of the large segment of the population who are apathetic to whom the News-Star covers and convinced them to vote my way. They knew what they were doing.

 

Either way, the votes weren't properly counted. That's just wrong. If you leave a vote wide open, be prepared to accept the consequences.

[VanceJergins]

So Vance, what's the plan from here?

 

Not much else. I made my post on their site. If I ever meet Nick, I may say something to him personally. I'm sure I'll run into him at some point.

 

My guess is there won't be a vote next year.

 

Come on man, fight the good fight! Don't take this lying down! Do it for the little man! Other cliche stuff! LETS GO!!!

[satxcubfan]

Demand a recount!!!! LOL

[brinoch]

So Vance, what's the plan from here?

 

Not much else. I made my post on their site. If I ever meet Nick, I may say something to him personally. I'm sure I'll run into him at some point.

 

My guess is there won't be a vote next year.

 

Come on man, fight the good fight! Don't take this lying down! Do it for the little man! Other cliche stuff! LETS GO!!!

 

Eckstein would fight.

[Chris]

OH MAN!!!!!!

 

The second packet of Cubs votes didn't make it back to the newsroom until after the noon Friday deadline, and were initially discounted.

 

Now that we've discovered that the packet arrived on Thursday, but wasn't delivered to the sports department until a day later, we've decided to reopen the poll.

 

A four-day runoff between the Astros and the Cubs will be announced in Tuesday's edition.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

For the record, I'd like to think my conversation with the editor earlier helped the cause.

[brinoch]

So, in other words, the Cubs won, but we still want to cover the Astros. So we'll have a run-off.

[Laura]

So, in other words, the Cubs won, but we still want to cover the Astros. So we'll have a run-off.

 

Indeed.

 

Vance, what packet was your niece's letter in? It would be amusing if they quoted a letter they claimed they didn't count in the article about the election.

[Chris]

So, in other words, the Cubs won, but we still want to cover the Astros. So we'll have a run-off.

 

Indeed.

 

Vance, what packet was your niece's letter in? It would be amusing if they quoted a letter they claimed they didn't count in the article about the election.

 

HA HA, that would be great!

 

Time to do our part, folks.

[photoguy9883]

No response from them?

 

Don't expect one.

 

I've learned from other experiences, that the paper does as it pleases and doesn't think it must answer to anyone. I think that is a result of being the only newspaper in town.

 

On all fronts, that paper has an agenda. The only people they answer to are the big bosses at Gannet.

 

Well, if you want to track down a way to complain to Gannett, count me in.

 

Also, there is about a .002% chance you could report the incident to media-watchdog Matt Drudge and he'd run it. That would surely draw the ire of their bosses at Gannett.

 

The only way Gannett Corporate would care is if you could get national attention, just calling them won't do a thing. The only thing that can get their attention is if you can hurt their bottom line. You could always call the publisher of the paper that could cause some headaches for the people in the sports department, and its my belief that most sports guys could stand to be taken down a peg or two.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

So, in other words, the Cubs won, but we still want to cover the Astros. So we'll have a run-off.

 

Indeed.

 

Vance, what packet was your niece's letter in? It would be amusing if they quoted a letter they claimed they didn't count in the article about the election.

 

My niece's letter was turned in after the packet. It was dropped off through the night mail slot on Friday morning around 6 AM. As best I know, they didn't quote anyone from the later packet. Of course, if you add those 80 to the total, we should have won outright.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Once I get official word about how the run-off will proceed, we can start voting. Hold off until then. We wouldn't want votes cast too early to go un-counted.

[NCCubFan]

This contest reminds me of last year, when the Chattanooga Lookouts' web site ran a poll for best mascot in the Southern League, and we stuffed the ballot box to ensure that Ribbee won in a landslide. Except their poll was legitimate and all of our votes were counted.

[Chris]

This contest reminds me of last year, when the Chattanooga Lookouts' web site ran a poll for best mascot in the Southern League, and we stuffed the ballot box to ensure that Ribbee won in a landslide. Except their poll was legitimate and all of our votes were counted.

 

ha ha, great times.

[ryno2355]

awesome job vance! I cant believe that they cheated us like this!! I'll make sure all my family puts in votes!!!!

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm armed with 100 pre-printed letters and five bags of blow pops. This election will turn the Cubs way for sure.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

awesome job vance! I cant believe that they cheated us like this!! I'll make sure all my family puts in votes!!!!

 

No problem. Let's wait until they announce the paramaters before sending in votes just yet.

 

Also, if someone wants to mail one in, use the link on the first page to get a copy of the pre-printed letter.