Twitter is Robbing Joakim Noah of an All Star Berth

Pull your sleeves up, we are about to have a fight here. Call me what you will, but my hand is in the air, holding up the B.S. card for the current NBA all-star voting returns. Now, more than ever, Twitter is affecting the voting outcomes of the NBA All-Star ballots.

Don't believe me?

How is it that Shaq is #2 on the list of Eastern Conference centers behind only Dwight Howard??? Obviously Howard is the obvious choice for #1 vote getter in the East because he is head and shoulders above anyone else in his position. But Shaq is the #2, and has more than 300,000 more votes than Joakim Noah! Let's look at their numbers: Noah 14.0 - 11.7 - 2.7 - 1.2 - 1.6 and a PER of 22.79. Shaq 10.0 - 5.3 - .7 - .4 - 1 and a PER of 11.73! Yes Shaq has done great for the Celts (my #2 favorite team of all time) but Noah has been incredible on both ends of the floor.

Call it a popularity contest if you will, but the All-Star game has very meaningful implications on a player's career. Things such as how much $$$ a player can demand when he negotiates contracts and how easily he makes it into the Hall of Fame are DIRECTLY affected by a player's All Star appearances.

At an age where a player typically falls out of favor with a younger fan base, Shaq has taken the teenage generation by storm with this nearly 3.5 MILLION followers on Twitter, his show that he stole from Steve Nash (Shaq Vs.), and his ability to break dance.

Noah may not be carry the same presence as Shaq, but he is not a no-name. He has gained fame for his rebounding skills, clashes with Lebron and Kevin Garnett, sick hair, and goof-ball personality. People that like Shaq should like Noah. People that hate Lebron and Garnett (lots) should love Noah. How many Twitter followers does Noah have? ZERO. He doesn't have an account. He has not taken advantage of the opportunity to connect with fans on the personal level that Shaq has. I would follow him in a heartbeat. His opinion of Kevin Garnett (my favorite player of all time) is classic.

 Watch the "Kevin Garnett Will Not Get a Christmas Card From Me" clip.

Will Shaq make the All Star team? Probably not. Will Noah? Probably. Dwight Howard is a lock to start in the ASG for the next 15 years but the reserves are coaches' choices, not fans. But if one of the two switches conferences, Noah the fans that Noah could be building have the power to win him an ASG start.

Reminder: I love the Celtics. I hate the Bulls.