On your mark, get set, go! And they're off! It's Barkley galloping to an early lead over Bavetta. Barkley continues to lead and down the stretch they come! Oh no, Barkley has started backpedaling, with Bavetta making a mad dash to the finish line. And it's Barkley by a buttock!
That right there was the most exciting part of the NBA All-Star Weekend, a race between a 66-year-old referee and a 43-year-old former player nicknamed ""The Round Mound of Rebound."" Now the race was actually very entertaining, especially the post-race interview with a bleeding Bavetta and the awkward kiss on the mouth Bavetta planted on Barkley. But if a spectacle like that is more entertaining than the All-Star Game itself, something is definitely wrong.
You'd think in a game with so many terrific players (Kobe, Garnett, Wade, LeBron, Nowitzki, Arenas), you would get a better game than the mistake-riddled fiasco that occurred Sunday. When half the ""SportsCenter"" highlights are missed alley-oops, you've got major problems. A game with no defense is fun for a quarter or two, but it can only be taken so far. It's not just the NBA game, all-star games in general have taken such a downward spiral they're not even worth having anymore.
As bad as the NBA All-Star Game has gotten, it can't even compare with how terrible the NFL Pro Bowl is. Who were the ad wizards that came up with this one? Let's have the all-star game after the season, when people are done caring about football and players either want to rest injuries or maybe even spend time with their family. With every player making more than $300 thousand a season as well, the trip to Hawaii is not as appealing when the players can just go there in their free time.
I was extremely surprised to hear that someone actually got hurt in this year's game, as I thought tackling was kept to a minimum in Pro Bowls. And I'm sure Saints coach Sean Payton may lobby for a no-tackling rule next season as he watched in horror when his quarterback Drew Brees dislocated his non-throwing elbow in the exhibition. The NFL is good enough that it doesn't need an all-star game, just name players as all-pros and move on.
The NHL All-Star Game is at least decent, but again, a game without any defense is only good for so long. Checking is a vital part of the game of hockey and without it, games just aren't as exciting to watch.
Baseball is really the only all-star game worth watching, because it is actually worth something (home-field advantage for the World Series) when it doesn't end up in a tie (darn you Bud Selig). National League players get to bat against some American League pitchers they've never seen. AL pitchers get to bat—it's a worthwhile exhibition. Fans can remember moments from MLB All-Star Games, unlike any other sport, whether it be John Kruk basically running from the batter's box after facing Randy Johnson or Torii Hunter robbing Barry Bonds of a home run a couple years ago. Plus home run derbies are always a good supplement to the usual exhibition.
So this is my plea to the NFL and NBA: Just give your players a rest instead of making them play in games they really don't care about. If players did care, they wouldn't miss the games with hangnails or other innocuous maladies they dream up. Just let the games go.
Zach can be contacted at zlkukkonen@dailycardinal.com.
