All-Star weekend is upon us. The very best of the NFL and NHL will showcase their skills in the annual Pro-Bowl and NHL All-Star game this Sunday. In theory, matching the elite of the elite in any form of competition, whether it be a cooking challenge (Top Chef is my favorite TV show by the way) or a game of Risk, should get any observer excited. However, I could essentially care less about the upcoming football game in Hawaii or the hockey game in Raleigh, and I believe most other American sports fans feel the same way.
The only All-Star game that I am remotely interested in each year is the Mid-Summer Classic, MLB's All-Star game. I can't quite pinpoint the reason why, but I think it might be a combination of a few things:
1) the game actually means something (more on that in a moment);
2) the sport itself is basically a collection of 1 on 1 matchups (pitcher vs. batter), and watching all these mini duels between the game's best is compelling;
3) it appears as though the players are actually trying to win;
4) baseball in general has a special place in my heart for nostalgic reasons, as it was the first sport I really followed at the professional level.
At the moment, the only All-Star game out of the big 4 American sports leagues (MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL) where the outcome has any importance is the MLB. Beginning in 2003, home-field advantage for the World Series was given to either the American League or National League's representative depending on which side won that year's All-Star game. Previously, home-field was alternated between the two leagues each year. Many argue that home-field advantage shouldn't be awarded in such a willy-nilly fashion, however I disagree. The current home-field advantage format of 2-3-2 began to be used regularly in the 1924 World Series. Since then, this format was followed in every year but three. The 1943 and 1945 World Series followed a 3-4 format due to World War II travel restrictions and there was no World Series in a strike-shortened 1994 season. In those 83 World Series, the team with home-field advantage has won 48 of them, which is slightly better than 57%. Home-field advantage in baseball is not as important as in other sports, so I think giving the MLB All-Star game some meaning in this fashion is warranted. Similar treatment of home-field advantage in the other three sports would be a mistake.
The Pro-Bowl stinks of players' apathy. As reported on the NFL's website this morning, the following players will not participate in the 2011 Pro Bowl due to "injury": Nnamdi Asomugha, Tom Brady, Lance Briggs, Dwight Freeney, Antonio Gates, DeSean Jackson, Andre Johnson, Maurice Jones-Drew, Nick Mangold, Shaun O'Hara, Jason Peters, Ed Reed, Asante Samuel, Richard Seymour, Ndamukong Suh, Brian Urlacher, Patrick Willis and Kevin Williams will not play because of personal reasons. You can't really blame the players for not wanting to risk injury for a meaningless game. I think the Pro Bowl really has no chance to ever be popular. The nature of the game just won't allow it. I do think the Pro Bowl experience could be improved by adding some sort of skills competition to the Pro Bowl. The NBA has the Dunk Contest and the Three-Point Contest, the MLB has the Home Run Derby and the NHL has the All-Star skills competition. These contests are my favorite part of each of the sports' All-Star festivities. I think adding a QB Challenge (using kegs as targets of course) or a competition for punters where you have to punt the ball into some sort of target is a good idea, though it wouldn't help the actual Pro Bowl game itself.
I do have to say I am somewhat intrigued by the NHL's All-Star Game this year, as it is the first year for the All-Star Fantasy Draft. Captains for each side will select from a pool of players chosen by a combination of fan balloting and the NHL Hockey Operations Department. Eric Staal of the host Carolina Hurricanes will serve as captain of the aptly named "Team Staal," and along with his alternate captains, Washington's Mike Green and Vancouver's Ryan Kesler, will stage a draft against Detroit defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom and his assistants Martin St. Louis of Tampa Bay and Chicago's Patrick Kane on "Team Lidstrom." However, I think I am more interested in the draft itself, rather than the actual game. The draft is Friday night at 8 EST on Versus in case you were wondering.
If my power and cable are restored by the weekend (a recent snow storm has left me in the dark since Wednesday), I'll be catching up on the Office, not watching the Pro Bowl or NHL All-Star Game.
great entry! as i could not agree more. i really enjoy the mlb all star game - i actually look forward to it. baseball was the first professional sport that i fell in love with as well, and i have fond memories of watching it faithfully every summer night with my dad. i've never watched the pro bowl (i think it's really stupid) especially since they have moved it to the week before the superbowl. who the heck will actually want to play in it! as for the nhl all star game - i only watched one b/c i was promised a "show" by none other than alex ovechkin. honestly, i'd rather just do away with the nhl all star game and keep it to watching the best of the best play in the olympics every four years. that's just more entertaining and there's a lot more riding on it. hope your power is restored so you can watch the office! ricky gervais makes a mini appearance
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ReplyDeleteSpot on regarding the Pro Bowls minimal relevance. One option for a relevant Pro bowl is to put next seasons Super Bowl Location on the line. For example, since the AFC won the Pro Bowl last year that would have meant that this years Super Bowl would be played in Pittsburgh. Very similar to the All Star Game only alot more at stake with one game. You might see a more competitive game with players willing to go out and play hard in such a case. As a fan, I'd be much more vested in the outcome as well. So would the owners of each potential Super Bowl City.
ReplyDeleteYes, of all the sports you mention in your commentary, baseball takes top spot in my heart.
ReplyDeleteConsequently, so does the All-star game. Here are some reasons why for me:
- The players. They genuinely seem to want to be picked and to play. They seem to consider it a real honor to be part of the mid-summer classic when, indeed, they could be getting a nice extended rest. They don't find "excuses" not to play such as those you mentioned have done for the Pro Bowl this year.
- The fans. The fans vote, they rally for their team players to be picked and to play. They even root for players they might not otherwise, simply for their loyalty to which ever league they pledge their allegiance. Fans mark their calendars, go to the bars to watch, and talk about it around "water coolers" the next day.
- Just good games. Yes, there have been some real snoozers over the years but, I can remember some real battles and nail bitters and some that made history. No one who is old enough to remember will ever forget the 13-3 American League win in 1983 when Fred Lynn (then playing for the Angels)hit the only grand slam home run EVER in the hisotry of the All-Star game. I remember this moment so vividly and how the bar I was in went wild when this well loved baseball player rocked the game and earned the well deserved MVP of the game.
- As an Oriole fan, it gives me an opportunity, only one time a year, to root for a Yankee player because I am NOT going to do so at any other time.
- Lastly, the All Star game is just plain magical. The fan fest, the home run derby, the chance for young fans to get autographs from their baseball heros, the electricity in the air, all make for an event worth watching and keeping. Can't really say that for the other sports.