What a busy stretch it’s been. I think we could all use a break from meaningful sporting events, in favor of All Star Sunday!
Yes, once again the Pro Bowl and the NHL All Star Game are on the same day at the same time. And, because the NFL no longer gives the players a free trip to Honolulu, the same state, with the Pro Bowl in Orlando and the NHL in Tampa. Diehard fans can watch some of the best players in the NFL playing hard enough to avoid injury, or see most of the best players in the NHL playing in a new format the divides the stars by division and has three abbreviated games. And unusually, both games are on network TV, so no one has the excuse of “I don’t have cable” to ignore these essentially meaningless events.
The idea of an all star game is still as good now as when Carl Hubbell struck out five of the AL’s best in a row in 1934. Everyone loves to see the best face the best. But with interleague play in baseball and a general lack of desire to play hard in pretty much every sport’s game, it’s easy to wonder if the all star game has outlived its usefulness. For now, since there are diehards who will watch, and since people still like some of the ancillary events and parties, the games endure. But for how much longer?
And if you want meaningful sports news to discuss, try these on for size:
- The Super Bowl is set. Wake me after Media Day.
- Rafa withdraws with an injury (again), leaving Federer’s path clear
- NBA disarray in Cleveland, Portland, Milwaukee, and every game with a bad call
- A month till spring training, and the big names are STILL free agents
- Welcome the new coach of the New York football Giants, Pat “Senator” Shurmur!
As ever, all sports topics are welcome.