All-Stars And No Stars, Why Do We Watch?
By Frank Luna
Watched the All-Star game last night. Wait a moment, no I didn't. Why? Maybe because the mid-season classic just isn't what it used to be. No disrespect to the players that were picked and actually showed up to play the game, but the lack of star power and last-second bailouts has definitely dampened my enthusiasm. So here's an idea I heard today on sports talk radio that I find intriguing: What if all the players chosen to be All-Stars are required to, at the very least, show up to the game? And if you don't, then you're not an All-Star and forfeit your bonus. Let's face it, the fans selected the bulk of the players and their "couldn't be bothered" attitude is and insult to the fans and diminishes the status of a classic that was good enough for the likes of Mays, Mantle, Clemente, Ruth and just about any other icon of America's greatest pastime.
