The all-star idea always looks good on paper, but it never performs to its potential.
We see it time and time again in cinema and sports and usually, it disappoints.
Movies laced with all-star casts always have a certain appeal, but they rarely live up to the hype. Some illustrious casts have produced a winner before, but for every "Chicago," there's an "America's Sweethearts," a "Troy," and a "Pearl Harbor."
The same concept translates to the world of sports. Every year, in every sport, there's always hype around the all-star events.
First, it starts with the predictions and the snubs. For fans, it is never too early for a conjecture, but pundits usually wait until a couple of weeks before the events to publish their educated guess.
And then, like clockwork, the second the announcements are made, everyone simultaneously cries about the snubs.
The truth is that there is no such thing as an al-star team without a snub. It's like trying to find a watchable Nick Cannon movie — it just doesn't happen. No matter what, there is always speculation about at least one player on the roster and there is always a rally for someone who was not selected.
The reality is that all-star snubs are as irrelevant as anything that Tim Allen has done in this past year.
Who cares?
Quick, name someone who was cold-shouldered at the 1993 MLB All-Star Game?
Okay, if that's too hard, name anyone, from any sport, who was slighted last year?
If you can't, you're in the majority. That is because the day after these fabulous events are finished, the whole idea of being overlooked is buried like Loverboy.
But it's not only this infatuation with snubs that makes every all-star game a puffed up event like Alexander, it's the fact that the games simply don't live up to the expectations.
The thought of Peyton Manning throwing spirals to Chad Johnson or a finesse line consisting of Peter Forsberg, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Jaromir Jagr lends itself to some sexy daydreaming, but when you realize that Barry Bonds doesn't really care to exert himself, the bubble bursts.
This isn't EA Sports, and when it's actually in the game, most of these players are not giving it their all.
The essence of sports is competition, effort and excellence. There is nothing more that I would love to see than Kevin Garnett working with a supporting cast that includes Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady, but what we really see at the NBA All-Star Weekend — or Week — is a vanilla sky.
For us to open our eyes to what could truly be, not only would these athletes have to try a little harder, we would have to include coaching and strategy, blitzes and stunts (in the Pro Bowl), checking (in the NHL's All-Star Game), more patience at the plate (MLB), and guarding (NBA).
And since that will never happen, we just have to accept the all-star games for what they are: a tease for hardcore fans and a theatrical production for casual ones.
So just "Be Cool" next time someone gets snubbed and remember to keep your expectations low.
All-star sporting events and all-star movie casts mix like Mondays and me.
"Do not do unto others as you expect they should do unto you. Their tastes may not be the same." — George Bernard Shaw
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