Topic: Professional All-Star Games

[Roger]

Is it just me or are ALL the professional all-star games just popularity contests?

Every year, the same people are put on the teams just because a bunch of people who like a person vote for them.  This isn't to say that they don't all belong there, because many of them do, but year after year, the players who are having great years are shrugged off in favor of someone who will sell tickets because he has a popular name.

This explains Nomar Garciaparra leading the All Star Ballot for the MLB, despite having a terribly mediocre season (at least compared to his previous years.)

So should the All-Star ballot's question be changed from "Who deserves to make the All-Star team?" to "Who is your favorite player?"

Maybe if the leagues stopped letting the fans be THE deciding factor and had some kind of requirements to be on the team (for example: a player needs to have played in X games and should have Y at bats) then the teams would be more "All-STAR" than "All-Favorite."

But maybe the leagues don't WANT anything to be done.  They DO enjoy all the money they get from having games full of favorites.  You can't say the NBA didn't enjoy having all the most popular players on the court all at once, or that the MLB doesn't like that a ton of players from last year's World Series teams will be playing against each other again.

Basically, what I'm saying is that for there to be a true All-Star game in any sport, the league needs to have some kind of criteria which you must meet to be considered to be a candidate.  I mean, would it be fair to put a guy on the NBA All-Stars who scored 28 points a game and played in 25 games over a guy who scored 25 a game and played 42?

[Sheldon J. Plankton]

Not really, they only let the best players even be candidates for the all star games.

[ssj4gogita4]

I think they need to let the average players play in the all-star game. The pros who score more than 15 ore more points per game needs to stay out of it. If they can do that every game, then they don't need to compete with the other great players. Give everyone a fair chance & let the average - below average players play so they can get better.

[GrEeNdAyFrEaK]

I think they need to let the average players play in the all-star game. The pros who score more than 15 ore more points per game needs to stay out of it. If they can do that every game, then they don't need to compete with the other great players. Give everyone a fair chance & let the average - below average players play so they can get better.

[snapback]193125[/snapback]

Wow, a baseball players that scores more than 15 points per game? That's amazing XD
Anyway, I agree with you somewhat. I think it's getting to the point where there should be two different games - one with the fan favorites and the other with the all-stars actually voted on by a baseball committee. But don't forget that the fans only vote for the starters, not everyone else. You have to admit, though, it is neat to see an outfield consisting of 500+ HR guys for one game, even if they arent at their best. What I wish they'd change is the rule allowing every team to have one all-star in the game. Knowing that my Cincinnati Reds might not get players in if this rule wasn't in tact I still believe it sort-of takes away from the game because it turns into a "1 All-Star from every team and the best leftovers" game.

[Kenny Blankenship]

The game's for the fans.  If they want to see some massively overrated player (Nomar) in the game, then by golly, let them see him.

[ssj4gogita4]

I think they need to let the average players play in the all-star game. The pros who score more than 15 ore more points per game needs to stay out of it. If they can do that every game, then they don't need to compete with the other great players. Give everyone a fair chance & let the average - below average players play so they can get better.

[snapback]193125[/snapback]

Wow, a baseball players that scores more than 15 points per game? That's amazing XD
Anyway, I agree with you somewhat. I think it's getting to the point where there should be two different games - one with the fan favorites and the other with the all-stars actually voted on by a baseball committee. But don't forget that the fans only vote for the starters, not everyone else. You have to admit, though, it is neat to see an outfield consisting of 500+ HR guys for one game, even if they arent at their best. What I wish they'd change is the rule allowing every team to have one all-star in the game. Knowing that my Cincinnati Reds might not get players in if this rule wasn't in tact I still believe it sort-of takes away from the game because it turns into a "1 All-Star from every team and the best leftovers" game.

[snapback]193173[/snapback]

Ok...I thought this was the b-ball thread xD My bad...