I just wanted to see how other DYes folks feel about All Star games.

Me? I personally can't remember why All Star games even played any more.

The NFL's All Pro game has got players from the eventual Super Bowl teams leaving their teams for an exhibition where they could conceivably get hurt one week prior to the biggest game of the year. And even when it was held in Hawaii after the season was over, I don't ever recall watching it or even who was in it. Neuter the game and its ferocity and it really isn't football any more. Can't we just have a skills competition here and be done with?

MLB's All Star Game was close to what one might consider a true contest. They had the best hitters, best pitchers and some truly amazing talent playing on both benches... that is until they had they tied game and now this exhibition game's outcome actually has implications on what's played all season long. The fact that the game's winner gets home field advantage at the World Series is a total joke. If they just let it be a mid-season exhibition game again [[tied games be damned) I think it'd be perfectly fine. We as fans know that the game is no more than a celebration of their skills- who cares if it's tied? And even after that fateful fame when it was tied, I don't recall the outrage to fix the game then, do you?

NHL All Star games? I always feel for the goalies. As talented as they are, they have absolutely no defense in front of them. It's pretty much a friendly non-check game by some of the most talented players on the ice. I find the skills competition the day before this game much more compelling. The Olympic games that these guys play in is more of a true All Star game for them, but the fear here is that someone could seriously get hurt.

The NBA All Star game is pretty much a mirror of the NHL game. It's a friendly pick up game. One could probably scour many an inner city gym and find a much more competitive game. Defense at these sort of games are pretty much non-existent and there are some amazingly talented folks whose specialty is to shut down the super stars; why they don't get a chance to shine a little bit at these events is a shame.

Maybe I'm jaded or just want the athletes to play their game, demonstrate their amazing abilities, not have to worry about injury [[anyone want to console Wisconsin's O’Brien Schofield at the Senior Bowl who probably lost out on millions due to his injury?), and have them affect their regular season goals.

Anyone else have thoughts on this?