As you all know, when it comes to sports, football is greatest passion (some would say obsession, esp. those of you who followed by Twitter commentary on the 2006 UT vs Alabama game the other night where even though I knew the outcome was a victory for the Big Orange, I still got nervous and bent out of shape during the broadcast of the game. I also danced like a fool when the Vols went on their only sustained drive of the game in the final quarter for the game-winning TD as the ball broke the end zone).
That said, I still do have an affection of the other games that are played out there...well, at least on a college level. I find it hard to sustain much interest in the NBA or Major League Baseball simply because it seems like the seasons never end and their playoffs are designed to last half a calendar year.
But, I still love college baseball and basketball and I find the minor league game fascinating.
I even worked for a minor league team years and years ago, selling souveniers during the long, lazy days of summer. And I also tried to make it a point each year to tune into the All-Star Game. Sure, I may not sit down and watch an entire game on TV, but the All-Star game was a different beast entirely.
Or at least it used to be....
I've not watched an All-Star game in years. And I'd be interested in the Home Run Derby if it weren't covered by Chris "I Have to Make Up a Stupid Nickname For Everyone" Berman.
Apparently, I'm not the only one who thinks the All-Star game has lost some of its luster. There was a
column in yesterday's Philadelphia Inquirer by Bob Ford that summed it up:
Baseball used to have the best all-star game in sports. That was before interleague play, of course, when there was still a mystique to any meeting between players of the American and National leagues. One team in home whites, the other in road grays. All those different uniforms, all those great stars.
That was before fan voting, too, before the selection of the starting position players became a bad joke. Now the all-star manager has to fix the mistakes made by the fans the best way he can. He has to get at least one player from every team in the league on the roster. Then he has to nominate five guys for the last spot and throw that back to the fans so Bud can get their e-mail addresses for the identity thieves.
All the teams that have players involved in the Monster All-Star Final Vote are going to ridiculous means to get their guy on the roster. The Phillies are no different, encouraging fans to sit at their computers and click away. Starting yesterday at noon, four lucky fans set up shop at the Harry the K's restaurant in Citizens Bank Park to have a vote-a-thon. The fan who casts the most votes will get an autographed jersey from Burrell and will be invited, along with 15 friends, to sit in Burrell's suite for a game later this season. Sweet!
The rest of the column is worth reading, as well.
Labels: sports
posted by Michael Hickerson at 7/10/2008 03:00:00 PM |
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