Sports fans certainly possess a “love and hate” approach when appreciating the various all star games that attempt to celebrate the finest in athleticism.
With the NFL scheduling an off week prior to the Super Bowl, football’s Pro Bowl and the NHL All Star Game both used the open time-slot to capture viewers hungry for sports.
In both cases, the exhibition games featured an explosion of offense that tested the notion that fans value scoring above all else.
On the gridiron, the two squads posted an eye-popping 100 combined points, as the AFC defeated the NFC 59-41. While plenty of touchdowns were accrued, defense was non-existent, but for a proliferation of late turnovers, including 3 critical interceptions by rookie quarterback Cam Newton. Clearly both sides recognize that much of the physicality has to be taken out of the game for the safety of all.
Earlier in that same day, while football stars enjoyed the warm climate of Hawaii, hockey heroes braved the cold of Canada to compete in the NHL All Star Game. Hockey has adopted a unique format for its annual showcase that allows two captains to select their own team. On this occasion, Team Zdeno Chara defeated Team Daniel Alfredsson by the bloated score of 12-9. Much like their football counterparts, scoring was allowed to blossom because of a lack of hitting that usually accompanies the sport.
Is there a problem with these results?
While fans love scoring, these games do not expose sports at their best. In fact, in them we often reach a point where scoring becomes so prevalent that it diminishes the accomplishment.
But should we be concerned about flaws in games that are essentially meaningless?
As sports viewers, we have the simple right to express our approval or disapproval by changing the channel. Were television ratings for these games to decline, one can guarantee that the appropriate commissioners and powers-that-be would tweak the rules. The leagues would care.
Personally, I do not like the offensive explosions in all star games and think baseball clearly has the sports world’s best exhibition contest. That annual mid-summer showcase frequently features low scoring affairs that are characterized by dominant pitching.
Because baseball is largely a non-contact sport, it has a distinct advantage and defense is allowed to thrive in these games. In contrast, football, hockey, and basketball all need to balance the need for injury prevention with creating a compelling product.
That is not an easy task, but I do hope it is considered in future years. Creative angles, such as hockey’s use of team captains, add an extra edge to create buzz for these games. I think the formula would also work perfectly in the NBA — a sport where being first pick on the playground always made one’s day.
Sources:
Yahoo! Sports
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Jeff Briscoe is a hockey fan from Florida, who follows the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also covers Tampa Bay’s ECHL minor league affiliate, the Florida Everblades, for Examiner.com and co-hosts the popular, twice-weekly The Sports Train podcast.