All-Star Pre-Game Show

I was listening to the "Boers and Bernstein" show today on Chicago's 670 The Score, and Boers was discussing the elongated pre-game festivities prior to last night's All-Star game. I'm sure that this was discussed at least briefly on most sports talk shows across the country today. Boers contended that the honoring of today's living Hall of Famers was pretty much a farce, as most of these players--in his opinion--from the 60's and 70's were not the nicest guys around. Now I'm sure they weren't--just as I'm sure that a similar percentage of today's players aren't the greatest to deal with either. Let's look at it for a second. If you're a Hall of Famer, you were rather great as an athlete. Thus, you probably carried with you a bit of an air of egotism and narcissism. And that doesn't occur today?

I don't mean to call out Boers, I am only bringing him up because I know that his sentiments are being expressed by many others across the country today. My whole thing is that I really don't care if half the players--or all the players for that matter--were jerks in their playing days or are still jerks now. If we are constantly told that we shouldn't worship our athletes or treat them as heroes--and we shouldn't--and just appreciate them for their athletic achievements, then why couldn't we enjoy the pre-game ceremony for what it was. Players of the highest skill level and passion for the game congregating on one stage to celebrate the greatest game of them all--baseball. I know that it was a long ceremony and the game was even longer, but it's once a year and perhaps I am speaking for myself but I still get a special kick out of seeing the legends that have were immortal to me as a child.

Now if only Chris Berman and Joe Buck can go away and not return for football season.