Stop complaining about the All-Star Game

Sometimes sports fans and media seem like a broken record. All I hear leading up to this year's All-Star Game was a bunch of bellyaching about the All-Star Game and how this exhibition game determined home-field advantage in the World Series. However, something tells me these were the same people complaining about how the All-Star Game meant nothing just a few years ago.

Well it does mean something, and it's certainly a better product than the Pro Bowl. But you won't hear the media complain about that since the NFL has them firmly secured in their back pocket. The MLB All-Star game is the biggest event in the summer, it's a celebration of the game and if you're a baseball fan - you enjoy seeing all of the stars line up in a single match up.

Yesterday, I sat down on my couch and thought to myself "All-Star game on a sunny day? How could it get any better?"

However, people want it to be better, but they offer no solutions or a reason why it apparently "sucks." I think All-Star games in all sports have declined for a couple reasons:

(A) We can see players from around the country every night thanks to networks, the Internet and SportsCenter that show highlights non-stop. Back in the day, all you could watch was your local team and that was it. The All-Star game afforded you the opportunity to see the game's best players, now you can do that anyways.

(B) Honestly before the Internet and 1,200 TV Channels - people didn't have much to do, so things like the All-Star game meant more because there's wasn't much choice.

What I don't get though is despite this understandable decline, people clamor for change. But exactly what do you do? It's a game that's designed as sort of a showcase for baseball - both an exhibition and celebration. Nothing more. Nothing less.

I loved the show that was put on last night, I loved how they honored volunteers from around the country for their hard work, I loved that President Obama made an appearance. The game may have not been the most epic thing (although it was a close competitive game), but seriously, what the heck do you want. The All-Star game is what it is.

Oh and this game gets as much in the ratings as World Series games - so to say it's irreverent is a joke. What people in our hyper-critical society need to realize is that they're just blowing hot air into the atmosphere.