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.

At least Obama isn't playing around with interns

For all you presidential haters out there who are insulted at the prospect of Obama throwing out the first pitch at this year's MLB All-Star game, Dylan Kitzan from Unforgivable has some choice words for you.

I'm sorry, but people who freak out over the president attending a baseball game need to chill out and gain some perspective. It's been a point of contention for McCain supporters and Obama haters since January that Obama is an avid sports fan. He appeared on SportsCenter during March Madness, filling out his bracket (which had UNC winning it all). He plays basketball regularly. And now, Obama will be at Busch Stadium in July to watch the American League All-Stars take on the National League All-Stars. Big whoop.

If you haven't noticed, Obama has been getting work done while doing all of this. The United States' image worldwide is improving in the post-Bush era. The automotive industry has great potential to rebound and hundreds of thousands of jobs are being created throughout all 50 states. Sure, there are a plethora of problems with our country, both big and small, but there always are and there always will be. When's the last time a president fixed every problem and satisfied every U.S. citizen? OK, just checking.

Listen, I'm not much of a political guy, but to jump on the president's case for being a sports fan is wrong. He's still only one man with a wife and kids and has his own life to juggle while being America's Top Dog. Of course he needs to allocate more time to his responsibilities as president than to his free time or his personal interests, but to those on his case for attending a baseball game or shooting some hoops, I say relax and think about it for a second.

For every hour he spends at a ball game, he's probably spending several weeks or months fixing what's wrong with this country. That's more than I'm doing or will ever do. And chances are, it's more than his critics are doing or will ever do.

I'll agree with that, although I'm sure Fox News will dig up the transportation bill on this one. The real problem with politics is that people choose sides, dig in and make no rational choices whatsoever.

The same kind of stupid criticism happened when Bush was is in office and now conservatives have just shifted roles. If you really step back and look at the whole picture you realize that the left and right factions are the same thing in different packaging.

As for Obama, I hope he doesn't do this.