Earlier tonight the starters for the 2010 All-Star game, something I will actually be attending this year, were announced. The teams are as follows: for the East we have KG, Lebron, Dwight Howard, Dwyane Wade and AI and for the West is Melo, Tim Duncan, Amare, Kobe and Steve Nash. Overall I think these teams will make for a good game and I am greatly looking forward to my trip to Dallas, I must make a comment or two on these picks.
First of all, and I know I am going to get ripped to pieces for this, I do not believe KG belongs on the team. I know he is talented and I actually think that the Celtics are better with him than without, but lately his performance has been sub-par. Now I know that is mostly the fault of his injuries but that does not change the fact of the matter. Currently KG is not who is used to be. Should be be faulted for this? No, of course not. I am sorry he got injured (and reinjured) and I wish him a full recovery, but with his said, he does not belong in Dallas and is taking the place of a more deserving forward.
The next point I want to address is Allen Iverson. Now, I love him and am so happy I get to see him in the flesh but because I have already heard many complaints about him making the team, I will play devil's advocate for a second. As far as I know, the reasons people are against AI are the following: he is "washed up", he has caused too much drama, and before signing with the 76ers once again, he had not played a professional game in quite some time. I admit that these points have some value behind them but consider this: shouldn't AI be rewarded for overcoming this time in his life and making the comeback he did? I think so. Everyone goes through hard times but what is important is how they come back from it and AI has done a hell of a job.
Moving on I must comment on Amare and Nash. Though it is not actually them I have a problem with, I do think it is a little unfair to have two players from the same team as starters. They both have been having great seasons and the Suns in general are doing well for themselves so if I had to pick one over the other I honestly do not know who I would pick but I do know one should go.
As for the reserves...I don't know who is a lock-in and who is not, as I haven't really been paying as much attention to them but I do have two players from each side who I think should absolutely make the team. From the West I think both Dirk and Kevin Durant should without a doubt be there as they are both key players to their teams as well as hard workers and improving by the day. From the East I think its necessary that Mo Williams and Derrick Rose both make the cut as they are my two favorite guards in the league. I know the Bulls have not been doing too hot lately, and generally I do try to take team ranking and performance into account but I need to overlook that habit in this case seeing as Derrick is a superstar and only getting better.
Now we could all go back and forth for hours about which picks this year were good or not but the truth is is that the larger picture is the problem of voting. Right now people vote in all sorts of ways. They vote for their favorite players, for the most skilled players, for the players on the best teams...the list goes on and on. It is total chaos and with such an important event it is a bit ridiculous that a better way has not been reached.
So what is to be done? Well, I believe that the league should choose the players, leaving the the fans to vote for only two players, one from each team. I also believe that it should be individual performance not team reputation that should be looked at, and on top of that, only the recent season should count. What the criteria for actually selecting players would be (points, most improved, etc.) I am not sure of but I do think something needs to change as there should be some sort of method to the madness.
Overall though I think this year's All-Star weekend will be totally explosive and I for one cannot wait till Feb 12th. Happy Valentine's Day!
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