NHL All-Star Weekend Does it Again

Hey people, wake up, the greatness that is the NHL being played out doors isn't the only unique thing it has going for it. I believe that the NHL All-Star weekend is better then any other leagues. The NBA All-Star weekend may be more about the glitz and glamor of Hollywood and the music industry. However, very few care about the game and the Slam Dunk contest. Most players in the dunk contest you can't recognize anymore. The MLB All-Star game is a joke, "this one counts," frankly, sucks. And the Pro Bowl? Enough said.

The biggest stars always show up and compete, and they all do it gladly. No "suspicious" injuries occur before the weekend like in other sports. Most NHL stars seem to take pride in being there. Watching some of this years All-Stars talk about past All-Stars on hand was a joy. Their eyes wide like little kids when names like Gordie Howe are mentioned. And it all goes back to the amount of respect that lies within each and every NHL player. For the game and it's past, it's roots are never forgotten or taken for granted, that's the major difference between hockey and everything else. Such a great sport that gets such a bad rap by people not willing to invest the time to get to know it better before judging it so harshly.

My only hope is that Gary Bettman and the NHL don't alienate their cult following by trying stunts to gain interest in the game. The "ban fighting" argument is going on again, the NHL has seemed to stand firm on being for fighting. Hope when the pressure to change something comes harder in the future(and it will) that the NHL is just as strong.

More to come,

Mike Santa Barbara