NBA All-Star Game not Fan-tastic
Yao Ming, Shaquille O'Neal, Injured NBA All-Stars Are Fan Favorites
Jan 28, 2007
The word "fan" is short for fanatic, not fantastic. No one ever accused those who paint their faces Indianapolis Colt blue, attend firigid Green Bay Packers' games shirtless, or wait two hours after games at Fenway Park in hopes of getting David Ortiz' autograph, of being sensible. Thus it should surprise no one that the leading vote-getters among NBA centers in All-Star Game ballotting, the Houston Rockets' Yao Ming and Miami Heat star Shaquille O'Neal, are sidelined with serious injuries. Three weeks of inactivity failed to sway voters away from sucker puncher Carmelo Anthony of the Denver Nuggets. NBA rooters don't care if, how, or when a player is playing, and the voting reflects it.
Yao Ming received 2,451,718 votes, the fourth-highest total in league history. Yet he has decided to forego the game to avoid aggravating his leg injury. When the gentle giant when down, did fans shift their allegiance to another Western center? No-o-o. His Rocket teammate, Tracy McGrady, logged 1,436,584 votes, despite missing considerable time to back injuries. Clearly, hoops fans are creatures of habit. Would the players be voting for T-Mac? And while Yao is watching from the stands, will Shaq be recovered enough to start at center for the East? Should he? The Orlando Magic's Dwight Howard is no household name, but he should be starting in the pivot for the Eastern All-Stars. He has led his team to a second place Southeast Division slot not far behind the Wizards.
Last season, the Washington Wizards' Gilbert Arenas was no household name, so it's nice to see him overtake high-flying Vince Carter in the fans' hearts. His buzzer-beaters, 29 ppg. average, and games with 61, 54, and 51 points vs. the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Utah Jazz, respectively, merit a starting spot. All those totals were achieved on the road. And once a player reaches supertar status, they're a shoo-in with the fans, whether they're playing well or not.
While I do not seek to deprive the fans of the opportunity to select the starters, their preferences speak to the popularity contest that the NBA All-Star Game is- not a reward for current brilliance but a pageant for past accomplishments. Julius Erving, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone all made it as greybeards. To round out the rosters, the Division coaches pick seven reserves apiece, (and may not choose their own players) and Commissioner David Stern tabs a players to replace injured selectees. The people with the best perspective, the players, have no say.
So it's on to Las Vegas, for the Three-point Shootout, the Slam Dunk Contest devoid of stars, the Rookie Challenge, and perhaps a game without Big Fellas Shaq or Yao. But there'll be no doubt who the fans would rather see- their polling tells the story.
