NBA All Star Sellabration

[Lucky1]

    It is sad to this sports fan that the GAME, in "NBA All Star Game" has taken a back seat in this 3 day Event.  I watched as they milked the Cash Cow to the last drop.  To accomplish this they added lots of extra milking time, in prime time.
   Was it a game, or a Sellabration, a showcase for self promotion?  

[countryboy]

As in all "Pro Sports" the all mighty $ sits on the throne.  What a shame for our country to sit by and watch the $ rule all sports. 

[foxgrove]

Sad... very very sad.  (and I miss Kareem!!!) 

[NMDave]

It is why I watch very few pro events anymore. It is more fun to see college sports or lower level pro sports. These are people with something to prove and they have their hearts in it. The pro sports have so alienated the average fan I am surprised they manage to fill the seats. Although a number of teams don't.

[Lucky1]

  I did not know that Dr. Buss had passed away when I was writing the Showcase/Sellebration  remarks. 
He was the best owner, he would spend the cash to get the Laker's the best players, and it payed off in championships.    His ideas were good ones, but like anything else it can be overdone. Moderation was dispatched while they were raking in the cash.
   RIP  Dr. Jerry Buss.   
B$G money is changing, and has changed college games too. The players work for free, ostensibly that is. 
The money machine is dumping millions into the pockets of the Pac 14, Big 5, ACC,  ETC.   When somebody is making loads of cash from your work, you want to get paid some of that stuff. 
  Things will change, there is a tug o war starting for all "non Pro sports" money, and if I was a young man working hard and risking severe injury to produce "the product" I would want to get some of that cash too. 

[countryboy]

I agree with NMDave,

I would much rather watch college or even high school sports.  Being involved with starting a Little League program years ago and following my kids through that and Babe Ruth and high school ball, that is where my heart still is.  The big problem is that it takes many many volunteers to keep these organizations running properly and those that volunteer get burned out over a few years.  I was involved with these programs for 28 years and traveled all over the country with the kids. 

Memories, memories, and more memories.  Most all very good.