Well, it’s that time of year again. Work schedules intensify with coworkers trading their cubical confinement for the freedom of a trip to the tropics, lemon chills are sold in bunches as amusement park lines extend beyond their defined limits, and local swimming pool managers are forced to increase chlorine levels to combat the hundreds of kids who are torn between wasting two minutes in the restroom and the uninterrupted enjoyment of marco polo. The most certain confirmation that the summer is in full swing, however, is the arrival of the midsummer classic.

As I sit and endure 3 Doors down opening the 2008 Homerun Derby, my mind instantly begins to wonder which of the all-star celebrations is the most tricked up. No longer is a game featuring the league’s top players enough. These celebrations of sport have become events that attempt to match the Super Bowl in event publicity, media coverage, and television revenues.

Many will take sides on whether hearing Chris Berman’s “back…back…back…back…gone” call set on repeat constitutes a good all-star bonus, but looking at all the extra events, where does the MLB’s mid-season break fall in relation to the other major sports?

Let’s compare…

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National Football League Pro Bowl

Unfortunately, it seems that the NFL has done away with the special events that used to occupy my television set as a youngster. It may have been the prospect of going through the next 32 Saturdays with no football on tap, or maybe it was my unyielding sports focus that caused me to watch. Whatever the cause, I was certainly dialed in for the NFL’s Saturday afternoon broadcast of the lineman challenge, WR skills competition, or QB drills. Is there anything better than watching your favorite QBs execute the target practice you always simulated with your brother? Or watching Larry Allen amaze even Baltimore Ravens’ mascot Poe with his bench press?

As demonstrated by the jerseys, even without the bonus features, the NFL pro bowl is pretty much a bit by itself.

Major League Baseball All-Star Week

Futures Game - In it’s 10th year of existence, the Futures Game may not get the publicity of some of the other sports’ similar events but I’l argue that the collaboration of baseball’s minor league standouts has more value than any all-star spectacle period. Also, it’s great to reward these young players for fighting through the frustration and grind (as Ryan pointed out in “For the RoughRiders, It’s Not About Baseball“) that is a minor league season.

Home Run Derby - Young guys have been playing home run derby on a summer afternoon ever since the creation of the game so watching major leaguers perfect the art has value. It may get old fairly quickly, but at least it simulates a specific part of “the great game”. How can you not support an event that has young ballplayers in the outfield playing a glorified game of jackpot?

National Hockey League All-Star Weekend

Young Stars Game - I guess this is similar to MLB’s futures game, but anything associated with hockey goes relatively unnoticed by this sports fan. The premise is the same: bring together the bright young stars of the game and let the fans enjoy. The difference is that the prominence of minor league baseball makes the futures game more appealing.

Super Skills Challenge - This NHL display of talent is broken into the following six events:

• Obstacle Course
• Fastest Skater
• Elimination Shootout
• Accuracy Shooting
• Hardest Shot
• Breakaway Challenge

Most of them are self explanatory, but since I’ve never watched this event…your guess is as good as mine.

National Basketball Association All-Star Weekend

Rookie Challenge - Bringing together the league’s top rookies in a game against the association’s best second year players is a good idea in theory and seems similar to versions produced by MLB and the NHL, but you might as well be watching the AND 1 mix tape tour because this game is nothing more than a glorified pickup game.

Celebrity Game - Where do I begin? I can see the value in teaming up Justin Timberlake, Bow Wow, Nelly, and Tony Almeida in a fun-spirited game of hoops, but I draw the line at Steven A. Smith on the bench making “roster moves”. Oh, and of course there’s this:

Shooting Stars Competition - I don’t even know if it needs to be said, but involving former players in all-star weekend = good. Shoe horning WNBA players into the festivities = no bueno.

Skills Challenge - I’ve always wondered if the players competing in this even even take it seriously. A progression of weaving in and out of cones, chest passing into designated baskets, and bounce passing through a net seems like the obstacle course my brother and I would set up using trash cans, hockey goals, and sidewalk chalk.

Three-Point Shootout - A staple of NBA all-star weekend, the three-point shootout can be exciting when shots are falling. It can also be completely boring when they’re not. Jason Kapono?

Slam Dunk Competition - The image of Jordan’s dunk from the free throw line is one of the most memorable in sports. Vince Carter will forever be remembered by the picture of him hanging from the rim by his elbow. And now Dwight Howard will always be called Superman. It may have gotten somewhat stale, but I’ll always tune in.

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In summary, the bits will continue as long as fans open their wallets in acceptance but after reviewing each sport’s contribution, Major League Baseball’s version provides somewhat valid competition. Ranking the other sports’ all-star overkill? The NBA takes the cake.