1. Who says an all star game *has* to be half ass. It's only half assed because the players treat it as such.
2. When I was growing up, the Olympics *was* about amateurs. About people whose day job was not being an athlete in whatever they were competing in. People who put in the work, and the money, because they wanted to be the best they could be. Then the fucking politicos made it a piece of the goddamn Cold War. And since the eastern bloc was all about government financing whatever the hell the government thought was going to help it out in said Cold War, they started subsidizing athletes and created a group of athletes that were paid to be Olympic competitors.
Not surprisingly, this meant the people putting more bucks into it started to win too much for the people on this side of the Atlantic. Since we have this incredible pool of pro athletes -- who are, indeed, among the best in the world at every major team sport but soccer -- all we have to do is "open things up" and, voila, we win again.
And all it takes is to take an objective of "showcasing the best amateur sports the country has to offer" and delete the word "amateur". Which is what happened.
If what you want from the Olympics is merely nationalistic bragging rights about who can assemble the best group of 12 guys for a particular tournament, fine. That's what you've got, and I'm glad you're happy.
Because I could care less. If I want to watch pro basketball, I'll watch the NBA. If I want to watch pro hockey, I'll watch the NHL.
ANd if I gave a flying fuck about which country has the best soccer team, I'd watch the World Cup.
You're right. It's unfair to compare the Dream Team and an all-star game.
It's unfair to the all-star game. Because nobody expects an all-star to be anything other than chest-thumping and me-me-me-ing. You get what you expect.
With the Olympics, you get less.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 (NKJV)