It was easy for basketball purists to be appalled by the NBA All-Star fiasco that occurred in Phoenix. However, I’ll go beyond simply the purists – and suggest even the average basketball fan thought the game and pre-game show was a farce.

I realize all-star games are solely for entertainment purposes and another cash cow for professional leagues. Of the four major sports, MLB is the most pure all-star event, with the NFL and NHL simply a half-speed showcase for their stars. The NBA event used to fall somewhere in the middle, as it was usually a show in the beginning – then players would get more competitive as the game progressed.  The game in Phoenix started as a joke – and concluded as an even bigger mockery of the game.

What happened to actually watching the greatest players in the world play the NBA game? If I wanted to watch schoolyard ball, I’d go to one of the inner-city courts in New York and get fully-entertained by some kids. But, when I put on TNT, I expect to watch organized ball being played with some sense of competitive integrity.

And the pre-game show?  Now, I don’t mind watching cheerleaders perform, as they’ve been part of basketball since Naismith rolled out the first ball. However, those dancers and Shaq?  Spare me. Are the players there to entertain us … or themselves?

I couldn’t watch the entire game, but I did keep going back with hopes it would get better. No luck. It was pathetic and an embarrassment to the NBA.

That could have been the last NBA All-Star game I’ll ever watch.

Quick…what is the current MLB record for home runs? Be truthful, did you instantly know that Barry Bonds has 762?

For years, the number 714 was embedded in our baseball brains. Babe Ruth held the home run record from 1935 until April 8, 1974, when Aaron hit #715. Hammerin’ Hank ended his career with 755. Most also remember that number, but I’m not sure Bonds’ record has resonated in the same manner.

Ruth’s single season home run record of 60 lasted 34-years until Maris hit #61 in 1961. Bonds currently owns the single-season record with 73. Since the inception of major league baseball until 1998, the 60 home run plateau had only been attained twice. From 1998 through 2001, 60+ home runs were accomplished six times. Welcome to the steroid era.

Steroids raise numerous questions about the Baseball Hall of Fame and its induction process. Should Bonds, McGwire, Clemens, Sosa and –  now, Alex Rodriquez – be inducted into the hallowed halls of Cooperstown?  Rodriquez has time on his side, but McGwire has already been shunned the past two years.

We all wait for MLB to comment on the record book and if recent steroid admissions or upcoming court cases will alter its current holy grail. However, MLB does not control the National Baseball Hall of Fame. Unquestionably, the two organizations work closely to honor baseball excellence and preserve its history, but it is not the MLB Hall of Fame. MLB can dictate what its record book states, but it doesn’t control the eligibility status of Baseball Hall of Fame’s candidates. Influence, yes. Dictate, no.

So, should the Baseball Hall of Fame make a statement on the steroid era and how (or if) it will affect future induction processes? Or, should it just let it all continue to play out? Remember, loosing Bonds, Clemens, et al as Hall of Famers will be very costly, as revenue during induction week in Cooperstown, plus the marketing of inductee products, is very important.

The tag line for The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is: Preserving History; Honoring Excellence; Connecting Generations. They need to figure out how to connect the steroid generation, while preserving baseball history in a manner which does not compromise excellence.

Good luck!

SI.com has reported Alex Rodriquez tested positive for an anabolic steroid and testosterone in 2003.  Rodriguez chose not to comment to a SI.com reporter. He stated, “You’ll have to talk to the Union.”

Is anyone really surprised? It’s disappointing, but not surprising. The only negative is that we’ll now be talking steroids again rather than the enjoyment of Spring Training.

So, we now have the greatest home run-hitter of all time, arguably the greatest pitcher of all-time (at least of his time), and, now, possibly the best all-around player of all-time, all tainted by the steroid era. What does the future hold for inductions into the Baseball Hall of Fame?

Is it time for Bud Selig to take a look at the record books? Should MLB begin thinking of restoring the records held by Aaron and Maris? Should there be an asterisk on Clemens’ 354 wins? These are questions that need to be asked and answered. MLB and Selig can no longer hide their heads in the sand.

Get ready… ESPN and your favorite sports talk-radio stations will be all-over this story in the coming days. If A-Rod thought Madonna was a magnet for the media, she has nothing on a good steroid story!

Floridians and Arizonans…prepare for the migration of snowbirds.

Forget Groundhog Day and the folklore of the groundhog predicting spring. And no true baseball fan really believes spring begins March 20th this year. Spring commences when MLB team equipment trucks leave for Florida and Arizona.

For baseball fanatics living in cold-weather climates, spring training is their annual hope that freezing temperatures and snow begone – with the sound of baseballs off wooden bats music to their ears.

The pilgrimage for World Champion Phillies’ fans is to Clearwater. Bostonians gather on the Gulf Coast in Fort Myers. New Yorkers head to either Tampa or Port St. Lucie in Florida, while Cubs’ fans go west to Meza, Arizona. St. Louis faithful travel to Jupiter on the Atlantic Coast. Wherever flight takes you…south or southwest, spring calls and America’s game is soon back.

My travels take me to the Fort Myers area in Florida and the islands of Sanibel and Captiva. It’s paradise. Get me out of this frigid weather and into City of Palms Park and Hammond Stadium, home to the Red Sox and Twins, respectively. This year, I may even go to the new spring home of the Rays just up I-75 in Port Charlotte. What better way to start the ’09 season that seeing the Sox, Yankees, and Rays – the three best teams in the American League, if not all of baseball.

It will be interesting to see how much the recession affects business this year. Cities and small towns hosting MLB spring sites desperately count on baseball fans and snowbirds to open their wallets and contribute to the local economy. Revenue generated this time of the year is critical to Florida and Arizona.

I’ll do my part dumping money into to my favorite spots like: ‘Tween Waters Inn on Captiva and its Oasis Pool Bar; Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar; and Matt Asen’s famous Timbers Seafood Restaurant and Sanibel Grille – where you could run into Chris Berman, Ted Koppel, or Brooks Robinson on any given night. Late-night usually includes Sanibel’s Jacaranda Restaurant and its fun “Jac Bar” with live music…or a trip to Fort Myers Beach visiting its numerous hot-spots.

The things we do to help the economy - and to stay young.

Snowbirds…start your engines. Baseball is back!