Heading into this past weekend, I figured I’d be using this space to rant about how pathetic professional all-star games have become. Even while nearly falling asleep during the introduction of the NHL squads, everything seemed to be going as planned.

But thankfully, the games started, and for the first time in several years, they actually gave fans something to remember for a few days.

On the frozen pond in the historic hockey town of Sunrise, Fla., Dany Heatley made us all conjure up memories of a young Wayne Gretzky. The 22-year old Atlanta Thrasher, who had once signed a national letter of intent to play for Ohio State before going to Wisconsin, went out and scored four goals, added a fifth in the shoot-out and tallied an assist en route to being named the game’s MVP.

The first of his tallies came with a twisting one-legged shot to beat Patrick Roy. He followed it up by going yard, using his stick in place of a baseball bat to hammer an airborne puck for another score.

Over in Hawaii, the mother of all-star snoozers, the Pro Bowl, actually had a pulse this year. Rich Gannon rebounded from a horrible showing in the Super Bowl to lead the AFC to a win, but what gave this game some flair was its side stories.

One of the true advantages of these exhibitions are the in-game interviews, which allow the fans to see the players in a laid-back setting. This year, Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning may have scored one of the biggest memories in the history of the Pro Bowl.

Unfortunately for the league, it occurred on the sideline.

Manning called outspoken Colts kicker Mike Vanderjagt an idiot, who got liquored up and ran his mouth about the Colts. Right there — that’s classic.

Because the Pro Bowl is in Honolulu every year and played after the season is over, it is nothing more than an afterthought in the minds of many fans (and players). Why not move it to a rotating site, or — like every other sport — move it into the regular-season schedule?

In between shots at the kickers, another aspect of the game went above dull and boring. I was thrilled to see regulars like Miami runningback Ricky Williams pulling duty on kickoff coverage. His efforts gained him a fumble recovery and helped him pick up MVP honors.

The all-star doubleheader showed there may be hope for these games yet.

Nowadays, fans give more attention to the skill competitions like the home run derby, the slam-dunk contest and the 3-point shootout rather than the actual game. And frankly, who can blame any one of us?

The hockey game was a great change from the offensive onslaughts of years past. Until Sunday, the league’s best goalies were relegated into nothing more than participants in a firing squad.

True, fans love to see offense, but when the goalies become nothing more than an oversized target in a shooting gallery, where is the fun in that? Prior to Sunday, I was all in favor of giving back the goalies the oversized pads they used a few years ago to give them a fighting chance.

The inflated offensive numbers make most of these games seem more like something out of a video game. These contests are not realistic. Up until this weekend, the only two exhibitions I would even touch were NASCAR’s The Winston and baseball mid-summer classic.

These were the only two events which actually resembled real games. NASCAR’s annual event in late May is all excitement. With no points on the line, it is all about mashing the gas, driving by the seat of your pants and doing anything possible to win. The late Dale Earnhardt personified this race by making a pass on the infield grass to edge Bill Elliott out at the finish line in 1987.

As far as baseball goes, the pitcher still has to throw the ball and the batter has to hit. It is tough to mess this one up unless you’re Bud Selig. Just remember, there is no crying — or ties — in baseball.

So why not implement some of these changes and make the all-star games worth watching again? Make them real games with the best playing the best — it is an interesting formula which will produce the best game for the fans. Otherwise, these games are simply pointless.

Nick Houser is a senior in journalism. He can be reached for comment at [email protected].