Sports 2000

Allen Iverson was elected to start for the Eastern Conference in next month’s NBA All-Star Game. To be charitable, Iverson is having the worst year of his Hall of Fame-caliber career.

He signed with Memphis after being dumped by Denver and by Detroit last season. After playing three games in Memphis, Iverson negotiated his release from the Grizzlies. He’s back with Philadelphia, where he began his pro career, was the Most Valuable Player in 2000 and led the 76ers to the NBA Finals that season.

It’s 2010 now and Iverson’s career is nearly done. However, he remains a fan favorite. Therefore, he’ll be on his 11th All-Star team. The bottom line is voters decided they’d rather have him rather than Vince Carter start at guard. It’s the fan game so it’s their prerogative.

Meanwhile, the NFL Pro Bowl has made changes. The game, played in Honolulu starting in 1980, will be held in Miami this year. The game has always been held the week after the Super Bowl. This time, the contest will be played the Sunday before the Super Bowl. That’s the midpoint in the two-week interval after conference championship games.

The MLB, long the most serious All-Star Game, had degenerated too. After the 11-inning tie a few years ago, the only way to inject interest in the game was to give the winning league home-field advantage in the World Series.

The NHL All-Star Game remains a joke. The MLS All-Star Game features a team of league standouts against a top-end European squad, like Chelsea or Aston Villa.

The bottom line is all the games need to end. Their usefulness has been outlived. Stop the complaining about the fans’ role in the process. End the players’ dilemma of wanting to be picked yet not wanting to play.

Stop wasting weekends on more meaningless exhibitions. Allowing a few extra off days during the season would be more appreciated than the contrived game.

The players like getting contract bonuses for being on the team but no one wants to be injured in the game. All-star games had their place once. Let them go with dignity.

The Australian Open has started. So far, the biggest upset is Maria Sharapova’s stunning defeat in the first round. Roger Federer struggled in his opening match but managed to subdue Igor Andreev in four sets.

I wonder how long Serena Williams will last if she already requires a wrap on her thigh. The tape is supposed to be precautionary but I noticed that her sister, Venus, isn’t taking such a precaution.

I’m looking forward to the Winter Olympics next month. The Games couldn’t be held at a better time, Feb. 12-28. Football will be done. Spring training baseball won’t be underway, nor will the college basketball conference tournaments.

The Olympics will only be competing with regular-season NBA, NHL and college games. Perhaps a few auto races as well. Plus the entertainment lineups such as Desperate Housewives, American Idol, Survivor and House. I hope the Americans do well in Vancouver.

Hard to believe I’m 2-6 after two NFL playoff weekends. All four teams I thought would reach the conference championship games have been eliminated.

Some of the contests weren’t even close. The results are very disappointing indeed. At least I successfully picked Alabama over Texas in the BCS title game.

Pete Carroll was officially introduced as Seattle coach today. Carroll left USC yesterday. The Trojans named Lane Kiffin as their new coach.

Kiffin leaves Tennessee after one season. Kiffin spent about a year-and-a-half as Oakland coach. Before that, he was an assistant at USC under Carroll.

Kiffin’s dad, Monte, will follow his son to USC to be the defensive coordinator. Monte Kiffin was defensive coordinator at Tennessee in 2009 and enjoyed a distinguished NFL coaching career. Ed Orgeron and Norm Chow are expected to return to USC as well to be assistants.

It’s January so the coaching carousel remains in motion. Tennessee will need to hire a high-profile coach. Whoever the Volunteers grab will leave a vacancy elsewhere.

Meanwhile, National Signing Day looms within three weeks. The pressure is on every college to hold its blue-chip recruits.