NBA All-Star Game ‘24: Was It “Worst Sporting Event Ever?”

NBA All-Star Game ‘24: Was It “Worst Sporting Event Ever?”

Time Stamp: February 19, 2024 6:39 AM
Source Node: 2487020

NBA All-Star disappointment

A star-studded fixture in which all of the best NBA players compete for a trophy in a single game – sounds interesting right? Wrong.

the blowout result shows a serious lack of defensive effort

NBA fans have voiced their disapproval after the 2024 edition of the NBA All-Star Game on Sunday night. The East won by 211-186, representing the highest-ever score in the game’s history. While a high score might seem like a good thing, the blowout result shows a serious lack of defensive effort.

Boston Globe sports columnist Bob Ryan dubbed the game, which took place in Indianapolis, a “disgraceful farce:”

In a similar vein, another X user called Patrick Daugherty dubbed the game “the worst sporting event ever,” while Athletics columnist David Aldridge said the game was “irredeemable.” “I am not sure why even minimal defense effort is beyond this generation of All-Stars,” Aldridge said, adding: “It may be time to end this game if they can’t give more of a damn.”

Undoubtedly, fans were disappointed, but there have been similar let-downs throughout sporting history. VegasSlotsOnline News has listed three such instances where events failed to deliver.  

Liverpool vs Tottenham Hotspur

UEFA Champions League Final

2019

When the English Premier League’s Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur came up against each other in the 2019 UEFA Champions League final, it seemed a dream matchup. A Liverpool victory would mean a sixth win in the tournament for the Merseyside team, while London-based Tottenham had reached the final for the very first time.

The game was a drab affair in Madrid. Liverpool won the game 2-0 after Mohamed Salah scored a penalty after just 106 seconds and Dovick Origi knocked another home in the 86th minute. Not much happened in the time in between, essentially constituting the entirety of the game.

While there have been plenty of boring finals in soccer, this one stands out because of what preceded it – two of the best semi-finals in Champions League history. Tottenham came back from a 1-0 deficit in their first leg against Dutch club Ajax to defeat them 3-2 away from home. Lucas Moura scored a hattrick, including a 95th-minute winner to send his team through on away goals.

one of the most goosebump-inducing moments in Champions League history

As for Liverpool, their comeback against Barcelona is now one of the most goosebump-inducing moments in Champions League history. Having lost 3-0 to the Spanish giants away from home in the first leg, a comeback seemed impossible. But an unbelievable performance, including an ingenious corner link up, sealed their 4-0 win at Anfield and ticket to the final:

Manny Pacquiao vs Floyd Mayweather

Welterweight Unification Bout

2015

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather are two of the biggest names in boxing.

Filipino Pacquiao ended his career with 62 wins, eight losses, and two draws, also still holding the record for the most world titles in different weight classes, including eight divisions. Meanwhile, the American juggernaut Mayweather retired with a 50-0 record, meaning he has never lost in his illustrious career.

dubbed the “Fight of the Century” by promoters

The pair came up against each other in 2015 for a fight that sought to unify the WBC, WBA, and WBO welterweight titles at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Paradise, Nevada. It was dubbed the “Fight of the Century” by promoters, and the pay-per-view (PPV) broke revenue records in the US, making $410m – the highest grossing PPV in history.

Sadly, with such a build-up, it was unlikely that the fight could ever live up to the hype. Almost completely bereft of action, the bout went the full 12 rounds with both fighters incredibly cautious. Critics have chalked this up to a number of reasons: Pacquiao was weighed down by a shoulder injury and the pair were well past their peak regardless, with Floyd 38 and Manny 36.

Mayweather ultimately took the win in a unanimous decision, two judges scoring it 116-112 and the other 118-110. However, many boxing fans believe the pair should have fought five years prior when they were both in their prime. Even boxing legend Mike Tyson had this to say at the time:

The pair have organized a rematch in an exhibition bout that will go ahead in 2024. Mayweather has opened as -225 favourite, while his opponent is trailing slightly at +175. Hopefully the two boxing greats can make up for last time and give fans the show they were so desperately craving.

Baltimore Colts vs Dallas Cowboys

Super Bowl V

1971

Our final event is otherwise known as the “Blunder Bowl.” It was the first Super Bowl after the official merger between the AFL and NFL leagues in 1970. With the merger essentially reshaping the landscape of American football, bringing the best players into one league, fans expected big things in the final matchup between Baltimore and Dallas.

This is especially true given the amount of talent that was on display in that final. Football legends Johnny Unitas, Bubba Smith, Bob Lilly, Charlie Waters, and Cowboys coach Tom Landry all had a part to play.

the only losing play to win the MVP award in history

Despite the star-studded lineups, the game proved a calamity of errors. Poor performances led to 11 turnovers, countless penalties, and just a general air of incompetence from both teams. Baltimore ultimately took victory in the 16-13 end result, but Cowboys linebacker Chuck Howley ended up with MVP – indicating the poor quality of everyone on the field. He remains the only losing play to win the MVP award in history.

While a close scoreline might give the sense that it was an interesting game, most fans just seemed to want it all to end when Jim O’Brien scored a game-winning field goal in the final seconds:

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