To me, professional sports all-star games are pretty irrelevant. Defense goes out the window. Contact disappears. Smiles are more prevalent than hits. The NHL runs up goals at a record-setting pace; the NFL sets point records approaching 130 points combined; and the NBA combined scoring reaches in excess of 300 points. But there is one exception. No, not the MLB game, even though there’s something at stake there. It is, voila, the MLB’s home run contest that takes place the day before the All-Star Game. This competition fills the stadium, powers fan excitement and generates decent TV ratings. People love the long ball.