It has been announced that the Philadelphia Union would be hosting the 2012 MLS All-Star game at PPL Park. Philadelphia is an ideal location and few could argue they do not deserve to host such an event. They have a lively crowd who are passionate, knowledgeable and they have a facility which rivals every stadium in MLS save perhaps for LiveStrong Park.

Here's photo of Russell Simmons and Maxwell in one of the skyboxes at the All Star game and it pretty much sums up the scene in the suite level last night at Red Bull Arena: moneyed people much more famous than you or I with Blackberries and wine glasses at the ready. Oh and models. Lots of models.

Manchester United 4 0 MLS All-Stars

In a rematch of the 2010 MLS All-Star Game, Manchester United was chosen to line up against the 2011 All-Stars. During their tour of the US United played and defeated three MLS teams including a 7-0 stroll past the Seattle Sounders.

Manchester United 4 0 MLS All-Stars

In a rematch of the 2010 MLS All-Star Game, Manchester United was chosen to line up against the 2011 All-Stars. During their tour of the US United played and defeated three MLS teams including a 7-0 stroll past the Seattle Sounders.

-Jason Davis There's another MLS All-Star game in the books, and it's left me feeling a bit detached. Unstuck. Like I'm floating in time, untethered. This must be how Billy Pilgrim felt. We just did this last year. I remember the conversations, the resulting blog posts, the excuses/justifications/criticisms/rants/re-thinks/polls/screeds/polemics, the hand-wringing and teeth-gnashing and disgust over the dire performance put on by what is supposed to a collection of the best players MLS.

Any betting men out there willing to put money down on Philly to host the next All Star game? I have no inside info on this but I'd favor them over other candidates like K.C. --which hosts the MLB All Star game in 2012-- and Houston, who have to be a favorite for MLS Cup 2012 with a gleaming, new AEG-backed stadium in a warm-weather market on the way.

Photo by Ed Schipul

How essential is watching an all star game to being a fan of a sport?

That's the question I am asking myself with the MLS All Star Game later tonight. ESPN2 will be broadcasting MLS All Stars v. Manchester United (The Rematch) beginning at 8:30 PM ET and I suspect the ratings for the event will be decent (relatively speaking).

I'm neck deep in All Star activities (read: practices & parties) but I just wanted to say "hey." So did Heath Pearce, Chris Wondolowski and the rest of the All Star team.

"30 Rock" star and stand up comedian Judah Friedlander has been making the American soccer rounds of late and he appears in this pretty hilarious commercial for the Major League Soccer All-Star Game (July 27 vs. Manchester United... like it says at the end of the clip).
I'd like to see Friedlander ball it up at next year's "Showdown in Chinatown" charity match.

Remember a few weeks ago when I ran into Judah Friedlander, The World Champion, at a party? This is what came out of it. Big man can move, right?
So let this be a lesson to all the young kids hustlin' out there on how this whole "networking" thing works: you go to a party, have a drink with someone preferably more more juiced than you, talk about work, and spin it in to Youtube gold.

Former players including Zinedine Zidane and Luis Figo put on a classic show as Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich in an all-star match-up. Final score: 8-3.

- Jason Davis
Here are two things I've decided to jam together for no other reason than that they're not substantial enough for two posts, and they allow for the somewhat clever headline.
Hype Machine
MLS got a rebuke from writers and fans alike yesterday when they hyped their All-Star Game venue announcement as "major.

Damn Charlie Davies, you just put the c***block on the All Star Game announcement. Well no, you didn't at all actually --Steven Goff maybe did just a 'lil bit though-- but news of your possible move to D.C. United dropping about 10 minutes after the All Star Game announcement was like a clusterbomb of MLS-related Twitlines.

For the first time since the Clinton administration the MLS All-Star Game is coming to New York. Or New Jersey to be more specific since Red Bull Arena is hosting the event which is great for me because that means I won't have to go away anywhere and sweat for a week. I get to sweat at home!

The 2011 NBA All-Star Game is beginning to take shape. On Thursday, the NBA announced the starting lineups. Though there is no huge snub in either conference, it is notable that neither conference's best team (the Boston Celtics in the East and the San Antonio Spurs in the West) has a representative in the All-Star game starting lineup.