Are you tired of the Dunk Contest?  Do you feel like you've seen the same things over and over and over again? 

Does it amaze you that someone thinks the Skills Competition is even a remotely intriguing contest, worthy of being in the All-Star festivities? 

Has the Three Point Contest lost its luster (whatever it had to begin with)?

Well, folks, the NBA isn't going to just let you off the hook that easy this Valentine's Day weekend.  Or, President's Weekend.  Either way, the addition of the school yard game H-O-R-S-E should be an interesting piece to the festivities.  Frankly, I'm yawning over the rest of the action.  The dunk contests is tired, the Skills competition pointless, the 3 Point Contest always boring, and the Shooting Stars thing is misguided (more on that in a moment).  A rousing game of H-O-R-S-E though, that gets me interested.  And yes, I am obligated by law to spell it like that with all those hyphens.

The question was, who will be selected to compete, and today we learned that Ovinton James Mayo, Kevin "Duran" Durant, and Joe "Boring First and Last Name" Johnson have been selected.

Can't really argue with the selections.  Then again, how could you?  Besides personal allegiances, how could you say who would or wouldn't be good at a game of H-O-R-S-E?

Clearly, the NBA felt it needed to spice up its product, and thus the addition of the new game.  However, I've got a few changes of my own in mind.  Here we go...

1.  Don't let people turn you down when it comes to who can or can't participate in the Dunk Contest.  Ahem, Kobe, Vince Carter, Josh Smith, and LeBron James.  How much more fun would it be to see those guys go at it, as opposed to guys like Rudy Gay.  Don't get me wrong, I like Rudy, and he can hop, no doubt, but there's no juice in watching him.  

2.  Either get rid of the Shooting Stars Competition, or do it the right way.  That right way is to have the threesomes play games of 3 on 3.  The former star, the current star, and the WNBA star.  That would be a fun watch.

3.  Speaking of 3 on 3...Here's my big idea.  What I want, what I think could honestly replace all of these other events (and will never happen) is a game of 5 on 5.  Here's how it would go.  The top vote getter from each conference would stand in mid court the day of the game, and pick teams.  Highest votes picks second, and they go back and forth until each squad is filled.  The two teams play in a full court, 5 on 5 game with no refs.  Call your own fouls, up to 21 by ones and twos.  Mic the players up, and let 'em go.  Maybe put some cash reward on the line, whatever else might be needed to get them to play harder.  However, I'm of the belief that, like in the final quarter of the real ASG, the competitiveness in these guys would take over.  What you'd have is some of the best players on the planet playing the game like the rest of the world does on playgrounds all across the world.  Only way, way better.