KC's Frustrations with the All Star Game Lately

I've tried to be less vocal about it this year with the All Star game in Kansas City, but for the most part every year I'm leading the cry to not vote for Sporting KC players to be selected to the game. The reason for it is to avoid a meaningless game right before a very busy part of the season. With the way that MLS does the all star game, players still get selected to a list of non-rostered all stars. My thought had always been if any KC player was truly deserving of an all star vote, they'd get onto the non-rostered list and still get their All Star bonus.

Even with my cries to not vote in KC players, Sporting KC has had 8 selections to the All Star game over the last 3 years, since the team rebranded to Sporting KC.  And since that time every year post game there always seems to be an argument that backs up my decision to not vote for KC players.  Two years ago in New York it was Hans Backe playing Omar Bravo 81 minutes against Manchester United before finally subbing him out. This was the least worrisome of the last three years, although Bravo did start on the bench the next KC game three days later .

The second incident was a bit more serious against Chelsea in Philadelphia. Aurelien Collin picked up an injury after a collision with Michael Essien. Collin stayed out on the field a bit longer, being partially responsible for the equalizing goal by Chelsea, but his night was over in the 36th minute. Collin went on to miss the next two league games because of a facial fracture.

Then we had the incident this year where Graham Zusi ended up walking off the field after just 24 minutes against Roma. The injury, a right quad injury seemed more precautionary at the time, but now it looks like Zusi will miss at least this weekend's class against New York, who is right on KC's heals in the Eastern Conference. And before anyone says anything, yes I understand this is the kind of injury that could have just happened in practice, problem is it didn't.

It's certainly frustrating as a fan.  I want our players to be acknowledged as being some of the best in the league, but I also don't want the needless game that could get them injured. Last year both Roger Espinoza and Kei Kamara were also all stars, but neither one of them played, both were on the "inactive list" voted in because of the stellar seasons they were having. So it's not like they'd go unnoticed if they weren't voted in.