Let me start with a bit of disclosure here. I intensely dislike the NBA All-Star Game and I have not attended one since Dominique Wilkins was jobbed in the Chicago slam-dunk contest back in 1988.

	Theo Ratliff is the anchor for Philly, but is he really an All-Star?

I like the pure NBA game too much to go for this watered down competition. I don't need the Saturday sideshows, either. I see enough bad long distant shooting every night and Vince Carter post-dunk posturing on SportsCenter.

That said, let me tell you that I will not even bother to watch the fiasco in Washington two weeks hence. This is not a game. It is less than the usual exhibition because there will be only one All-Star team in the house. The East No-Star team doesn't belong, making it apt therefore that this season's renewal is played in Abe Pollin's house of marginally talented posers where the East is the home squad.

The combination of injury, illness and displacement of heroes has left the East a shambles. No Alonzo Mourning. No Grant Hill. So bad is the East, two guys who can't play get more than 900,000 votes.

	Rice

	Pip

Go back five years and see what's happened to the East. Shaq is in L.A. Scottie Pippen, Penny Hardaway, Patrick Ewing, Vin Baker and Terrell Brandon are scattered about the West and are much diminished in talent and stature. The Michael in retirement is Abe's henchman, whether he likes that or not. Glen Rice is a whiny Knick, Juwan Howard an overpaid extravagance on a bad Wizards team.

Hill's ankle is a mess and poor Zo has his dangerous kidney condition but remains the elected East center through public contempt for the rest of the mob.

I know, I know, I'm dissing some of your heroes. But riddle me this: Is Sixers center Theo Ratliff -- a valued role player on a terrific team -- really an All-Star? I don't think so. Check the stats -- 12.2 ppg., 8.1 rebounds? The centers in the East are so ordinary Ratliff looks good and the Raptors figure they can make a case for Antonio Davis (12.8 ppg., 10.8 rpg.), who isn't really a center at all, but a strong-willed power forward forced to play the middle on a team that can't clear break-even in a sea of mediocrity.

	Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo (8.4 ppg., 13.8 rpg.), whiling away his season as a chaperone for Lonnie Kruger's kids, has to be there even though he is much more adept at slapping the ball away from the basket than putting it in. Western refugee Brian Grant (15.2, 9.8) should be installed ahead of them all.

And since they've already sold this show to NBC, I've got a few ideas here, in time for Tuesday's coaches' announcement of seven reserves and David Stern's two replacement starters in the East.