Publicist Kim Etheredge said Terrell Owens had 25 million reasons to stay alive, well I think Alex Rodriguez has 20 million reasons to participate in the Homerun Derby. The choice of certain star athletes to miss events of this magnitude is the root of the problem with lack of connection between fan and player nowadays. When I noticed the article on ESPN this morning that A-Rod wants to skip the Homerun Derby I wanted to toss my laptop off of my balcony in hopes that it would fly into downtown Manhattan and hit Mr. Rodriguez in his oversized ego-filled noggin.

"I try to stay away from that," Rodriguez said, according to the New York Daily News. "My responsibility is to the New York Yankees. I need my swing to be at its best."

There are two things that really bother me with his quotes. Try to stay away from that? He's been in the derby 3 times in his career. Why not enter the contest that's hosted by your hometown in such a ceremonial setting like the last All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium? His responsibility is to the New York Yankees, while I do understand that, but shouldn't some responsibilities be owed to the thousands of his fans both men and children who would remember this for the rest of their lives? Not to mention that these are the same fans that pay his salary by buying mass amounts of his memorabilia, scores of tickets, and surrender many a good night sleep by staying awake until 1am to watch him take his swings during games on the west coast. I felt the same way last year when Barry Bonds wouldn't enter in his final All Star appearance in San Francisco too. This is what I mean by loss of connection with today's fan and major leaguers.

The same thing upsets me every year in the NBA Dunk contest when LeBron, Kobe, or even Vince Carter don't participate for the fans. At least Kobe and Carter have performed in it before. Their excuse in the NBA is that it hurts their legs, baseball players will "mess with their swings". I'm not sure how hitting batting practice fastballs, something most pros do over 300 days a year, will mess with their timing.

It's real simple A-Rod. Enter the contest, finish 6th like you always do, have some fun, and get your lousy standing ovation. What's so hard about that for the pre-madonna athlete to understand? Doesn't anyone remember that the All Star festivities are all for the fans???