All-Star game is huge — for one team

SANDY— It has to be a big deal.

Otherwise, it wouldn't be an All-Star Game, would it?

Major League Soccer's showcase event will be played Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium, featuring the league's best against Everton FC, of the English Snobby Premiere League. Everton's regular season hasn't yet begun, which means this is an exhibition game for the Toffees.

For the MLS side, it's a one-time-a-year chance to get noticed in places where soccer is life, i.e. almost anywhere outside the USA.

"I think when you look at the MLS season, there's always two marquee games," said Dominic Kinnear, the MLS coach. "That would be the All-Star Game, and obviously the MLS Cup at the end of the season."

So there you have it.

It's the biggest game of the year for MLS and a scrimmage for Everton.

One side is pumped and the other is stifling a yawn.

Not that they're admitting it.

"We know it's going to be a tough game," said Everton midfielder Philip Neville. "It's the best players in MLS and I think they'll want to put a show on against us."

Actually, it should be close. That's partly because it involves the best of MLS vs. a high-level European team. But another reason is because Everton can't possibly be thinking about this when it has to prepare for that.

Everton has been careful not to appear disdainful of America's soccer ambitions. On the contrary, at press gatherings this week, its manager and players deftly balanced between praising MLS and admitting today's outcome isn't a top priority.

That's probably why MLS has a 5-0 All-Star Game record against international teams.

Which naturally raises the question: What's in it for Everton?

"I think it's very close — only two weeks — until the (Premier) season starts," said Neville. "In terms of fitness, playing against top competition, it's good preparation. And you know it's going to be a step-up game, and I know a lot of their players are going to probably be a lot sharper. It will be good to see how far we've come."

Translation: Let the baby have its bottle.

MLS gets to measure its progress, while Everton gets in a nice little preseason workout.

In the words of that great American philosopher Allen Iverson: "Practice. We're talking about practice!"