The 41st All Star Game Teams Announced

ALL STAR GAME FACTS
-- Only two players who started the Season 40 game return as starters this season...Colquitt Croix and Pippi Pippistrelli.

-- 12 of the 20 All Stars are back from last season's game

-- Just two rookies made the All Star Game, both from Chicago...Santo Thomas and Norman Conquest

-- The oldest player in the game is Hall of Fame center Max Payne of Oklahoma City...in his 16th season

-- Payne's 10th All Star Game appearance ties him with Uncle Bob Masterson and Mamadou Zongo for most all time

-- Ginger Vampire and Naceg Gecan join a list of 30 players who have played in at least 6 All Star Games

-- The East has won 25 times and the West has won 15

-- Since Season 34, when the West won, the teams have alternated victories...if this pattern continues, the West would win this game

-- Three of the last four games have been won by just two points...the exception was Season 38 when the West won by scoring a record 106 points.

-- Conspicuous by their absence: Hall of Famer Hrundi V. Bakshi of Los Angeles, Chicago's Reckless Abandon, Charleston's B. Quiet, Philadelphia's Diss Reflexia, and of course, the injured Naf Naf of Charleston.

-- The most difficult position to make the All Star team has shifted to West Division forward, where 6 players exceeded 20 GVP...the two who missed out were: Tea Time Typhoo of Seattle (22.8) and Kyle Sherwood of Sacramento (22.4).

-- Other players who exceeded 20 GVP but did not make the team were: Steve Carter of Sacramento (20.4), Naf Naf of Charleston (21.1), and rookie Poodle "Stix" Jackson of Philadelphia(20.4).

-- The All Star Game asterisk added to their cards brings the following players that much closer to the Hall of Fame (10 honors needed): Beezow Bop-Bop (7), Naceg Gecan (7), Pippi Pippistrelli (7), Ginger Vampire (7), and Yipeekayee Masterfalcon (8). Masterfalcon is retiring after this season but still has time to make the Hall this season or via the Veteran's Committee after retirement.

-- The addition of his 10th All Star Game asterisk gives Hall of Famer Max Payne 18 lifetime honors, pushing him past Stu Nod and Link Lennex in the Hall of Fame rankings and tying him for sixth greatest player all time with Boone Doggle and Mamadou Zongo.