MLS All Star Game: 5 dream skill challenges

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Jul 3, 2016; New York, NY, USA; New York City FC midfielder Andrea Pirlo (21) kicks a free kick against the New York Red Bulls during the first half at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

What if the MLS did skill challenges like the NHL, MLB, or NBA All Star festivities? What events would there be? Who would participate, or better yet, who would win?

Nobody likes the Pro Bowl. The NBA All Star game is a defenseless dunkfest. The MLB’s determines home field advantage in the Fall Classic, and the NHL’s is action packed. But the only All Star team that faces an elite team from a different league around the world, is Major League Soccer’s.

Thursday is the MLS All Star Game in San Jose, where the MLS squad of superstars will take on Premier League powerhouse Arsenal. In addition to the match against the Gunners, there is a lot of fun events for the fans, as well as the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game.

One area the week lacks in comparison to some of those other American leagues is: a fan friendly spectacle of the MLS’ best battling in a test of skills. Think of the NBA Dunk Contest in its heyday, or Giancarlo Stanton dazzling the crowd a few weeks back with towering moonshots in the Home Run Derby.

I put on my creative hat and came up with five options if the league ever decided to add this type of flair to their MLS All Star Game week’s schedule.

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