A Midsummer Night's Dream

So count me among the few who still enjoy tuning into the Major League Baseball All-Star Game (Fox, 8 p.m.) for what it is: A matchup of the best talent between the two leagues.

People criticize the All-Star Game for having no importance at all because of interleague play, or having artificially inflated importance because it now decides home-field advantage for the World Series. While these may be valid criticisms, it still doesn't diminish the fun of the game for me.

I enjoy the announcement of all the players, I enjoy seeing the matchups, the batting orders, how the managers employ their benches.

I can remember going back to the 1970s and seeing the likes of Reggie Jackson and Jim Rice line up in the outfield next to each other. I remember Bo Jackson's first appearance and Ronald Reagan broadcasting an inning of the game.

In fact, I wish there was more to the weekend. There used to be the All-Star skills competition, in which we learned who was the best bunter, the fastest baserunner and who possessed the strongest and most accurate arm. That ended when Barry Larkin suffered an arm injury on a throw and was lost for the remainder of the season. (But hey, if they canceled an event every time Barry Larkin got injured, no one would be playing baseball anywhere).

I wish people would just sit back and enjoy the game for what it is: baseball at its most fun.

TUESDAY'S BEST BETS: If baseball isn't your thing (and what the hell is wrong with you if that's the case), fear not.

OK, so there isn't all that much new on, but there are a few things of interest. "Eureka" (Sci-Fi, 9 p.m.) returns for its second season. I have to admit, I stopped watching midway through Season 1, but this show has developed its own cult following.

If pop culture trivia is your thing, you can catch "The World Series of Pop Culture" (VH-1, 9 p.m.)

And, if you have an appalling lack of taste, "Big Brother" (CBS, 9 p.m.) and "Pirate Master" (CBS, 10 p.m.) are both brand-new as well.