1.   All-star festivities bring out the best a league has to offer.

2.   Although the league has just issued press releases stating that the NHL is enjoying all-time attendance records, there are facts that seem to indicate quite the opposite.

3.   Although the league has many excellent players, there was no player who seemed to seize the imagination of fans outside the sport until Lemieux returned.

4.   American League spokeswoman Phyllis Merhige said the league has no reservations about putting the two on the same field.

5.   An NFL spokesman said the league had no comment.

6.   And a player both leagues will likely have to wait for.

7.   An NHL spokesman who requested anonymity said the league had no comment when asked if McNall had been pressured to resign because of his legal and financial woes.

8.   And despite the current diversity in the league, the league did have a history of quota systems, both on the court and on the bench.

9.   And each time a league has problems, fans are alternately snubbed by multimillionaire owners and players, and then asked to embrace sports when the games start anew.

10.   And even though the anti-Microsoft league has some good cards in its hand, it could easily overplay them.