By Jay Kitchen

Texas likes things big, and the state will feel right at home this coming weekend as the new Dallas Cowboy Stadium is set to host the NBA’s All-Star game in what is billed as the largest crowd in the game’s history. The capacity of the stadium is near 100,000.

Hosting the All-Star game is the brainchild of Cowboy owner Jerry Jones in yet another way to promote his billion-dollar castle, while at the same time adding another feather to the hat of NBA Commissioner David Stern. Despite this Texas-size basketball celebration, the NBA and its fans remember that it is West vs. East. A battle for bragging rights as well as egos, something that looms large in this sport.

The usual suspects will be in town. Kobe, Labron and Paul Pierce are accounted for, all worthy of being on their rosters. Indeed, circumstances and the game have changed since the days of Jerry West, Bill Russell, Dr. J, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The All-Star “event” now includes the pop aspect of society.

Example 1. King James will be teaming up with JZ to host the “Two Kings Dinner,” a star-studded event that will have, among others, rapper Pit Bull, Robert Horry, and Mario Lopez in attendance.

The NBA and ABC are doing everything to hype up the game, as the “feel” of the game is still alive along with the competition aspect. We still have that wide Magic Johnson smile feel in the background. Don’t look for Kurt Rambis to be cloth-lined by Kevin McKale in this game, but also do not look for a Spud Webb driving through the paint with a smile on his face and everyone just happy to be here.

Both rosters are loaded. The West has Kobe, who recently has been bothered with an ankle injury. Phoenix’s Steve Nash, Laker hater Carmelo Anthony, the solid Tim Duncan (averaging 20 points and 10 rebounds a game for an aging Spur team) and hometown favorite Dick Nowitzki are all in the mix. West reserves include the up and coming Brendan Roy and due to injuries, the Clippers, yes the Clippers, Chris Kaman will play at the center position.

The East will provide the talents of King James and his “magic powder throw” pre-game ritual, Superman Dwight Howard, Dwayne Wade, another Laker hater in Rajon Rondo of the Celtics, and Toronto’s Chris Bosh.

Two more Celtics, Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, along with Atlanta’s Joe Jackson are part of the bench squad for the East.

The NBA nowadays, like the show American Idol, has gone out of its way to hype up the stars. And like Idol, there are some picked selections that seem to be chosen for their popularity than their quality.

One All-Star voting pick seems to prove that name recognition has tainted the massive on-line voting system the NBA has created.

Maybe just a few years ago it was plausible that Allen Iverson would be considered an All-Star lock. However, his lack of any impact for any team he has been on the past few years should not have had him as a starter for the East. After not fitting in at Memphis the past season, he went back to Philadelphia, the team that he had the most impact at years ago.

With Pierce and Rondo coming off the bench for the East and Chicago’s Derrick Rose also worthy, there is some major talk about the “knowledge” of the people voting at the guard spot. There is concern that in the world of texting, tweeting and using that mouse on the computer, that popularity is outdoing true value, meaning that the rosters may not truly be filled with “the best” players available.

This theory also may spill over to the slam dunk contest. Kobe, James and other high-flyers should be at the top of the dunkster hit list come the popular battle time, where chairs and human bodies are often in peril as the participants use their imagination to score points. Ask Superman Dwight Howard about his flying powers last year in the event.

It seems that kryptonite has done its damage to the pack this year. With no disrespect to the Dunk Class of 2010, the competition this year will include the likes of Gerald Wallace, Shannon Brown and Nate Robinson (the defending champ). The contestants will be hoping to pull a rabbit out of a hat in the paint this time around as well. For sure there will be magic happening--just no big names like Houdini.

If anything, James should step up to the words he said earlier in the season about the dunk contest, where he was supposed to compete in it.

The All-Star game is set to be played on Valentine’s Day on ESPN.