NFL Pro Bowl…What a joke!
The NFL is a league that has become the most popular, most watched, and most exciting game in the United States every fall Sunday. The NFL season is a great masterpiece, with twists and turns around every corner. That long journey for two teams culminates in the biggest sporting event each year, the Superbowl. The most watched single sporting event every year, the Superbowl is the true granddaddy of them all. For this Giants fan, last year was truly special watching the underdog Giants shock the undefeated New England Patriots.
The NFL recently has made changes to improve their product. Stricter conduct rules, flex scheduling to eliminate two 2-11 teams playing a nationally televised game, and numerous others. Yet, it baffles me they have not come around to fixing the disaster that is the Pro Bowl as of yet.
Does anyone know the AFC vs NFC all-time record in the Pro Bowl? I do, but only because I looked it up. (AFC 20 - NFC 18) Who cares? The Pro Bowl is the NFL following up the most important event of the year with the least important one.
Here is a suggestion for the NFL to follow in regards to the Pro Bowl: Try having the game during the weekend that there are no playoff games before the Super Bowl. Have the game in the Super Bowl host city, and the players who were selected but are on one of the two teams remaining, they just don’t play. They still are recognized with the Pro Bowl selection, but they do not need to play in the game.
Randy Moss and Tom Brady did not step on the field last year in the Pro Bowl after the Super Bowl anyway, and of the 9 players selected from the Giants and Patriots, only about half played. The players do not care about the game and it is obvious. Sometimes I mistake the Pro Bowl uniforms as hula skirts.
Hula Skirt-Inspired Randy Moss jersey.
The MLB All-Star game has somewhat improved with the addition of the winner garnering home field advantage for their league in the World Series. Now I agree, that the players representing the Kansas City Royals and Washington Nationals do not really care about the winner of the All-Star game in respect to home field advantage for the World Series, but the MLB players give a lot closer to a regular season effort in that game. I find it exciting to watch a matchup between Johan Santana and Derek Jeter in the top of the 1st inning. And the Home Run Derby is at least watchable.
What happens in the Pro Bowl? Players that are exhausted from the more physically demanding NFL are not willing to sell out one more time for an exhibition. And the NFL doesn’t even allow blitzes in the Pro Bowl!
Are you kidding me? Ok, new rule this year in the MLB All-Star game…no changeups. That is absurd. Play the game the week before the Super Bowl and let the players have it out on a national stage, on a Sunday when most NFL fans are longing for football anyway. Ratings will improve, and the players would play harder knowing there are more eyes on them.
The NFL is the best product in all of sports. It is dominating, and allows fans to have a great experience each and every Sunday. The league has moved forward and is making positive strides each year. It amazes me that they have not gotten to this yet.
They will.
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