The Pro Bowl Sham

[Dave Gray]

Something needs to be done about the Pro Bowl.  I'm not sure what, however.  The NFL needs to step in and somehow make the game mandatory or otherwise incentivize it so that the people elected actually go.

Maybe not counting it in your stats -- as in, being selected isn't the honor, but playing in the game is.  So, if you were chosen to go and you don't, then you didn't "make" the Pro Bowl, in terms of stats.  It might sway some players who want to make a case for a Hall of Fame run.

I think about it this way: The Pro Bowl is in my neck of the woods this year.  There is really no reason that I shouldn't go, just for the love of the game.  And I'm happy that it's around the Super Bowl weekend.  However, it's hard to get myself up for it, when the players don't take it seriously.  Also, I'd really love to go and cheer for Jake Long.  I think that giving him the individual ovation that he doesn't get at Dolphins games would be something special.

The fact that I, the pinnacle of hardcore football fans has this big event in my home town and I'm not that interested speaks volumes about it.  I would want to go if I really felt that this was the best players from both leagues represented, but I don't.

[Frimp]

Here's my idea of how to fix it...

1, Put it mid season and have a Pro Bowl break like they do in MLB and NBA.

2, Have it in London. If the Bucs can sell out that stadium, the Pro Bowl will too and the fans there will get to see the top NFL players, and there won't be a team that loses a home game for it anymore.

[Brian Fein]

The Bucs didn't sell out Wimbley stadium, the Patriots did...

I am excited for the Pro-Bowl.  I got my tickets yesterday and I can't wait to go.  Its gonna be great!

[CF DolFan]

I'm with Dave. I've been trying to figure when the best time to sell will be as it really doesn't seem that interesting to me. It's embarrasing and obviously disappointing, at least to me, that we don't even have a "home town hero" to cheer for.

[jtex316]

I can't ever remember watching one Pro Bowl and the NFL is my all-time #1 favorite sport by far.

I can name you 10 different NBA All-Star games and who the MVP was. I can't even follow basketball until after the Super Bowl.

That also speaks volumes.

[Sunstroke]

Here's my idea of how to fix it...

1, Put it mid season and have a Pro Bowl break like they do in MLB and NBA.

2, Have it in London. If the Bucs can sell out that stadium, the Pro Bowl will too and the fans there will get to see the top NFL players, and there won't be a team that loses a home game for it anymore.

A couple of small issues with this plan...

1) Injuries during pro bowls are common occurences, mainly because it's football they're playing, rather than a non-collision sport. And, since all players participating are among the best on their respective teams (hence the pro bowl invite), you run the risk of a key player on a playoff contender getting injured and seriously damaging that team's chances at postseason glory (read: the only real goal an NFL team has)

2) The logistics involved with sending the Pro Bowl overseas during the middle of the season would be a nightmare, and would incentivize players on teams that are in playoff contention to avoid the game entirely.

Something needs to be done about the Pro Bowl.  I'm not sure what, however.  The NFL needs to step in and somehow make the game mandatory or otherwise incentivize it so that the people elected actually go.

Maybe not counting it in your stats -- as in, being selected isn't the honor, but playing in the game is.  So, if you were chosen to go and you don't, then you didn't "make" the Pro Bowl, in terms of stats.  It might sway some players who want to make a case for a Hall of Fame run.

I think this is the answer... Keep it in the USA, keep it "after" the playoffs are done, and make it so that if you don't show up, you don't get credit for being in the pro bowl, along with any other HoF benefits and self/peer-respect that come with it.

[Phishfan]

Nothing will make me care about the Pro Bowl. It is meaningless and nothing should be done to make it otherwise in my opinion. It is nothing but an exhibition game at the end of the year (after we have gotten our football fix). I don't watch any of the all star games because each of them is a travesty to the real sport. It is nothing more than a PR event and really shouldn't be considered as actual football IMO.

[Brian Fein]

The winner of the Pro-Bowl gets to host the Super Bowl the next season.

Oh, uh, wait...

Nevermind.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Nothing will make me care about the Pro Bowl. It is meaningless and nothing should be done to make it otherwise in my opinion. It is nothing but an exhibition game at the end of the year (after we have gotten our football fix). I don't watch any of the all star games because each of them is a travesty to the real sport. It is nothing more than a PR event and really shouldn't be considered as actual football IMO.

That's exactly what it is.  A "cool down" event.  It's made so that football fans can see their favorite NFL stars one more time before settling in for a long offseason.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

1. Play it on the 3rd weekend of July, with training camp begining for all teams the Tuesday afterwards.

2. Play it the stadium of the superbowl winner.

3. If a player is elected and did not end the season on IR and does not attend the game, then he may not play in any pre-season games and must begin the season on PUP (thus can not play in any regular season games until week 6).  He may participate in all other training camp activities.  If the doctors say he is healthy enough to play and he doesn't play he forfeits the game checks.  Also unless in a hospital an injured player must attend the game and watch it from the stands. 

4. Fan voting begins week 11 and ends 4 hours after the last game is concluded week 16.

Pluses of this are:

* pretty much mandates players are there.

* at that time of year most of us are buying are FF magaizines and are ready to watch some football again.

* less players will be hurt. 

* it is early enough that most game injuries would heal well before the first regular season game

* players are actually more likely to be in shape.  Many players stop (or curtail) the exercise routine once eliminated even if they are going to the pro-bowl and then start it up again to get in shape for training camp.  Rust shouldn't be too much of an issue as that has more to do with timing than anything else and that really doesn't exist on the pro-bowl team.  

[Dave Gray]

Pluses of this are:

* players are actually more likely to be in shape.  Many players stop (or curtail) the exercise routine once eliminated even if they are going to the pro-bowl and then start it up again to get in shape for training camp.  Rust shouldn't be too much of an issue as that has more to do with timing than anything else and that really doesn't exist on the pro-bowl team.  

I completely disagree with this and think that this alone eliminates your idea.  There is no way that the average player is in better shape before training camp starts than a few weeks after the regular season.  I think that the risk of injury would be too great.

Although I do like attendance being mandatory, even if you don't play.  That might shame people into playing that are faking injury.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

  There is no way that the average player is in better shape before training camp starts than a few weeks after the regular season.  I think that the risk of injury would be too great.

Two things. 

Many players are in better shape at the start of training camp than they are on the last day of the season, let alone 6 or 7 weeks later.  While some players do show up to training camp out of shape, few do b/c it is just to painful to do the 2 a days if you are out of shape.  By the end of the season with many players hurt, teams have eased up quite a bit on practice, doing more walk thrus of practice.

Second we are not talking about average players, we are talking about pro-bowl quality players. These guys take a month or two off and then are back at it.  In general you can't be the best of the best if you don't train that way.     

[fyo]

I think you guys are going in the completely wrong direction on this.

You are trying to make the Pro Bowl a game that matters. Why? If you want more games that matter, I'd much rather have more regular season games. The risk of injury is there for EVERY game, so if we're going to have the stars of the league risk injury, might as well have everyone else risk it as well -- and play some REAL games.

If anything, make the Pro Bowl LESS like an actual football game. It should be a celebration of the top players in the league and that's it. Make it fun, make it a GAME, but not a football game. Make it ENTERTAINMENT, not sport.

Don't pretend it's a football game. It's not and neither should it be.