The NFL Pro Bowl: Go Away

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CGI_Ram

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It's too physical of a sport to have a friendly game. Time to find a new solution for NFL's all pros.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... unterpoint

This week, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning offered a direct and impassioned plea to those surrounding him in a Hawaii ballroom. According to Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network, Manning asked players to give better effort in Sunday's Pro Bowl to preserve the long history of the game.

Of course, the audience Manning spoke to included only one of the five other quarterbacks originally elected to play. Both of the NFC's starting receivers, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall, were missing after opting out of the game. All five of the NFC's original linebackers were missing, as well. One player who was in attendance, Green Bay Packers center Jeff Saturday, had such a poor season that he was benched with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Pro Bowl as currently constituted is beyond repair, even if Manning's plea leads to a short-term dose of intensity. The selection process is flawed, to say the least, and there will never be a long-term motivation to play hard as long as the risks far outweigh the rewards.

There are plenty of ways to bring together the NFL's best players for a week of postseason honors and entertainment. Attempting to stage a typically violent game, with players selected by highly unscientific measures, isn't one of them.

Instead of a game, why not gather players for a tropical week of (safe) skill and physical challenges that benefit the charity? How about mirroring a reality show to appeal to a broad audience? I would watch Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady compete, "Top Chef" style. And I wouldn't mind finding out whether Justin Smith or Ray Lewis would eat, say, more cockroaches for charity.

While they're at it, why not make the rosters of players more legitimate by tweaking the selection process? Including the kind of analytics that all NFL teams now use to evaluate players would seem a logical shift. The NFL might think it is empowering fans, players and coaches by giving them the full vote each year, but the results annually disappoint and anger those same groups in equal proportions.

There is no reason to preserve something that has run its course. The Pro Bowl is worthwhile as an event, but the centerpiece shouldn't be -- and doesn't need to be -- a game.
 

Lunchbox

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I couldn't agree more with this assessment CGI. I can't remember the last time I bothered to tune in for this joke of a game by normal NFL standards.

A weekend of various competitive events that highlight some of the skills required to be the best of the best of NFL players would be much more worth watching and actually benefit from the "friendly" or "just for fun" attitude that makes playing a football game an unwatchable farce.
 

-X-

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Tortoise said:
I couldn't agree more with this assessment CGI. I can't remember the last time I bothered to tune in for this joke of a game by normal NFL standards.

A weekend of various competitive events that highlight some of the skills required to be the best of the best of NFL players would be much more worth watching and actually benefit from the "friendly" or "just for fun" attitude that makes playing a football game an unwatchable farce.
Yeah, I haven't watched it in years either. It really is a joke. MVP of a scrimmage? Oh cool.

Do they still do that punt, pass & kick thing? Or the QB competition thing? Those I could watch. But not a game of dudes who were elected to be there via the results of a popularity contest.
 

RamFan503

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Yeah - putting it before the SB was really jumping the shark. I don't think I've watched that game for at least 15 years though. I understand that it is such a violent game that it's hard to justify putting your career on the line for a stage show. While I hate to see tradition go, the NFL might just as well name their all star team and call it good. A skills competition might be fun but unless I was trying not to do something else, I doubt I'd watch it. I liked them as a kid but now? Not so much.
 

RamsLife

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CGI_Ram said:
It's too physical of a sport to have a friendly game. Time to find a new solution for NFL's all pros.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfcnorth/post/_ ... unterpoint

This week, Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning offered a direct and impassioned plea to those surrounding him in a Hawaii ballroom. According to Jeff Darlington of the NFL Network, Manning asked players to give better effort in Sunday's Pro Bowl to preserve the long history of the game.

Of course, the audience Manning spoke to included only one of the five other quarterbacks originally elected to play. Both of the NFC's starting receivers, Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall, were missing after opting out of the game. All five of the NFC's original linebackers were missing, as well. One player who was in attendance, Green Bay Packers center Jeff Saturday, had such a poor season that he was benched with two games remaining in the regular season.

The Pro Bowl as currently constituted is beyond repair, even if Manning's plea leads to a short-term dose of intensity. The selection process is flawed, to say the least, and there will never be a long-term motivation to play hard as long as the risks far outweigh the rewards.

There are plenty of ways to bring together the NFL's best players for a week of postseason honors and entertainment. Attempting to stage a typically violent game, with players selected by highly unscientific measures, isn't one of them.

Instead of a game, why not gather players for a tropical week of (safe) skill and physical challenges that benefit the charity? How about mirroring a reality show to appeal to a broad audience? I would watch Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady compete, "Top Chef" style. And I wouldn't mind finding out whether Justin Smith or Ray Lewis would eat, say, more cockroaches for charity.

While they're at it, why not make the rosters of players more legitimate by tweaking the selection process? Including the kind of analytics that all NFL teams now use to evaluate players would seem a logical shift. The NFL might think it is empowering fans, players and coaches by giving them the full vote each year, but the results annually disappoint and anger those same groups in equal proportions.

There is no reason to preserve something that has run its course. The Pro Bowl is worthwhile as an event, but the centerpiece shouldn't be -- and doesn't need to be -- a game.

Agreed.

I prob will still watch a little of it, but if it's anything like last yr or the past 5 yrs previously, I"ll shut it off. I understand these guys don't want to get hurt, but what's the point of having the best players from both conferences versing each other if they don't play hard? Hell at least give 50% effort. For the most part these guys are just jogging and barley blocking or trying to tackle on the field. It's just becoming a giant joke.

If all of that happens again tonight, I hope they just abolish it all together.
 

bluecoconuts

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They should just do what the NHL and NBA (I believe) does with a skills competition that's mostly just a little bit of fun and games. An NBA allstar game is okay, but like the NHL, the NFL is stupid because it's a contact sport and nobody wants to get hurt. The game itself is pretty stupid and the NHL knows it, so they focus more on the skills competition and have some mics on players so they can talk to them while they're skating in the game for shits and giggles, but that's about it.
 

TK42-RAM

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It has never been taken seriously by the players though has it ? It's just something for players to put on the resume.
 

Psycho_X

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Agreed with just having a skills competition and letting the players have fun with the camera and such. I will watch the pro bowl if there are Rams in it but if there aren't I don't. Just found out the score this morning of it. Sounded like free lobbing passes for touchdowns all game lol.
 

RamsLife

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Pro Bowl wasn't all that bad last night. Was a heck of a lot better then last years. Least they gave actual effort this time around. Still think it's a joke tho...
 

CGI_Ram

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  • #11
RamsLife said:
Pro Bowl wasn't all that bad last night. Was a heck of a lot better then last years. Least they gave actual effort this time around. Still think it's a joke tho...

In years past, I'd watch. It was my final football fix before the offseason.

Then again, I'd hardly take it seriously. Just one last chance to drink beer and be lazy :lmao: .

I don't think there is any way to save the pro bowl, unless you convert it to flag football.
 

RamsLife

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CGI_Ram said:
RamsLife said:
Pro Bowl wasn't all that bad last night. Was a heck of a lot better then last years. Least they gave actual effort this time around. Still think it's a joke tho...

In years past, I'd watch. It was my final football fix before the offseason.

Then again, I'd hardly take it seriously. Just one last chance to drink beer and be lazy :lmao: .

I don't think there is any way to save the pro bowl, unless you convert it to flag football.

So you're saying they weren't playing flag football out there last night? Could of sworn they were...


:lol:
 

CGI_Ram

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RamsLife said:
CGI_Ram said:
RamsLife said:
Pro Bowl wasn't all that bad last night. Was a heck of a lot better then last years. Least they gave actual effort this time around. Still think it's a joke tho...

In years past, I'd watch. It was my final football fix before the offseason.

Then again, I'd hardly take it seriously. Just one last chance to drink beer and be lazy :lmao: .

I don't think there is any way to save the pro bowl, unless you convert it to flag football.

So you're saying they weren't playing flag football out there last night? Could of sworn they were...


:lol:

I was unable to watch. :lmao:

But if it was flag football, at least they wouldn't be pretending! :cheese:
 

RamsLife

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CGI_Ram said:
RamsLife said:
CGI_Ram said:
RamsLife said:
Pro Bowl wasn't all that bad last night. Was a heck of a lot better then last years. Least they gave actual effort this time around. Still think it's a joke tho...

In years past, I'd watch. It was my final football fix before the offseason.

Then again, I'd hardly take it seriously. Just one last chance to drink beer and be lazy :lmao: .

I don't think there is any way to save the pro bowl, unless you convert it to flag football.

So you're saying they weren't playing flag football out there last night? Could of sworn they were...


:lol:

I was unable to watch. :lmao:

But if it was flag football, at least they wouldn't be pretending! :cheese:

LOL true that brother.