Why Does Everyone Want To Kill The Pro Bowl?

[Superman]

I haven't watched the Pro Bowl in probably five years. If I want to watch good football, there are a ton of different things I can do. I can fire up a DVR of Colts/Pats in the 2006 playoffs. I don't watch the Pro Bowl because it's not interesting to me.

That said, the Pro Bowl isn't for me. In my mind, the Pro Bowl is for the players who had great seasons to go to Hawaii, hang out with the NFL fraternity, hob-nob with the media and play in an exhibition game. None of them care about the outcome of the game. It's just an outlet for the top players to get a little recognition.

Why kill it? Let them have their few days of an all star break, let the media do their thing, and if you want to watch a sloppy, watered-down "football" game because some of your favorite players are going to be there, then have at it. If you don't want to watch that, then don't. I don't understand all the backlash, as if we didn't always know that the Pro Bowl sucked. Just let the players enjoy it, and move it back to the week after the Super Bowl so that the champs can enjoy their day in the spotlight.

[MAC]

I agree completely. There was nothing wrong with the way it used to be. Once in a while I would tune in if some Colts were going to be in it, but it's not a big deal. I wouldn't expend the effort to watch the whole thing, nor would I expend the effort to try and "kill" it. I can't imagine why anyone would care enough to try. It can be fun, it's harmless, and it extends the football season one more week - easing the transition a bit (particularly if your last recollection of the season is a playoff loss).

[CR91]

pro bowl isnt bringing the nfl any revenue from the tv ratings. goodell is just using the effort as an excuse.

[ruksak]

Like all things it comes down to money. It costs a lot of dough to put together this shindig but they make very little from it. The sales of ProBowl jerseys barely covers their losses. They get advertisement dollars, but they aren't a premium. Hence why they moved it to prime-time, but still the people don't watch.

I used to enjoy closing out the season with it. It seems as if they used to play harder than in recent years, and for good reason. Nowadays these fellas make HUGE money as opposed to just 20 years ago. If they get hurt, they stand to lose huge money.

What happened this year was vile and offensive and seemed to compromise the integrity of the league. When thousands of paying fans are booing because the players dropped trou and crapped on the field, they have to give it a hard look-see. I've watched the PB since they first started airing it. I have never heard the fans boo like that.

[Superman]

What happened this year was vile and offensive and seemed to compromise the integrity of the league. When thousands of paying fans are booing because the players dropped trou and crapped on the field, they have to give it a hard look-see. I've watched the PB since they first started airing it. I have never heard the fans boo like that.

The media and others have been complaining about the Pro Bowl for years now, not just this year. The same kind of people complain about the NBA All Star game, but that's more competitive and entertaining than any other all star game. MLB tried to make their All Star game more interesting by awarding home-field to the winning side, but the players still don't really take it that seriously. It's for the players who deserve a little recognition to have a reward for their good season.

I remember after the 2007 season, when the Giants had knocked off the previously undefeated Pats, the only Giants player at the Pro Bowl was Osi Umenyiora. He got treated like a king, and he deserved it. The NFL shouldn't have messed with that in the first place, moving it to Miami and putting it a week before the Super Bowl. It was just fine the way it was. It's not going to be a money-maker for the NFL; if that's the only objective, then they should cancel it. But if the objective is to give the best players in the league an all star weekend, then just leave it alone. Put it back after the Super Bowl, let the players who were voted in go, and put it on cable. It's not for the fans. It's for the players.

[ruksak]

The media and others have been complaining about the Pro Bowl for years now, not just this year.

I hope you dig my analogy but complaining about a splinter is different than complaining about a gangrenous limb. The complaints in the past have been warranted, I suppose.

But the complaints about the last few years have had far more credence. Things got bad, real bad. This is coming from a fan of the PB weekend, and the game. One of my best memories of the PB was watching our new stud, rookie sensation Marshall Faulk, go bananas and set a record that still stands. Some of those runs....whew. The stuff of dreams.

The NFL shouldn't have messed with that in the first place, moving it to Miami and putting it a week before the Super Bowl.

Absolutely agree. The experiment was hopeful to procure ratings, period. It did not work.

But if the objective is to give the best players in the league an all star weekend, then just leave it alone.

Here is where I'm at with this; If they move it back to being played after the SB and the players are going to up the tempo to at least mimic competitiveness, than keep it going by all means.

If not, perhaps (As was suggested in another PB thread) have an All-Star weekend centered around a skills competition. Fun for the fans. The players get their recognition and have little risk of injury, as well, no need to play powder-puff football like 8th grade girls.

[Superman]

I hope you dig my analogy but complaining about a splinter is different than complaining about a gangrenous limb. The complaints in the past have been warranted, I suppose.

But the complaints about the last few years have had far more credence. Things got bad, real bad. This is coming from a fan of the PB weekend, and the game. One of my best memories of the PB was watching our new stud, rookie sensation Marshall Faulk, go bananas and set a record that still stands. Some of those runs....whew. The stuff of dreams.

Absolutely agree. The experiment was hopeful to procure ratings, period. It did not work.

Here is where I'm at with this; If they move it back to being played after the SB and the players are going to up the tempo to at least mimic competitiveness, than keep it going by all means.

If not, perhaps (As was suggested in another PB thread) have an All-Star weekend centered around a skills competition. Fun for the fans. The players get their recognition and have little risk of injury, as well, no need to play powder-puff football like 8th grade girls.

I honestly don't care if they get rid of the game, as long as they don't get rid of the ceremony. As a matter of fact, now that you mention it, maybe they could make the Senior Bowl the "game," and have the skills competition and media row and all that stuff centered on the pros. The game isn't important to me, because I don't think it's for me. I think it's for the players. Let them enjoy it, that's how I feel.

But all this stuff about "if we can't give our fans a better game than that, then maybe we'll cancel it entirely" just misses the mark, if you ask me. Stop trying to monetize it and let it be.

[21isSuperman]

Puff Daddy once said "it's all about the Benjamins, baby". That's essentially what's going on here with the Pro Bowl, all about the Benjys

[WSO]

Ive never seen fans boo like they did this year. It was that bad.

[Pombi]

I haven't watched the Pro Bowl in probably five years. If I want to watch good football, there are a ton of different things I can do. I can fire up a DVR of Colts/Pats in the 2006 playoffs. I don't watch the Pro Bowl because it's not interesting to me.

That said, the Pro Bowl isn't for me. In my mind, the Pro Bowl is for the players who had great seasons to go to Hawaii, hang out with the NFL fraternity, hob-nob with the media and play in an exhibition game. None of them care about the outcome of the game. It's just an outlet for the top players to get a little recognition.

Why kill it? Let them have their few days of an all star break, let the media do their thing, and if you want to watch a sloppy, watered-down "football" game because some of your favorite players are going to be there, then have at it. If you don't want to watch that, then don't. I don't understand all the backlash, as if we didn't always know that the Pro Bowl sucked. Just let the players enjoy it, and move it back to the week after the Super Bowl so that the champs can enjoy their day in the spotlight.

Right there the bolded part that is the issue. Look at the other all star games, the NBA all star game and the MLB all star game, they are all highly competitive games. The players play their hardest and the coaches call their best plays, it is the best vs the best and no one wants to be dunked on, no one wants to have their change up be hit out of the park and so on.

Yet when it comes to the pro-bowl fans like you believe it should be a free trip for millionaires and that it should only be a "exhibition game".

In this last pro-bowl Jared Allen never once attempted to get a sack. Never. Yet he led the NFL in sacks. That is a prime example of why the pro-bowl should be killed or made competitive. Why in this sport should the players not have to play in the all star game? Why in this specific sport do the players in your view not have to try their hardest? I just don't understand why people are happy with all the best players in the NFL on the field at the same time not trying... What a waste....

[Girlzarefanstoo]

You mean other than the fact that it was pathetic, stupid and boring?! Other than that no reason to kill it :-)

[Dustin]

I would much rather see a skill competition. The Pro-Bowl is horribly boring, even if it ends 55-45.

[JoKeR]

pro bowl isnt bringing the nfl any revenue from the tv ratings. goodell is just using the effort as an excuse.

The ratings suck because the game is a joke.

[CR91]

The ratings suck because the game is a joke.

the game is a joke because theres no incentive to play. you really think the players are gonna risk getting hurt for a couple thousand dollars

[Superman]

Puff Daddy once said "it's all about the Benjamins, baby". That's essentially what's going on here with the Pro Bowl, all about the Benjys

Puff Daddy makes sense of it all...

[Superman]

Right there the bolded part that is the issue. Look at the other all star games, the NBA all star game and the MLB all star game, they are all highly competitive games. The players play their hardest and the coaches call their best plays, it is the best vs the best and no one wants to be dunked on, no one wants to have their change up be hit out of the park and so on.

Yet when it comes to the pro-bowl fans like you believe it should be a free trip for millionaires and that it should only be a "exhibition game".

In this last pro-bowl Jared Allen never once attempted to get a sack. Never. Yet he led the NFL in sacks. That is a prime example of why the pro-bowl should be killed or made competitive. Why in this sport should the players not have to play in the all star game? Why in this specific sport do the players in your view not have to try their hardest? I just don't understand why people are happy with all the best players in the NFL on the field at the same time not trying... What a waste....

1) The players in the other all star games don't all play their hardest. It's hard to quantify in MLB because you only play a few innings, and you only have to make a play when you're at bat or the ball is hit to you. It's not a sport that requires all-out effort on every play like football, but the effort they do give is still not at the same level as real games. It's not until the final couple of innings in a close game that the players start giving more effort, because home-field in the World Series hinges on the outcome. And even then, if you're on a team that's 15 games out of first place at the break, you're not going to the World Series. Pitchers aren't up their throwing batting practice, but it's easy to hurl when you're only going two innings.

In basketball, it's a glorified Globetrotter game, full of behind the back passes and alley-oops. No one plays defense. They gun to get points on offense, but other than that, it's nothing but a showcase. It only becomes serious, again, in the last few minutes. I've never watched an NHL all star game, so I won't say anything about that.

In every case, the all star festivities center around giving recognition to the best players. Not on seeing high quality games.

2) What does "a free trip for the millionaires" have to do with anything? It's an all star week. Would you feel better if they paid their own airfare and booked their own hotel rooms?

It is only an exhibition game. It doesn't matter who wins; it doesn't matter who plays well. Nothing hinges on the outcome.

3) Because it's an all star game. It's not worth it to the players to go out and play their hardest, risking injury (and millions of dollars, and the potential success of their real team), for a meaningless game. It's an exhibition. That's all it is. And you're not talking about a basketball game, where the players can pretend to play defense, then get the ball and score on other players pretending to play defense. Football is a game with a much higher risk of injury than basketball or baseball.

4) Lastly, and probably most importantly: If you don't like it, don't watch it. If you don't want to see the best players in the world playing half-hearted in a meaningless exhibition game, turn the channel. But to feign outrage over something that's not meant for you in the first place, I don't get. I don't watch college basketball (except for big games and sometimes the tourney) because it's not entertaining to me, for several reasons. I'm not trying to change it or kill it. If you don't like it -- and this goes for fans and the media -- then don't watch it.

All this stuff that the NFL is doing and will be doing to try to make the Pro Bowl more appealing to fans is wasted effort. It's not for the fans. It's for the players to be rewarded for a good season.

[Go Blue Horseshoe]

These guys aren't going to go out and risk being injured to win a game that means nothing. I am all for an NFL All Star event, but I think the Pro Bowl has run its course. I would personally like to see a weekend full of individual events like allowing the QBs to compete to see who can throw the furthest, has the best accuracy, quickest release time, etc. Set up some kind of crazy obstacle course for the RBs to go through, and then time them to see who can get through it fastest. Let the linemen compete in different strength competitions, kind of like a strongman thing. Design something like this for each position, and give out awards to the guys who do the best. I think that would go over pretty well. I would enjoy watching it.

[21isSuperman]

Puff Daddy makes sense of it all...

Always

[MAC]

Don't forget that baseball players have guaranteed contracts so they are less concerned with injury. I think that they DO in general put in a good effort at the all-star games. Particularly the younger players, or players from fringe markets who might consider the game a rare opportunity to show what they can do.

Football players? No way. It's no different than my oft repeated comments about the Colts sitting people at the end of the season. In football, either you need to win a game, or you don't. If you don't, it is absolutely impossible to play with the same intensity that you would normally. There is no reason to expect someone in a sport that features violent hits, unsecured contracts, and a limited career duration even for the best players to "play for real". An exhibition is just a pale imitation of a real game - whether it's preseason, meaningless game at end of season, or pro-bowl. That doesn't mean it can't be fun to see Peyton tossing the ball to a great receiver that he'd never normally play with. The fact that he is at no risk of getting sacked is actually a positive. Who needs that.

[Pombi]

1) The players in the other all star games don't all play their hardest. It's hard to quantify in MLB because you only play a few innings, and you only have to make a play when you're at bat or the ball is hit to you. It's not a sport that requires all-out effort on every play like football, but the effort they do give is still not at the same level as real games. It's not until the final couple of innings in a close game that the players start giving more effort, because home-field in the World Series hinges on the outcome. And even then, if you're on a team that's 15 games out of first place at the break, you're not going to the World Series. Pitchers aren't up their throwing batting practice, but it's easy to hurl when you're only going two innings.

In basketball, it's a glorified Globetrotter game, full of behind the back passes and alley-oops. No one plays defense. They gun to get points on offense, but other than that, it's nothing but a showcase. It only becomes serious, again, in the last few minutes. I've never watched an NHL all star game, so I won't say anything about that.

In every case, the all star festivities center around giving recognition to the best players. Not on seeing high quality games.

2) What does "a free trip for the millionaires" have to do with anything? It's an all star week. Would you feel better if they paid their own airfare and booked their own hotel rooms?

It is only an exhibition game. It doesn't matter who wins; it doesn't matter who plays well. Nothing hinges on the outcome.

3) Because it's an all star game. It's not worth it to the players to go out and play their hardest, risking injury (and millions of dollars, and the potential success of their real team), for a meaningless game. It's an exhibition. That's all it is. And you're not talking about a basketball game, where the players can pretend to play defense, then get the ball and score on other players pretending to play defense. Football is a game with a much higher risk of injury than basketball or baseball.

4) Lastly, and probably most importantly: If you don't like it, don't watch it. If you don't want to see the best players in the world playing half-hearted in a meaningless exhibition game, turn the channel. But to feign outrage over something that's not meant for you in the first place, I don't get. I don't watch college basketball (except for big games and sometimes the tourney) because it's not entertaining to me, for several reasons. I'm not trying to change it or kill it. If you don't like it -- and this goes for fans and the media -- then don't watch it.

All this stuff that the NFL is doing and will be doing to try to make the Pro Bowl more appealing to fans is wasted effort. It's not for the fans. It's for the players to be rewarded for a good season.

(in response to the bolded statement)

Wrong, wrong, wrong and WRONG. I remember watching a MLB all star game that went into like 15+ Innings. and you want to sit here and tell me they dont try in the MLB all star game? I saw more trying in that game then most baseball games I have ever been too. That game was inspiring and everyone played their hardest regardless of what you think. I saw pitchers that were confident they would be in the post season pitching their heat. You dont throw heat before the post season if you are not trying, you are so wrong it is silly. You obviously have never watched a MLB all star game if this is your view of them.

Do you realize how much it exhausts a pitcher to throw their heat when they will be playing competitively to get into the post season next week? Watch the MLB all star game I am talking about before you spew ignorant facts about baseball players not trying in the all star game.

[IndyTrav]

.You dont throw heat before the post season if you are not trying, you are so wrong it is silly. You obviously have never watched a MLB all star game if this is your view of them.

Do you realize how much it exhausts a pitcher to throw their heat when they will be playing competitively to get into the post season next week? Watch the MLB all star game I am talking about before you spew ignorant facts about baseball players not trying in the all star game.

Postseason games start around Sept 30th......All-Star game is around July 12th....

"Get into the post season next week"......"before you spew ignorant facts"

Quality...Pure quality.....

BTW ONE pitcher threw 3 innings in that 15 inning game....

[Superman]

(in response to the bolded statement)

Wrong, wrong, wrong and WRONG. I remember watching a MLB all star game that went into like 15+ Innings. and you want to sit here and tell me they dont try in the MLB all star game? I saw more trying in that game then most baseball games I have ever been too. That game was inspiring and everyone played their hardest regardless of what you think. I saw pitchers that were confident they would be in the post season pitching their heat. You dont throw heat before the post season if you are not trying, you are so wrong it is silly. You obviously have never watched a MLB all star game if this is your view of them.

Do you realize how much it exhausts a pitcher to throw their heat when they will be playing competitively to get into the post season next week? Watch the MLB all star game I am talking about before you spew ignorant facts about baseball players not trying in the all star game.

What difference does it make having to pitch two innings of "heat" during the All Star break (when you'd ordinarily be pitching seven innings in your regularly scheduled start) when you're not going to start another game for five days? It's like a bullpen session, which the pitcher would be doing anyways.

And by the way, just because a baseball game goes 15 innings doesn't mean it was necessarily a high-quality game.

And again, there's a huge difference between trying to win a baseball game and trying to win a football game. Like I said, MLB all star games don't get serious unless the score is close in the last couple of innings. And then, the players are still only involved in 10-15% of the plays, so why are we comparing that to a defensive lineman who takes brutal contact EVERY play?

Lastly, to repeat, if you don't like the Pro Bowl, don't watch it. Why does it matter to you that they continue to have it?

[King Colt]

. The Pro Bowl is as real as professional wrestling. End it please.

[Superman]

. The Pro Bowl is as real as professional wrestling. End it please.

See. I'm assuming you don't watch professional wrestling. Why does it matter whether they end it or not? Just don't watch it.

[Thewholefnshow28]

If we are going to reconize the players achievement they might as well just get rid of the game, give them some kind of award for it, and then move on. Most players do not even want to play the game and just use it for a free vacation. After watching some of Pro Bowl this year you can tell most of them do not even want to be out there.

It is embarrasing for them, the fans, and the league. I mean for god sakes they were getting booed at an all star game.

They should just have the GM, coaches, and players vote an all pro team and call it a day.