Sunday, January 31, 2010

Pro-Bowl: What's so Pro about it?

For the first time the National Football League (NFL) has chosen to play the Pro Bowl the week before the Super Bowl. For those who don't know the Pro Bowl is the NFL's version of an all-star game. A collection of guys from all 32 teams as chosen by the fans get together for one game. Each representing not only their team but their conference. (AFC and NFC) Not only is the game being played for no reason the week before the Super Bowl but it is also being played in the same city as the Super Bowl, Miami. The game had been regularly played over the past 30 years in Honolulu, Hawaii. Now that you have a brief history of what is going on, here is my problem with what the NFL is doing.
My first problem with the NFL's Pro Bowl is that there is nothing special leading up into the game. All the other major sports have something more to offer during their All Star venues. The National Basketball Association has the 3-point shootout, Rookie/Sophomore game, Skills competition, and the fan favorite slam-dunk contest. The National Hockey League has a skills competition as well where players see who is the fastest skater, who has the hardest slap shot, and even a slam-dunk type shoot-out. Even Major League Baseball has the home run derby. Why can't the NFL do anything fun.
The fans are getting the shaft. By playing the game the week before the Super Bowl players chosen, by the fans, that are on the two Super Bowl teams are not playing in the game. Now if I lived in Miami and was a fan of the Saints and put my vote in for quarterback Drew Brees, and bought a ticket to the game, bought a jersey with his name, and was expecting to see my hero play I would feel pretty cheated if he did not show.
Is anyone thinking about the fans in Hawaii? Hawaii does not have an NFL team, 32 other major cities do making it easier for anyone living inside the continental United States to see a professional game. Though those fans in Hawaii only get this one game a year, and now that has been stripped away from them.
What about the level of play. Did anyone see who was playing in that game? The starting quarterback for the AFC was Matt Schaub, and he was backed up by Vince Young and David Gerrard. Not one of those guys were able to lead their teams to the playoffs-how are they Pro Bowl caliber players? Not to take anything away from them, it does take a lot to make the NFL, but are they really worth paying at least a hundred dollars and transportation to Miami for? DO NOT THINK SO!
I would rather instead of watching the collection of lovable losers, such as the one time suicidal Vince Young, watch the Celtics and Lakers in an almost meaningless game. At least that was a game where players went out there and played until the final whistle. The fact that the Celtics have lost three in a row and let up an eleven point lead in the fourth quarter is a better topic for a better day. Let's just hope losing 11 of 17 won't hurt the C's in the long run. If it wasn't for the nail-biting finish at the Garden my Sunday almost would have been a waste- thanks NFL.