While the Pro Bowl is a great idea in theory, the game is not an “all-star game” but solely a way for the NFL to make some more money before the season ends. NFL.com states, “The NFL’s All-Stars will be on display at the 2015 Pro Bowl.” However, fans are continually snubbed of their right to see the true NFL all-stars.
First, the Pro Bowl is not an ordinary all-star game. MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS all host their all-star games during the season, but the NFL waits until the week before the Super Bowl. One pro for this setup is that by the end of the season, it is clear who the most deserving players are, whereas in the other leagues, a player could slump or get hot for the entire second half of the season. Do not be fooled by this pro though. The NFL hosts the Pro Bowl during this week, because there is no game scheduled to air, and other than maybe a few basketball or hockey games, it has no competition.
Do people care about the Pro Bowl, a meaningless game between the NFL’s best? Maybe, maybe not. Will they watch it? Probably, this is why the NFL chooses to continue the Pro Bowl.
Despite the NFL’s motives in airing the Pro Bowl, that is not even the biggest issue. An all-star game between the NFL’s best should make for an amazing game. However, the Pro Bowl has become such a joke that it is rare to even see the best of the best competing. The best players are either out because they are in the Super Bowl or injured.
Six quarterbacks were selected to this year’s Pro Bowl: Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Tony Romo, Aaron Rodgers, and Ben Roethlisberger. Guess, how many will be at the Pro Bowl? Two just Romo and Luck. The replacements are Drew Brees, Matt Ryan, Andy Dalton, and Matt Stafford. Is the NFL really okay marketing an “all-star game” that could feature Matt Ryan, a quarterback for a team that finished 6-10, versus Andy Dalton, a quarterback that ranked 16th in passing and only threw 19 touchdowns compared to 17 interceptions? What about an all-star game without Le’Veon Bell, Marshawn Lynch, and LeSean McCoy, the running backs that finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in rushing yards respectively?
So, the best players won’t be there, but there will still be some good players and football is exciting, right? Well, let us look at the scores from 2009-2012: 41-34, 55-41, 59-41, and 62-35. Exciting, huh? While scoring can be fun, at least some effort from the players to make a good game would be a lot more exciting. Postseason football games are arguably the most exciting sporting events of the year. Why? Well, it certainly isn’t because the score is 62-35.
In 2013, the NFL decided to mix it up and try to add some excitement to the Pro Bowl. Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders were made captains, and they selected their teams from the Pro Bowlers. This meant no more AFC versus NFC. The new setup brought excitement and intrigue to the matchup, but at the same time, caused some problems. Imagine what would have happened if say Robert Mathis injured Andrew Luck on a sack? Players were asked to play their hardest, but that could mean tackling and possibly injuring one of their team’s star players. This year, the NFL will continue the fantasy draft format. Who knows the reason behind it, but one could assume the TV ratings it receives from airing the fantasy draft plays a large role.
Whether it is a quarterback, running back, or even players on the offensive and defensive line, fans deserve to see the best of the best. The NFL’s continued marketing of the Pro Bowl as “The NFL’s All-Stars” is a scam that unfortunately has no end in sight.
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