Tag: Pro Bowl

NFL Pro Bowl-Vote Today

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So apparently, at the NFL owners’ meeting, the team representatives are discussing adding some more benefits to the NFL Pro Bowl, the lamest All Star event in all of professional sports.

As you guys probably recall, I wrote a blog a couple months ago about my opinions on the Big 4 All Star celebrations. I illustrated the four events, and how I think they all stack up. NBA and NHL sport very strong All Star celebrations. MLB does a solid job making the game have some playoff ramifications.

The NFL has nothing. It’s just a scrimmage. There is nothing making it any more fun except like the other three leagues, fans have a say in who plays in the game.

Today, the team reps are going to discuss adding a fantasy draft to the Pro Bowl. Allow me to explain.

In the NHL, rather than having an East and West team, the league elects two captains who alternate choosing players that they want to have on their rosters. They used to have an East-West matchup but they found this to be more entertaining. They were completely accurate. I love the fantasy draft.

The NFL, MLB and NBA play conference games (games pitting one half against the other half). MLB has AL and NL, NBA has East-West and NFL has AFC-NFC.

The NFL may be the next team to adopt the NHL’s alignment.

Apparently, we may see two captains choosing teams regardless of conference. I think that could make the game a little more interesting. At some point, there must be some sort of benefit for winning. The linemen don’t even block. It’s a disgraceful game. But, they are keeping it around for one more year.

They gotta do something. The Pro Bowl is in danger.

I was Wrong!!!

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I am an incredibly superstitious person. I freak out whenever I see a black cat, I refuse to walk under ladders, I don’t break mirrors and I hold salt shakers hostage during dinner so that no one spills it.

Therefore, I also believe in certain “signs” if you will, meaning that since one thing occurred, it must mean that I need to do something.

In this instance, I got sick this morning because I was meant to watch the Pro Bowl, even after swearing I wouldn’t.

So here I am, laying in my bed, meds taken, tissue box in hand, watching the Pro Bowl on NBC.com. I’m probably in for a garbage, throw away game full of blown tackles and crappy effort.

Um, what is this I’m watching? Is this…a good game?!

I have actually enjoyed watching the Pro Bowl this year. Watching some of my favorite players in the league just explode for yardage play after player. Yes, the defense is still a little bit lax but I am enjoying myself right now.

Of course, a game including the best in the business usually has a few highlights.

For starters, Russell Wilson looks like the second coming of Jesus.

For the religious nuts out there, get over it. I’m not insulting religion. I’m a proud Roman Catholic, but I’m not about to get insulted by this nonsense. Jesus was a perfect being, so say the teachings. Today, Wilson was quite perfect indeed.

He threw some great passes, ran a few times, commanded an offense and made me wish he was the QB for the Eagles. I’ve said it countless times. I believe in the mobile quarterback. I don’t mean the running back that can throw like Mike Vick. I mean the quarterback that can run, like RG3 and Wilson.

Another highlight was seeing Jeff Saturday, the center for the NFC, come over to the AFC side and snap the ball to Peyton Manning. For those that live under a rock, Manning and Saturday were teammates in Indianapolis a few years back for a long time. They built a chemistry that was unmatched in the modern day NFL. Jeff has decided to retire following the now concluded Pro Bowl game.

There were a ton of highlights, and I encourage any of you guys to check out some clips. However, my personal favorite highlight from the day was when Ed Hochuli, the referee for the game, dished out the first flag of the day. The game had gone almost a full half before a penalty was called. So, he took that fact and decided to make some comedy out of it. He turned on his mic and said the following to the crowd,

“Yes, there are still penalties in the Pro Bowl.”

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Why the Pro Bowl doesn’t matter

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A lot of people await the rosters for the NFL Pro Bowl each year. I am guilty of the same thing. However, much like 95% of the NFL population, we couldn’t care less about the outcome of the game.

The Pro Bowl is the unlike any of the Big 4 All star celebrations. By the Big 4, I mean NBA, NFL, NHL and MLB. The NBA, which I despise, has the All Star game, the rookie and sophomore game, the Dunk competition and the 3 point shot competition.

The MLB is the only one to my knowledge whose All Star game actually has an impact on the actual season. The NL and AL compete. The winner is granted the majority (4 games) in the World Series. Home field is always nice. Anyway, the game is preceded by the Home Run Derby, which I am an annual viewer.

The NHL has the most impressive All Star break of them all. Along with the game, which is always exciting and VERY high scoring, there are numerous skill competitions throughout the weekend, which include the Sniper competition and the Hardest shot, which isn’t much because Zdeno Chara is a freak of nature.

Anyway, the Pro Bowl is useless in every way. There’s a game that has no lasting implications on the season and no side competitions. It’s used to fill the gap between the Conference Championship games and the Super Bowl. It’s simply a waste of time. I almost never watch the game and will very rarely watch any of the highlights following.

I can’t stand the Pro Bowl, and neither do the players.

Except these guys…they seem to be enjoying themselves with some very attractive hula girls.

Worst Person #14-The Pro Bowl

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As I’m sure everyone saw last weekend, the Conference Championships went exactly as I had planned, but not as I had hoped. I’m still fuming about the Patriots and Giants once again being in the big dance. I don’t wanna watch that crap again. It’s no fun watching the same teams compete every year when they aren’t the team you support. So, I will extend my congratulations to the Giants and Patriots and begin my post without so much as a rant about how poorly the Giants executed this past weekend, or about the 49ers’ horrible punt returner Kyle Williams. Heck, I’ll even overlook the Billy Cundiff botched kick that could have tied the game or the Lee Evans potential game-winning touchdown catch that didn’t happen. Let’s talk about the Pro Bowl.

Probably one of the most pointless contests in all of sports, the Pro Bowl has evolved into a sick joke in recent seasons. Since the game was moved to one week BEFORE the Super Bowl after being the week after for so many years, the teams in the Super Bowl must restrict the players from “competing” in the Pro Bowl. The Patriots had 8 players while the Giants had 2.

Why is this the worst thing/person of the week then?

Because the Pro Bowl shouldn’t exist. It isn’t a competition. It isn’t a serious honor bestowed upon a player by the league. It is simply a popularity contest. The rosters show dozens of players that don’t belong there, but the public and the fans don’t know any better than to elect their team’s players.

What do you think guys? Do you think the league is using the game to squeeze a little bit of extra cash out of the public?

Doesn’t look too competitive, huh?