by Todd Pheifer

Created on: January 28, 2010

The National Football Pro Bowl is an opportunity to showcase the best players of the past football year, and give people credit for their performances on the field.  In essence, it is the NFL version of the baseball All-Star game.  However, the Pro Bowl has received its fair share of criticism over the years, due to its placement in the sports schedule and the lackluster play of those involved.  The NFL does many things very well, but the Pro Bowl is not one of them.  Therefore, the National Football League should think about getting rid of the Pro Bowl altogether.  Here are a few reasons why this is a good idea. 

No desire to be there

There are certainly players that are honored to play in this game.  To be recognized as one of the best players of the year is a “feather” in a player’s cap and it is one of those things that contribute to a player's legacy.  That said, many players do not necessarily want to play in the actual game.  It is nice to be recognized, but at the end of the season players are tired and beat up.  If they are going to go out and give their all, they want the game to mean something.  Plus, a player would hate to get injured in what is a meaningless exhibition game. 

Irrelevant

The bottom line with the Pro Bowl is that it is an irrelevant game.  Granted, most all-star contests are irrelevant, as they essentially exhibition contests.  The MLB game is the closest thing to a relevant contest since home field advantage during the World Series is on the line.  The NFL season is over, and everyone knows it.  In 2010, the NFL moved the Pro Bowl to the week before the Super Bowl in order to generate some interest.  Unfortunately, this means that none of the Super Bowl participants will be involved, which means that the game will feature replacements and players who are farther down the voting list. 

Bad football

Finally, the Pro Bowl should be dropped because it is just not great football.  While the players walk through standard football plays, there is a general lack of intensity and grit typically associated with a standard football game.  As mentioned, no one wants to get hurt, which means that many players put forth a half-hearted effort.  There is the occasional hard hit, but for the most part the game looks like a practice.

As mentioned, the National Football League does many things very well and they continue to be a very popular league.  However, it is time to substitute something else for the Pro Bowl or just let it die a quiet death.  People do love their football and some people will watch any contest that is on television, but the Pro Bowl is pushing those boundaries and is typically difficult to watch.  Let it go.     

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