So the Super Bowl is over and another NFL season has ridden off into the sunset of our memories. Oh you mean there’s one more game a Pro Bowl in Hawaii? Is that where the NFL stars go bowling? Oh they play football I rather watch them go bowling.
All-Star Games as a whole are dull interruptions in the middle of a season; if you need any proof of that just remind your memory back a few weeks to the NHL All-Star Game in Dallas, the few of you that watched it. Even as far as NHL All-Star Classics go this was duller then dishwater.
First they played the game midweek where there was no juice for the game. Then they put it in Dallas, and don’t get me wrong Texas has taken well to hockey and the Stars have been a huge success in Dallas. However, most Stars fans only care about their Dallas Stars and there was just no electricity in the building. The fans even sounded bored as shouted “Stars” every time star was mentioned in the Star–Spangled Banner. Once the game began it was pure dullness as the only check was in the mail as the West won 12-9, as Daniel Brierer won the All-Star Game MVP despite playing on the losing side and acted like he was getting junk mail as he received his car for winning the games MVP. This is not to mention the day before when the NHL did the Skills competition against the President’s State of the Union Address, as the clock for the fastest skater was malfunctioning and a hand held stop watch was used.
Next week will be the NBA All-Star Game and that’s much of the same as it turns into a game of horse with no defense being attempted on either side. This year it’s in Las s so fans can lose their shits while the NBA players collect that Tyrus Thomas “Free Money. Originally this game was to be in Sacramento, but when all the NBA players execs, fans and basketballs did a collective groan they decided to move the game to Vegas, in a warm up for when the Kings actually move there in a few years with the Casino owning Maloof Brothers. In past years the dunk contest was worth watching, however that too has jumped the shark as players get 90 attempts to make one dunk even if they fall on their face and miss.
Even the MLB All-Star Game is not what it used to be as the difference between the National and American Leagues has become non-existent with players regularly changing uniforms and switching leagues. Even the gimmick of making it count for home field n the World Series has failed to restore the game’s luster that was hopelessly lost following the 2002 All-Star Tie.
Even with the MLB All-Star Games lost luster and the NBA and NHL All-Star Games’ offensive dullness are 1,000 times more exciting then the Pro Bowl. Even with the game being in Hawaii many players find an excuse not to go. With it coming at the end of the season after the Super Bowl, there’s a feeling that you are stuffed with football and don’t need any more. It’s akin to Thanksgiving diner when you just finish a delicious Turkey Diner and someone comes over with a Swanson Turkey TV Diner. Like the NBA and NHL there is no true defense, in that both teams must run the same defensive schemes, and are not allowed to blitz. Not be allowed to blitz is like not being allowed to tackle and it just takes away so much of the game’s strategy.
However, what can the NFL do? If they played the Pro Bowl at the end of Training Camp or the start of the Pre Season many fans starved for football would be very interested but the risk of injuries is too great. Even without blitzing, there’s a chance for injuries with every tackle or turned ankle, that could ruin a team’s season before it even starts. The Pro Bowl is stuck where it is in no-mans land. Truth be told if the NFL cancelled the Pro Bowl nobody would miss it, and perhaps it is time the NFL thinks seriously of doing so, as only a hand full of Hawaiian NFL fans will miss it, and if they love the NFL so much perhaps the NFL could make up for it by having a regular season game in Aloha Stadium. That would more then make up for it.
As for recognizing the NFL ‘s All-Stars just name the top player at each position as an All-Pro, and give them an award of a bonus, after all that’s what matters most to these players any way. Even still award the free trip to Hawaii, and avoid the NFL ending its season with a TV diner when its much better to remember the Turkey Diner. After all does anybody if even know how won last year’s Pro Bowl does anybody care. Heck does anybody even remember the game’s MVP? Dose the MVP even remember who won?
