Goodell considering eliminating Pro Bowl

[BroncoWave]

Probably wouldn't be the worst idea. Just make it a damn skills contest instead and be done with it!

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/7542806/nfl-commissioner-roger-goodell-says-ceasing-pro-bowl-consideration


"I really didn't think that was the kind of football that we want to be demonstrating for our fans," Goodell said. "And you heard it from the fans. The fans were actively booing in the stands. They didn't like what they were seeing."

Goodell said something has to change.

"We're either going to have to improve the quality of what we're doing in the Pro Bowl or consider other changes or even considering eliminating the game if that's the kind of quality game we're going to provide," Goodell said.

[weazel]

good idea, imo

[buffsroam]

They still have a pro bowl?

[OrangeHoof]

Goodell probably doesn't even realize that all those candy-ass safety rules are part of the problem. Not all of the problem, but part of it. I could see replacing it with a skills challenge that either has financial incentives for the top performances or have them compete for different charities so we can see some better effort.

[rcsodak]

Growing up, i remember the skills/obstacle course challenges. That would be fun to watch again.

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[Ziggy]

The NFL's fastest man competition was a lot of fun, along with the bench press contest. They need to bring back those things. No one really cares about the game.

[BroncoStud]

Growing up, i remember the skills/obstacle course challenges. That would be fun to watch again.

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They had TV back then?

[Tned]

It's been years since I watched a pro-bowl. I would be much more likely to watch a skill competition -- aka QB challenge and some of the WR challenges I've seen -- then I would be to watch the Pro Bowl.

[wayninja]

This would be the worst thing for Marshall's career since a loved one stabbed him.

[MOtorboat]

This is the one thing that the NFL just gets completely wrong.

You kick off Super Bowl week with an All-Star weekend like the NBA/MLB/NHL does. Do all of the events in the city of the Super Bowl. Do skills competitions and flag football games with celebrities/old timers, etc., and do it all the weekend before the Super Bowl.

[Slick]

Make it winner take all. No money for losing.

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[rcsodak]

They had TV back then?

Asses too....just like now.

[cmc0605]

This is the one thing that the NFL just gets completely wrong.

You kick off Super Bowl week with an All-Star weekend like the NBA/MLB/NHL does. Do all of the events in the city of the Super Bowl. Do skills competitions and flag football games with celebrities/old timers, etc., and do it all the weekend before the Super Bowl.

I disagree with the ideas out there that suggest the pro bowl be anywhere but Hawaii. The pro bowl is for the players. Sure, business-wise, you need fan support, but the players who earned a spot there deserve a vacation. They deserve to catch huge marlins and go surfing and dance with lays and bikini woman and drink pina coladas. No one wants to have a "vacation" in Indianapolis.

Of course, the fans are the centerpiece of any sports enterprise, but ditching the pro bowl reinforces the notion that the players aren't worth anything outside their business value. It really cannot be a significant expense to host the pro bowl, comparatively speaking; If I was a pro bowl quality player, I'd be pissed if they got rid of it, because I earned it. It doesn't really matter if the games are meaningful. To me, I actually enjoy watching the best in the world going out there and screwing around...even if it was flag football I'd probably still watch it. I enjoy those one on one matchups without heavy schemes and weeks of fine-tune perfection.

And btw, I'm all for creating incentives for the players to play harder (e.g., winner takes all money) and supplementing it with the performance drills. those were fun.

[Ravage!!!]

I would much rather watch the "QB competition" and other skills competition than the pro-bowl game.

HELL.. I make it like the old "Super Stars" competition they had on TV years ago. Nothing to do with football. Make strange competitions... kayaking, rope course, relay races.....tug-o-wars.... something that is competition that the players compete in for fun, tht isn't necessarily football. I'd watch that before the game.

They can't make the game mean anything. THe money isn't the problem, its the fact that no player wants to take a meaningless game and jeapordize their career, or their oppenents career, for a game that is just made to be exhibition. Its the same thing you see in pre-season. Players are going through the motions and not worrying about anything.

They should make it flag football anyway. Thats what Gooddell wants the league to become anyway.

[Shananahan]

Goodell probably doesn't even realize that all those candy-ass safety rules are part of the problem. Not all of the problem, but part of it.
How do the safety rules have anything to do with why the Pro Bowl sucks? The players in the Pro Bowl aren't playing hard because they don't care at all about the game and don't feel like risking anything to injury.

[Chef Zambini]

I disagree with the ideas out there that suggest the pro bowl be anywhere but Hawaii. The pro bowl is for the players. Sure, business-wise, you need fan support, but the players who earned a spot there deserve a vacation. They deserve to catch huge marlins and go surfing and dance with lays and bikini woman and drink pina coladas. No one wants to have a "vacation" in Indianapolis.

Of course, the fans are the centerpiece of any sports enterprise, but ditching the pro bowl reinforces the notion that the players aren't worth anything outside their business value. It really cannot be a significant expense to host the pro bowl, comparatively speaking; If I was a pro bowl quality player, I'd be pissed if they got rid of it, because I earned it. It doesn't really matter if the games are meaningful. To me, I actually enjoy watching the best in the world going out there and screwing around...even if it was flag football I'd probably still watch it. I enjoy those one on one matchups without heavy schemes and weeks of fine-tune perfection.

And btw, I'm all for creating incentives for the players to play harder (e.g., winner takes all money) and supplementing it with the performance drills. those were fun.the players can afford to do those things on there on free time and they dont have to be pro-bowlers to do it! nobody waqnts to risk injury, thATS WHY THERE IS NO EFFORT! Charity, great idea, but charities can also be a part of the skills chaLLENGES as well.
having it in the same city the week prior to the SB is an efficient, cost effective idea !
the game is lame,dump it for a skills challenge, more sponsors , more participants' more fan interest.

[The Glue Factory]

I'd tune in for a show on the skills competition and a 30 minute flag-football game. Take off the helmets and let the players run around, having fun. It can be fun watching grown men play like kids for the love of the game. Maybe make some incentives for charitable contributions for various stats (longest TD play, each turnover.) Basically, make it something very different then what we see on Sunday during the regular/post season.

[Chef Zambini]

the flag beach -ball game was eliminated when a guy suffered a career ending injury.
skills challenge is defiantly the way to go !
cheerleaders could also be worked into the competitions, as well! think that would generate any interest....duh.
just who exactly is the marketing department of the NFL, anyway?
those 2 old guys in the balcony of the MUPPETS?

[Chef Zambini]

the flag beach -ball game was eliminated when a guy suffered a career ending injury.
skills challenge is defiantly the way to go !
cheerleaders could also be worked into the competitions, as well! think that would generate any interest....duh.
just who exactly is the marketing department of the NFL, anyway?
those 2 old guys in the balcony of the MUPPETS?
interesting,
I mis-typed definately and it came out defiantly.
now that is ironic.

[Dzone]

The pro bowl was kinda fun to watch. Even though guys were standing around on the field, gently grabbing running backs. Maybe they should just change the probowl to a flag football game in pads

[BigDaddyBronco]

I read something that said Goodell was upset that the fans were boing late in the game. Yea the fans were boing, they were boing Cam Newton cause he sucked ass. He couldn't make any throws and they gave him just a little pass rush and he fell apart. Either make the game like a real game (as much as possible anyway) or turn it into a skills competition, but the in-between is a joke.

[SOCALORADO.]

This is the one thing that the NFL just gets completely wrong.

You kick off Super Bowl week with an All-Star weekend like the NBA/MLB/NHL does. Do all of the events in the city of the Super Bowl. Do skills competitions and flag football games with celebrities/old timers, etc., and do it all the weekend before the Super Bowl.

Or still do it in Hawaii for the sake of it always being there.
Remember Elway a few years ago playing in that flag, 7 on 7 game?
I swear he was ripping off 50 yard lasers like it was nothing.

[LTC Pain]

The NFL Pro Bowl is useless. Watching live NFL games at full speed then trying to watch the Pro Bowl at half speed was nauseating and a fraud. The fans booing throughout the game confirms this. A skills competition would be a better showcase of skill for those "Pro-Bowlers" selected vice the fakery of non-serious, half-speed, non-hitting football game played by the NFL's best. I watched about a dozen plays and then turned it off. That's not football my friends.

[BroncoNut]

I still think they should have some type of event to recognize the real special players. Maybe some type of a televised get together with some skits and fun/nonultra competitive games. maybe give away some nice prizes and keepsakes for the players to remember the event.

[CrazyHorse]

Speak for yourself. I like the Pro Bowl.

[BroncoNut]

Speak for yourself. I like the Pro Bowl.

i think the intentions are good, but it's not that exciting for me anyway. not enough time for the teams to work together and gel so the game is often not that good. again, jmo

[Nomad]

I guess I don't see where people are forced to watch the Pro Bowl. By now, most should know what it's about and it's the same complaints every year...pretty simple Don't Watch. I thought I'd tune in this year but didn't.

Poor ratings will eventually get the game eliminated or force the NFL to figure out how to lure fans on a Sunday afternoon.

[fvkw]

I like the Pro bowl, but it's getting a little boring. If they don't change the game a little bit, maybe start the game earlier so I don't fall asleep! :-)

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[BroncoNut]

I think they should have a game where the best rookies play, or the best paractice squad plays. Or eve the worst players. that would get fans introduced to these less known players and make everyone feel like they belong

[The Glue Factory]

i think the intentions are good, but it's not that exciting for me anyway. not enough time for the teams to work together and gel so the game is often not that good. again, jmo

So use it to expose other countries to American style football.

[CrazyHorse]

So use it to expose other countries to American style football.

That makes the most sense. Rather than have teams travel around the world for regular season games host the Pro Bowl in different countries. That way the players still get the vacation and it opens it up for a new audience.

[skins_fan82]

The NFL's fastest man competition was a lot of fun, .

Darrell Green, Washington Redskins. Fastest man alive :D


a9Hy5NJyqYg

[The Glue Factory]

That makes the most sense. Rather than have teams travel around the world for regular season games host the Pro Bowl in different countries. That way the players still get the vacation and it opens it up for a new audience.

And now there's a little more incentive for players to play instead of wimp out as well.

[gregbroncs]

Oh please god make this happen. The pro-bowl is the worst idea ever.

[tomjonesrocks]

the flag beach -ball game was eliminated when a guy suffered a career ending injury.


Robert Edwards. That was pretty tragic. Game back years later and scored a couple TDs but that Pro Bowl ruined him. Sad.

Edit--guess he had some success later in the CFL. Still a sad story.

[Npba900]

And now there's a little more incentive for players to play instead of wimp out as well.

The players aren't wimping out they are trying to save wear n tear on their bodies and avert injuries that could significantly curtail or end their careers.

Pro Football maybe entertainment to some fans, but for the players themselves they know their careers could be over on one single play.

Here's an idea if the NFL and fans wants the players to give it their all in a meaning-less all star game why not give the starters a Pro Bowl career ending injury insurance policy that will pay out $20 million and just have the owners and fans pay for it.

I bet the players will put it all on the line at the pro bowl then......and the fans will be Tickled-Pink!!!

[Mr. Pro Bowl]

Robert Edwards. That was pretty tragic. Game back years later and scored a couple TDs but that Pro Bowl ruined him. Sad.

Edit--guess he had some success later in the CFL. Still a sad story.

He wasn't even selected to play in the pro bowl. This was just a NFL PR gig. I saw it, it happened like 20 feet right in front of me. He just came down wrong in the sand after jumping up. Poor guy.

[Dapper Dan]

I would like for them to just get rid of the game. Still have the votes. An All-American team for the AFC and All-National team for the NFC. Send the guys of those selected teams to Hawaii to compete in skills competitions. And make it the week after the Super Bowl.

I remember a Playstation 2 game that had a skills competition. It had John Elway on it too, I'm pretty sure. I miss watching those. It was ten times better than a pro bowl game. Rare risk of injury, yet still competitive.

[The Glue Factory]

The players aren't wimping out they are trying to save wear n tear on their bodies and avert injuries that could significantly curtail or end their careers.

Pro Football maybe entertainment to some fans, but for the players themselves they know their careers could be over on one single play.


Call it what you want. It's still wimping out. I suppose getting out of line for the latest thrill ride to save wear and tear on my heart wouldn't be wimping out either. :coffee:

I'm not saying they shouldn't be concerned about the future of their careers. Trying to make the Pro-Bowl something even approaching what we see during the regular season is laughable lunacy. Replace it with something else that showcases their skills and abilities. Skill competitions and a competitive team event like a 30 minute flag football game.

[WTE]

He wasn't even selected to play in the pro bowl. This was just a NFL PR gig. I saw it, it happened like 20 feet right in front of me. He just came down wrong in the sand after jumping up. Poor guy.

Robert Edwards had a great rookie season. He was a beast of a running back. I was looking forward to watching him plow over linebackers for many years.

I was devastated when I heard he blew out his knee in the sands of Hawaii.

[Mr. Pro Bowl]

Robert Edwards had a great rookie season. He was a beast of a running back. I was looking forward to watching him plow over linebackers for many years.

I was devastated when I heard he blew out his knee in the sands of Hawaii.

You know what got me was that it really didn't look that weird when he came down. I played volleyball in the sand like that when I was younger all the time. This could have happened to any of us who are just goofing around the beach.
So sad.

After that Tagliabue (I guess) decided to just go do the same thing with the old timers. And then after 9/11 they stopped this beach thing in front of the Hilton Hawaiian Village all together.
Took this pic of Roger Craig & Marcus Allen right before they played.

http://i181.photobucket.com/albums/x127/Jurgen4321/RogerCraigmarcuAllen.jpg

ESPN even had their broadcast desk in the lobby of the Hilton right up front where guests checked in....it all stopped.