Make the Pro Bowl great, er, maybe just something worth watching again

[_sturt_]

Preface: Baseball made the impact of their All-Star Game too significant to the outcome of the World Series by designating that the 4th game advantage goes to the league that wins the July contest***. But the core idea made/makes sense--for the league that demonstrates itself to be superior by virtue of their best defeating the other league's best, let that league enjoy some very slight... slight... advantage. And thus, give the all-star participants something to play for that is more tangible than league pride.

So here's my proposal concisely put:

Pro Bowl winner = Super Bowl coin toss winner

So if the NFC wins, ATL gets to receive or to defer... if AFC wins, NE gets to receive or to defer.

You still have the midfield ceremony, you just don't have an actual coin flip, because one team has to tell the refs what they actually want to do. And so you still have team captains shaking hands, and all of that. You can even still keep that honoree who ordinarily would be doing the flip... just have that person be quietly informed by the decision-making team what they're going to do, and let him/her announce it.

Why would this work, whereas the baseball idea never seemed to really catch-on as meaningful (even though, it actually was)?

First, whereas the baseball advantage only comes into play if there is a 7th game, this would always come into play. But maybe even more striking is the immediacy... in the midst of all of the Super Bowl hype going full-throttle, and with the teams benefiting already being known, I think it would generate a lot more interest in the Pro Bowl. Also, let's play the Pro Bowl in the same city as the Super Bowl, getting it that much more steeped in the Super Bowl lead-up.

How bout it?


_________________________________________________________________________________
***I'll go a step further and say, if you ask me, this is where both professional baseball and basketball both end up tilting the playing field too far in their championships, but it's one of those "we've always done it this way, and it's accepted" kind-of things. Rather, there should be a neutral site game (probably the first) so that both teams get an equal number of home games.

 

[LandryFan]

Preface: Baseball made the impact of their All-Star Game too significant to the outcome of the World Series by designating that the 4th game advantage goes to the league that wins the July contest***. But the core idea made/makes sense--for the league that demonstrates itself to be superior by virtue of their best defeating the other league's best, let that league enjoy some very slight... slight... advantage. And thus, give the all-star participants something to play for that is more tangible than league pride.

So here's my proposal concisely put:

Pro Bowl winner = Super Bowl coin toss winner

So if the NFC wins, ATL gets to receive or to defer... if AFC wins, NE gets to receive or to defer.

You still have the midfield ceremony, you just don't have an actual coin flip, because one team has to tell the refs what they actually want to do. And so you still have team captains shaking hands, and all of that. You can even still keep that honoree who ordinarily would be doing the flip... just have that person be quietly informed by the decision-making team what they're going to do, and let him/her announce it.

Why would this work, whereas the baseball idea never seemed to really catch-on as meaningful (even though, it actually was)?

First, whereas the baseball advantage only comes into play if there is a 7th game, this would always come into play. But maybe even more striking is the immediacy... in the midst of all of the Super Bowl hype going full-throttle, and with the teams benefiting already being known, I think it would generate a lot more interest in the Pro Bowl. Also, let's play the Pro Bowl in the same city as the Super Bowl, getting it that much more steeped in the Super Bowl lead-up.

How bout it?


_________________________________________________________________________________
***I'll go a step further and say, if you ask me, this is where both professional baseball and basketball both end up tilting the playing field too far in their championships, but it's one of those "we've always done it this way, and it's accepted" kind-of things. Rather, there should be a neutral site game (probably the first) so that both teams get an equal number of home games.

Truthfully, I'd just as soon do away with that game altogether. Many of the participants weren't originally voted in...they're there because the real pro-bowlers begged out for various reasons (some legit, some not) or are playing in the real game a week later. On top of all that, the rules are changed to such a degree (for player safety) that it's not real NFL football anyways. Just let that game die and move on. No big loss, IMO.

 

[pancakeman]

Kind of interesting idea, but the flaw I see is that all of the Pro Bowl players know they won't be in the Super Bowl, unlike with baseball. I don't think you can assume, say, Aaron Rodgers will have any motivation to make things easier for the Falcons.

 

[haleyrules]

The Pro Bowl is just a popularity contest and is worth nothing to fans. Just PR stunt and a drunken party for the players!

 

[LandryFan]

Kind of interesting idea, but the flaw I see is that all of the Pro Bowl players know they won't be in the Super Bowl, unlike with baseball. I don't think you can assume, say, Aaron Rodgers will have any motivation to make things easier for the Falcons.

Very good point. Perhaps the way around that would be to make the results applicable to the next year's superbowl rather than the one kicking off the next week. That said, my vote is still to just get rid of it altogether.

 

[JackOfNoTrades]

a good thought but I don't think a coin toss is any motivation. I've jogged my mind and am hard pressed to find any motivation for these guys to play hard at the pro bowl. Besides, if they injure themselves, they're screwed. When all is said and done, being nominated is an honor in itself. For the most part, it's reduced to being just a vacation where they all get to mingle and have fun.

The NFL should either eliminate the game part of it or accept it for what it is and not try to portray it as some sort of real competition.

 

[_sturt_]

Kind of interesting idea, but the flaw I see is that all of the Pro Bowl players know they won't be in the Super Bowl, unlike with baseball. I don't think you can assume, say, Aaron Rodgers will have any motivation to make things easier for the Falcons.

Right... as it is right now, anyhow.

But besides the obvious that you'd rather hold the argument for being potentially the 2nd best team (given that your Packers and, ostensibly, the SB losers both lost to the same team and we'll never know if your Packers might have beaten the Pats or not)...

I think this provides some alliance, or more precisely, at least a reason for some alliance, that isn't there right now... a reason for you to pull for your conference all other things being equal... whereas as-is, there is no tangible motivation.

It's a small thing, but Rodgers has reason to play well, appreciating the point that next year it could be him instead of Ryan who is hoping his conference's all-stars will help the NFC cause.

 

[The Quest for Six]

Better idea, time to do away with the probowl, period!

 

[_sturt_]

For better or worse, as long as it's not a money loser, it's going to be played.

And even if it were a money loser, it still might be played because, in the end, players like the recognition that goes with it. Not to mention, there can be contractual incentives tied to it.

But as long as it is only an exhibition, it rationally can't generate genuine motivation for players to perform... and short of that, it is hard pressed to generate much interest among us fans.

Truthfully, to totally... totally... remedy the situation and totally generate genuine motivation for players to perform, I think there's another... much more expensive and risky... step to be taken.

That is, there has to be compensatory reward in some form for the players, meaning, there has to be a substantial built-in payday for the winning team over the losers.

The obvious is to say something like, players on winning team get a 10% bonus on top of their contracts... but before we'd go there, I'd hope we might think about something that instead lets each player choose a charity for whom they are playing... winners' charities get, say, $1m, and losers get, say, $100K.

Just some of my thots... fwiw, probably a cup of coffee at best with your dollar bill on the counter...

 

[Tabascocat]

Drop the game and do a skills competition. Heck, I would rather watch Rodgers vs Dak in a game of billiards! How about some running broad jumps? A sand volleyball or a softball game.......anything to erase that pathetic walk-thru on the field

 

[Longboysfan]

With all the new Stadiums a coin toss to start the game is nothing. DOME's.
Neither is home field advantage.

 

[btcutter]

Truthfully, I'd just as soon do away with that game altogether. Many of the participants weren't originally voted in...they're there because the real pro-bowlers begged out for various reasons (some legit, some not) or are playing in the real game a week later. On top of all that, the rules are changed to such a degree (for player safety) that it's not real NFL football anyways. Just let that game die and move on. No big loss, IMO.

I agree with do away with the game.
Not necessary to expose these players to more chances of injury if NFL is really serious about it

 

[big dog cowboy]

For better or worse, as long as it's not a money loser, it's going to be played.

Unfortunately this is true.

 

[CooterBrown]

Many years ago, the NFL Champion would play an exhibition game against a team of college all stars. It was done away with because it proved nothing and resulted in needless risk of injury to all the players. The pro bowl should vanish for the same reasons.

 

[LandryFan]

I agree with do away with the game.
Not necessary to expose these players to more chances of injury if NFL is really serious about it

Indeed. It's not even close to being entertaining, IMO, and the risk of injury is still there, albeit less than in a normal game.

 

[kycowboyfan]

Just go with a Pro Bowl Bowling tournament and call it a day.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

I have never watched more than 15 minutes of a pro-bowl and don't intend on starting now.

 

[dogunwo]

Move the Pro Bowl back to after the Superbowl. A third of the players that were voted don't play because of the Superbowl anyway now, which is majorly stupid to me.

Just bring back skills competitions and shorten the game to a half, like a high school jamboree.

 

[DeaconMoss]

I would change it from a game to a Pro Bowl combine of sorts. Bench press contest, 40, nfc vs afc relay race, kicking contest, passing-catching contest, etc..

 

[Fletch]

Better idea, time to do away with the probowl, period!

No! No! No! No! No! No! No!





Unless we win it all and everyone gives there spots away. Then Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes!