Pro Bowl: Entertainment Solely for the Players

The AFC/NFC Pro Bowl will be played tonight, at 7 P.M. (Eastern Time), in Honolulu, HI. Each year the league struggles to gain viewers for the NFL's version of the all-star game. In fact, this year they are trying something new in an attempt to gain those extra viewers.

They have decided that, since so many players and fans have Twitter pages to entertain themselves and others, they will provide each sideline with a computer set-up with Twitter so that players can tweet while sitting on the sidelines doing nothing.

Personally I think this is a great idea since players aren't allowed to do so during the regular season and playoffs, why not add this dimension to a game that means absolutely nothing. Fans complain about the Pro Bowl being boring each year–and I agree to some extent. But what they don't understand is this game isn't made for the fans.

It's for the players.

Puzzling statement, I know. But I think it's 100% true. While these players have jobs to keep fans and the common people entertained, the 16-game regular season is tough on these multi-millionaires. Five-plus months of non-stop travel, practicing, attending meetings and basically beating the crap out of their bodies in order to bring the very best entertainment each Sunday or Monday.

Ever wonder why the Pro Bowl is in Hawaii? Well, me too. And I have a couple of different theories as to why it's played in Honolulu: 1. Hawaii doesn't experience much NFL action, so this gives them a shot at seeing the all-star players in motion (well, sort of) and 2. It's a perfect vacation spot.

When I say vacation, I mean for the players. Sure, they can take their friends and families on vacation anywhere they want during the off-season, but this is the league's way of rewarding the players that worked so hard over the course of the season. Players have a ball with this Hawaii trip, and often take their entire families and enjoy precious family time.

I think I may be one of the few NFL fans out there that actually sits down and watches the Pro Bowl every single year. And instead of complaining about how boring it may be, or that the players don't even attempt to make an effort to block field goals and extra points, I try to let the players enjoy this one. I mean, just look, these players are enjoying each other's company and on a mini-vacation all at the same time.

I actually don't mind that the Super Bowl teams do not participate, and that many players drop out of the game due to injury. This gives the un-noticed players, and players who were snubbed, get an opportunity to participate and take his family on vacation. There's 43 first-timers in this year's game, giving us plenty of new faces to watch.

Let's just let the players enjoy themselves in Hawaii, please. If you don't like the Pro Bowl, no one is making you watch it, so why complain about it? The Pro Bowl truly has no meaning, and if you think about it, isn't that the fun part about it for the players?

Thank you,

--An annoyed NFL supporter

Photo credit

Tony G. and Roddy White: found on sbnation.com

Pro Bowl Returns to Honolulu

After taking a year off, the Pro Bowl returned to it's normal site of Honolulu, Hawaii yesterday.

The NFL's Commissioner Roger Goodell decided to hold the league's all-star game in the Super Bowl's host city (Miami, FL) last year. But after players and coaches complained about it not being in Hawaii's Aloha Stadium like every other season, Goodell decided to give Hawaii their game back.

This year also marked the second time it has been played the week in between the Conference Championship weekend and Super Bowl weekend, rather than the week after the Super Bowl is played.

The idea of holding the game the week before takes the game away from the two Super Bowl teams--Pittsburgh and Green Bay--but I'm sure they wont complain about that too much, considering they have a shot at the Vince Lombardi trophy this Sunday.

This year's NFC squad wasted no time in putting points on the scoreboard, putting up 42 points in the first half. The final score of the game 55-41, in favor of the NFC, marked the second-most points scored in the history of the Pro Bowl (between the two teams).

Washington Redskins' cornerback DeAngelo Hall was named the game's MVP with his six tackles, interception and fumble recovery returned for a 34-yard touchdown in the second quarter.

Despite lack of effort in some instances, the Pro Bowl was still the most-watched all-star game of any sport since last year, and the most-watched Pro Bowl since 2000. Perhaps that could be the result of Goodell bringing it back to Honolulu? It's possible.

The players appeared to have plenty of fun too, and when it comes to the Pro Bowl, that's all that matters. Just ask Cleveland Browns center Alex Mack, whom scored on a 67-yard pass play after a couple of laterals with 16 second to play in the game. Of course, there was little effort to make a tackle on the NFC's part, but that's what made it so cool to watch because it allowed the 300-pound lineman to get in to the end zone.

Wacky ending to a wacky game, but that's exactly what the fans love to see happen when it comes to this pointless, second-to-last game of the 2010 season.

Photo credit

Michael Vick: AP Photo/Eugene Tanner

DeAngelo Hall: AP Photo/Marco Garcia

Alex Mack: AP Photo/Marco Garcia