An idea for the Pro Bowl...

[The Screaming Pelini]

I'm tired of hearing useless ESPN analysis of what to do or not to do with the Pro Bowl, and the consensus seems to be to just get rid of it all together. I have a better idea, make it the first preseason game. Do away with the Hall of Fame Game and let the Pro Bowl be the start to the season. You can still play the game in Canton, which makes more sense to me than Hawaii anyhow. The way I see it is you give the best players an opporunity to prepare for the season, and kick off some of the off season rust, by playing against a comperative level of competition. They all half ass it in the Pro Bowl as well as the preaseason games, so combine the two and give people a reason to watch, as well as give the athletes a reason to care about the Pro Bowl. Thoughts?

[Mavric]

Interesting idea. But I doubt the players would ever go for it. Too worried about getting hurt right at the start of the season - and I probably wouldn't blame them.

 

About the only thing I can think of is doing something like the NBA's Rookie-Sophomore challenge. Get some of the young guys in there who want to prove something.

[Count 'Bility]

I know. I know. Make the pro bowl mean something-like the winner gets to have the super bowl home field.

[Mavric]

I know. I know. Make the pro bowl mean something-like the winner gets to have the super bowl home field.

That would make things interesting. Get it up there when the Tundra is really Frozen.

[The Dude]

I know. I know. Make the pro bowl mean something-like the winner gets to have the super bowl home field.

That would make things interesting. Get it up there when the Tundra is really Frozen.

Lambeau Field is heated.

[wiuhusker]

I know. I know. Make the pro bowl mean something-like the winner gets to have the super bowl home field.

That would make things interesting. Get it up there when the Tundra is really Frozen.

Lambeau Field is heated.

This is true. But that doesn't make it any warmer on the fans and I'm sure the players are still gonna be cold too.

[HuskerShark]

I have a better idea for the pro bowl. Just get rid of it.

 

Or provide a reason for them to actually put in effort. A half-million dollar bonus to players of the winning team would be plenty of incentive to make the game more competitive.

[Count 'Bility]

I have a better idea for the pro bowl. Just get rid of it.

 

Or provide a reason for them to actually put in effort. A half-million dollar bonus to players of the winning team would be plenty of incentive to make the game more competitive.

Ah yes. Throw more money at guys who dont need it. Should do the trick.

[T_O_Bull]

I'm tired of hearing useless ESPN analysis of what to do or not to do with the Pro Bowl, and the consensus seems to be to just get rid of it all together. I have a better idea, make it the first preseason game. Do away with the Hall of Fame Game and let the Pro Bowl be the start to the season. You can still play the game in Canton, which makes more sense to me than Hawaii anyhow. The way I see it is you give the best players an opporunity to prepare for the season, and kick off some of the off season rust, by playing against a comperative level of competition. They all half ass it in the Pro Bowl as well as the preaseason games, so combine the two and give people a reason to watch, as well as give the athletes a reason to care about the Pro Bowl. Thoughts?

 

None of this will ever happen. The ratings are great so obviously there is interest it it. For the players to give up Hawaii at the end of the season for Canton, Ohio at the beginning of the season is ridiculous. A lot of players opt out now I would expect nothing but second team and scout team players to show up in Canton. Not to mention that the coaches would throw a fit.

T_O_B

[The Screaming Pelini]

I'm tired of hearing useless ESPN analysis of what to do or not to do with the Pro Bowl, and the consensus seems to be to just get rid of it all together. I have a better idea, make it the first preseason game. Do away with the Hall of Fame Game and let the Pro Bowl be the start to the season. You can still play the game in Canton, which makes more sense to me than Hawaii anyhow. The way I see it is you give the best players an opporunity to prepare for the season, and kick off some of the off season rust, by playing against a comperative level of competition. They all half ass it in the Pro Bowl as well as the preaseason games, so combine the two and give people a reason to watch, as well as give the athletes a reason to care about the Pro Bowl. Thoughts?

 

None of this will ever happen. The ratings are great so obviously there is interest it it. For the players to give up Hawaii at the end of the season for Canton, Ohio at the beginning of the season is ridiculous. A lot of players opt out now I would expect nothing but second team and scout team players to show up in Canton. Not to mention that the coaches would throw a fit.

T_O_B

Not that I ever expected it to happen, hence the title. The ratings are far from great, they're good, but I don't believe a 7.7 would qualify as great. This is also the thrid consecutive year the ratings have gone down, down by 3% this year. When are people going to want to watch the Pro Bowl more, the week before the biggest game of the year? Or the first game of the year when nobody has watched football for over 6 months? Not to mention this would give the Super Bowl players an opportunity to play as well. You don't think they'd give up taking a trip somwhere they could go on their own to witness their idols be inducted in to the Hall of Fame? Players opt out now because it's the end of the season, they're injured, they're tired and they don't want to play football. As for your point that the coaches would throw a fit, who cares? It's not about the coaches. You take the entire Pro Bowl roster and make a 4 deep depth chart based on votes and cap the playing time to one quarter per squad. Nullifies any bitching from coaching staffs because that's the same ammount they'd get that first pre-season game. And at the same time it gives these coaches a pre- season game to evaluate the new rookies, and existing players without their All Star counterparts. Also I think the HOF inductees that year should be caoching those squads, I have a feeling these all star players wouldn't mind being coached by Warren Sapp or Chris Carter for a game instead of a coach in their conference who they may or may not hate.

[HuskerShark]

I have a better idea for the pro bowl. Just get rid of it.

 

Or provide a reason for them to actually put in effort. A half-million dollar bonus to players of the winning team would be plenty of incentive to make the game more competitive.

Ah yes. Throw more money at guys who dont need it. Should do the trick.

 

Ok, how about this:

 

Fine them a half-million if they don't give full effort.

 

Better?

[T_O_Bull]

I'm tired of hearing useless ESPN analysis of what to do or not to do with the Pro Bowl, and the consensus seems to be to just get rid of it all together. I have a better idea, make it the first preseason game. Do away with the Hall of Fame Game and let the Pro Bowl be the start to the season. You can still play the game in Canton, which makes more sense to me than Hawaii anyhow. The way I see it is you give the best players an opporunity to prepare for the season, and kick off some of the off season rust, by playing against a comperative level of competition. They all half ass it in the Pro Bowl as well as the preaseason games, so combine the two and give people a reason to watch, as well as give the athletes a reason to care about the Pro Bowl. Thoughts?

 

None of this will ever happen. The ratings are great so obviously there is interest it it. For the players to give up Hawaii at the end of the season for Canton, Ohio at the beginning of the season is ridiculous. A lot of players opt out now I would expect nothing but second team and scout team players to show up in Canton. Not to mention that the coaches would throw a fit.

T_O_B

Not that I ever expected it to happen, hence the title. The ratings are far from great, they're good, but I don't believe a 7.7 would qualify as great. This is also the thrid consecutive year the ratings have gone down, down by 3% this year. When are people going to want to watch the Pro Bowl more, the week before the biggest game of the year? Or the first game of the year when nobody has watched football for over 6 months? Not to mention this would give the Super Bowl players an opportunity to play as well. You don't think they'd give up taking a trip somwhere they could go on their own to witness their idols be inducted in to the Hall of Fame? Players opt out now because it's the end of the season, they're injured, they're tired and they don't want to play football. As for your point that the coaches would throw a fit, who cares? It's not about the coaches. You take the entire Pro Bowl roster and make a 4 deep depth chart based on votes and cap the playing time to one quarter per squad. Nullifies any bitching from coaching staffs because that's the same ammount they'd get that first pre-season game. And at the same time it gives these coaches a pre- season game to evaluate the new rookies, and existing players without their All Star counterparts. Also I think the HOF inductees that year should be caoching those squads, I have a feeling these all star players wouldn't mind being coached by Warren Sapp or Chris Carter for a game instead of a coach in their conference who they may or may not hate.

Oh pleeze. This is a paid for vacation for these players. They don't have a shot at the SB and now you want to send them to Canton , Ohio????????????????????????? What did they ever do to you? Hawaii/Canton , Hawaii/Canton, Hawaii/Canton, what are you thinking? Lastly how does ths give a coach a chance to evaluate Rookies? This is the Pro-Bowl, no rookies allowed.

T_O_B

[The Screaming Pelini]

I'm tired of hearing useless ESPN analysis of what to do or not to do with the Pro Bowl, and the consensus seems to be to just get rid of it all together. I have a better idea, make it the first preseason game. Do away with the Hall of Fame Game and let the Pro Bowl be the start to the season. You can still play the game in Canton, which makes more sense to me than Hawaii anyhow. The way I see it is you give the best players an opporunity to prepare for the season, and kick off some of the off season rust, by playing against a comperative level of competition. They all half ass it in the Pro Bowl as well as the preaseason games, so combine the two and give people a reason to watch, as well as give the athletes a reason to care about the Pro Bowl. Thoughts?

 

None of this will ever happen. The ratings are great so obviously there is interest it it. For the players to give up Hawaii at the end of the season for Canton, Ohio at the beginning of the season is ridiculous. A lot of players opt out now I would expect nothing but second team and scout team players to show up in Canton. Not to mention that the coaches would throw a fit.

T_O_B

Not that I ever expected it to happen, hence the title. The ratings are far from great, they're good, but I don't believe a 7.7 would qualify as great. This is also the thrid consecutive year the ratings have gone down, down by 3% this year. When are people going to want to watch the Pro Bowl more, the week before the biggest game of the year? Or the first game of the year when nobody has watched football for over 6 months? Not to mention this would give the Super Bowl players an opportunity to play as well. You don't think they'd give up taking a trip somwhere they could go on their own to witness their idols be inducted in to the Hall of Fame? Players opt out now because it's the end of the season, they're injured, they're tired and they don't want to play football. As for your point that the coaches would throw a fit, who cares? It's not about the coaches. You take the entire Pro Bowl roster and make a 4 deep depth chart based on votes and cap the playing time to one quarter per squad. Nullifies any bitching from coaching staffs because that's the same ammount they'd get that first pre-season game. And at the same time it gives these coaches a pre- season game to evaluate the new rookies, and existing players without their All Star counterparts. Also I think the HOF inductees that year should be caoching those squads, I have a feeling these all star players wouldn't mind being coached by Warren Sapp or Chris Carter for a game instead of a coach in their conference who they may or may not hate.

Oh pleeze. This is a paid for vacation for these players. They don't have a shot at the SB and now you want to send them to Canton , Ohio????????????????????????? What did they ever do to you? Hawaii/Canton , Hawaii/Canton, Hawaii/Canton, what are you thinking? Lastly how does ths give a coach a chance to evaluate Rookies? This is the Pro-Bowl, no rookies allowed.

T_O_B

Either your reading comprehension is that of a 3rd grader, or you were just too lazy to actually read any of what I said. Either way I refuse to elicit your ignornace with any ammount of response beyond this. Had you read what I posted the Pro Bowl would be in place of the first pre season game, thus the all star players would be away from the team for the first pre season game. Also, just to reinforce my point of your ignorance, there were 7 rookies in the Pro Bowl this year. =]

[Duke Silver]

get rid of it