NFL looking at ways to improve the Pro Bowl

[Warcodered]

36 minutes ago, Allen2Diggs said:

Ditch the game and add more interesting skills competitions.

 

Wr races, qb arm strength, which nose tackle can eat the most wings, etc 

Hell just any competitions, they could have a game show kind of thing and people would eat it up if they had the right players/host.

[Gugny]

45 minutes ago, Greg S said:

(12) Ian Rapoport on Twitter: "The NFL is discussing the Pro Bowl week and ways to improve it — including possibly eliminating the traditional game and using that Sunday to showcase the players in it. Essentially, what are the alternatives?" / Twitter

 

I never understood why they played this game. Nobody cares about it. I don't know what they could do to improve it.

 

Totally agree about the game.  I've never thought it held any value whatsoever.  I've always felt the same way about "making the Pro Bowl."  Means nothing.

 

I absolutely HATED when MLB made the All-Star Game count for something (home field advantage for the World Series).  It took every ounce of fun out of it.  Before (and after) that, players had fun.

 

Personally, I enjoy watching players have fun outside of their normal element.

 

I'd be all for a way to invite the most engaging, entertaining players for a weekend of fun activities to be televised.  Cornhole, golf, skills competitions.  All with nothing on the line but having a good time.

 

I don't know how they'd go about choosing who attends.

 

Take a guy like Fitz.  Everyone loves the guy, but he's not getting invited to an event based on his play.  He would make any fun event more fun, though.

 

Someone else can figure that out.  But I'd be all for something that was all about the players having fun with no realistic risk of injury.

 

I seriously don't know how anyone can enjoy a half-ass-played football game, regardless who's on the the field.  That's not fun to watch.

 

[Allen2D̶i̶g̶g̶s̶TBD]

4 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

Hell just any competitions, they could have a game show kind of thing and people would eat it up if they had the right players/host.

A football trivia game hosted by hall-of-famers would be really entertaining.

[Bakin]

48 minutes ago, MJS said:

Just change it to flag football or something.

Yup. 8 on 8 flag. With steamboats. 

[zow2]

The Pro Bowl has gotten too weird over the last few years because for the game portion...guys are only interested in protecting their bodies.   It's a brutal sport and I can't blame them.  They go all out in the season and in the playoffs.   It's the way of the world now.  Look at all the college players who skip Bowl games to protect themselves.  That's a fairly recent trend that is here to stay.

 

[Long Suffering Fan]

53 minutes ago, Greg S said:

I never understood why they played this game. Nobody cares about it. I don't know what they could do to improve it.

 

It's vestigial.  They used to be a good way to promote the leagues that had them because they showcased the stars.  The NHL even had a rule that there had to be at least one player from each team in the game so that the entire fanbase would care.  Before the era of big money, the extra paycheck for winning the game was a big deal.  I still remember when the NHL all star game was held in Buffalo way back in the 70s.  Prince of Wales Conference won 3-2.  In OT, if you can believe it!  Martin scored near the end of the third to force the OT and Perrault scored the game winner in OT.  I loved that it was such a good game and that Buffalo's stars won it in Buffalo.

 

11 minutes ago, Mark Vader said:

Every player on the winning team gets $10 million dollars.

 

Every player on the losing team gets nothing.

 

You'll get a real football game then.

 

Exactly right.  Back in the day, when the players sometimes worked off season jobs, the little bit of extra money from the game was a big motivator.  Now, almost all the players that go are at the top end of the payscale or would be.

[frostbitmic]

Move it to Hawaii

[iccrewman112]

59 minutes ago, MJS said:

Just change it to flag football or something.

Ask former (circa 2000) Patriots Rookie RB Sensation Robert Edwards how pro bowl flag football worked out for him.

Edited May 24, 2022 by iccrewman112

[Rubes]

There's just no reason for it anymore. In the past, it was an honor to be selected, and it was a way to showcase the best players at each position going against each other. It was also a way to earn extra money for the players.

 

It's no longer an honor to be selected. It's not a way to showcase the best players, because the best players aren't there and they don't want to go all out against each other. And who can blame them? And as far as money, the best players make so much that whatever they'd get from the Pro Bowl is tiny in comparison. So the whole premise of the Pro Bowl is gone.

 

The NFL seems to want it to be an entertainment event, but entertaining for who? Not for the players, just for the fans. Why would the players want to do any of the alternative things mentioned here?
 

If they want to continue some sort of entertaining event before the Super Bowl, it has to be torn down and completely redesigned.

 

[TBBills]

I always liked the skills competition.

[Orlando Buffalo]

I don't have an answer but it needs to be something that allows these guys to really compete. Maybe make it QBs vs DBs in trivia or video games. I can't really imagine a way to make me care unless the players are going all out.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

Epic skills competition FTW.

 

They could include legends too.

 

Imagine Mike Vick vs Josh Allen in a race? 
 

Jim Kelly make a surprise appearance and competes in the accuracy trials.

 

Remember the old kicker trick shots?

 

Give us the long throw challenge. 
 

Let EVERY team be represented 

Edited May 24, 2022 by TheyCallMeAndy

[Dan Darragh]

YAWN

[Gugny]

15 minutes ago, Rubes said:

The NFL seems to want it to be an entertainment event, but entertaining for who? Not for the players, just for the fans. Why would the players want to do any of the alternative things mentioned here?

 

You may be right about the players wanting no part of activities outside of a football game.  But it's already clear that most players want nothing to do with playing a football game and those who do aren't going to put on much of a show because no one (understandably) wants to get hurt.

 

My wish is that players would want to be competitive in other ways/doing other activities to have fun with their teammates and colleagues.

 

Perhaps put something on the line in the form of money for the winners' charities/foundations.

 

[LabattBlue]

Just make it disappear.  Completely unnecessary.  

[Matt_In_NH]

1 hour ago, BuffaninSarasota said:

Cancelling it would be an improvement

I dont watch, pretty sure you dont watch.....yet it gets huge ratings, so they wont cancel it...its income.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Have all the offensive players play defense and the defensive plays, play offense.  FG kickers punt, punters kick FG, offensive lineman have to hold for kicks.

[TBBills]

2 hours ago, Rubes said:

There's just no reason for it anymore. In the past, it was an honor to be selected, and it was a way to showcase the best players at each position going against each other. It was also a way to earn extra money for the players.

 

It's no longer an honor to be selected. It's not a way to showcase the best players, because the best players aren't there and they don't want to go all out against each other. And who can blame them? And as far as money, the best players make so much that whatever they'd get from the Pro Bowl is tiny in comparison. So the whole premise of the Pro Bowl is gone.

 

The NFL seems to want it to be an entertainment event, but entertaining for who? Not for the players, just for the fans. Why would the players want to do any of the alternative things mentioned here?
 

If they want to continue some sort of entertaining event before the Super Bowl, it has to be torn down and completely redesigned.

 

Prize and donation money... money of any kind is always the gas that feeds the engine. 

 

1 million to someone's charity, 500k cash, anything like that. It's chump change to a multi billion dollar industry. 

[Ethan in Cleveland]

Cancel it. It has no value.  

If you want to do some skills contest that is fine.  Do it 2 weeks after the SB in Hawaii so all the players that want to participate can. Also eliminate this alternate non-sense. You either get voted in or you don't.  If you have no game to play then it doesn't matter if a few of the players can't or choose not to participate.  

[Brianmoorman4jesus]

I think the simple fix, keep all the equipment on and just play decently full contact but put flags on. That way there’s no grey area when the play ends