Why is the NFL getting rid of the Pro Bowl and replacing it with The Pro Bowl Games?

 

Let Winners Vote On Losing Team Punishment:

This is a popular gimmick used amongst fantasy football managers, and there’s no reason why professional athletes can’t use it too. It would be amusing to see players on the losing side do something they’re not looking forward to. There could be three embarrassing options that the winning team can force the losing team to do.

The NFL Pro Bowl is an absolute joke.

It's a scrimmage between some of the NFL's best players on the Sunday before the Super Bowl. Yes, the Pro Bowl has become nothing more than a game of two-hand touch between players who couldn't care less about the outcome.

Commissioner Roger Goodell wants to blame the players for a lack of effort, but the league itself has failed this game. Here's what needs to be done to make the Pro Bowl viable. 




1. Give Players More Incentive:

Last January, players from the winning AFC side earned $50,000 compared to half of that for the losing NFC squad (via ESPN). While this isn't chump change, $25,000 isn't a huge incentive for players to give their all.

If the NFL decided to award the players on the winning side $25,000 more, that would in theory make it more competitive.

After all, who wouldn't want more money? Make it a $50,000 difference between winning and losing, and we will see a much better product on the field.




2. Eliminate the Fan Vote

If it weren't for fans, there would be no NFL. It's all about supply and demand. And in this case, the demand is extremely high.

With that in mind, fans are biased. They will go on NFL.com and vote for a specific player dozens of times, even if that player is nowhere near Pro Bowl-caliber. For many fans, it is all about getting a player from their favorite team in the game.

On the other hand, the players and coaches are more objective in their voting. More often than the fans, they will send the best players to the game.

There is precedent for this. Before 1995, fans were not involved in the voting (via ESPN). The NFL should return to that system and leave this up to the players and coaches.

3. Let the Best Actually Play in the All-Star Game

Why did the NFL decide to move the Pro Bowl up two weeks? It makes absolutely no sense to me.

The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers have a combined 15 Pro Bowl players who won't be taking part in the game. Does that make any sense at all?

After all, the Pro Bowl is supposed to be the best of the best. How can the “best team” from each conference not send a single member to the annual event in Hawaii? The NFL really dropped the ball on this one.

For the best of the best to take part in the game, it will have to be played either after the Super Bowl or in September between the preseason and the regular season. Anything short of that, and we are getting a watered-down product.

Roger Goodell's decision to move the game from the week after the Super Bowl to the week before has negatively impacted it.

Moving the Pro Bowl back to the week after the Super Bowl is the most obvious solution.

Because of the potential for injuries, I just can't envision teams agreeing to playing an all-star game in the middle of the season or before it begins.




4. Rule Changes:

Roger Goodell can continue to blame the players for a lack of effort, but it isn't like the NFL is pushing them to compete more.
Just take a gander at the Pro Bowl's silly rules for a second:

• No motion or shifting by the defense.
• Must run a traditional 4-3 set.
•  No press coverage outside of the 5-yard line.
• No blitzing.
• No rushing the kicker.

So pretty much any effective defensive scheme isn't available. And the NFL wonders why there is a lack of competition on the field.

I understand injuries are a concern, but this is completely out of hand.