The Pro-Bowl and Cons of Moving the Game From Paradise

Let's face it.
The Pro-Bowl is the most glorified exhibition game for the NFL and, more likely, of any professional sports league.
There are so many microphones on the field, there’s no wonder NBC had a 15 second delay that Al Michaels mentioned in the first half. The best of the bunch are the ones on quarterbacks, making the in-game experience wonderful.

The NFL should incorporate the mics into regular season games, as long as there is a long delay, so no one can cheat on what plays are called.

Other gimmicky subtractions from regular-season NFL play are rule changes including no motioning by the offense, no more than two receivers on either side of the quarterback. And on defense, cornerbacks must play at least five yards off.

All of these rule changes by the NFL encourage one-on-one play of the finest athletes in the world, fighting in a high-scoring, exciting, ratings-boosting game. However, not all of these were true in 2009.

The NFC won the game 30-21 after Jay Cutler of the Denver Broncos went 0-4 on the AFC’s last drive.

Sure there were exciting plays.

Larry Fitzgerald had a great Touchdown catch in lots of traffic to end the first half. Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets grabbed an amazing one-handed interception in the end zone off of an Eli Manning pass.

Or the AFC’s “Fumbleruski-like” play in which there were three backs in the backfield with Cutler, the ball was hiked, and then reverse hiked to Le’Ron McClain of the Baltimore Ravens, and after much confusion, the fullback went in for the score.

Even though the game was close to the end, the second-lowest scoring game in a decade was not what the NFL, or more important, fans hoped for.

With the Pro-Bowl being played this week came word of the game moving away from the paradise of Hawaii. Early reports came back this week that players are sad to see the game moved and want it’s return to the USA’s 49th state.

As the plan stands now, the 2009 Pro-Bowl, the 30th consecutive at the site of Honolulu, Hawaii, will be the last, at least for the time being.

2010’s game will be played in Miami, the week before the Super Bowl, when there is normally no football played. Obviously, due to tradition, there are many pros and cons for moving the game.
Pros – The game will be more accessible to most NFL fans. Of course, the game will be taken away from fans in Hawaii, who only have one college team to root for, but many mainlanders cannot find it economic to fly to the island for an exhibition game.

Also, those that can afford to spend some extra money can catch the Pro-Bowl and Super Bowl in little over a week’s time. Imagine that vacation!

Another pro of the game being played in Hawaii, as Ray Lewis puts it, “You want to come over and do something different. You want to tour the islands and bring the kids over here to see something different.” (nfl.com)

Players in the NFL aren’t impressed with cities they visit during the regular season, they like the Pro-Bowl as a vacation and as an exhibition game.

Also, no more being subjected to seeing huge guys in floral and palm tree patterns. I mean come on guys! You look like a weekend bowling league with those silly things on.

Cons – The most glaring con of moving the game is not necessarily in the site, but the date. Players that are Super Bowl bound are not going to compete in the Pro-Bowl, and the game will undoubtedly lose some star showings.

The 2009 game would have missed six stars in total, including MVP Larry Fitzgerald, a number that has been higher in other years.

Another con is that, although the game next year will be in Miami, others will be in cold-weather cites like Detroit or Indianapolis. There is a week-long party that leads up to the Pro-Bowl, something that will be diminished in these cities.

Also, the players are not in favor of the move. One thing the NFL does not want is upset players. These guys want a vacation at the end of the season, a time to unwind and relax in paradise.

Even though the game will definitely be played in Miami in 2010, there is no certainty of the game’s future site.

Al Michaels, on top of his game as usual, broke the news that league executives are in talks about bringing the game back in 2011, and even alternating years with the mainland.

Why not play the game at places that cannot host Super Bowls due to weather? Denver, New England, or even Green Bay, a snow-game Pro-Bowl would definitely bring ratings for the NFL.

If nothing else, this story got people talking about a once boring and unpopular game.

For Roger Goodell, this could increase the profile of the game. Or make it more lackluster, and unpopular than ever, of players and fans.