The NFL Pro Bowl - Miami, Florida*January 31, 2010
With as much talk that is going around about the Saints/Colts Super Bowl, there is just as much talk about the Pro Bowl. First, the Pro Bowl is normally played in the beautiful state of Hawaii, but this year it has been moved to Miami this I believe has not sat well with many of the players. Second, there has been a change on the date of the Pro Bowl it is now played before the Super Bowl as opposed to after the big game. There are many players that will not be participating in this year’s game, aside from many from the Colts and Saints, many players are nursing injuries or just simply are not interested in playing. This is not a good situation for the NFL and the fanfare that surrounds the Pro Bowl, many fans look forward to seeing all the NFL’s best playing in one big game but this year it’s not happening. The NFL took a big hit when the Colts made the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning enjoys playing in the Pro Bowl, and he considers it a big honor, even though it is just a spectacle of all-stars and not a very serious game.
One wonders if the NFL will go back to way the Pro Bowl was for many years. For as long as I can remember the Pro Bowl was always played in Hawaii and that for many players was special. There is nothing wrong with Miami or the state of Florida, but this year the Super Bowl is already there, and now the Pro Bowl? The reason it was special in Hawaii was because during the year no one played there and it was also a time for players and their families to have a vacation time of sorts. I also think that playing the game before the Super Bowl takes something away from the game, preferable players. You look at Manning, Brees, Clark, and Wayne the list goes on and on, whereas if you played the game after the Super Bowl maybe these guys would make the trip there, they may not play but they would be there. Fans want to see the best players in an all-star game; if it’s not the best players then it’s just another game.
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On a side note at halftime of the Pro Bowl, it has been said, Chad Ochocinco from the Cincinnati Bengals will race Chris Johnson of the Tennessee Titans with the losers’ paycheck being donated to charity. I must admit Ochocinco has surprised me many times this year (for the good) and here is another instance, we all know Chris Johnson is one of the fastest, if not the fastest man in the NFL so what is Ochocinco thinking? He is thinking, of course he will not lose, but if he does I think it shows what kind of a man he is, willing to give to those less fortunate. For me that is huge, in a world where we have super star ego, fat pocket athletes, and money hungry players it is nice to see a couple of guys willing to give. Don’t get me wrong there are many in the NFL that do so much for charity, community and causes and I hope one day when others look at the NFL that is what they see, a league that makes a difference on and off the field.
By the way, I think the NFC will win the Pro Bowl. With many of the AFC’s top quarterbacks out of the game I think the NFC will take advantage and use their speed to defeat the AFC.
By: Sam Adams
Pro Football Fans Staff Writer