Is the Pro Bowl a waste of time?

[MellowOne]

Posted on: Sunday, February 13, 2005

Pro Bowl receives high praise

By Brandon Masuoka
Advertiser Staff Writer

Critical Pro Bowl comments from former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman touched a nerve with players and fans this week of the annual NFL all-star game, which will be played today for the 26th time at Aloha Stadium.

Aikman told The Associated Press before the Super Bowl that he'd like to see an end to the Pro Bowl, and added most players felt the same way.

"Paul Tagliabue won't want to hear this, but nobody wants to play in the Pro Bowl," said Aikman, a six-time Pro Bowler who was once fined by NFL commissioner Tagliabue for leaving the all-star game after the third quarter. "Everybody wants to be voted and go to Hawai'i and be there ... (but) nobody wants to play. I don't watch it. I don't know who watches it."

The comments by Aikman — one of the most high-profile figures to criticize the Pro Bowl — stung some players and fans, and belittled a game that is considered the crown jewel of sporting events in Hawai'i. Last October, the state and NFL signed a $21 million contract to keep the Pro Bowl in Honolulu through 2009. The game brings in 18,000 visitors to Hawai'i and accounts for more than $25 million in visitor spending, according to the Hawai'i Tourism Authority.

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[marew]

1. Yes

[Sandpiper]

2. Pro Bowl = Worst All-Star Game in Sports

Everyone in that game is more concerned with not getting hurt than with actually winning.

Also, it takes place after the season's over, when everyone would rather be resting.

My Dad's a die hard NFL fan and he refers to the Pro Bowl as "The Honolulu Farce."

That's pretty much my estimation of it.

[KamaAina]

14. Can we have the name "Honolulu Farce" for our expansion team?

If we had one, there wouldn't be any need for the Pro Bowl. (Logo ideas welcome :-) ) I still can't believe our state spends money on a game that's only on cable, for Pete's sake.

[Ravenseye]

16. Could Hawaii Support a Pro Fanchise?

I've often wondered about that. Hawaii isn't the only state to not have a pro team but it always seemed to me that they should have at least one. Baseball or Football seem like they might work.

Would there be enough fans to support it?

Would the flying times be too restrictive on the teams? I think Baseball might be a nightmare for flight times, but Football would only necessitate 8 trips and you could schedule the season into blocks for that team to reduce them even more.

[KamaAina]

17. A bit of a stretch, but not unthinkable

the smallest present NFL market is Jacksonville, which had around 900,000 people in 1990 (the Jags began play in '95). O'ahu had 870,000 in 2000 (more like 900,00 now). Too, the Farce (or whoever) would probably sell LOTS more merchandise than the Jags, particularly overseas. Who wouldn't want a replica jersey with a half-naked guy on a surfboard carrying a football? :-)

Aloha Stadium, in fact, was built in 1970 with the promise that a major league baseball expansion team would follow; it never happened, and probably would have gone the way of the Seattle Pilots if it had, due to having to fill up the stadium 81 times (less doubleheaders) versus 8.

[jaysunb]

3. yes

n/t

[Botany]

4. Yes

I saw a little on ESPN of a skills challenge .....
Tony Gonzales of the Chiefs was doing a ball catching drill ....
he nicked his wrist and walked away. He said "no point to do this."

[Career Prole]

5. As a Patriots fan, I dislike the Pro Bowl

and have since Robert Edwards. Robert who?

Robert Edwards

1998 Season
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Started 15 of 16 games for the Patriots and rushed for 1,115 yards and nine touchdowns during his rookie campaign … He earned postseason all-rookie team honors from Pro Football Weekly, College & Pro Football Weekly, Football Digest and Football News...

1999 Season
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Edwards missed the entire 1999 season due to a severe knee injury, which he suffered while participating in a rookie all-star event in Hawaii during Pro Bowl weekend (2/5/99).

2000 Season
---------------------------------------------------------------------
2000 (0/0): Edwards was placed on the Patriots Non-Football Injury List (8/22/00) and missed the entire 2000 season ... It was the second consecutive season Edwards missed after suffering a severe knee injury at a rookie all-star event in Hawaii during Pro Bowl week.
http://www.patriots.com/alumni/index.cfm?ac=alumnibiosdetail&bio=180

He tried a comeback with the Dolphins in 2002 and picked up about a hundred yards as a back-up, and that was it for Robert Edwards.
A promising career ended in a flag football rookie exhibition at the Pro Bowl. What a waste.

[Journeyman]

6. This is one of the big reasons I don't watch the game. . .

these are players from all over the country tossed together in a week's time and told to 'play ball.' They don't know each other's moves, they aren't a cohesive unit, and the possibility of injury -- because of something stupid, like a missed block or a bad hike -- makes the game both uninteresting and fraught with a potential for catastrophe (e.g., Robert Edwards).

Better a skills competition or some other non-contact exhibition where the fans might get a laugh or three, than risk peoples' careers in a nothing game. If it's important for Hawai'i to have a pro game played there each year, schedule a couple of pre-season games on the Islands in August. At least then the players would be competing for something meaningful (the chance to play with the team, if nothing else), and the game itself would have more excitement.

[Arkana]

7. Nah---the Pro Bowl is fun!

At least I think so. I'm just pissed that more Patriots weren't in it.

[sniffa]

8. no - what eLse wouLd steeLers fans have to Look forward to?

as runner-up in the AFC, cowher gets to coach that one Last Last game.

[HuckleB]

9. Umm. Aren't all spectator sports "a waste of time," all of the time?

None of it is necessary.

And so what?

People enjoy them, including me. Some people enjoy the Pro Bowl, though I admit that I don't. Let it be what it is.

In the end, Aikman's just doing his job. Creating goofball controversy to keep the fans talking about the NFL.

[Redneck Socialist]

10. Yup

Never watched it, probably never will. Worst all-star game in pro-sports.

[kick-ass-bob]

11. Did they play it already?

I guess they would have.

[trotsky]

12. Totally agree.

The risk for injury is just too great in any NFL game. You hate to see any player, let alone the best in the sport, risk an injury in a totally meaningless game.

I tuned to it a couple of times to see how it was going, but I've never watched an entire Pro Bowl. There's no drama, no intrigue, and it doesn't "prove" anything.

[tsakshaug]

13. Don't think

I have ever watched the pro bowl.
why bother?

[Awsi Dooger]

15. For one decade, it was an absolutely terrific game

No one seems to remember this, or didn't pay attention at the time. But during the period from mid-'80s to mid-'90s when the NFC was dominating every Super Bowl, usually by overwhelming margin, the Pro Bowl became an absolute bloodbath as the AFC tried to salvage its reputation with a valiant effort a week later. It was an incredibly physical game.

To verify this, the Las Vegas over/under on those Pro Bowl games was always in the 40-42 point range. And I would usually bet the under. Yesterday it was 64 and still went over. Once the AFC, via Denver, started winning a few Super Bowls and there was no conference dominance either way, the Pro Bowl became a tag football farce again.

As a Dolphin fan, I remember our fantastic strong safety Dick Anderson blowing out his knee in the Pro Bowl. He was never the same, and that injury-shortening injury probably kept Anderson out of the Hall of Fame.

[DrGonzoLives]

18. You need to ask?

:P