PRO BOWL- A Colossal joke

[sosa39rams]

So despite calling the selection process abysmal and saying it would still be moronic even if they got rid of the game, you're in favor of keeping it. Makes total sense.

IMO, just get rid of the Pro Bowl altogether. Both the game and the voting are jokes, and the Associated Press All-Pro selections are more meaningful.

If that's not feasible for the league from a fan outreach or PR standpoint, then promote three different votes: one by the fans (the "Fan Favorites" or whatever you want to call it), one by the players/coaches (the "All-League Team" or something), and the existing All-Pro team by the press as the top accolade.

Im only in favour of continuing the selections if the REFINE the process. As I said before, if you don't know, than DONT VOTE! I dont know exactly how they would work it, but you'd have to have credentials and full-time knowledge. Something along the lines of the All-pro selections, which are great! Than again, it'd be very similar and it wouldn't make much sense to do it twice, but thats the only way I would want it to stay.

If the voting process was identical to the current way, then cancel it all together and forget it ever existed.

[tomahawk247]

I'd say get rid of the fan vote, and just have it done by players and professionals

Richie Incognito is clearly in the pro bowl because he has a cool sounding name

[eric2810]

Guess James Laurinaitis and his 184 tackles count for nothing,

whoa did he just say 184 tackles?, you got to be kidding me. I'm with you NJ, the pro bowl has gotten worse than the all-star game..its a shame what its become, watching the skills challenges were always fun.

[gap]

I say leave the fan voting in, as well as coaches and players. The caveate I would included is that a player's name could not be on the list unless he had at least one stat in the top 5 or 10. This would cut back on bottom feeders getting votes. As was noted in the past, NFL players have been on record as voting for their teammates, and then the worst players on other teams to give their teammates a better shot.

Also, the NFL needs to have a ballot of current players when the voting starts. The ballot frequently has players from the opening day roster (starters???), but not players that have played that position most of the year. I can remember ballots in the recent past that had a cut player, but his replacement wasn't an option. And a few times that player was having a pro bowl season, but you couldn't vote for him. WT*???

If the above cannot be done, then they should cancel it, as well as the "voting".


gap

[Tampa_Ram]

We should of made facebook pages and put up bilboards and other things to get Craig Dahl into the Pro Bowl. That would show how broken it really is if he could get in.

[berg8309]

Part of the problem is also the large influx of injury replacements. It gets ridiculous when multiple QBs drop out of the game and suddenly a middle of the pack guy is a pro-bowler. Holding it before the super bowl increases revenue, but detracts from the value of the selection.

I also think the NFL should mandate at least one player from every team selected to the pro bowl, that is if it keeps the game. There is rarely a team that has so little talent that not even one player stands out. As you can tell from this thread, people care a great deal about their players receiving some recognition. Let's be honest, if Long/Quinn/Jlau/Jenkins/Jackson/Brockers all selected to the pro bowl, would we have this thread? Probably not is my guess.

Making sure there is a pro bowl player from every team, fair or not, gives fans a guy to be proud of, and could certainly help struggling fan bases. Not a lot, but it's something. Fans need players they can rally around. It certainly doesn't help the casual fan to think that not a single player on his team's roster is worth two shakes around the league.

Of course this year isn't the only time there have been atrocious selections. The Patrios had FOUR pro bowl defensive players when their defense finished 31st in the league. I'm sorry, but if almost half of the guys out there are playing better than anybody in the league, you will have a much better defense than 31st. And then obviously this year, the worst team in the league has 5 pro bowlers.

Obviously something is flawed with the voting. I'd be more in favor of going to a coaches vote, with the coach being unable to vote his own players in. Of course part of that problem is that teams don't face every team every year, and good coaches are pretty focused on the teams they actually have to play, so they not be completely familiar with every player, but I feel they'd be less likely to vote on pure hype and reputation.

I'd also be in favor of eliminating the game, and simply honoring the players with their selections. That way you avoid mediocre pro bowlers who don't deserve the honor simply because the first 10 guys dropped out of the game.

[UK Ramfan 83]

Yes, their ACL's do come back stronger.. That has nothing to do with his actual play itself. He even admitted that he did horrible this year, and stated that missing that whole year of football it made him feel like he was a rookie again this year... Nothing to do with the actual leg itself.

Ha!! Yea I wish!

My ACL tear stopped my playing days which were pretty competitive and I had a very good knee surgeon. My knee was/is not as strong or stable as it used to be, despite countless hours of aggressive rehab.

Pro bowl is bunk! Has been for a long while now. I think no game and an honorary mention is good enough. Besides the game is a juxtaposition for some. Yea its great to be selected on your ability, but would you want to risk a career ending injury, playing touch football on a Hawain beach?!?!

It's been done before. The game is a needless risk for those serious about their careers

[Vinnie25]

Let's be honest people, any professional "All-Star" game where Marc Bulger is MVP has to be a colossal joke, right?

[AvengerRam]

I think they should select the teams and then play the game through a simulation created by a collaberation of EA Sports and Pixar.

[berg8309]

I think they should select the teams and then play the game through a simulation created by a collaberation of EA Sports and Pixar.

It's not going to be a fair contest if the NFC ever gets Vick again though, at least not if EA is running the show.

[THOLTFAN81]

I think they should select the teams and then play the game through a simulation created by a collaberation of EA Sports and Pixar.

I gotta be honest Av, that is actually a really good idea haha. Certainly would be more entertaining than the real game.

[tomahawk247]

I think holding it the week before the superbowl is a bad idea.

Having tons of selected players drop out because they are playing in the Superbowl, alongside all the players that drop out for injury, means that half the starters in the league are getting selected to the pro bowl each year!

But still no Rams...