NFL looking at ways to improve the Pro Bowl

[hjnick]

Dunk competition?

[Sierra Foothills]

 

17 hours ago, muppy said:

How about a benefit for NFL charities wherein the players meet in a tropical locale and hence make it a sports other than football contest of some sort? 

 

You mean kind of like Survivor?

 

17 hours ago, Long Suffering Fan said:

 

It's vestigial. 

 

Excuse me but would you happen to know what "sciard" means?

 

16 hours ago, 13 Second Prevent Defense said:

I dont watch, pretty sure you dont watch.....yet it gets huge ratings, so they wont cancel it...its income.

 

It really gets huge ratings? That raises the question WTF is watching because what they do on that field makes a mockery of football.

[PromoTheRobot]

The best improvement of all.

 

 

[UKBillFan]

It doesn’t help being held before the Super Bowl. And, dare I say it, some of the dubious selections mean the best aren’t always awarded anyway - Jackson ahead of Josh being the one which stands out from this year.

[Matt_In_NH]

2 hours ago, Sierra Foothills said:

It really gets huge ratings? That raises the question WTF is watching because what they do on that field makes a mockery of football.

I dont know what huge is but it averages about 7 million viewers which is pretty large..SNF averages about 19 million.

[Fleezoid]

20 hours ago, frostbitmic said:

Move it to Hawaii

 

Yes! And put it after the Super Bowl, like it used to be. 

 

Roger Goodell ruined it to begin with. Just put it back the way it was. That way every player that makes it, can actually play in it. Plus, it's a perk for those players and their families with a mini vacation in Hawaii. 

[Nextmanup]

All joking aside, they could improve the NFL's "look" in Pro Bowl weekend by simply eliminating it.

 

They can still name a "Pro Bowl team" as a way of honoring the best players at the various positions, but skip the actual game.

 

Sporting competitions are fueled by competitive spirit to win.

 

As soon as you eliminate that, there is no point *at all* to playing the game.

 

 

[dpberr]

NFL pros versus CFL pros (or USFL!) would be interesting if you could come to agreement on the rules and field dimensions.  Back in the day I always wanted to see how the best NFL Europe had compared to the NFL.  

 

Move the Pro Bowl around to cities that do not have an NFL team but have a major college team (and stadium).  Play it in Nebraska or Happy Valley.  

[Nextmanup]

15 minutes ago, dpberr said:

NFL pros versus CFL pros (or USFL!) would be interesting if you could come to agreement on the rules and field dimensions.  Back in the day I always wanted to see how the best NFL Europe had compared to the NFL.  

 

Move the Pro Bowl around to cities that do not have an NFL team but have a major college team (and stadium).  Play it in Nebraska or Happy Valley.  

I don't know, but those matchups would probably be pretty ugly.

You have to assume almost all CFL and NFL Europe rosters are composed--exclusively--of players who are below NFL Practice Squad calibre.

 

So the best of the NFL vs. a team of guys who wouldn't make an NFL practice squad?  Not sure of point of that. 

 

 

[Marv's Neighbor]

23 hours ago, WotAGuy said:

Put them on an island and see if any can escape from Josh Allen. 

Hawaii again?

[Bob Chandler's Hands]

23 hours ago, The Red King said:

Used to be a thing of pride, showcase the stars.  But the game is so rough now, so much chance of injury that nobody goes full out.  Add to that that the stars of the Super Bowl teams no longer play and, well, there is no point anymore.

 

There used to be a time where players wore strips of beef jerkey for helmets and destroyed each other in the Pro Bowl because they were driven.  Those days are long gone.  I mean, could you imagine the outrage if, say, Von Miller obliterated Brady with a blindside hit in a Pro Bowl?

I think it's less that the game is rougher, more so that the money is larger. More at risk for a meaningless game.

[T master]

Didn't the pro bowl use to determine if the SB was played i a AC or NFC sight ? Maybe not but i seem to remember that it use to be more to getting the win or maybe it was just that the players cared more about it .

 

I seem to remember not so long ago Lorenzo Alexander playing in the pro bowl doing this : 😆 

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi4YXHqHgmk

 

You can see by the guys reaction that the game was starting to get soft then but Zo said something to the affect after words that it was football what did you expect or something along those lines .

 

I miss those kind of players not many like him or Kyle any more ...

 

[The Jokeman]

Maybe put the fans in charge of plays for the offenses in some sort of app/online voting system. Yet honestly I haven't watched the Pro Bowl in decades and likely won't watch it even if my suggestion went through. 

[May Day 10]

1 hour ago, Nextmanup said:

All joking aside, they could improve the NFL's "look" in Pro Bowl weekend by simply eliminating it.

 

They can still name a "Pro Bowl team" as a way of honoring the best players at the various positions, but skip the actual game.

 

Sporting competitions are fueled by competitive spirit to win.

 

As soon as you eliminate that, there is no point *at all* to playing the game.

 

 

 

The game is terrible and doesnt work.  NHL and NBA can still hold an entertaining enough ASG, and MLB to a point...  NFL does not work.  These guys do enough.

 

I have always said they should turn it into a program/special.  Name an all-pro team and maybe a 2nd all-pro team... if not an "all AFC team" and "all NFC team".   Make it a special like the All-Madden team was, perhaps hosted by a popular figure like the Manning brothers

 

Hold an NFL awards-show.  Mint some awards like the NHL has and name them after people.  

 

Maybe do some sort of all-time team(s).  

 

Have some marquee players perform in fun things to be included in the broadcast or pro-bowl weekend.  Maybe a Madden tournament with a representative from each team (the winning team's fanbase gets something like a sign outside their stadium or something and $ for charity).  Carve and edit it up into a neat and fun broadcast.  

Maybe even have a 'legends' tournament where prominent ex-players play.

 

A golf event like what Rodgers/Brady/Mahomes/Allen re doing would be fun.  

 

If you are going to hold competitions, it needs to be things the players want to do, with zero health risk. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

I’ve always said make it a track competition. Team vs team. See who’s the fastest team in the NFL. It’ll get huge ratings. Cash prize.

 

4x100m relay race

100m race

You could also have a skills competition AFC vs NFC.

 

 

Edited May 25, 2022 by Buffalo_Stampede

[mrags]

On 5/24/2022 at 2:51 PM, Allen2Diggs said:

Ditch the game and add more interesting skills competitions.

 

Wr races, qb arm strength, which nose tackle can eat the most wings, etc 

This. Screw the game. Give me skills comps. 40yard races. 100yard races. QB power, distance, accuracy. WR catch radius comps. 
 

id much rather watch any of this stuff than that useless game. 

[Don Otreply]

Beer drinking, and wing eating contest, 

[WhoTom]

Anyone else old enough to remember Superstars?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstars_(American_TV_program)

 

[dpberr]

2 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

I don't know, but those matchups would probably be pretty ugly.

You have to assume almost all CFL and NFL Europe rosters are composed--exclusively--of players who are below NFL Practice Squad calibre.

 

So the best of the NFL vs. a team of guys who wouldn't make an NFL practice squad?  Not sure of point of that. 

 

 

One way to find out!  Same could be said for dudes who play basketball overseas and manage to give the US "Dream Team" a good beating.  It'd give the reason for the NFL players to show up so they aren't embarrassed.  

Edited May 25, 2022 by dpberr

[Rochesterfan]

1 hour ago, May Day 10 said:

 

The game is terrible and doesnt work.  NHL and NBA can still hold an entertaining enough ASG, and MLB to a point...  NFL does not work.  These guys do enough.

 

 

I agree the NFL Pro-Bowl doesn’t work, but I would contend that the NHL, MLB, and NBA are no better.  

 

The NHL has gone full gimmick with 3 on 3 tournaments division versus division.  It is no longer even a hockey game.  

 

The NBA game is identical to the NFL game - 100% offense with little to no defense.  It was 2 superstars pick their friends and play a 170 to 160 game.  It is stupid.

 

You can’t fix it because there is nothing of value on the line to make the game worthwhile.  Even MLB realized trying to make home field count was a waste.  The best part of all star weekends are always the skill competitions.  In MLB it is the home run contest, basketball it is the dunk contest, etc.

 

The NFL would be better off just accepting it is stupid and finding ways to embrace it as different.  It still gets bigger ratings than anything else on - find ways to incorporate fans - make a Madden play call set-up something that can be voted on the day before for certain plays on offense.  Have young fans on the sidelines helping out.

 

Don’t make it a serious game - make it Harlem Globetrotter fun and accept it as a celebration.  Cut the time down significantly and have more interview and fun times in the middle.  Do some skill drills and fan Q&A - maybe bring in some young kids teams and have them run a few series or go against the NFL stars in some skills.

 

Above all make it fun for the players and interactive and don’t worry about the “game” - the game is garbage, but the interactions can be amazing.

 

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Put it back on AFTER the Super Bowl.  
 

Any  🌟 interested bows out if they are playing the following Sunday.  

Your 3 PB Alternate Starting QB 

 

Tyyyyyyy Rod Taylor 

[Matt_In_NH]

Just stop giving the 4th alternate full credit as being a pro bowler.  

[PetermansRedemption]

If they want an actual game, offer a size-able monetary incentive. Other than that, just stop the game all together. Add some more skill competitions. Either way, I won’t be watching. The pro-bowl is one of the most boring spectacles on all of TV IMO. 

[Nextmanup]

1 hour ago, PetermansRedemption said:

If they want an actual game, offer a size-able monetary incentive. Other than that, just stop the game all together. Add some more skill competitions. Either way, I won’t be watching. The pro-bowl is one of the most boring spectacles on all of TV IMO. 

"Skill competitions" have no place in football IMO.  Hell, they have no place in ANY sports, though lots of MLB fans seem to enjoy garbage like home run derbies and what not.

 

The whole idea of these types of all-star games is totally outdated and they should be eliminated from every sport that has one.

 

 

[Southern_Bills]

Cancel it and explain that is isn't football anymore?

[The Red King]

All kidding aside, flag football would work.  All the skill with far less chance of injury.

[WyoAZBillfan]

Get some old players that aren’t good as tv analysts to coach the players up, put the players in Day-Glo uniforms and have them play Madden 2022 and/or Call of Duty (for the trash talking championships). This would limit injuries and be as entertaining as the last 10 Pro Bowls. All star events like dominos, jacks, and underwater basket weaving. 

[clayboy54]

Set it up as a wife/girlfriend beating competition. NFL players seem to be really good at that.

[Dan]

Move it back to after the SuperBowl. A couple weeks after, the die hard fans will watch it just to get their fix and you don’t have your best players opting out because they’re still playing real football. Whoever decided to have it the week before the SuperBowl was a complete idiot. 
 

Incentivize play with home field advantage and good money to the players.  Like most employers these days, they cant give them a 1990s paycheck and expect maximum effort.

 

Rotate the game through all the NFL Stadiums so each fanbase has a shot to actually attend.   
 

Or just cancel it. Adding more gimmicks like washed up player coaches and dancing bears on the 50yd line will just make it more of a joke than it already is. 

[eball]

9 hours ago, The Red King said:

All kidding aside, flag football would work.  All the skill with far less chance of injury.

 

Yeah, I’ve been thinking that as well.  I personally don’t care one bit about the Pro Bowl but if they insist on continuing it take the safety concerns away and put flags on them.

 

Or, have the players compete in non-football activities like a “Superstars” sort of event.

 

[wjag]

Turn it in to a dodgeball match.  

[SoCal Deek]

Just have an event where they recognize the league’s all pro team and be done with it! They’ve made the draft into a HUGE four day party and nobody has any expectation that a football game will break out. Why not do the same with the All Pro selection? 

[KingBoots8]

13 hours ago, 13 Second Prevent Defense said:

Just stop giving the 4th alternate full credit as being a pro bowler.  

Mac Jones said he didn’t like that idea

[May Day 10]

16 hours ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

I agree the NFL Pro-Bowl doesn’t work, but I would contend that the NHL, MLB, and NBA are no better.  

 

The NHL has gone full gimmick with 3 on 3 tournaments division versus division.  It is no longer even a hockey game.  

 

The NBA game is identical to the NFL game - 100% offense with little to no defense.  It was 2 superstars pick their friends and play a 170 to 160 game.  It is stupid.

 

You can’t fix it because there is nothing of value on the line to make the game worthwhile.  Even MLB realized trying to make home field count was a waste.  The best part of all star weekends are always the skill competitions.  In MLB it is the home run contest, basketball it is the dunk contest, etc.

 

The NFL would be better off just accepting it is stupid and finding ways to embrace it as different.  It still gets bigger ratings than anything else on - find ways to incorporate fans - make a Madden play call set-up something that can be voted on the day before for certain plays on offense.  Have young fans on the sidelines helping out.

 

Don’t make it a serious game - make it Harlem Globetrotter fun and accept it as a celebration.  Cut the time down significantly and have more interview and fun times in the middle.  Do some skill drills and fan Q&A - maybe bring in some young kids teams and have them run a few series or go against the NFL stars in some skills.

 

Above all make it fun for the players and interactive and don’t worry about the “game” - the game is garbage, but the interactions can be amazing.

 

 

 

I have always accepted all-star games for what they are/were.  Meaningless exhibitions, but you get to see all the stars in one place.  A little bit of pageantry and the host city gets put in the spotlight for a weekend for the sport.  I agree on the 3 on 3 thing for the NHL.  I dont think it has been nearly as bad as their other gimmicks... but just give me East vs West.   I dont need the game to mean anything, nor do I want to overly incentivize the players to create fake meaning.  I also like the pause in the schedule and a 'breather' before the stretch run. 

 

The continuous play of hockey and basketball lend itself well to these exhibitions and you get to see the stars do some fun things and score a lot of points.  

 

MLB, I just like the history of it.  AL vs NL.  Its fun.  Cool ballpark decked out.  whatever.

 

 

NFL/football as a sport does not lend itself to this sort of exhibition, not to mention most of the players just got through a brutal war of attrition and are either recovering, or mitigating their risks for meaningless injury.  Each conference is forced to look deep on the bench for willing participants.   

The game itself is unwatchable and not fun, even compared to the other 3 major sports leagues.  I also thing being played after the season hurts it.  

[Matt_In_NH]

1 hour ago, KingBoots8 said:

Mac Jones said he didn’t like that idea

what a joke

[Billy Claude]

A team golf format (sort of like Ryder cup but with 6 holes instead of 18 and trash talking encouraged) for those who golf and some other sport (cornhole, bowling, Madden, softball?) for those who don't.  A few weeks after the Super Bowl -- will definitely get good ratings. 

[TampaBillsJunkie]

Want it to mean something. Play the game after the Super Bowl and the winner gets home field advantage in next years Super Bowl. Kind of like the MLB All Star Game. 

[Jauronimo]

14 hours ago, Nextmanup said:

"Skill competitions" have no place in football IMO.  Hell, they have no place in ANY sports, though lots of MLB fans seem to enjoy garbage like home run derbies and what not.

 

The whole idea of these types of all-star games is totally outdated and they should be eliminated from every sport that has one.

 

 

Skills competitions are the best part of every All star weekend in Football and Hockey.  No one wants to watch these guys play half speed non-contact and call it football.  

 

Expanding the skills competition and changing the main event to pie eating would be an improvement over current.

[ddaryl]

Cancel the game, go with skills competition. 

The trick is creating fun and interesting skill challenges that bring fun an entertainment. More than 40 yd dashes and QB arm strength/ accuracy.  Those are good but if your gonna replace game they got to find a hook. Something unique, something that brings laughs and wow moments together.

Edited May 26, 2022 by ddaryl

[Jauronimo]

7 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

Cancel the game, go with skills competition. 

The trick is creating fun and interesting skill challenges that bring fun an entertainment. More than 40 yd dashes and QB arm strength/ accuracy.  Those are good but if your gonna replace game they got to find a hook. Something unique, something that brings laughs and wow moments together.

I have been advocating for family picnic style competitions.  Potato sack races, three-legged race, pie eating, egg on a spoon race, russian roulette, hot potato, mumblety peg, duck duck bull f@#$ng moose, musical stools, etc.