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I have never sat down and watched a Pro Bowl unless it was already on the television, I haven''t watched an NBA or NHL all star game in many years. I like the MLB All Star game but I don't like that it "means something" with home field advantage going to the league that wins and actually have attended the last two (affordable tickets and driving distance to both stadiums for me).The quality of play in this season's Pro Bowl has drawn criticism from fans, former players and at least one player who played in the game. On Sunday, commissioner Roger Goodell said you can add his name to the list of detractors.
In an appearance on ESPN Radio's "Mike and Mike in the Morning" on Sunday, Goodell said the league must address the quality of the game and even said he would consider eliminating the all-star game if it can't be improved upon.
"I really didn't think that was the kind of football that we want to be demonstrating for our fans," Goodell said. "And you heard it from the fans. The fans were actively booing in the stands. They didn't like what they were seeing."
Goodell said something has to change.
"We're either going to have to improve the quality of what we're doing in the Pro Bowl or consider other changes or even considering eliminating the game if that's the kind of quality game we're going to provide," Goodell said.
Goodell said he talked to NFL Players Association executive director DeMaurice Smith about changes they need to make for the game.
"I know players love to be in Hawaii but we have to start with the quality of what we're doing," Goodell said. "If the fans are responding negatively to what we're doing, we better listen. And that was my message."
NFLPA spokesman George Atallah said Sunday via his Twitter account that the players don't want to lose the Pro Bowl from the annual schedule.
"The Pro Bowl is an important tradition; one that we as players want to keep," he wrote.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was named the NFL's MVP on Saturday, said this week that some of his NFC teammates "embarrassed themselves" with the effort they gave in the game.
"I was just surprised that some of the guys either didn't want to play or when they were in there didn't put any effort into it," Rodgers said.
The AFC routed the NFC 59-41 in a game that drew boos at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu for its lack of early intensity. Rodgers, who started and played the first quarter for the NFC, didn't name specific players.
New England Patriots guard Logan Mankins, a four-time Pro Bowl selection who didn't play in the this year's game because his team is playing in the Super Bowl, said Wednesday that he doubts there's a realistic way to ramp up competitiveness.
"I don't know how you fix it," Mankins said. "You're going to give a little effort, but you're not going to get out of control. Some guys are free agents over there. You get hurt in a Pro Bowl and it's going to affect that contract with another team. Who would want to get hurt in a Pro Bowl and not be able to play the next season?"
I find the competition of sports interesting enough I can certainly see the appeal of these games, but as a fan of a team I recognize the dangers that these exhibitions pose. As a fan of the Anaheim Ducks last year, it was very difficult to see our All Star & Olympic goaltender Jonas Hiller take a puck to the head and suffer vertigo symptoms that lingered until this season (and perhaps still do). The NFL being another hard hitting sport is certainly a risk to players that are looking to keep their playing careers going as long as possible. Pete Rose separating Ray Fosse's shoulder in the 1970 MLB All Star Game is well remembered to this day as well (though it wasn't as career killing as some make it out to be).
The quality of these games tends not to be reflective of actual competitions either, as defense takes a backseat and the effort is decidedly not as present. NHL games average 5-6 goals per game, all star games usually feature at least twice as much, with double digit scores not unheard of. NBA all star games have teams routinely surpass 130-140 points (a good average for a team is about 100). NFL Pro Bowls are far above normal scoring for a game. BEcause of the numerous pitching changes and other factors MLB games do not seem to suffer from this as often
Also highlighting All Star Game issues are players not wanting to play. Alex Ovechkin backed out of this year's NHL All Star game despite being one of the two most recognized names in hockey (whether you think it was for legitimate reasons or because he was throwing a hissy fit about his suspension is another discussion) and previously Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom, also big names in the sport and teammates for Detroit, were actually suspended for skipping the game. The MLB All Star game is not nearly as strict as to players backing out of the game but does have players back out.
Then there is the issue of fan voting, which will sometimes mean that undeserving players will make it in as a popularity contest more than an acheivement based on performance. I do not disagree with this because the games are the sporting version of fanservice, and why not let them have a say in deciding the roster? It makes the game more relevant to people who otherwise have no stake in it. Although fans of the Vancouver Canucks and the "Vote for Rory" campaign took this to the extreme when trying to get a second rate yet popular defenseman (Rory Fitzpatrick) into the All Star game despite statistically being unexceptional and not being well known outside of Vancouver.
By comparison, the leagues, tv networks and the host venues are the biggest beneficiaries of these games but the benefit to players outside of perhaps performance bonuses are not that great by comparison (correct me if i'm wrong of course). I'm not certain that it's worth a small payday for players to participate in these games in the more hard hitting sports (any sport but especially NFL and NHL), or that it is worth the missed chance to rest for midseason exhibitions (MLB, NHL, NBA).
So I pose the following questions to other sports fans on this board, This question can be extended to exhibition match games in other countries, such as the ones played by NRL in Australia, or "friendlies" played by national soccer teams.:
-Do you watch All Star games or similar exhibition games?
-Do you think it's worth the risk to players to participate in these games?
-Is the benefit to the sport (increased exposure, opportunity to promote star players, generate fan interest etc...) worth it more than the risk to popular players, or the potential negative attention from a poorly played game?
