Who knew that we had an NFL Pro Bowl yesterday?

[underpants]

It was news to me this morning


AFC 26
NFC 7
http://www.espn.com/nfl/boxscore?gameId=401038851

[True Dough]

1. Not really high profile

The MLB and NBA all-star games do a better job of marketing and formatting.

[ExciteBike66]

2. One other difference is that the baseball players can play much closer to 100% without risking

injury.

The football players looked like they were playing flag football out there, since no one (rightly) wants to get injured for no good reason.

I have the luxury of ignoring the probowl since my team usually doesn't participate.. Go Pats!

[bearsfootball516]

3. Baseball players also have something to play for, so that helps.

As of 2017, the winning side gets home field advantage in the World Series. So for players who are on teams that have a shot at the World Series, it's advantageous for them to go all out to win.

[exboyfil]

6. The bad thing about the baseball All Star game

Is using pitchers up so that can't make their next start. That has a potential impact on the standings. To counteract that they use them only for a few innings. That leaves them short if the game goes into extra innings.

Still some team always has an advantage by one extra home game. Deciding the location based on the All Star game is as good or better than alternating it or flipping a coin. Given that there is interleague play now, I wonder if they should base it on interleague play (head to head or common opponent record?).

[underpants]

4. I just found out there was an NHL All Star game

and it took me a while to figure out that they had a 4 team playoff.

Not a hockey fan obviously

[True Dough]

12. The NHL skills competition is a lot of fun

The all-star game, however, has changed formats recently and left some fans yearning for the single team Western vs. Eastern conference clashes of the past. Having a mini-tournament is a bit odd.

[bluedigger]

5. Get rid of it and have a third place game.

At least they would be playing for something.

[exboyfil]

7. Third place games don't work

They even dropped them in college basketball.

Why even have a game?

[bluedigger]

10. Bronze medalists in many sports would disagree.

[exboyfil]

11. Point taken but the Olympics

are different than high profile college and pro sports in the US. The Bronze developed an intrinsic worth that predated big time US sports. In high profile US sports we don't have losers brackets (unless you count the football college national title where teams who don't win their conference still get in). The FCS football schools don't have consolation games either.

Here is an interesting article about the 3rd place US men's basketball team in the 2004 Olympics.

https://www.nytimes.com/2004/08/29/sports/summer-2004-games-basketball-men-s-bronze-medal-game-us-manages-hold-off.html

[bluedigger]

13. And football is different than other pro sports in the US.

Limited schedule of games, and an exhibition game scheduled after the regular season instead of in the middle, which makes it irrelevant to both fans and players. A third place game could work in football.

[bearsfootball516]

14. I don't think players or teams would want to play in it.

Teams in the playoffs are pushing for the Super Bowl, not third place. No player is going to risk tearing his ACL and being out for the entire next season to win third place.

[stopbush]

17. Didn't know the NFL had a Silver Medal.

Go Rams!

[rzemanfl]

8. Or have the worst two teams play for an honorable mention. n/t

[Angleae]

21. And it shall be called the Toilet Bowl

[exboyfil]

9. In this age where even high profile college players

bow out of Bowl games, I can't see a reason for a Pro football all star game. The sport is too dangerous. Unlike baseball which is only marginally a team game or basketball whose offensive and defensive schemes are far less complex, football is an extremely complex tactical game. What goes on in the Pro Bowl has no semblance to an actual football game.

[stopbush]

15. I watched the game casually.

No kick offs, no blitzing, no tackling per se.

I couldn’t help thinking I was witnessing the future of the NFL.

[underpants]

16. No kickoffs?

I didn’t know that

I did see inbthe box score that the AFC never punted.

[stopbush]

18. They placed the ball at the 25-yard line to start the game/half

and after each score.

[Brother Buzz]

19. It was nothing but a casual payday exhibition scrimmage

Each player on the winning Pro Bowl team receives $67,000, while each player on the losing squad earns $34,000.

But it could be considered exciting if you like KISS plays, halfhearted blocking, quarter-speed tackling and zero sincerity.

[Iggo]

20. I knew but didn't care.

[hughee99]

22. I still watch the MLB all-star game because at least it somewhat closely approximates the real game.

The Pro-Bowl and the NBA all-star game are jokes. I do like the "skills challenges" for the NBA and NHL.