Pro Bowl review

What two of the major sports leagues are failing to understand is their game featuring the stars of their leagues is nothing more than an exhibition game. The latest attempt by the NFL at re-inventing their all-star spectacle falls short of what the game is meant to do--and that is show off all of the league's stars.

Major League Baseball began this almost ten years ago after their Mid-Summer Classic ended in a tie with no players available after ten innings. Commissioner Bud Selig decided it was time for the league to take the game seriously and give home field advantage in the world series to the winner of the all-star game.

Now that game has changed. Strategy has changed and all-star game memories have began to dwindle. There were many more lasting images from games that had less meaning than those of today.

The earliest memory that comes to mind is Pete Rose "hustling" around the bases and colliding head first with Ray Fosse at home plate, giving the National League the win. Less serious moments ensued in the 90s with Randy Johnson throwing a pitch high and behind Phillie John Kruk. This was a match-up that many were anticipating and each had a little fun with the encounter. In a game that meant home-field advantage in the World Series, this "funny" moment is less likely to happen.

Aside from staged events such as the return of past all-stars to the field for a presentation, there are fewer in-game all-star game memories. And in what should be a game to exhibit the talents of the game's best has now become one that may have a deciding factor who are the World Champions.

The NFL hasn't placed the same kind of importance on the Pro Bowl, but it is trying to add more relevance to the game. However by moving it to the week prior to the Super Bowl doesn't permit the best in the game to participate. As I watch the Pro Bowl I should expect to see Peyton Manning throw to Dallas Clark or Drew Brees to hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson. Since the game was played prior to the Super Bowl, three of these four athletes watched the from sidelines.

The 2010 game brought the highest tv ratings in ten years. Much of that had to do wtih a later kick-off on Sunday, not Saturday as in previous years. People are still interested in watching, but the same people are hungry to see the game's best as well.

I like the NFL trying something new. Next year the game will be moved back to Hawaii with a date and time to be announced. However it is hard to expect the game to be before the Super Bowl and transporting players, administration and media from the 49th state to the mainland may be next to impossible. But the NFL should score points for experimenting. And if it was up to Bud Selig, the conference who wins the Pro Bowl would also get the ball first in a Super Bowl overtime.