September 26th, 2022 at 11:07 AM ^
maybe that'll be entertaining, but who was the guy who tore his knee up playing "beach football" or something like it, when the game was in Hawaii, 20-25 years ago? cmon old heads.. i cant remember
September 26th, 2022 at 11:09 AM ^
It's the last paragraph in the linked article:
September 26th, 2022 at 11:14 AM ^
Thank you! Yes, i didnt read the article, because the original post was of such quality I felt I knew what I needed!
I don't love the 7 v 7. These aren't fragile athletes, but... you're playing with huge $$$. Skills part is harmless enough, though the NBA version is a bore, other than the 3 pt contest.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:27 AM ^
Every other league in the world puts their talent on display for all star games, I think the risk of flag football is minimal. Yes, football can be tough on your joints, but so is basketball.
I think this makes so much sense. Much as every football player loves football, I can't imagine playing a tackle football game without having the competitive hunger to prove something, to win something. Goofing around with basketball or baseball makes some sense, and flag football can have that too. But tackle? It's always been weird. I dunno, I'm sure there's a way to make a tackle football all star game work but the NFL couldn't figure it out and it never made sense to me.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:43 AM ^
Every other league in the world puts their talent on display for all star games,
Very few other "leagues in the world" do All-Star games. None of the major football/soccer leagues (EPL, La Liga, etc.) do it. Cricket doesn't do it. Looks like Rugby might.
Maybe you meant "every other league in the United States"? Basically it's really just a here thing.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:40 PM ^
yea I was thinking of Japanese and Korean baseball but sure, not every other league in the world. Still, I think the risk of injury from flag football isn't necessarily high enough to cancel any sort of display.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:11 PM ^
All good. The interesting part from a football/soccer standpoint and why it's actually kinda timely how you phrased it. There's a conversation going on right now that's been encouraged by Todd Boehly the American leader of the new group that just purchased Chelsea Football Club to bring an American-style All-Star game to the EPL. It has underscored an issue many hardliner Brits, traditionalists, pro-Brexiters (however you want to phrase or lump people) have had historically with the globalization of "their" league. So many of their top clubs are now owned by non-Brits and specifically Americans.
And with all of that change comes either placed or mis-placed aggression toward the outsiders. Specifically, many of those who take exception to the "globalization" of the game, DEFINITELY do not want the "Americanization" of their game, and detest the idea of things like an All-Star game.
September 26th, 2022 at 4:54 PM ^
I'm not a big soccer guy but I do find the premier league fascinating - I read a book called "The Club" that touched on what you talk about. When I was a kid, my family in India never cared about soccer any more than they did about American football - but now they're all somewhat soccer fans, but of British teams!
It's really not too weird - what real connection do I have to a team that is geographically close to me other than it's a bit easier to attend games, and they slice up the TV rights sorta geographically? It's basically effective branding of these franchises. But, especially as a college-sports first guy, while recognizing my connection with the current group of kids half my age who play in a stadium that is on the edge of a campus i lived on half a lifetime ago is tenuous, I still find it wild that so many people around the world get so into these British soccer teams that are so geographically distant from them. It's really not any weirder. And yet it feels weird to me.
So even tho it may be tinged with a bit of xenophobic ugliness...I kinda get the British fans who are all "get off my lawn." They're not that different from those of us who want the band to play more, and to play louder. And complain about TV timeouts (except maybe we have a more real gripe there). And complain about the Big Ten being 16 teams, with a quarter definitely not in the Midwest and Penn State mostly not in the Midwest.
So yea, even though I don't watch soccer unless it's the world cup or my father in law has the Liga MX on, I'm still kinda fascinated by it, and specifcally the British Premier League. Thanks for sharing, hope you enjoy the rambling. whoo, all star games. or boo, all star games. haha
September 26th, 2022 at 11:21 AM ^
Robert Edwards, he was a rookie coming off of an 1100+ First year for the Bledsoe Parcells patriots.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:08 AM ^
We'll always have the moment when Sean Taylor destroyed a punters soul.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:32 AM ^
Holy balls. I have no idea how I never saw that, but that was awesome. Makes it so much better that it was in a pro bowl.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:49 AM ^
They say that was a ball bouncing down the sidelines after that hit but I believe that was his essence leaving his body
September 26th, 2022 at 11:26 AM ^
Andy Reid is ready
September 26th, 2022 at 11:13 AM ^
Hey, if Manning's Omaha Productions is working on it, I'll watch.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
If it's old guys playing flag football, i'll watch.
September 26th, 2022 at 12:08 PM ^
"old guys playing flag football": d'ya mean —
• no rookies, only veterans?
• retired NFL players?
• like golf's senior tour, only players over 50 years old?
• genuinely old guys, AARP and retired?
September 26th, 2022 at 12:44 PM ^
If a guy had a long enough NFL career that I would want to watch him play in a flag football game, it will be a very slow paced game which will require accommodations for canes and walkers. Football is brutal on the lower body, in addition to what is known about head injuries.
September 26th, 2022 at 1:15 PM ^
Glad I read through before posting because I was going to say the same thing. Do it as an Old-Timers game. You can't tell me that Charles Woodson wouldn't want to strap on the cleats again. You could line him up opposite Desmond and have them both pull off Heisman poses after the first play.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:16 AM ^
first draftagedon and now the pro bowl?
where does it stop?
September 26th, 2022 at 11:20 AM ^
The NFL will still have trouble getting players to the competition without healthy bonuses. I think they'd get better participation by moving it to Vegas, Miami or LA. That Hawaii flight loses it's appeal quickly and when the season ends, all these guys want rest and not football for a while.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:25 AM ^
From the article, 2nd paragraph: "The 2023 Games will be held in Las Vegas, and the flag football game at Allegiant Stadium is Feb. 5."
September 26th, 2022 at 11:23 AM ^
Good. Tough to imagine that it took this long for the NFL to realize how dumb this game was.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:29 AM ^
Not sure how the league never got it to work. Not like they don't have the money to go out and hire an army of creative minds who can give them something to work with.
I'm sure there's more than one reason it never panned out, but the MLB seems to consistently generate buzz and a base level of interest surrounding its All Star Game. That had to at least, in part, come from giving the teams something to actually play for with home field advantage in the World Series. I don't think they do that anymore, but it definitely had to help.
Either way, I won't miss the Pro Bowl. I don't ever remember having even a surface level interest in it.
September 26th, 2022 at 1:12 PM ^
The basic problem is that it is really hard to police effort. No player wants to try too hard or get hurt in a meaningless game. The "best" all star games are in sports where the players can half-ass it without compromising the fundamentals of the sport. Baseball and basketball work because you can play the professional equivalent of beer league or pick-up game and still have something that resembles the competitive version. The NFL can be as creative as it wants, but it cannot change the fundamental element of tackle football: play does not stop until the ball carrier goes down.
September 26th, 2022 at 1:40 PM ^
It's a whole lot easier to convince guys to give up 3 days of rest in the middle of the MLB or NBA season than it is to have guys wait 3+ weeks at the end of the season. Plus helps that MLB, NBA and NHL can play a reasonable form of their sport without much risk of injury.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:34 AM ^
Good.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:38 AM ^
All-star games are pointless in *all* sports in 2022. The whole premise of these games was based on lack of national media visibility of star players in leagues covering many cities and vast distances at a time when national broadcasts were rare and most people had only read about legendary players in newspapers.
It made sense to showcase Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams to people in NL cities...no-one today needs to see Aaron Judge or Mookie Betts play in exhibition games. Hell if you want to see Aaron Judge play you just need to watch a college football game...
September 26th, 2022 at 11:04 PM ^
This. 1000%. The MLB all star game used to be an event. But inter league play, load management on pitchers, agent controlled players, etc have killed it. The starters are on a plane by the fifth inning, pitchers only throw an inning at most… it’s going to get worse next year when they adopt the every team plays every team concept. MLB was much better when it was NL vs AL. Now. Get off my lawn.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:41 AM ^
I didn't know the Pro Bowl was still happening
September 26th, 2022 at 11:46 AM ^
Hallelujah! Finally giving the players something they actually want to participate in. Plus we might get to see things like a Josh Allen versus Patrick Mahomes arm talent competition
September 26th, 2022 at 11:53 AM ^
My son has played NFL flag football for the past couple years and I am one of the coaches on his team this year. I am actually a little excited about the flag game, and I think my son may like it. May give it a watch.
September 26th, 2022 at 11:59 AM ^
My ranking of the all star games
1.) MLB
2) NBA
3) NHL
4) NFL
September 26th, 2022 at 2:35 PM ^
That’s like ranking McDonald’s, Burger King, Wendy’s and Arby’s. They all suck, it’s just that some suck a bit more than the others.
September 26th, 2022 at 12:10 PM ^
My modest proposal: bring the players and the big wigs together for their annual party/schmoozing session, which is actual point of the exercise.
Then use Madden football to play the actual "game." Have the programers do quick and dirty player ratings based on the last season. They should be happy to participate just for the defacto cred of being the official software for the game. Invite the two best Madden players in the world to run the controllers, ditto on the incentive to participate. No one gets hurt; everyone gets to party; we get to watch a football like substance with the best "players" from the season playing all out.
September 26th, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
Did my usual speed-read fast scroll. Thought I saw "bring players' wives." Backed up to your post only to be disappointed, but thought: "Hmmm." Flag football with the players' wives??? Possibly a ratings draw...
Yes. I am in favor of a flag-football All-Star game involving the wives / girlfriends / mistresses of current NFL players. To raise money for charity, of course. Perhaps the wives on one team and the mistresses on the other? Just trying to think outside the box here...
September 26th, 2022 at 12:10 PM ^
Good.
About time.
They were still playing it?
September 26th, 2022 at 12:30 PM ^
I don't like any all-star games and the Pro Bowl was definitely one of them.
September 26th, 2022 at 12:32 PM ^
I'm guessing the Miami Dolphins personal protector wouldn't be making the Pro Bowl for special teams.
Up 21-17 over the Bills, they had to punt from the 1-yd line. And the guy backed up! Resulting in a butt punt! (link, as not allowed to embed)
The safety made it 21-19. On the following play Dolphins punter kicked it 74 yds to the Bills 6, return for 17 yds. The Bills drove to the Miami 41 in 7 plays, but the receiver didn't get out of bounds, and they couldn't spike the ball before time ran out.
September 26th, 2022 at 12:47 PM ^
1. Fastest Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp6Z6bh5Hl4
2. Strongest Man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHhKieB_Zek
3. The Vince Young NFL's Smartest Man Competition
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nfl/news/wonderlic-scores-nfl-highest-l…
4. National Football League Quarterback Challenge
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Football_League_Quarterback_Chal…
No need for Beach football I remember watching it live on tv when Edwards destroyed his leg on that beach
September 26th, 2022 at 12:48 PM ^
Oh no, I’ll now need to re-arrange my plans for whatever day the Pro Bowl game was scheduled.
By the way, when was it supposed to be played? Before the Super Bowl, or after? In Hawaii, or another non-descript location? Who played in this?
I guess I’ve only missed watching it about twenty times in the last 20 years.
September 26th, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
I might watch some of the skills competition, but a flag football game? I don't think I'm alone in saying that I would much prefer a talent show featuring the players' skills in areas unrelated to football. Who wouldn't want to see their favorite NFL player's piano or trombone skills, for example? Or maybe a player has a specific recipe they could demonstrate in front of a live studio audience (with samples for all)?
September 26th, 2022 at 1:12 PM ^
Maybe they should take a page from the PGA Pro-Am tournaments and do a Pro-Am skills competition. It'd be fun to watch Mike Trout compete against Matt Prater in a FG contest, or Bryson Dechambeau try to beat Tom Brady in a passing competition.
September 26th, 2022 at 1:13 PM ^
All of the All Star games are jokes now and the Pro Bowl was the worst of them.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:32 PM ^
The Pro Bowl died decades ago. The NFL just finally admitted it.
September 26th, 2022 at 2:46 PM ^
It’s been dead for years. Someone just needed to push it over
September 26th, 2022 at 2:49 PM ^
Good riddance to the Pro Bowl. The matchup of best NFL players who weren’t playing in the Super Bowl was never very interesting.
But was the Pro Bowl the worst all-star game in the history of sports? I’m not convinced. Consider the Chicago_College_All-Star_Game: an exhibition game featuring college all-stars playing against the defending nfl champions. For those unfamiliar with the game, it was played from 1934-1976. As one would expect, the games were frequently a mismatch: a bunch of rookies with minimal practice facing the league champions!?!? As rookie salaries rose, the injuries became difficult to overlook. Combined with nfl teams wanting to have their rookies in camp, the game came to a deserving end.
September 26th, 2022 at 3:43 PM ^
With the arguable exception of baseball (because you can play reasonably hard without taking on much injury risk), the quality of play in pro all-star games is much worse than in exhibition games. The games themselves serve no purpose.
September 26th, 2022 at 7:14 PM ^
This will be a good chance to do all kinds of screens to offensive linemen, haha
but I will miss priceless moments like the play in this link…
September 26th, 2022 at 11:09 PM ^
They should do a battle of the network stars type competition. Obstacle course , golfing, dodge ball !!, or American gladiator style games.