By: Rick Blangiardi
We all know that the Pro Bowl has become a
non-contact sport and the fans feel cheated when they shell out big bucks for
big-name players engaging in the equivalent of flag football.
Sure the players should put on more of a show. After
all, we're talking about entertainment here. However, what player in his right
mind is going to risk injury in an exhibition game?
But the NFL is threatening to scuttle the whole game
because of gentle play and that's threatens Hawaii's economy and nearly $30
million in visitor spending, not to mention the 12.5 million television viewers
who would rather be here in February than where they live.
We would hate to lose the pro bowl but it has become
a tedious and drawn-out affair, with absolutely nothing at stake, unlike major
league baseball's all-star game, with the winning league getting home field
advantage during the World Series.
Thankfully, the players are getting the message that
the current state of the game is unacceptable. If they are to get future trips
to Hawaii, they will either have to step up the quality of the game or pay for
the Hawaii vacations themselves when the game goes away.
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