Remember When?

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 30, 2010 7:00 AM EST Comment 15 comments

The Pro Bowl selection actually meant something more than a contract incentive and a free vacation? When players were honored to be recognized for excellence and actually played hard to reward the fans for watching them all season? When unless you were REALLY injured, you were there and they didn't have to add the 14th best player at the position because everyone else turned it down?

Remember....?

Remember when there was a 3rd place Championship Game between the two teams that lost the conference championships? The game was held the day before the Super Bowl and both teams truly showed up and fought for the right to be known as the third best team in the league. Imagine a game next Saturday between the New York Jets and Minnesota Vikings? I'd watch one more chance to see Brett Favre melt down one more time and watch Rex Ryan boast and predict one more wrong thing!

Remember when they was a College All-Star Game between the best college players and the Super Bowl Champion? That was a long time ago and stopped pretty quickly when they realized the NFL really wasn't for it and had nothing to gain but so much to lose if they got injured or actually lost the game, which they occasionally did. Can you imagine what it would be like if there was still that game and we could see the Indianapolis Colts or New Orleans Saints take on Tim Tebow, Ndamukong Suh and others? What would it have been like a few years ago to see the 2006 Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers take on a College All-Star team with Reggie Bush and Vince Young? There would have been some cool matchups over the years.

When the Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl 35 in 2001, the following NFL Draft included future stars such as Michael Vick, LaDanian Tomlinson, Santana Moss, Deuce McAllister, Reggie Wayne and the Ravens' own Todd Heap. That would have been a great game but with that Ravens' defense, the collegians wouldn't have stood a chance!

Perhaps it's a good thing there wasn't a game in 1996 when the Ravens selected Ray Lewis with the 25th pick in the first round. If Ray had that type of chance to show himself off against the pros, he might not have still been there when the 25th pick came around!

Ahhh, the good old days, when every decision wasn't based on the financial futures of the players, the teams or the league. Remember when?

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I still would not mind seeing a Rookie vs Sophomore game. I think that be fun to watch, even though those players aren’t as impacting like it is in the NBA, still be cool to watch. I miss them doing the hall of fame game with the old guys playing flag football. I always enjoyed seeing Boomer throw to Jerry Rice and still make it look easy.

College vs NFL would be so bad. God, seeing Manning or Brees pick apart the Alabama defense would be ugly to watch. I do think that Bama, Florida or Texas could have possibly beaten the Rams or Lions this year. I know some of those Miami and USC teams from the early 2000’s could have definitely beaten some of the worst teams in the NFL during that time.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jan 30, 2010 10:56 AM EST reply actions

Doubtful

As bad as the pro teams might havbe been, I seriously doubt ANY college team could EVER beat a pro team in a game that both teams put their best out there, be it the Lions, Bucs or even the Browns.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 30, 2010 1:42 PM EST up reply actions

I've never been big on the Pro Bowl to begin with

But its definitely a lot worse this year. I understand Goodell wanting to get more viewers to actually watch it by moving it to the week before the big game, but between the Colts & Saints players not going, and all the other players opting to just sit out, it just seems to me that its going to be a lot lamer then usual.

by StuckInUtah on Jan 30, 2010 12:30 PM EST via mobile reply actions

I’m glad it’s on Sunday night. Who has time during the day to watch a meaningless game. At least we can watch it over dinner instead of TMZ.

It depends on the player weather they value the selection or not. Most are honored. Would you rather hang with your pals all week and live it up or be at home changing diapers and getting nagged. You have to be pumped for that extra week of fun.

by raven on Jan 30, 2010 12:53 PM EST reply actions

Maybe we’ll get shocked and have a great game. Since a lot of big named players turned down opportunities, we get to see some first timers and some of the younger players who probably value it a lot more. Lets hope it’s somewhat entertaining.

by AV23 on Jan 30, 2010 1:21 PM EST reply actions

I remember when

I’ve been watching Pro Football since 1970, the year of the merger. I also remember when they way Pro Bowl teams were selected made sense. Fan participation in Pro Bowl selection is ludicrous. Playing the Pro Bowl before the Super Bowl and not in Hawaii is a slap in the face of tradition.

It’s no wonder why no one cares about this game. The NFL is sometimes clueless.

by Football Historian on Jan 30, 2010 1:27 PM EST reply actions

This snow sucks. It always make me start drinking at 2pm.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jan 30, 2010 3:00 PM EST reply actions

Speaking of "remember when?"

We’re going to see “Beatlemania” tonight at the Hippodrome in the snow!

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 30, 2010 5:19 PM EST up reply actions

Lucky

The MD shuttles are not running today, so I am snowed in for the day. We got about 6-7 inches here already and it is not supposed to stop till 9-10pm tonight.

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Jan 30, 2010 5:24 PM EST up reply actions

We got around 5" here and

it’s expected to snow until 4am. Roads bad but not for the Grand Cherokee, which made it back from Salisbury at the height of the blizzard in December.

aka 'Rexx'

by Bruce Raffel on Jan 30, 2010 5:30 PM EST up reply actions

Beatlemania

I can hear you shrieking now Bruce. You’ll be safe in the city tonight with the snow. remember to stay on the snow keep clear of the heat ducts (American Werewolf In London).

by raven on Jan 30, 2010 7:36 PM EST up reply actions