How to save the Pro Bowl

I quit watching the 2010 Pro Bowl on the second drive of the game when Houston Texans' DE Mario Williams passed on a free attempt to sack NFC quarterback Aaron Rodgers. That play represents everything that's wrong with the Pro Bowl.

I've always been a fan of killing multiple birds with one stone. While I credit Roger Goodell for his attempt to make the Pro Bowl relevant by moving it one week before Super Bowl Sunday rather than after, I feel he missed a bigger vision that would have made the game more exciting and interesting.

Put college seniors and underclassmen declaring for the draft on the field instead of NFL players.

Call it the NFL Stars of Tomorrow Game, the Draft Bowl, whatever. Sell it to a corporate sponsor and make more money. I don't care. Just make the game relevant.

Put players on the field that actually have something to play for.



Think about what happened in the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIV.

1. Tim Tebow (top left) featured in one of the most-hyped Senior Bowls ever, but if you're like me and don't have the NFL network, you didn't see it.
2. The Pro Bowl continued to be a cheap imitation of real football due to defensive scheme regulations to reduce injury risks.
3. The press had nothing to talk about for two weeks other than Dwight Freeney's ankle and what a Saints win would mean for the city of New Orleans.

My plan would still allow NFL players to be voted as Pro Bowlers, receive their bonuses and get a free trip to Hawaii, South Florida, etc. However, instead of making them play, have them there talk to these young kids, practice with them and mentor them on life in the NFL. Then when the lights come on, we'll get what we expect from the NFL; a compelling, interesting, hard-fought football game.

Everybody wins.

Think about it. Would you rather watch David Garrard against a defense that's not allowed to blitz, or Tebow fighting for his professional life against Ndamukong Suh (above right).

The fans get the game they deserve. College players get exposure to the big lights of the NFL and have the opportunity to interact with their heroes. Team scouts can do in-game evaluations in a big-game atmosphere and the NFL gets a game that's buzz-worthy and relevant to its fans.