End the Pro Bowl, Please

In sports, this is what is known as All-Star time. The NHL had its All-Star break a few weeks back; the NBA will have theirs in ten days. The NFL has theirs on Sunday.

While I'm cool with the NBA, NHL and MLB All-Star games ... the NFL one needs to go. Please. Go towards the light.

Sorry, but it makes no sense. The game is held after the season has concluded and after the most important game of the season. We have a thrilling Super Bowl this past Sunday ... and then get treated to a high-priced walk through the next weekend.

Sure, the players are happy to be there: it is a paid trip to Hawaii. But no one wants to play. The rosters end up being filled by alternate players because the ones who were voted in just bow out.

You think the Patriot players want to play this game a week after losing their perfect season? You think the Giants players want to stop their celebration to play an extra game? How about players for teams that haven't played since December?

This isn't to say that players don't feel honored to be named to the team. They do. But why play the game? Why? These players come from all different schemes, systems and skill sets that they don't match the roster of the game. No one goes all out.

A few years ago, Troy Aikman came up with a nice alternative to playing the game:

"I would suggest, and I'm not in the minority when I say this, send the players over to Hawaii, let them enjoy it because it's a great honor to be voted in. The players definitely want to be voted in. It's extremely meaningful, extremely fun to go to Hawaii. But do a major television event, do a battle of the superstars, do a skills competition, do something. To me, that'd be more compelling. People would watch it more and the players would enjoy it more."

We don't see the college All America teams play, do we? Or have the baseball's Silver Sluggers take on the Gold Glovers, eh?

Football is a violent game that has the shortest season for a reason. Let these great players ... who are great players because the played through pain ... get their moment in the sun. Just not on the field.