Alright so it’s no secret that no one REALLY watches the NFL Pro Bowl. You’d think that the thought of Brett Favre faking the handoff to Adrian Peterson then tossing to Terrell Owens would be enough. Or maybe even people would tune in to see the dream combo of Tom Brady throwing deep downfield to Randy Moss. Oh wait, that’s the Patriots…dammit. But I can’t find one person who actually watches the game. And I know several NFL fans.
I’m thrilled that the Browns are breaking back into the Pro Bowl scene, of course. This year Braylon Edwards and Josh Cribbs were selected. But, again, I won’t watch. And it's not because the game doesn't matter. I've watched many snaps between teams who have no shot at the NFL playoffs. I can’t really explain it but I just don’t care about the actual Pro Bowl Game.
The Pro Bowl selections, in my mind, are only good for a few things. First, it tells me that a team, like the Browns, is actually getting some sort of respect from the league and the world. Incredible news considering I didn’t see a preseason list that had Cleveland anywhere but the 32nd spot in the power rankings. Second, the Pro Bowl highlights those players in the less glamorous positions who many fans may not know about. The selections of Joe Thomas and Eric Steinbach as alternates, for example, tell me that the Browns actually have a decent offensive line. An amazing feat considering that group was the butt of all league jokes for as long as they’ve been in the league.
If you ask me, the Pro Bowl should be replaced by a simple list of an All-Pro team. We get the recognition without a game, much like college football’s All-American selections. Come to think of it, I’d like to see the NCAA All-American teams in action…not sure why. But anyway, the fact that the Browns are heading back to Hawaii is great. The team is finally on the upswing and has the record and players to prove it.
Now I just hope they don’t get hurt while playing at Aloha Stadium. And hope is all that I can do, cause I sure won’t be watching to make sure.
Keywords: Adrian Peterson, All-American, Aloha Stadium, Braylon Edwards, Brett Favre, Cleveland Browns, Eric Steinbach, Joe Thomas, Josh Cribbs, NFL Pro Bowl, Power Rankings, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Tom Brady
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