BUFFONE: Get Ready for the Semi-Pro Bowl

by John Buffone

I said it last year and I’ll say it again this year, the Pro Bowl is just awful. The NFL’s version of an all-star game consists of players going half-speed while plays like blitzes are illegal. One of the main problems with the Pro Bowl (and there are countless ones) is that players are more concerned with being named to the Pro Bowl to boost their personal value rather than playing in it. After being named to a Pro Bowl, many players decide to blow it off and let mediocre alternates take their place. The process increases even more now that the game is being played a week before the Super Bowl, meaning the game won’t feature the best players from the two best teams. Taking Tom Brady’s place this year will be Cincinnati rookie quarterback Andy Dalton. The Bengals QB threw for a solid 3398 yards this season. The problem? 15 other quarterbacks threw for more yards. Dalton’s tight end Jermaine Gresham also got the call to Honolulu to replace Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gresham’s 56 receptions this year was just good enough to be ranked 13^th among tight ends this year (not exactly cream of the crop numbers). The piece de resistance however, is that if Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would not have agreed to attend the Pro Bowl this Sunday, the mythical Tim Tebow would have taken his place. So gear up Pro Bowl fans, get ready to watch mid-range talent NFL players take the field to toss the ball around in the least competitive way possible.

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