As I noted nearly two months ago, this game was a looming pimple that at some point was going to have to be popped. Now the NFL has almost alienated the few fans who actually enjoy watching the Pro Bowl -- myself being one of them. This game does not do anything to truly help the continuity of the NFL's season. Worst of all, because so many soon-to-be Super Bowl participants and recent playoff participants have dropped out of the game, this Pro Bowl is being marred by a surplus of undeserving backups.
Yes, there are usually a few replacements from the initial roster, but this year there will be no players from the Colts and Saints, participants of Super Bowl XLIV, as well as so many other players who haven't had a chance to enjoy some down time or who don't see Miami as the lure that Honolulu is, and thus they bail.
Heck, NFC offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie was booted from the Pro Bowl squad for missing practice. You can make the argument that players don't care about this game, but it seems they care even less this season. Just take a look at the Pro Bowl Rosters for this year's All-Star event, and you'll see seemingly more replacements than original selections that will actually be on the field Sunday. Check the numbers...
There are a total of 17 additional players who are in Miami as a result of another player withdrawing due to injury. That is in addition to the 15 players who were named to the Pro Bowl to replace the Super Bowl participants who are preparing for a game next week. That is a total of 32 players who weren't originally selected to an All-Star team with an initial roster of more than 40 players!
Rosters for 2010 Pro Bowl, to be played Sunday, in Miami (* denotes starter, # denotes injury replacement, + denotes replacement for Super Bowl player, **dismissed. Players in Super Bowl will not play in Pro Bowl):
AFC Offense
Quarterbacks -- *Peyton Manning, Indianapolis; Tom Brady, New England (injured); # Matt Schaub, Houston; Philip Rivers, San Diego (injured); # Vince Young, Tennessee; + David Garrard, Jacksonville
Running Backs -- *Chris Johnson, Tennessee; *Maurice Jones-Drew, Jacksonville; Ray Rice, Baltimore
Fullback -- *Le'Ron McClain, Baltimore
Wide Receivers -- *Andre Johnson, Houston; *Reggie Wayne, Indianapolis; Brandon Marshall, Denver; Wes Welker, New England (injured); # Chad Ochocinco, Cincinnati; + Vincent Jackson, San Diego
Tight Ends -- *Dallas Clark, Indianapolis; Antonio Gates, San Diego; + Heath Miller, Pittsburgh
Centers -- *Nick Mangold, N.Y. Jets; Jeff Saturday, Indianapolis; + Kevin Mawae, Tennessee
Guards -- *Alan Faneca, N.Y. Jets; *Logan Mankins, New England; Kris Dielman, San Diego
Tackles -- *Ryan Clady, Denver; Jake Long, Miami (injured); #D'Brickashaw Ferguson, N.Y. Jets; Joe Thomas, Cleveland
AFC Defense
Ends -- *Dwight Freeney, Indianapolis; *Robert Mathis, Indianapolis; Mario Williams, Houston; + Kyle Vanden Bosch, Tennessee; + Shaun Ellis, N.Y. Jets
Interior Linemen -- *Haloti Ngata, Baltimore; *Vince Wilfork, New England; Casey Hampton, Pittsburgh
Inside-Middle Linebackers -- *Ray Lewis, Baltimore; DeMeco Ryans, Houston
Outside Linebackers -- *Elvis Dumervil, Denver; *James Harrison, Pittsburgh; Brian Cushing, Houston (injured), # LaMarr Woodley, Pittsburgh
Cornerbacks -- *Nnamdi Asomugha, Oakland; *Darrelle Revis, N.Y. Jets; Champ Bailey, Denver
Strong Safety -- *Brian Dawkins, Denver; + Yeremiah Bell, Miami
Free Safeties -- *Ed Reed, Baltimore; Jairus Byrd, Buffalo (injured); #Brandon Meriweather; Antoine Bethea, Indianapolis
AFC Specialists
Punter -- Shane Lechler, Oakland
Kick-return Specialist -- Josh Cribbs, Cleveland
Place-kicker -- Nate Kaeding, San Diego
Special-teamer -- Kassim Osgood, San Diego
Long-snapper -- Jon Condo, Oakland
NFC Offense
Quarterbacks -- *Drew Brees, New Orleans; Brett Favre, Minnesota (injured); Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay; + Donovan McNabb, Philadelphia; # Tony Romo, Dallas
Running Backs -- *Adrian Peterson, Minnesota; Steven Jackson, St. Louis (injured); #Frank Gore, San Francisco; DeAngelo Williams, Carolina
Fullback -- *Leonard Weaver, Philadelphia
Wide Receivers -- *Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona (injured); #Steve Smith, N.Y. Giants; *DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia; Miles Austin, Dallas; Sidney Rice, Minnesota, (injured); # Roddy White, Atlanta
Tight Ends -- *Vernon Davis, San Francisco; Jason Witten, Dallas
Centers -- *Andre Gurode, Dallas (injured); # Jonathan Goodwin, New Orleans; Shaun O'Hara, New York Giants; + Ryan Kalil, Carolina
Guards -- *Jahri Evans, New Orleans; *Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota; Leonard Davis, Dallas; + Chris Snee, N.Y. Giants
Tackles -- **Bryant McKinnie, Minnesota; *Jason Peters, Philadelphia; Jonathan Stinchcomb, New Orleans; + David Diehl, N.Y. Giants
NFC Defense
Ends -- *Jared Allen, Minnesota; *Julius Peppers, Carolina; Trent Cole, Philadelphia
Interior Linemen -- *Darnell Dockett, Arizona; *Kevin Williams, Minnesota, (injured); Jay Ratliff, Dallas; # Justin Smith, San Francisco
Inside-Middle Linebackers -- *Patrick Willis, San Francisco (injured); Jonathan Vilma, New Orleans; + London Fletcher, Washington; #Jon Beason, Carolina
Outside Linebackers -- *Lance Briggs, Chicago (injured); #Clay Matthews; *DeMarcus Ware, Dallas; Brian Orakpo, Washington
Cornerbacks -- *Asante Samuel, Philadelphia; *Charles Woodson, Green Bay, (injured); Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Arizona (injured); #Terence Newman, Dallas; # Mike Jenkins, Dallas
Strong Safety -- *Adrian Wilson, Arizona; Roman Harper, New Orleans; +Quintin Mikell, Philadelphia
Free Safeties -- *Darren Sharper, New Orleans; Nick Collins, Green Bay; + Antrel Rolle, Arizona
NFC Specialists
Punter -- Andy Lee, San Francisco
Kick-return Specialists -- DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia; Percy Harvin, Minnesota, (injured); # Johnny Knox, Chicago
Place-kicker -- David Akers, Philadelphia
Special-teamer -- Heath Farwell, Minnesota
Long-snapper -- Jon Dorenbos, Philadelphia
2 comments:
Loooks like the nunbers do not bear out your view. Viewership way up from last year. Most watched cable program ever, I believe (could be wrong about that). Lots of interest and the natural tie-in to the upcoming Super Bowl in the same city. Who knew?
Keep posting stuff like this i really like it
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