The NFL's Pro Bowl, which somehow manages to be a far greater joke than the defense-optional NBA and NHL All-Star games, could be going away for good, according to reports. The league might suspend the game this year; beyond that, it could simply just disappear -- as it should. Per ESPN.com:
Goodell has asked NFL players recently for suggestions to make the game more attractive but has yet to embrace a solution, sources said.
Even those within who league support continuance of the game have been unable to persuade Goodell that the game has merit alone on reasonably strong television ratings.
However, the diminishing quality of the game has weighed more heavily on the commissioner who believes it reflects poorly on the league and its players. Sources say Goodell does not hold any ill-will toward the players' lackluster effort because of player safety issues.
If we can agree that MLB's All-Star game is the only one among the four mentioned so far here that actually resembles the sport it pretends to honor, we should also be able to agree that watching the world's best football players half-[redacted] their way around a field for four quarters is not entertainment. We would rather watch the NFL's best square off in a charity softball game or a series of bar games. But if eliminating the whole thing is an option? Yes, yes, yes.
