Drew Brees Is Playing In Pro Bowl

[BoilerInChiTown]

Well Deserved. Should have been in the original roster. One of the greatest.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/23/drew-brees-pro-bowl-snub-is-rectified/

 

[lbodel]

Well Deserved. Should have been in the original roster. One of the greatest.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2017/01/23/drew-brees-pro-bowl-snub-is-rectified/

Good for him, although the Pro Bowl is a joke these days. So many players do not even bother to show up if they are selected and you end up with questionable selections.

And it's more of a recent phenomenon. Obviously you have it played the week before the Super Bowl so you do lose out on some Super Bowl players, but so many players just do not show up - and while the quality of play was never the same as a regular game, it's significantly gone down in the same timespan as well.

Now the NFL is looking at playing it internationally to drive up their market there - I don't see a game played in Germany being a draw to players unless they force them to play.

 

[nat100]

Good for him, although the Pro Bowl is a joke these days. So many players do not even bother to show up if they are selected and you end up with questionable selections.

And it's more of a recent phenomenon. Obviously you have it played the week before the Super Bowl so you do lose out on some Super Bowl players, but so many players just do not show up - and while the quality of play was never the same as a regular game, it's significantly gone down in the same timespan as well.

Now the NFL is looking at playing it internationally to drive up their market there - I don't see a game played in Germany being a draw to players unless they force them to play.

Very little incentive to play and a whole lot of risk. Get rid of it.

 

[lbodel]

Very little incentive to play and a whole lot of risk. Get rid of it.

Except none of that is new....

 

[nat100]

Except none of that is new....

Correct, but the money being risked by injury is ever increasing

 

[lbodel]

Correct, but the money being risked by injury is ever increasing

I feel like it's an easy excuse to say, but not something really backed up by facts. Maybe you have some alternative facts? ha The thing is - if you're not in a contract year, that does not really matter.

It's the same thing for the couple players who skipped their bowl games. Everyone cited risk of injury. Well, I got news for you - if you tore your ACL in November, you wouldn't be able to show off for pro scouts prior to the draft either. Not sure why a game 3-4 weeks later suddenly makes a massive difference (not to mention the insurance money these players would receive regardless). Should players shut down in November then too?

 

[jsglenn4]

Correct, but the money being risked by injury is ever increasing

Agreed. I expect the actual game to disappear within the next 5-10 years. The old College All-Star Game disappeared back in the mid-70's due to injury concerns for incoming players and the same thing will happen to the ProBowl. NFL careers are too short to risk them in a meaningless game.

 

[FirstDownB]

I feel like it's an easy excuse to say, but not something really backed up by facts. Maybe you have some alternative facts? ha The thing is - if you're not in a contract year, that does not really matter.

It's the same thing for the couple players who skipped their bowl games. Everyone cited risk of injury. Well, I got news for you - if you tore your ACL in November, you wouldn't be able to show off for pro scouts prior to the draft either. Not sure why a game 3-4 weeks later suddenly makes a massive difference (not to mention the insurance money these players would receive regardless). Should players shut down in November then too?

There is one clear distinction. One game is an exhibition, the others count for something.

 

[nat100]

There is one clear distinction. One game is an exhibition, the others count for something.

Agree. I don't blame top players for pulling out of inconsequential bow games or all star games. Especially for a player like fournette or Watson, there is more to be lost than gained.

As for Brees, what benefit is derived from playing in the pro bowl? If he suffers injury he has months of rehab and sets back his work toward the next season.

 

[njm8845]

I feel like it's an easy excuse to say, but not something really backed up by facts. Maybe you have some alternative facts? ha The thing is - if you're not in a contract year, that does not really matter.

No, in the NFL, you can get cut at any time. A lot of contracts are with non-guaranteed money.

Also, the money being risked by injury IS ever increasing, as the money players make is ever increasing. I don't think Nat was saying the risk of injury is ever increasing.

 

[lbodel]

Agree. I don't blame top players for pulling out of inconsequential bow games or all star games. Especially for a player like fournette or Watson, there is more to be lost than gained.

As for Brees, what benefit is derived from playing in the pro bowl? If he suffers injury he has months of rehab and sets back his work toward the next season.

I'm sorry, but how is a bowl game the same thing as an exhibition all star game? And how is Stanford's bowl game, for example, less meaningful than Stanford's last regular season game against Rice?

If you define a meaningful game as a game the team is playing for something - most players can quit their teams and train for the NFL after September.

 

[FirstDownB]

Agree. I don't blame top players for pulling out of inconsequential bow games or all star games. Especially for a player like fournette or Watson, there is more to be lost than gained.

As for Brees, what benefit is derived from playing in the pro bowl? If he suffers injury he has months of rehab and sets back his work toward the next season.

And at his age, any significant injury is a potential career ender.

The pro bowl has never been a big draw. I watch quite a bit of football and can honestly say I've never watched or attended. Time to put it to bed.

Here's an unconventional idea.. Go ahead and give the pro bowlers all expenses paid trips to Hawaii. Have them all stay at the same resort for a weekend. Have a banquet, bring in some famous guest speakers, mix in some skills competitions, and follow the players around with cameras and a production crew. Air it as a 2 hour "Hard Knocks" style special the day before the Super Bowl.

I'm sorry, but how is a bowl game the same thing as an exhibition all star game? And how is Stanford's bowl game, for example, less meaningful than Stanford's last regular season game against Rice?

If you define a meaningful game as a game the team is playing for something - most players can quit their teams and train for the NFL after September.

For the record, I don't believe they are at all the same thing. The original discussion pertained specifically to the pro bowl, which has nothing to do with college football.

 

[nat100]

I'm sorry, but how is a bowl game the same thing as an exhibition all star game? And how is Stanford's bowl game, for example, less meaningful than Stanford's last regular season game against Rice?

If you define a meaningful game as a game the team is playing for something - most players can quit their teams and train for the NFL after September.

What did Stanford accomplish in that bowl game? Nothing.

Bowl games are exhibitions

 

[FirstDownB]

What did Stanford accomplish in that bowl game? Nothing.

Bowl games are exhibitions

They accomplished a win that counted on their record, a trophy, and ended their season as winners. No comparison to an exhibition game.

 

[nat100]

They accomplished a win that counted on their record, a trophy, and ended their season as winners. No comparison to an exhibition game.

thr game had no bearing on the championship. Win or lose, they were in the same position.

 

[tweener8292]

What did Stanford accomplish in that bowl game? Nothing.

Bowl games are exhibitions

Until you lose them.

 

[rezzerfly]

thr game had no bearing on the championship. Win or lose, they were in the same position.

Non P5 schools have no chance at making the playoffs..I guess their whole seasons are filled with a bunch of exhibition games week in and week out.

 

[nat100]

Non P5 schools have no chance at making the playoffs..I guess their whole seasons are filled with a bunch of exhibition games week in and week out.

More or less. That's why I thought the group of 5 championship was a good idea

 

[FirstDownB]

Non P5 schools have no chance at making the playoffs..I guess their whole seasons are filled with a bunch of exhibition games week in and week out.

Kind of a strange position to take as a Purdue fan. By this measure has our program ever played a meaningful game?

 

[njm8845]

thr game had no bearing on the championship. Win or lose, they were in the same position.

So any game that doesn't directly affect the national championship is considered an exhibition?

Seems like an extremely cynical view to take.

Huge difference between bowl games and the pro bowl. I think most players and fans understand this.

 

[FearTheTrain]

I enjoy bowl games and support the bowl system, especially as a Purdue fan. I love watching the games between two similar teams in different conferences.

However, if I was guaranteed to be a first or second round pick I would not play in a non-playoff game for the boilers. There is too much risk, and yes, they are a glorified exhibition game to generate money for the NCAA and the Universities. For most players it is a nice vacation to celebrate a decent season and get some cool gear. For the 1% exception, it makes no sense to have 10 extra practices and risk dropping your draft stock.

And for the record, the last time we played a meaningful game was Wisconsin in 2004. Or maybe Minnesota in 2005 when we still thought that team was good.

 

[nat100]

I enjoy bowl games and support the bowl system, especially as a Purdue fan. I love watching the games between two similar teams in different conferences.

However, if I was guaranteed to be a first or second round pick I would not play in a non-playoff game for the boilers. There is too much risk, and yes, they are a glorified exhibition game to generate money for the NCAA and the Universities. For most players it is a nice vacation to celebrate a decent season and get some cool gear. For the 1% exception, it makes no sense to have 10 extra practices and risk dropping your draft stock.

And for the record, the last time we played a meaningful game was Wisconsin in 2004. Or maybe Minnesota in 2005 when we still thought that team was good.

Agree with this. Also a money maker for the host city.

I enjoy watching them, dont get me wrong, but at the end of the day, win or lose, they dont mean much. They dont impact conference standings and they dont impact the national playoff.