Even The Players Hate The Pro Bowl

The NFL drafted teams for the Pro Bowl this week. Did you watch? Didn't think so. Going to watch that exciting game in Hawaii? Didn't think so either.

Even though ESPN is trying desperately to shove the Pro Bowl down everybody's throat, we all know the event almost got scrapped by Roger Goodell based on the lackadaisical play by both teams. Every year, a bunch of players turn down a free trip to Hawaii just to stay an ocean away from the game. Would you turn down a free trip to Hawaii for anything?

Think about what the league is asking of the players though. Football isn't a non-contact sport. Do the math.

After a grueling regular season (and for some of the players, a few postseason games), they are supposed to go play in a game that doesn't matter a single bit and put their bodies on the line. A lot of these guys are nursing injuries or have been putting off surgeries for weeks and months. The timing is awful, and guys are getting more and more comfortable turning it down.

The quarterback position is the worst. It's starting to get like the NBA Dunk Contest: you may want to see the stars, and you may ask for the stars, but you better not expect to see the stars.

Of the six quarterbacks initially voted into the Pro Bowl, only one will participate. His name is Russell Wilson. Do you even know who the other starter is going to be? Eli Manning. Yep, that guy.

These are the guys who turned the Pro Bowl down: Tom Brady, Carson Palmer, Aaron Rogers, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton didn't have to turn it down because he had an injury to cop out with. Most of these guys reference some sort of ailment that was more important to recover, which is fine. They still didn't want to go.

Instead, a bunch of young guns get a chance to hang out with some of the big boys of the league (who decide to show up). Jameis Winston, Derek Carr, Teddy Bridgewater (even him) and Tyrod Taylor join the show to take on a very passive defense and hope to not get hurt. Hooray!

There are 34 total replacement players in this year's Pro Bowl. Is it really even an All-Star game if the best players don't want to play?

Really, the experience has become only for young players or players who just have nothing better to do. It's not fun for the fans to watch, it's a risk for all the players involved, and it makes less and less sense every year. The concept of throwing away an All-Star game in any sport makes me uncomfortable, but I honestly don't think I would care if the event went away.

The NFL can still honor the best players in the league. If Hawaii is still the destination, just send them there for some rest and relaxation with a bonus check. I promise the masses wouldn't flood the league offices with requests to bring their beloved Pro Bowl back.

If you REALLY care about the Pro Bowl, here are the rosters they drafted. Enjoy.