From the "who gives a shit" file comes this ....

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2013/07/31/pro-bowl-afc-nfc-scrapped-player-draft/2604163/

Desperate to add some needed spice to its Pro Bowl pineapple, the NFL announced sweeping changes to the All-Star event's structure Wednesday.

Out is the AFC vs. NFC format that had existed for more than four decades. In its place will be a Pro Bowl draft with two team captains — leading vote-getters for the game — determining their rosters with help from two NFL.com fantasy football champions and alumni captains and Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders. They will pick players from a pool still determined by votes of players, coaches and fans, though conference affiliation will no longer sway who becomes a Pro Bowler. (Now, there might be five quarterbacks from NFC teams with one from the AFC, whereas in the past there was an equal number of players at every position from each conference.)

The game itself will also undergo some significant modifications courtesy of a plan devised by NFL Players Association president and former cornerback Domonique Foxworth.

"As players, we wanted to keep the Pro Bowl to honor excellence in individual performance and connect with the fans in a different environment," Foxworth said in a statement. "To do that, I worked with a group of players to map out new ideas."

Among the tweaks:

— Every quarter will end with a two-minute warning and change of possession to promote more quick-strike drives (teams will not be allowed to sit on the ball since the clock will stop on any play that doesn't gain positive yardage inside two minutes)

— There will be no kickoffs; all quarter-opening possessions will start at the 25-yard line with the first determined by coin toss

— Kick returners will be replaced by an extra defensive back on each 43-man roster

— Cover 2 and press coverage will now be allowed; only man-to-man coverage was allowed in the past, goal-line situations notwithstanding

Though the Pro Bowl continues to draw decent television ratings, the quality of play in recent years has drawn complaints from commissioner Roger Goodell and even players themselves. Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said in a 2012 radio interview following that year's game, "I was just disappointed by the lack of pride by some of the players that played in the game."

The league tried bringing the game to the mainland in 2010 as a warm-up act for Super Bowl XLIV in South Florida. However players expressed dissatisfaction with that move, many viewing a Hawaii vacation as part of the reward package for a Pro Bowl selection. Hawaii wants to keep the game and tourism dollars it attracts, up to $4 million annually, but is open to the prospect of hosting it on rotational basis.

Adding the pre-game draft might generate some buzz, especially if player and team rivalries produce snubs and trash talk. It will be aired on NFL Network on January 22, four days before kickoff at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, the Pro Bowl's traditional site since 1980. However despite the in-game rule alterations, it probably won't be much easier to produce an NFL-caliber product among stars mostly looking to have a good time and avoid injury. The winning team in the past three Pro Bowls has scored an average of 59 points with a winning margin of nearly three touchdowns.

Goodell, who's publicly mulled canceling the Pro Bowl outright, hopes for better outcomes moving forward.

"The players made it clear that they wanted to continue the Pro Bowl and were committed to making it better than ever," he said while thanking Foxworth.

"We think these changes will enhance the game for both fans and players."


(also a minor DBag nomination for the gonad-gargler who thought "Pro Bowl pineapple" was a clever phrase)

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

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"Play until it hurts, then play until it hurts to not play."
http://soundcloud.com/darkside124 HOF 2013, MM Champion 2014

They do this in Hockey already. I would love to see this in the NBA. Have Lebron and Durant pick teams the night before.

The Pro Bowl will still be garbage.

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You can put lipstick on a pig, but ............. I lost my train of thought .....

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

I don't have any use for the interminable slam "dunk" contest, or any other Saturday festivities during NBA All-Star weekend. However, the actual game can get quite exciting in the third and fourth quarters. I remember some really good games in the early 2000s when the West had a near monopoly on talent, and the East was led by perimeter guys like Iverson, Carter, and Marbury, all of whom had to go up against Duncan, Shaq, KG, Dirk etc.

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Successful calls:

Kyrie Irving will never win anything as a team's alpha: check
T.rubisky is a bust: check
Ben Simmons is a liability: check
The Fields Cult is dumb: double check

2013 CSFMB ROY

The "no kickoff" thing is a test. If the fans accept it,they will incorporate it in the NFL regular season. It's an attempt to limit injuries.

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favrefan said:"Chris Coghlan isn't gonna pay your rent, Jimmy."

Once again proving Vincent McMahon is a genius.

I can't wait for the NFL Network to televise the draft -- I'm sure it will be appointment TV.

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"All crowds boycotting football games shouldn't care who sings or takes a knee because they aren't watching." - Nas

Looks like my weekend just got rowdy.

This is exactly what I was thinking Jimmy.

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The union will never go for the "no kickoff" thing. It basically eliminates a roster spot.

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Nope, they will trade the no kickoffs for 18 reg season games w/ expanded rosters.

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Huh? It doesn't eliminate a roster spot ... it gets filled with another kicker or DB or something else ... I don't see the NFLPA getting up in arms about the lack of (generally) otherwise useless "fleas".

That said this whole eliminate kickoff things on any level sucks donkey dick .... safer football is fucking retarded .... leave Teddy Roosevelt in this fat grave already.

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Power is always in the hands of the masses of men. What oppresses the masses is their own ignorance, their own short-sighted selfishness.
- Henry George

They said on the news that Devin Hester is not happy about this. Which is surprising since he'll probably never make the Pro Bowl again anyway.

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To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”