Word: star
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...works, and the flaming man's relative optimism that such a dilemma can be sat out sticks with you. Other than that, Saint John of Las Vegas is one of those shaggy-dog stories that you keep hoping will get sharper, smarter, cooler, more worthy of its star. Buscemi may not be exactly celestial, but he still deserves better...
...star game is only as good as the players who play in it, and that is part of why the Pro Bowl is football's forgotten game: players like Garrard end up taking the field year after year. Legendary Minnesota QB Brett Favre? Selected but not playing, blaming an injury. Gecko-gloved Arizona wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald? Thanks but no thanks: injured also. While the Pro Bowl managed to sell out Dolphins Stadium, the game usually pulls down mediocre TV ratings; it's the only major all-star game that draws lower ratings than regular-season matchups. What gives...
...didn't always used to be this way. Held annually since 1950 (though there were NFL All-Star Games played from 1939 to '42) and typically played the week after the Super Bowl, the Pro Bowl used to be a thing of pride among players (not to mention cause for a sizable bonus back when they still needed the money). But now, in an era of overinflated salaries, players treat the game as a chore rather than an honor. The game was held at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum from 1950 to '72. It was then held at various stadiums...
...like mistakes. Players lost the perk of a trip to Honolulu after a long winter in places like Green Bay and Buffalo and dropped out in droves. And because the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts are in the midst of prepping for the Super Bowl, their all-star-caliber players - 14 of them - won't be attending. (In order to collect their Pro Bowl bonuses in their contracts, these players are still required by the NFL to show up at the game; Manning and the Colts plan to fly down for the kickoff, stand around on the sideline...
...game's best players, and those players should be able to participate without worrying about injuring themselves before the Big Dance. Adjusting the rules to resemble a regular game would improve audience interest immensely. And finally, how about raising the stakes? In Major League Baseball, the All-Star Game winner gets home-field advantage for the World Series; offering some kind of reward for the winning conference would help spur actual competition. For now, the Pro Bowl is a game that satisfies neither fans nor players. Expect the ratings to reflect that yet again on Sunday...