Why the Pro Bowl is the Golden Globes of Sports

The Golden Globes nominations for Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp last year for The Tourist were pretty much the Hollywood Foreign Press Association?s way of saying it, ?F*ck it. We?re not faking it anymore. We just want stars to show up.? This year, the names changed but the trend remained the same. I mean c?mon, Glee and New Girl get nods but no love for shows like Parks and Recreation, Community, or Louie? The Globes? process consistently reeks of a popularity contest and some NFL fans might agree that some of the more recent Pro Bowl picks in high profile categories have the same stomach-turning stench.

Take for example this year?s QB picks. The top quarterbacks in the NFC and AFC were predictable: Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady. Okay, I get that. Then there are the more questionable selections, like San Diego?s Phillip Rivers and New York?s Eli Manning. Phillip Rivers may have put up big yardage but his total TDS nearly equaled his total INTs. That?s a piss poor season, not a Pro Bowl season by my estimates. I mean were Rex Grossman and Blaine Gabbert already booked for that weekend?

Okay, so of course Rivers is not Gabbert bad but there are QBs like Andy Dalton, who actually has a shot to lead his team to the playoffs, that got snubbed. Dalton may not have the name recognition but he certainly pulled off a lot with a little as a rookie. And what about Matt Stafford? Sure he may not have the same globally recognized facial grimace as an Eli Manning, but as a healthy starter for his team, he?s leading the Lions to their first playoff game in more than a decade after putting up some jaw dropping numbers. Hell, even Cam Newton deserved some serious consideration given what he?s been able to pull off in his rookie season. It?s not his fault his defense sucks balls.

Let?s take a looksy at the tight end position. Antonio Gates over Aaron Hernandez? Clearly, these voters never had to play against Aaron Hernandez in fantasy football. And what about Giants? wide receiver Victor Cruz? He was on my fantasy team and his awesomeness in large part carried me to the playoffs. He made Eli shine on plenty of plays. If not for his skills, at least reward the man for his awesome touchdown dance.

Beyond that, I wouldn?t say the Panthers? Steve Smith had such an impressive season that he deserves a Pro Bowl selection. In fact, Steve Smith from a few years ago would punch current Steve Smith in the face over his fumbles and crucial drops. (?Current Steve Smith? would then likely shank ?Past Steve Smith?, because current Steve Smith is still pretty scary.)

Much like a Hollywood awards show, the Pro Bowl picks seems so very subjective. But unlike with acting, there are subjective considerations AND hardcore numbers available to voters to help them make their decisions. In the same way that nominating the dude from Dexter every year has just gotten tired, so has what seems like automatic pilot voting for certain Pro Bowl categories.

Perhaps this is why, much like the Golden Globes, the Pro Bowl has lost some of its luster. I don?t know anyone who sits through either broadcast anymore, very few people seem to take either seriously, and even fewer remember who won the honors the year before. Maybe the NFL and the HFPAA can join forces for a new NBC Prime Time Special, ?The Golden Bowl?, where NFL players and actors team up in a battle on the gridiron?wearing tuxes and couture gowns. At least then everyone would be in on the joke.

If you still care who made the Pro Bowl, you can check out a complete Pro Bowl List here.

Source: http://chicksinthehuddle.com/2011/12/28/why-the-pro-bowl-is-the-golden-globes-of-sports/

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