NFL Pro Bowl: Why must Roger Goodell placate professionals?
Pro Bowl players are recognized as the best in their profession. They should act like it.
National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell was beaming with excitement when talking about the Pro Bowl Game.
“It was real football. It was something that I give a lot of credit to the players. I believe it was a very, very positive step and I salute the players and I’m glad they had so much fun. I think the fans had a fun time watching — I know I did,” he said according to azcentral.
Of course, Goodell was referring to the change in the Pro Bowl format last year. Gone was the traditional NFC versus AFC. Instead, it was a draft of players, kind of like a pick-up game in the park. The spontaneity, along with fun of seeing players from the same team pitted against each other, made for a fresh approach.
My job is to protect the integrity of the NFL and to make sure the game is as safe as possible,¨ Goodell has said, according to Brainyquote.com.
The need arose as interest in the game declined. The biggest reason was thought to be the players´ lack of commitment. Some players were obviously not going all out. Others were electing to skip the game altogether. The excuse was almost always attributed to the fear of injury.
But all of that is a big pile of horse manure. Every player knows that the greatest potential for injury comes when he is not going all out. What has happened is that today´s NFL players, as a group, have lost their sense of professionalism. There are too many of them who are just trying to get their five years in.
That´s right, these 300 plus pound gladiators are really a bunch of selfish, coddled softies. Their high salaries have made them care only about staying in the league as long as they can. They are in it to take the money and run.
Now, before we go any further, let´s point out that this does not apply to all players. There are still players that fit the old-school mold. Take the Green Bay Packers´ John Kuhn, who earned his way in as a fullback, the position that has becomes as extinct as a Tyrannosaurus Rex. What Kuhn does for a living is keep blitzers off of Aaron Rodgers. And when he is not doing that, he is lowering his head and giving up his body to get that all-important one yard that is needed for a first down or a touchdown.
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Kuhn once criticized his teammates after a loss that he attributed to insufficient desire. ¨We just won’t body anybody, he said according to Inspirational Quotes. ¨We just won’t play physically. We played not to lose. I’m very disappointed and they should be disappointed in themselves and that’s what I told them in the locker room. You’ve got to want it at this level and they didn’t want it.¨
Then there is the Dallas Cowboys´ offensive lineman Zack Martin, who stayed at Notre Dame for his final season even though he was already rated as a number one draft choice. He put off the money, and risked injury, to honor the commitment he made when he accepted his scholarship.
Former Notre Dame teammate Braxston Cave described Martin´s dedication and work ethic. “He makes sure everything he does is perfect,” Cave said, according to DallasNews.com. “If he’s not, he does it again. You watch him on film, and it’s kind of the same thing over and over and over. He has his things down to an exact science, and he prides himself on that.”
Sam Huff, Jim Brown, Dick Butkus and countless others would have played in the Pro Bowl for free if that is what it took to be a part of it. They would have left their blood and sweat on the field for nothing more than the recognition of their peers. Not one of them would have had a thought about letting up. And yes, there are plenty of other Pro Bowlers who still do hustle. But there is no excuse for any of them not to. And they shouldn´t need a change in format to entice them to do it.
Vince Lombardi is credited with saying that fatigue makes cowards of us all. So how do you think he would have felt about flat out loafing? I know, I need to just chill out. It´s just an exhibition game. But anyone who is honored as one of the few who is at the top of his profession should have enough personal pride to perform as well as he can. It is after all, only for three hours.
And they will have plenty of time to rest when their five years are over.