Old North Banter
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Russell Wilson: Stars at the Pro Bowl

By John Woodcock

Jan 31, 2016; Honolulu, HI, USA; Team Irvin quarterback Russell Wilson (3) and defensive end Michael Bennett (72) of the Seattle Seahawks pose with Michael Irvin (second from right) and Jerry Rice (right) after being selected as the offensive and defensive players of the game during the 2016 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 31, 2016; Honolulu, HI, USA; Team Irvin quarterback Russell Wilson (3) and defensive end Michael Bennett (72) of the Seattle Seahawks pose with Michael Irvin (second from right) and Jerry Rice (right) after being selected as the offensive and defensive players of the game during the 2016 Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /
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Russell Wilson had a big day at the dying Pro Bowl yesterday in Hawaii.

Don’t tell Russell Wilson that the Pro Bowl means nothing. The former NC State Wolfpack quarterback and current star for the Seattle Seahawks was right in the thick of things yesterday in Hawaii as he led Team Irvin to a 49-27 victory over Team Rice in the Pro Bowl.

Wilson’s three touchdown passes gained him MVP Honors in a game that was most notable for the number of people who were not there. Sure the ten Carolina Panthers and four Denver Broncos could be excused from not playing since they are gearing up for the Super Bowl this week. Yet there were a number of players who did not participate due to injuries or because they claimed to have something better to do.

For the New England Patriots it is hard to tell if the failure to appear of the seven Patriots players was just the Belichick way or a subtle jab at the NFL for the Deflategate proceedings of a year ago. Either way I hated it that the NFL’s best could not be bothered to play a mild exhibition game in Hawaii that is supposed to be all about the fans.

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    • The Pro Bowl does not really have a constituency anymore. The players don’t seem to care for it. Although Pro Bowl appearances will become a consideration for Hall of Fame entry, most players would rather change diapers than change diapers in Hawaii. The fans mostly ignore the game because the result has no meaning right now.

    In the 1980s and 1990s, the lack of parity made the Pro Bowl matter. Since free agency was not a big thing, teams were pretty consistent one year to the next depending on draft picks to move up. Therefore stars on bad teams only had the Pro Bowl to look forward to after any particular season. It was recognition that they were not defined by their bad teams.

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    Now your team may change and does change constantly and your shot at the Super Bowl isn’t really limited by your current team. Therefore the consolation prize, the Pro Bowl, has less appeal.

    Secondly the 1980s and 1990s were the Age of the NFC. In the Super Bowl, the AFC Champ meets the NFC Champ and usually the AFC Champ would get wrecked (except for 49ers-Bengals games and Bills-Giants). It did not matter if the NFC squad was the 49ers, Bears, Giants, Redskins, Cowboys, or Packers, it was a no contest situation. It also did not matter if the AFC squad was the Broncos, Dolphins, Patriots, or Bills.

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    That gave some meaning for the AFC squads to show up in the Pro Bowl because their conference was considered inferior as a result. The current era lacks conference dominance, while AFC teams have won more Super Bowl games since 1997, they are not blow outs. The NFL has also gone away from conference affiliation in these games in favor of driving interest with player drafts. Which interests Michael Irvin and Jerry Rice, but I don’t think anyone else is buying it.

    To be fair to Wilson and the Seahawks, they had not had a Pro Bowl appearance in two years. The Seahawks are currently questioned for staying power and a big performance by their stars in the Pro Bowl is an attempt to silence those critics. Yet their competition was kind of missing. Derek Carr is a Pro Bowler?

    I wish the NFL players would treat the Pro Bowl like it is supposed to be treated, a love letter to the kids. All their favorite stars in one place to play a game. It’s just one more week of football.

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