It Is What It Is … Monday Cup O’ Super Bowl
From Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
In almost 35 years of covering professional football in some manner, I had never been to a Pro Bowl.
That changed Sunday night at Sun Financial Stadium, where the AFC beat the NFC 41-34.
And, that was enough. I don’t need an encore. Turns out I was missing nothing but a lot of bad football.
The Pro Bowl is what it is, no matter when or where it takes place. It’s an all-star game that’s played at nowhere near a full-speed level. It’s full of shoddy defense, the worst tackling that can be imagined and only now and then is there any type of play that caused anybody to look twice.
Sunday night, there was more excitement when the guy from Papa John’s Pizza showed up in the stands and started passing out free pizza. Two sections of the stadium were completely engrossed in the pizza guy and paid no attention as the NFC drove down for a touchdown in the end zone that was right in front of the fans.
That’s OK, because on a muggy night with occasional sprinkles the fans still had a good time.
They enjoyed games and highlights on the video board. They started the wave at one point and kept it going for a few minutes. It was the second largest crowd in Pro Bowl history with over 70,000 tickets sold. Certainly, the tickets were far more affordable than next Sunday’s Super Bowl. A lower level ticket at the 40-yard line was $125. Seven days later, that same seat sells for $900.
But everybody with a ticket didn’t show and by the third quarter, about 50 percent of the fans were either still standing in line for a tall, frosty one, or they were out the door, headed home to Hallandale, Dania and other points east, north and south.
Houston/AFC QB Matt Schaub was selected the game’s MVP (above), as he threw for 189 yards and two touchdowns. Nice game sure, but my vote went for Philadelphia/NFC WR DeSean Jackson. What a player this guy has become. He had six catches for 102 yards and two touchdowns, including a 58-yard that was about 10 yards pass and 48 yards of Jackson’s broken field running.
It was bad football; it can’t be anything but bad football. The granddaddy of all all-star games is baseball. It’s a single game that comes closest to matching how the sport is played in games that matter. Football and basketball just turn into offensive shootouts, where nobody plays defense. Sunday night, there was 987 offensive yards, with 830 passing yards. The teams combined for 58 of 91 passes; that’s right, 91 passes.
Because there were so many defections from the original roster and the fact that 14 players from the Colts and Saints watched the game from the sidelines, like QBs Peyton Manning and Drew Brees (right). This Pro Bowl was filled with many first time all-stars. There’s no doubt it watered down the level of play, although in the end does it really matter for a game where there’s nothing at stake?
Again, that’s the nature of these types of games. What do people look forward to most about the baseball all-star game? It’s become the Home Run Derby the day before. What do people enjoy with the NBA all-star game? It’s the Dunk Contest. I’m not sure the NFL could duplicate those types of exhibitions or competitions, but they should consider doing something extra.
So, I finally saw my first Pro Bowl. I don’t need to see another … unless it’s in Hawaii.
FROM THE PAGES OF SUPER BOWL HISTORY
On February 1, 2004, the New England Patriots beat the Carolina Panthers 32-29 in Super Bowl XXVIII at Reliant Stadium in Houston. It was the second of the Patriots titles in four seasons. New England won this game despite a furious fourth-quarter comeback by the Panthers, who scored 19 points in the fourth quarter.
All the scoring in this game was in the second and fourth quarters. At half-time, the Patriots led 14-10, and then in the fourth quarter Carolina outscored the winners 19-18.
Tom Brady was the leader for the Patriots, as he completed 32 of 48 passes for 354 yards and three TD passes. It ranks as one of the finest passing performances in the Super Bowl. Brady’s TD passes went to WR Deion Branch for seven yards, WR David Givens for five yards and OLB turned TE Mike Vrabel caught a one-yard pass. RB Antowain Smith had a two-yard score.
Carolina QB Jake Delhomme threw TD passes of 39 yards to WR Steve Smith, 85 yards to WR Muhsin Muhammad and 12 yards to WR Ricky Proehl. RB DeShaun Foster also scored o n a 33 yard run. K John Kasay added a 50-yard field goal. But it was the 41-yard FG by Adam Vinatieri that came with four seconds to play that gave New England the victory.
Brady was the game’s MVP. The head referee for the game was Ed Hochuli. The national anthem was sung by Beyonce Knowles while half-time show featured musical performances by Nelly, Kid Rock, P. Diddy and the most famous wardrobe malfunction in history featuring Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson. CBS had the television coverage, with Greg Gumbel and Phil Simms handling the commentary. A 30-second commercial cost $2.2 million. The broadcast had an estimated 89.8 million viewers and some dubbed the game the best played and exciting Super Bowl in history.
SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY …
Born on February 1, 1954 in Elberton, Georgia was RB Clark Gaines. He joined the Chiefs near the end of the 1981 season, after spending five seasons with the New York Jets. Gaines played in two seasons with the Chiefs (1981-82), appearing in nine games. He carried the ball one time for no yards and caught two passes for 17 yards. Those were his last games in pro football, and after his retirement Gaines went to work with the NFL Players Association, where he remains today.
Born on February 1, 1941 in Lanett, Alabama was OT David Hill. He was selected in the 24th round (selection No. 192) in the 1963 AFL Draft out of Auburn. Hill spent 12 seasons with the Chiefs, appearing in 150 games. He shared the right tackle spot as a rookie, but then in ‘64 took over as the starter and stayed there through the 1972 season. Hill was the starting right tackle on the Chiefs AFL championship teams in 1966 and 1969, and in both Super Bowl I and IV. He was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1997.
I saw a little bit. I had to turn it off. Neutered football. Blech …
“Neutered football”. Perfect description, Jon.
Pro Bowls. If you’ve seen one…you’ve seen ‘em all.
Move it back to after the Super Bowl. Give the winners a big fat check, and the losers nothing other than the free trip. That might make it a little more competitive…and then I might watch it. Until they do something different, I think we’ll continue to see more and more players drop out of the game. It’s a waste of time, really.
Gee,
Was there a pro bowl this weekend?. I must have been delusional. For some reason, every year I miss it. Oh well, there is always next year.
Bob, I’m glad you got to go. Miami in January, Rocks.
Any gossip coming out of Mobile with regard to any coaches the Chiefs might have talked to as a possible replacement for Pendergast during Senior Bowl Week? Any secret meetings Pioli has had with possible new front office guys (since EVERYONE was down there last week)?
The Winter X Games snowmobile jumping was more exciting last night.
SG says:
“Any gossip coming out of Mobile with regard to any coaches the Chiefs might have talked to as a possible replacement for Pendergast during Senior Bowl Week?”
Emmitt Thomas is going to be our DB Coach. How cool is that?
Welcome back to Kansas City, Mr. Emmitt Thomas!
“How cool is that?”
Love the history of course! If he fits this staff and helps our guys attain the greatness this defense has lost for the past several years, even greater still!
Don’t have cable so I missed the game. However I still would have liked to see it.
I remember when it was the AFL vs the NFL at the Pro Bowl, before the merger. They hated each other. The NFL players looked at the AFL guys as a bunch of reject punks trying to take their jobs and fans. The AFL players were intent on not being pushed around by the NFL and were not going to back down. It was not only competitive, it was war! It was a total blast to watch. Unfortunately Mad Chief is right, it is now neutered football.