The 2014 Pro Bowl will feature a new format for the NFL All-Star Game based on major changes proposed by NFLPA President Domonique Foxworth designed to make it the ultimate fan-friendly celebration of the game, the NFL and NFL Players Association announced Wednesday. Gone is the familiar AFC vs. NFC match-up that has existed since 1971, instead, players will be selected without regard to conference in voting by fans, coaches and players, for example, the top six quarterbacks following voting will earn distinction as All-Stars, regardless of how many are from AFC or NFC teams. Players will be assigned to teams through the Pro Bowl Draft, in which two leading vote getters will join two NFL.com fantasy football champions -- who will attend the Pro Bowl -- to draft players. One of these champions will earn their spot as part of Lenovo's Fantasy Coach of the Year program, which provides NFL.com fans a chance to be rewarded for their fantasy football skills, the other champion can compete for a Pro Bowl role by playing at NFL.com/fantasy. The fantasy football champions will have Hall of Fame help. Pro Football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Deion Sanders will serve as alumni team captains, assisting the Pro Bowl team captains and fantasy football champions in the draft process. "As players, we wanted to keep the Pro Bowl to honor excellence in individual performance and connect with the fans in a different environment," Foxworth said. "To do that, I worked with a group of players to map out new ideas." Source: The Redzone
The more I think about it, the more this is just dumb. No kickoff? So you're pretty much cutting out the return specialists...no reason a stud returner should be a Pro Bowler anymore...lol.
if this is a fantasy bowl,can't there be some instances where team mates are actually playing against one another? if they are gonna use this format,they should allow headslaps and some of the older rules from the 1950s,60s,and 70s era. if you are gonna be a bear be a grizzly!
I'm saying that it is not gonna be an nfc against afc game,it will be the best players on defense on one side and the best players on offense on the other the top fantasy players regardless of conference.
You can call a piece of crap a rose but it's still a piece of crap. The pro bowl is pointless and really other then money there no reason to play it
There are done good rule changes that should lead to a better game. But dropping the kick return sucks.
It's dumber than the old format. Conference pride was the only tiny bit of interest that I had in the game. Not that I watched it anyway.
I haven't watched the pro bowl in a few years. Than again, I don't watch all star games these days anyway because they don't excite me anymore.