Pro Bowl 2016: Suggested Changes to the Game

Tonight is the Pro Bowl. I am not sure anybody is super excited about it. This year's game pits Michael Irvin's team of all-stars against Jerry Rice's. Here are a few ideas I have to make the weekend in Hawaii more interesting.

Have a skills competition

The other sports all have skills competitions prior to their all-star games. Baseball's homerun derby has arguably become a bigger headline event than the all-star game. Basketball has things like the three point shootout and slam dunk contest. Why can't football do something like that? Put the fastest guys in a line, and have them race. Have Odell Beckham, Jr. try to run an obstacle course in a better time than DeAndre Hopkins.

Open up the game

A few years ago the NFL borrowed its current format from the NHL's all-star game. They named all-stars and assigned teams in a fantasy draft a few days before the game. Tonight the NHL plays its all-star game under a new format. Instead of the normal five on five hockey game, they are having a single elimination three on three tournament decided by twenty minute minigames. How about a four team seven on seven tournament with games lasting twenty minutes? If there isn't going to be intensity, maybe a wide open game would be more interesting. It would at least be a fresh perspective.

Or just abolish the Pro Bowl

An alternative would be to just not play the game. Just name a Pro Bowl team. Plenty of media companies name All Pro teams without needing a game to be played.