44Champs

Just another one of Goody's snake-like tactice to change the game. I can't stand that guy.

Halo

Goodell has 2 agendas for his term as commish:

1) Make the NFL look squeaky clean and reformist so the league does NOT have to pay former players who suffered head injuries, and

2) Modernize the game and make changes to leave his ever-lasting mark on the game.

Problem is, FOOTBALL DIDN'T NEED TO BE MODERNIZED or changed before the jerk became commissar. I believe the NBA is better at trying to preserve their game than the NFL right now.

Every year we now have to wait with bated-breath after owners meeting to hear which RIDICULOUS rule changes will be implemented and which ones just missed being implemented.

Rugby Saint II

I haven't watched the pro bowl in years.

Seer1

Yep and sure don't plan on watching it in the future either.

homerj07

What was that wannabe league with He Hate Me as a player?
These rules sound a lot lie their rules!

D_it_up

The only way I would watch the Pro Bowl all players selected were playing "Kill the man with the ball"....and Justin Bieber, Lil' Wayne, and Jay Z were the ones holding the ball.

Seer1

We be addin' godell and JJ onto that list now.

SaintsBro

Who seriously watches the Pro Bowl, and thinks it's a real game? I'll tell you who watches the Pro Bowl, and thinks it's real: LITTLE KIDS.

I remember watching the Pro Bowl as a LITTLE KID, and being jacked up, high as a kite, on Bob Griese, Roger Staubach, Walter Payton, or John Madden coaching, or whatever the heck it was. Archie Manning, that one year. Straight up hero worship, in Little Kid Land.

They are doing it this way, partially on purpose, to get the little kids used to not having kickoffs -- so that when kickoffs are removed, it's just the "old folks" or "grumblers" who complain about it.

Now that he's done this, I think it's a safe bet to predict that the kickoff as we know it will be officially gone in around 5-7 years from now, unless something happens to Goodell.

The purpose of this is clear to me -- removing the kickoff will be one part of a grand bargain, to settle the concussion lawsuits. It will be one piece of the negotiations, to symbolically show the jury or the judge that they are making concessions for player safety, going forward. Then they can cower behind their "we didn't know then, but we know now" defense, with the quack doctor the NFL hired as a consultant way back, who said for years and decades that concussions weren't a problem.

In exchange for eliminating kickoffs, and other concessions, I predict there will be a cap put on how much is paid to former players, and a cutoff date for who is and isn't eligible for compensation, and a lump sum put aside for the purpose. It will be much the same way that BP was initially forced to agree to put aside X AMOUNT of dollars (I think it was $20 billion) over the oil spill, that number was fixed, set in stone, and now it's all just different people squabbling over who gets what of the money.

But eliminating kickoffs will become a bargaining chip for the NFL, to whittle down the amount they will owe in the concussion lawsuits, I feel pretty confident that you can bank on it now.

One thing people need to understand about this lawsuit -- it's NOT about the big dollar amount -- like the tobacco industry or the oil business, the NFL can basically print its own money, and can survive any forced payout or settlement. It's about protecting themselves from the legal ramifications of "CYA," going forward.

RaginCajun83

The owners need to sack up and get rid of this jack wagon. He continues to make stupid decisions that are ruining the game of football. Plus I'll never forget offseason 2012. His only saving grace is that the owners have made so much money under his watch so they won't do anything about him.

IMO I don't care what they do to the Pro Bowl as long as it doesn't "count" for something like in MLB. This has horrible ending written all over it, why can't they just have a skills competition in Hawaii for the players that get selected. I'd watch that before I watch this "made for TV" game they are trying to sell

vpheughan

Why is a kickoff different than a punt? I see a logo change coming The NKFL. I saw a blurb on the bottom of the screen on the NFL network concerning Shanahan and RGIII talking with someone on how to "protect" read option QB's? Soon it will the the Touch Football League. Glad we got our SB Trophy when we did.