Every Tuesday throughout the football season, Aaron Rodgers sits down with Jason Wilde of ESPN Milwaukee to discuss the upcoming game for the Packers and what's on the mind of the Packer Quarterback. This Tuesday, Rodgers called in from San Diego in his final podcast segment of the season. When asked how the Pro Bowl was, Rodgers expressed his displeasure with the way some of the players treated the game. He felt like some of the NFC guys "embarrassed" themselves during the game.
As a diehard Packer fan and huge Rodgers supporter, (go ahead Giant fans I'm ready for the torture. Have your fun now.) I agree with where Rodgers is coming from because without a doubt, the Pro Bowl has become a joke. TJ Lang, Left Guard for the Packers, tweeted during the game that he no longer wanted to watch the "jog through" anymore, in reference to a light practice teams have before a game. I understand that players want to avoid suffering injury in a meaningless game right before the off-season, but how does the old saying go "if you play to avoid getting hurt, you will get hurt," yea that could happen also. It is a game for the fans and fans are losing interest in the game more and more, including myself. Treat it as a regular game minus the James Harrison hits or Nndamukong Suh tackles.
Will Rodgers get heat for saying something like this? I think he already has and he has already accepted the fact that he will, but probably because he is voicing his opinion. That will always draw attention to someone. Is he wrong though? Not at all and I believe coaches and other players have the same feeling throughout the league. What are you feelings towards Rodgers' remarks or your feelings towards the Pro Bowl?
http://packersnews.greenbaypressgazette.com/article/20120131/PKR01/120131168/Green-Bay-Packers-quarterback-Aaron-Rodgers-disappointed-in-how-some-Pro-Bowl-teammates-played?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE
I agree, It was downright embarrassing to see to watch that game. What makes it even worse is that you know deep down that's how Roger Goodell wants to make the league. I'll stop watching Football if the game ever turns into a pro bowl game.
ReplyDeletewell, I have mixed feelings on this. I might be wrong, but I think that if you're selected to play then you HAVE to play, and I think that is a problem.
ReplyDeleteIf a player doesn't want to play, then don't make them play. So that way you get only the ones who really want to be there.
But then I see the problems that poses, as far as getting the best players to play.
It's a touchy situation, because when you think about a real football game, someone ALWAYS gets hurt. And if I'm them I'm definitely not trying to get hurt in a completely meaningless game.
And it's a lot easier for Aaron Rodgers to say, because he's a QB, which is the position that's probably safest at this type of event.
Not mad at him for saying it, but, there's just a lot more to it.
Is this an exclusive weekly sit-down interview with Rodgers and the ESPN reporter? If so, I wonder if Rodgers gets paid for it. I ask only because in the NFL, players typically speak to a group of reporters once a week, and it can be difficult to get one-on-ones. What further clouds the issue is radio stations such as WFAN and ESPN NY pay players for weekly spots. (Justin Tuck is paid to appear weekly on Mike Francesa's show, etc.) But paying athletes for interviews is not acceptable for newspapers.
ReplyDeletei say enjoy the pro bowl for what it is, a chance to see all of the players in one place. the idea that football players would kill themselves for a pickup game is ubsurd and people should realize that.
ReplyDeleteI personally do not think the pro bowl should exist anymore. Fans are obviously losing interest because the game carries no meaning. The fact that the game is played a week before the superbowl and not after is also very irritating. To have an all star game without two top quarterbacks and players playing in it, then how is it truly an all star game. No Brady or Eli who both put in great numbers this season don't even play. Brady is never really interested in the game because of its lack of meaning and the fact that he uses the off season to rest, but the fact that the pro bowl still exists even amazes me.
ReplyDelete