By Larry Fitzgerald
Originally posted 1/20/2009
If the Minnesota Vikings and Indianapolis Colts for example just happen to reach Super Bowl XLIV, it would be a nightmare for the the 2010 Pro Bowl in Miami.
Why? Some wise guy at the league offices decided to stage the Pro Bowl game a week prior to the Super Bowl in Miami.
The league said it would help bring attention to the Super Bowl. The Super Bowl does not need a lead in the game is already huge.
Fifteen players will not be able to play in the Pro Bowl game. The Vikings have ten Pro Bowl players the Colts have five. Obviously the Super Bowl is the biggest game of all and those players selected for the Pro Bowl can't possibly play because of fear of injury.
For some strange reason the NFL owners think they have to make a fortune on every single game that's played. The ratings are down on Pro Bowls because in years past it follows the Super Bowl. Hello!
So this years experiment with the Pro Bowl will give the owners reason to change the rotation? Maybe, I just think they need to live with it being what it is. With a wrinkle hear and their.
In the other sports because Major League Baseball the National Hockey League-and National Basketball Association have their All-Star games at mid-season. They do play more games football is unique you have to prepare to play this violent game.
The NFL has it's Pro Bowl at the end of the year. The last 30 years the players love it it's been in Hawaii. It's and honor and a reward.
The players are beat up from battling for 22 weeks in arm to arm combat.
They are not not robots they play a violent game that generates many billions The players that are selected for the Pro Bowl are paid that means the league will have to pay out extra money for all the first alternate replacement players also,
And purchase last minute plane tickets at inflated air fares for fifteen replacement players it does not make sense to me.
Leslie Frazier Is A Victim!
Eight is enough interviews, that is to become and NFL Head Coach.
That's how many times Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier has been told thanks but no thanks by owners.
Even though Fritz Pollard Alliance Chairman John Wooden,thinks the letter of the rule has been followed by owners. Who are we fooling?
It's like trying to a get a Republican to vote for universal health care, they can't do it.
Obviously now that Barack Obama is President of the United States apparently the owners feel the Rooney Rule is not needed. It's a shame that we live in a country where a rule is put in place to force billionaire's to consider being fair in hiring.
Does the Rooney Rule still work? That's the question I asked former New York Giant great Michael Strahan now with FOX- NFL TV. "Its hard, I think when you look at the Rooney Rule. Strahan said.
You say okay we have to interview a certain amount of minority coaches.
If I owned a business your going to do just like they do. Your going to bring them in your going to interview some and if you like one.
Maybe you'll hire a minority coach. For the most part if you have your mind set up you will do what you have to do bring them in and interview.
Then you will hire the coach you want.And if I had a billion dollar corporation it would be very hard for anybody to tell me who to hire."
Obviously the rule has worked. Strahan went on to say, "In the past because we do have more minority coaches than we've ever had and they've all been pretty successful. I just hope that their success
will be enough so we won't need a Rooney Rule.
When you realize that coaches will be looked at as just great football coaches, that's the bottom line."
If a guy can coach and win and relate to the players and make the players play hard. That's really what matters, I've never seen a player who says I'm going to play hard for a white coach than a black coach.
They are going to play well for a smart coach, a coach who puts you in the best position to win. And their are plenty of minority coaches who are able to do that and I just hope that they get that chance."
