Newbie Question

[darklight1216]

What is the pro-bowl exactly? Sorry, I really just started watching football so I don't have a clue what the pro-bowl means.

[theFRANCHISE]

The Pro Bowl is the NFL's all-star game, traditionally held a week after the Super Bowl is played. Since 1980, the game has been annually played in Hawaii, though due to economic issues, the site may be moved to Florida next year. Additionally, there has been talks of moving the game so that it is played the week BEFORE the Super Bowl, so as to attract greater interest in what is otherwise a meaningless exhibition game (and paid vacation for the players.)

Representatives from the two conferences (AFC and NFC) are chosen through votes conducted during the season, with fans, players, and coaches each counting for 1/3 of the total vote. Generally, if a player elects not to accept his invitation or is unable to play due to injury, alternates are selected based on the remaining votes tallied.

The two Pro Bowl teams are coached by the losing coaching staffs of each conference's respective championship game. This season, the AFC team will be coached by the Baltimore Ravens coaching staff, while the NFC team will be coached by the Philadelphia Eagles coaching staff.

The outcome of the Pro Bowl is otherwise meaningless, as all players are paid for their participation as well as airfare and hotel accommodations (though other expenses are their own responsibility.) The game MVP, however, gets a trophy as well as a sponsored prize (usually a car.)

[darklight1216]

Wow thank you. Even if it's meaningless, I hope I can see it on tv. Who knows, maybe some Ravens will play. Do you know when we find out who the players are?

[theFRANCHISE]

The rosters have already been announced. See them [url="http://www.nfl.com/probowl"]here[/url]

The Ravens have four Pro Bowl selections this season, including FB Le'Ron McClain, LB Ray Lewis, FS Ed Reed, and special teams LB Brendon Ayanbadejo. The talk has been, however, that Ed Reed will withdraw from the game due to the neck injury he's played with all season. It has been reported that Titans FS Michael Griffin may take his place. Nothing has been formally announced by the NFL, however.

[bce086]

[url="http://www.nfl.com/probowl/story?id=09000d5d80d60467&template=without-video-with-comments&confirm=true"]http://www.nfl.com/probowl/story?id=09000d...mp;confirm=true[/url]

[bce086]

oops... u beat me to it

[darklight1216]

[quote name='theFRANCHISE' post='149148' date='Feb 2 2009, 02:03 PM']The rosters have already been announced. See them [url="http://www.nfl.com/probowl"]here[/url]

The Ravens have four Pro Bowl selections this season, including FB Le'Ron McClain, LB Ray Lewis, FS Ed Reed, and special teams LB Brendon Ayanbadejo. The talk has been, however, that Ed Reed will withdraw from the game due to the neck injury he's played with all season. It has been reported that Titans FS Michael Griffin may take his place. Nothing has been formally announced by the NFL, however.[/quote]

Aww too bad for Ed Reed. It's interesting that the NFL hasn't made formal announcements yet; I mean if the Pro-Bowl is the Sunday after the Superbowl then it's only a few days away.

Are Cardinals/Steelers allowed to play or is it just for the teams that didn't make it?

[theFRANCHISE]

Players on both Super Bowl teams that were selected to the Pro Bowl are allowed to play; it's not exclusive to teams that didn't make it. However, there have been instances where people have raised that question before due to the lack of players from one Super Bowl team or the other. The best example was last season, when the Super Bowl-winning Giants had only one player in the Pro Bowl (DE Osi Umenyiora), while the Dallas Cowboys (who were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs) had a record-setting 13 players.