by Daniel Dullum

GLENDALE AZ–Not having the Super Bowl players in this week’s Pro Bowl takes a way from the game even in years past when it was the AFC vs. NFC after the completion of the Super Bowl it was a nice reward for those who were in the Super Bowl it was like a little bonus the players got to go to Hawaii and play one more game and didn’t have to exert themselves too much.

It’s understandable that the NFL was looking to build that one week game but not having the Super Bowl players from either New England or Seattle it robs them of their proper recognition of being All-Stars. For that reason it gives other players a chance to step up but at the same time it takes away a little bit and the way they put the teams together where they have a couple of Hall of Famers due like a mock draft of sorts to chose up sides.

Maybe by having that kind of a format in the Pro Bowl that kind of camouflages not having the Super Bowl players. To be honest the Super Bowl is a bigger deal and that’s the one that you should be focused on having starters and it robs the Super Bowl players of proper recognition. The two different conference championships between the AFC and NFC and we’re hard pressed as someone was saying the other day if anyone would remember a collapse like the Green Bay Packers had last Sunday in the NFC Championship game in the last five minutes against the Seattle Seahawks.

Nobody could really recall such a collapse, I do remember years ago when the Tennessee Oilers had that huge lead against Buffalo and it evaporated through the first half that lead up to the Music City Miracle. That collapsed took the course over two quarters and the Green Bay collapse took place over the course over five minutes. We’ve seen teams lose late in the past, maybe the Packers ran out of gas as for the Patriots they look like old business as usual.

The Patriots quarterback Tom Brady was sharp the Patriots were at their best playing mind games with the Colts as the NFL is investigating allegations that the Patriots took a little bit of air out of the footballs for the Packers the visiting team. There is always a mind game of some sort with Patriots head coach Bill Belichick. When we get around to the Super Bowl it’s going to be a great match up I would say the edge would go to the Pats.

The number of players who are either declining to attend or play in this year’s Pro Bowl resonates loudly to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that they want this game to be played in Hawaii from now and not in places like Arizona. For obvious reasons Goodell and the NFL owners they’re waiting for Honolulu to upgrade a little bit with a new stadium there. Goodell and the owners want more luxury boxes at Aloha Stadium for the big shots, the fact is they had the easiest time getting players to show up for the Pro Bowl by moving it to Honolulu since the merger in 1980.

Daniel Dullum is covering the 2015 Pro Bowl all week for http://www.sportsradioservice.com