by Daniel Dullum

GLENDALE AZ–The NFL players past and present have made their voices clear where they want the Pro Bowl to be played and that’s in Honolulu. The players said that the Pro Bowl should stay in Hawaii and that should be the game’s permanent home. Walking around the home of the 2015 NFL All-Star game’s headquartered site downtown Phoenix there is in the way of very little promotions about the Pro Bowl, no banners, signs, souvenirs, or any publications talking about the game being in Arizona.

The players were vocal in saying that they want the game to remain in Hawaii, they argued that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell after the 2013 Pro Bowl said the game looked unacceptable as far as effort and competitiveness after a poor effort that even saw New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees try to kick an extra point in that game. “We’re either going to have to improve the quality of what we’re doing in the Pro Bowl or consider other changes or even eliminating the game if that’s the kind of quality game we’re going to provide” Goodell said after the 2013 game.

That all changed when the 2014 Pro Bowl was played with more piss and vinegar and the result ended up in a 22-21 win for Team Jerry Rice over team Deon Sanders. This effort changed the heart of Goodell who said after last season’s game, “it was a real football. It was something that I give a lot of credit to the players. I believe it was a very, very, positive step and I salute the players and I’m glad they had so much fun. I think the fans had a fun time watching, I know I did” said Goodell after the 2014 game.

The Commissioner wants to keep the game but he wants the game to travel with the Super Bowl but the players who are here in Arizona for this week’s Pro Bowl want the game to be moved back to Hawaii and many have stated they want to the game to stay there and not come back to the mainland. The Commissioner did realize that the game is a reward for the game’s best players and the players have a huge say in this matter and granted the game two more years in addition to the 2016 game making it three.

Team Captain for this year’s Pro Bowl Michael Irvin weighed in and said that he would like to see the game travel with the Super Bowl, “We’re talking about the very best all in one place, but in order to see it you had to get to Hawaii. The people were great in Hawaii, but a lot of people over here were absolutely diehard supporting fans that can’t afford to go Hawaii.”

As much as Irvin is respected by the players, the players carried the weight of the decision regarding getting the Pro Bowl back to Hawaii and they pushed hard for it all week with Goodell and the owners. They made their case that Goodell would keep the game going if they made a better effort and they did and now they are asking that the reward would be returning the game back to Hawaii. They got what they asked for and they got a three year deal in Honolulu. There is no doubt that the people of Hawaii will promote this game with more than just banners, posters, and souvenirs it will be a big Aloha next year.

Daniel Dullum is covering the 2015 Pro Bowl and Super Bowl in Glendale AZ for http://www.sportsradioservice.com