Just when you thought the Pro Bowl couldn't get worse....

It did. An already lack-luster game has reached new lows by the recent announcement of NFL commish Roger Goodell, stating that the Pro Bowl will now be played one week PRIOR to the Super Bowl, AND that it will be played at the site of the Super Bowl as well and not in Hawaii, where it is traditionally held. This is by far one of Goodell's worst moves as commissioner in his few years at that position. The game was already in question due to many players wanting to avoid further injury and others not willing to play and just wanting to spend a little vacation time in the state. I can't even begin to comprehend this move whatsoever. First off, a week BEFORE!?! The Pro Bowl is based mostly on fan and player voting, meaning the players with the best stats make it, in general. Historically, this means that these players are mostly from playoff teams and very likely from the teams playing in the Super Bowl. In fact, logic would tell you that alot of players in the Pro Bowl are probably playing in the Super Bowl, it's just common sense. None of those players, nor their coaches, are going to want them to risk injury for a game that has no bearing on the season at all. If you are on a SB team, why would you consider playing at all in a worthless game the week before the SB? Could you imagine if the Pro Bowl was a week before the SB this year and Fitzgerald, Bolden, Warner, Roethlisberger, Holmes, Ward, Polamalu or any other SB players would get hurt? The players union would tear down Goodell and the administration. Now, there are fines in place I believe for skipping the Pro Bowl, but those fines are well worth it to avoid an injury before the Super Bowl. Many players will be missing the Pro Bowl next year if they are also in the SB, essentially making voting for the players in the game worthless, thereby making the game worthless. Secondly, and most importantly to the players I think, the Pro Bowl is the last horrah for them, a celebration of a successful(or merciful; aka Lions) end to a season. It is a chance to go to Hawaii and enjoy a week of relaxation with beautiful weather and beaches and attractions. Players look forward to going to Hawaii as they feel they have earned the trip, and I agree that they have as well. Now you are taking that away from them too and sending them to the same stadium as the SB, which next year is Miami, which most players go to during the regular season to play the Dolphins anyway, especially the AFC East division. Overall, this was a horrible decision by the NFL administration and Roger Goodell. Who could possibly sit in a board room meeting, and when discussing the Pro Bowl for the future and putting forth these ideas says "oh yeah these are great new options the players will love em"? Its absolutely 100 percent absurd. Fans, players, and coaches alike were calling for the end of the Pro Bowl BEFORE it was moved away from Hawaii and moved to a week before the SB. Now, with these changes put in place, this almost certainly spells doom for the Pro Bowl game. I agree that the Pro Bowl needed some changes, but these are the exact opposite and worst ones possible.