Was that football?

Were you one of the few who watched the Pro Bowl last Sunday?

The Pro Bowl is the NFL's all star game. A collection of the best players from around the league--minus those getting ready to play the Super Bowl or who are nursing injuries, that is.

It's also one of the most excruciating games to watch.

Most of the players are merely going through the motions. For some it's because they are not permitted to go at full speed. For example, defensive linemen can't put on a full rush and defensive backs can't play bump-and-run on the receivers. Watch for a few minutes and you'll see tackling effort about like you'd expect in flag football. (Perhaps that's why this year the final score was AFC 59, NFC 41. Actually quite surprising since quarterbacks and receivers have less than one week to get to know one another.)

And, hey!, why not? There's precious little incentive for the players beyond a week in Hawaii. And no one wants to sustain an injury that could potentially end their already short careers.

The NHL and NBA all star games aren't a heck of a lot better. I find these are saved only by the individual skills competitions that occur in the days BEFORE the game starts. That is, they are saved if you have any interest in the sport at all. I don't. Let's not even mention soccer.

The Major League Baseball All Star game is much more exciting and meaningful. At least there, the game does result in a benefit to one side or the other, what with the winning league having gained an advantage for the World Series. That and the fact that baseball is really a duel between the pitcher and the hitter. It's one on one; Mano y Mano.

Give me the MBL All Star game any day over whatever the heck it is they do in Hawaii in the week before the Super Bowl.