The Pro Bowl has been an American tradition for many decades. It has held the airing time the Sunday prior to the Super Bowl since its commencement in 1951. According to HowStuffWorks, its purpose is to “bring together the most outstanding players at each position to play what amounts to a competitive scrimmage” annually at the end of the NFL playoffs. From 1980 through 2009, the Pro Bowl was hosted at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii before it became an open event for all national NFL stadiums to host as they requested. The game itself is prized as an opportunity for a “more relaxed tone, with very little time spent on game planning or other aspects of the intense preparation that goes into a typical regular-season or playoff game,” says HowStuffWorks. This makes it an enjoyable transition between playoffs and the offseason for both the coaches and players who have been campaigning all season long to achieve the highest honors for their respective teams. They are able to step on the field simply for the joy of the game and to show off their unique talents rather than having to worry about the grind and competition of regular season play.

     The Pro Bowl, in its more relaxed nature, also provides its prospective players with more safety precautions. For example, HowStuffWorks states, “on offense, the quarterback can throw the ball away at any time to avoid being sacked without risking an intentional-grounding penalty. And on defense, blitzes are off limits and only linemen can rush the quarterback.” In other words, this particular exhibition is very concerned with keeping the quarterback safe from harm at all costs. That being said, the Pro Bowl is not as interesting for fans who are captivated by the hard hits and intense rivalries generally associated with the regular season. It is often very controversial to see your idol pass the ball off to one of his greatest opponents for the sake of friendly play in the Pro Bowl.

     This year, many fans saw rival players enjoying the flexible atmosphere of the Pro Bowl. They witnessed the Dolphins’ running back Jay Ajayi being carried for fun like Superman by three Viking defenders after his forward momentum was completely stopped, and they additionally saw the Seahawk’s Michael Bennett attempt his famous dance after a huge sack. The Pro Bowl highlights rarely focus on incredible athleticism or adherence to football standards. They rather center around the fun all of the players have together in the celebration of their unique personalities and interpersonal relationships. The Pro Bowl is thus acclaimed as a friendly scrimmage rather than a competitive venture that is enjoyed every year by millions of American fans.

     Even though Xavier no longer hosts the annual Powderpuff football game during Homecoming week, the Pro Bowl is very comparable to that type of gameplay. For years, Xavier juniors and seniors faced off against one another in a friendly flag football match as a display of school spirit. In the same way, the Pro Bowl aims to celebrate the overall morale that players have accumulated with one another over the course of their professional seasons. Neither game is played for any other purpose than a simple love of sport and camaraderie. They both center around team building and friendly competition to bring home the ultimate prize designating the right to gloat.