Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Hannan / Sports Reason #7,482 Why the Pro Bowl Sucks: It Turns Kerry Collins Into a Dick
Posted by Caleb Hannan on Tue, Feb 10, 2009 at 6:17 AM
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Andrew Brandt is a former NFL World League GM and vice-president of the Green Bay Packers. He's also worked on the other side of the conference table, as a player agent for NFL stars like Seattle Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck. In other words, when Brandt says something about contract negotiations, you know the man speaks from experience.
Brandt hates the Pro Bowl, the NFL's version of the All-Star Game. But fortunately, because of his unique perspective, Brandt's got a fresh take on why the game deserves to die a violent death: It's like human growth hormone for the already swollen pro athlete ego.
One rule of negotiating that I always keep at the forefront: Never underestimate the power of ego and insecurity. Pro Bowl week played on the heartstrings of countless players and made for some difficult conversations after their return to the mainland. As soon as the game was over and the flights landed, I braced myself for the calls. I knew they were coming; it was just a matter of when, and what the demands would be. Teams around the league will be dreading - and getting -- those calls next week.So the Pro Bowl is the NFL's version of a slumber party. Only the prettiest girls are invited. And they spend a week hanging around other pretty girls and sympathetic (and predatory) agents who are more than happy to indulge their opinions that nobody understands just how pretty they really are!
Which may explain the dubious comments from Titans' QB, and free agent, Kerry Collins...
"I definitely want to be back (in Tennessee),'' said Collins. "I love playing with (coach) Jeff (Fisher). I love the town. We're comfortable there. Hopefully in the next couple of weeks they'll start getting a little more serious and throw some real numbers around.''
Understand this is the way the game is played. Any player in the midst of contract negotiations has to follow a formula: 98-percent of his quote will be complimentary and useless, the other two percent will reflect how he really feels (i.e. perpetually unappreciated).
But still, if this is what the Pro Bowl does to a guy who's nailed the Just Happy to Be Here role of veteran QB all season, wouldn't it be better if it just went away altogether?
H/T: Music City Miracles
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