2012 NFL Pro Bowl: Innovative Rules to Improve the Lackluster Game

The 2012 NFL Pro Bowl is just one day away, but as always, no one could care less.

Not the fans. Not the coaches. Not even the players.

Despite being one of the most prolific athletic associations in the entire world, the NFL has failed time and time again to create a successful answer to the "All-Star" games of the NBA, NHL and MLB. 

So, is there any way to improve the Pro Bowl? I have a few ideas...

Captains Pick the Teams

The Rule: Once the fan vote has been tallied and each conference's Pro Bowlers have been named, captains for each team should be selected. Then, as is done in the NHL, those captains would "draft" their team from the pool of players voted in.

Not only would a player draft make for some great television, it would also pump up the competition. Just imagine how hard the players picked dead last would play in order to prove their fellow NFL stars wrong.

An Over-the-Goalpost Dunk Contest

The Rule: The highest-flying athletes from each NFL conference should compete in an over-the-goalpost dunk contest. Between the legs, behind the back...the whole deal.

With so many former college basketball standouts playing in the NFL today, it might not be a half-bad idea.

Sure, dunking isn't part of the sport, but there isn't much about the Pro Bowl that resembles real football as it is.

Put Something on the Line

The Rule: Rather than paying every player just for showing up to the game, the NFL should pay the winners of the Pro Bowl significantly more.

When it comes down to it, the game is essentially boring because few players put forth any legitimate effort. 

Rewarding Pro Bowl winners with a big pay day could liven up the competition in a major way.

Mandatory Score Celebrations

The Rule: Should any Pro Bowl player (kickers included) score at any time in the game, he should be required to celebrate that score in an elaborate manner. 

We all know how awesome it is to watch 300-pound linemen bust out moves, but few fans have ever seen an NFL kicker break it down.

Can Sebastian Janikowski "Crank Dat Soulja Boy?"

There's only one way to find out.