Pro Bowl 2012 Is in Dire Need of a Skills Competition

The boring and stale Pro Bowl needs a skills competition enhancement.

We are talking about a game that is so meaningless that numerous players will opt not to go even though they would be paid to participate in a light hitting game that is played in Hawaii. 

There is an easy and obvious way to spice this up: a skills competition. The skills competition used to be part of the Pro Bowl package, but it has not been held since 2007.

It's time to bring it back with new flair and gusto. Here are some suggestions that would make it a showcase. 

Fastest Man

This is a skills competition centerpiece and an obvious addition. Line up the fastest players and let them race. I like the 60-yard distance to determine the ultimate NFL speedster. 

Also, they should do this in full pads. These guys aren't track stars. They're football stars!

QB Challenge

This has all kinds of possibilities. First QBs will line up to see who can throw the farthest. Then we can have them line up to see who can throw the fastest. 

Finally, they will gauge the accuracy—like this. Who can forget this epic Ken O'Brien performance? And by performance, I mean those rad shorts.  

Best Leg

Let's get the kickers involved here, but none of this punter/kicker distinction. The NFL's premier users of their feet will see how far they can punt it, and then how far they can place kick it. The most yards will win the best leg award and receive this famous lamp as an honor. 

Hardest Hitter

Football is about hitting. It's time we find out who is the best at bringing the pain. 

They definitely have the technology to figure this out. Check out this sports science video. As an added aside, this will also give the kickers something else to do—they can be the tackling dummies. 

Best Hands

This is going to be a tough one to gauge. As a large part of this will be do to the variable of the throw. Here is what I am thinking: Put the football on a JUGS machine. Crank that machine up to nice and easy 120 mph or so, and see who can get the closest to the machine and still catch the ball. 

This would be an inexact test, but entertaining nonetheless. And, no, catches like this would not count.

Long Snapper Horse

Let's give the unheralded long snappers some love! This would be a simple twist on the classic game usually reserved for basketball. 

Long snappers will call out their shot and take aim. I think we would all be amazed at their accuracy. 

It is time for the NFL to add something resembling entertainment to the Pro Bowl weekend. It is time for this skills competition!