I didn’t have all that much to do this weekend. Just your usual college things–homework, some partying, some relaxing. You know what didn’t make my list of things to do? Watching the Pro Bowl or the NHL All-Star Game. Did you watch either one? Probably not.

Why is that? These are supposed to be exhibitions of the greatest athletes in the world–the best of the best on one field at the same time. But even as a massive sports fan, I had exactly zero interest in either game. These events are concocted and boring, and the players want to be there just about as much I want to watch them half-ass their way through the games.

I’m fairly certain that if it weren’t for the bragging rights that players gain–and the contract leverage–these games wouldn’t even be played.

The Pro Bowl is the worst. I have to admit, I haven’t watched it in years, so my thoughts could be outdated, but I doubt it.

It isn’t football. The rules are actually changed (for player safety, of course). If I recall correctly, defenses can’t blitz, they have to play a 4-3 formation and offenses are limited in what types of plays can be called. The players are in Hawaii, and would clearly rather be on the beach (or in the clubs) than on the field. That’s true, at least, for the players who actually make the trip–every year there are plenty of players who have “injuries” conveniently come up so they can’t go. (In their defense, after playing a 16-game season, the players are probably fairly beat up–the thought of playing one more meaningless game isn’t all that appealing.)

Oh, and because it is a week before the Super Bowl, players from the two “best” teams in the league can’t make the trip.

Speaking of Super Bowl players, Steeler starting linebacker LaMarr Woodley made a telling tweet about the Pro Bowl last night:

“Really wish I was playing in this pro bowl game right now… NOT!”

I will admit that the NHL All-Star Game seemed somewhat interesting this year. You have to give the NHL some credit. Ever since the league’s lockout, hockey’s popularity has dwindled in the states, so the league is continually innovating to become more watchable. The idea of having two players act as team captains and draft their teams like a bunch of kids in the schoolyard is pretty cool, if you ask me.

But that’s only the lead-up to the game. The NHL All-Star Game itself is still not hockey. In fact, the only game in any sport in which there is less defense would be the NBA All-Star Game (where you might need a calculator to keep score).

Players don’t tend to play aggressively, which is understandable given that it is the middle of the season and an injury during the all-star game would be devastating, if not controversial. That’s one good thing I can say about the Pro Bowl is that it doesn’t take place during the regular season.

(Off the top of my head, I can’t think about a player getting injured during the NHL, NBA or MLB all-star games in the middle of the season, but the fact that it can occur and affect the rest of the season is troubling.)

That said, Robert Edwards had just finished his rookie season in 1998 as a running back for the New England Patriots when he blew out his knee playing in a rookie flag football game, one of the Pro Bowl-week events at the time. Edwards almost had his leg amputated, and although he made it back to the NFL briefly, his career was never the same after the injury.

And what is it all for? Guys like Edwards can have their careers ruined for what, exactly? I’m sure the league probably profits off the games and players can pad their egos for getting invited, but in the grand scheme of things, I have to ask: is there really much more to an all-star game than a media spectacle? I don’t think so.