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The Pro Bowl has gotten a bad rap as of late for being nothing more than a glorified walk-through, and many die-hard football fans will be the first to tell you that they don't watch it. However, it's football, and what else are we going to do?
This year's Pro Bowl will feature players from the AFC like Peyton Manning, Andrew Luck, Arian Foster, A.J. Green, J.J. Watt, Tamba Hali and Champ Bailey. The NFC will be represented by players like Drew Brees, Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, Julio Jones, Jason Witten, Julius Peppers and Charles Tillman.
There is a whole list of entertaining events that the NFL has planned around the Pro Bowl, including tailgating events, block parties, concerts and autograph signings, which can be seen here. The action all kicks off on Friday, Jan. 25, and the game is set to be played on Sunday, Jan. 27.
Manning has made headlines lately, telling fellow Pro Bowl players that the effort level in the league's all-star game needs to be stepped up before the NFL decides to do away with it. TV ratings for the Pro Bowl have slipped over the years as the game has become nothing more than a glorified walk-through as players were trying to avoid getting injured in a game that doesn't really matter. If Manning's peers heed his advice, Sunday's Pro Bowl could be one of the more entertaining games of the season due to the fact that the talent level playing in the game is through the roof. However, if they decide to limp through all four quarters like they have in the past, this could be one of the last Pro Bowls played before the powers that be decide hosting the event in Hawaii isn't worth the trouble.
If you plan to watch Sunday's Pro Bowl, here's how you do it:
Location: Aloha Stadium; Honolulu, Hawaii
Date/Time: Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013; 7 p.m. EST
TV Schedule: NBC
Online: NFL.com
Radio:
NFL Audio Pass (online)
NFL Mobile on Verizon
SiriusXM
Dial Global list of broadcasting stations
Odds: NFC by 2½, per Odds Shark
Interesting Facts: Last year's Pro Bowl teams combined for more than 100 points as the AFC won by a score 59-41, and both the AFC and the NFC have won the league's all-star game a total of 21 times. The last time one conference won back-to-back Pro Bowls was when the NFC won in 2008 and '09. The last time the AFC won more than one Pro Bowl in a row was when it won in 2001, '02 and '03. This is only the second Pro Bowl played the weekend before the Super bowl.