As the 2008 Pro Bowl approaches, NFLPA executive director Gene Upshaw is speaking out about possible plans to move the game back to the mainland.

Says Upshaw in his weekly “100 words” item posted on the union’s web site:

“Pro Bowl selection is an honor.  For players who choose not to participate, I believe it’s due more to injuries than date/location.  But the NFL wants to make changes:

“1. Location:  The NFL suggests moving it from Hawaii to the Super Bowl city.  I believe the experience in Hawaii cannot be replicated elsewhere.

“2. Date:  The NFL wants the game moved from Sunday after the Super Bowl to Saturday or Wednesday before.  This means Super Bowl participants — and some players who just lost the Championship — wouldn’t be able to play.  How can we promote an all-star game without our stars?”

(By the way, it really was 100 words.  Exactly.  In ten words, that’s really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really impressive.)

Upshaw’s position has a few flaws.  First, plenty of players don’t make the trek to Hawaii because of “injuries” that would never keep them from suiting up for a practice or a game that actually matters.  So the suggestion that players choose not to participate because of legitimate injuries is just flat untrue.  Second, given the number of players who routinely treat playing in the Pro Bowl like July jury duty in a courthouse without air conditioning, does it really matter if the players from the two Super Bowl teams are automatically exempt?

Since we’re not aware of Upshaw ever questioning a possible move of the Pro Bowl, this could be evidence of an effort by Upshaw to begin to oppose things that the league wants to do, merely in the interests of taking an opposite position to the league.  Upshaw has been criticized by guys like Bryant Gumbel for being too cozy with management.  With a possible labor problem in the offing, maybe Upshaw has decided not to be the league’s lap dog any longer.