Each year, the National Football League holds the Pro Bowl. This year, it is back to its old haunt, Honolulu, Hawai'i. Unfortunately, the Pro Bowl usually ends up being a sub-par game. Of course, it used to be ignored by fans, as it was held the week after the Super Bowl and fans were suffering from football overload (or so they thought). Last season, they decided to move the game to the week before the Super Bowl, in the hopes that ratings would improve.

Well, they were right. Ratings were up 40 per cent from the year before, and they were the highest ratings since 1990. However, if you were a fan of the New Orleans Saints or Indianapolis Colts, the game would have been a disappointment. With the game being played the week before the Super Bowl, none of the players on the Super Bowl teams will be active in the Pro Bowl.

But, the NFL made the right move moving the game. In the end, all that really matters are the TV ratings, and the ratings did what they wanted them to.

For the record, the Pro Bowl should be pretty decent this year. There are some explosive players making their debuts in the game, such as Calvin Johnson and fellow Detroit Lion Ndamukong Suh. The AFC has dominated the game in the last 10 years or so, and I expect them to come through again.

Another storyline that has come up in recent weeks has been the massive amount of coaching changes. There were a total of eight head coaches fired (or simply relieved) during the season. Due to the unpredictable nature of this past season, this number seems really high. However, only one of the coaching moves that occurred really surprised me.

The Oakland Raiders went from being a 5-11 team to 8-8, yet Raiders owner Al Davis felt the need to relieve head coach Tom Cable after only a season and a half. The Raiders have gone through so many coaches in recent years, it seems almost inevitable that a coach will get the hook. But, with the huge improvement the team showed, it shocked me to see Cable let go. Oh well, that's the Raiders.

In a move that was equally shocking, the Houston Texans decided not to fire head coach Gary Kubiak. The team showed no improvement from last year, and the defence was horrible all year long. Honestly, the Texans seem to be a lost cause. They have so much young talent on the team, but can't seem to put it all together. I realize they are in tough division, but with a quarterback like Matt Schaub and a receiver like Andre Johnson, there is no excuse for all of these losses.

For next week's article, it's time for the biggest game of the year. I will delve deep into this year's Super Bowl matchup, and make my expert (and likely incorrect) prediction.

For more from the NFL Czar, check out his blog at jvzsblog.blogspot.com