While the reincarnated 2014 Pro Bowl was a smash hit in the eyes of most NFL analysts and fans, it has drawn the ire of at least one group of people.
Hard-core gamblers.
It's hard to fathom that the Pro Bowl could end on a controversial note, but that's exactly what happened on the final play of the game - for those who wagered on the NFL all-star game.
Team Rice entered the game as a 1.5-point favorite over Team Sanders. Carolina Panthers running back Mike Tolbert scored on a two-point conversion with 41 seconds left in the game to give Team Rice a 22-21 lead but wagers on Team Rice appeared to be a lost cause.
Until Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker tried a 67-yard field goal at the end of the game. He missed, but New York Jets cornerback Antonio Cromartie was standing underneath the goal posts, ready to recreate the epic return by Auburn's Chris Davis against Alabama to win the Iron Bowl.
And sure enough, Tucker's field goal was just short and Cromartie got the ball and started to take it out of the end zone. Players from both teams started to wander onto the field, but Cromartie eventually took the ball all the way to the other end zone for what should've been a touchdown and a 28-21 Team Rice victory - and victory for Team Rice wagerers.
Awfulannouncing.com posted a video of the final play, showing Cromartie's score. The video included the play-by-play from Al Michaels, who wondered aloud whether the point spread was affected by the would-be touchdown.
Yahoo! Sports reported that the according to Sports Insights, a total of 60 percent of Pro Bowl money was placed on Team Rice and that Vegas Insider RJ Bell tweeted on Sunday that the Pro Bowl attracts "DOUBLE the amount bet on a popular college basketball game."
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