I've never been a big fan of the Pro Bowl. It's a paid athlete vacation revolving around a game that nobody cares about, including fans, coaches and players.

But I've softened my stance a little over the past few years. There are some legitimate reasons to watch it. It's never going to rise to the level of "good," but it's achieved "better than nothing" status. Here's why you should watch:

They don't pretend it's a real game. Occasionally you'll get a rogue announcer talking about how the players' competitive spirit forces them to try their hardest when they're on the field. But that poor guy is calling the Pro Bowl. He's just filling time.

Nobody takes it too seriously, and that makes it a little more fun. Players are smiling, joking around, and playing football with teammates they don't get to play with during the regular season. QB-WR combos happen in the Pro Bowl that will never happen again.

It has weird rules. No blitzing. No kickoffs. The clock starts after an incomplete pass for most of the game. Teams get two timeouts per quarter, and one of them can sometimes carry over to another quarter.

But my favorite rule? The 38-second play clock. Because 40 seconds is just way too much time for the Pro Bowl. And 35 seconds doesn't feel right. But 38 seconds? Perfection.

There's a Thursday night component. It's not a game (not even a fake one), but ESPN will air the Skills Showdown on Thursday evening. It's goofy stuff like dodgeball, but it's a relaxed atmosphere and a chance to see your favorite players (and fantasy stars) in a different setting.

Some guys really want to be there. Of course there's the usual cast of characters bailing on the game, and often it's because they've been to a few already. Others go but you can tell they're a little jaded to it by now.

But some guys are happy to be there, and you can see it on their faces. They have a little more spring in their step, they're joking around a bit more and you can tell they're excited to play alongside guys they really admire.

They're having a lot of fun playing, and that makes it a little more fun to watch.

It starts at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday. That's a good time to air a casual game. You can get stuff done before and after, and still be able to watch it. And if you can't see yourself sitting down and watching the entire Pro Bowl, don't worry. The next reason to watch might be the best.

It airs around the same time as the NHL All-Star game. Another pretend contest (though notoriously more entertaining than the Pro Bowl) will occur around the same time, and that's a good thing. You can switch back and forth, and between the two of them you might find yourself staying near the television. Or you might stick with the hockey format (3-on-3 teams compete for $1 million), and that's okay, too. Your Sunday will have more sports and entertainment than you expected, and you'll see things you won't see anywhere else.

Not bad for the weekend before the biggest weekend of the year.

Do you sit and watch the Pro Bowl? Any rules you'd like to see carry over into the real game? Share your thoughts below.