Pro Bowl selections are out, and the Bears have seven players selected, second only to San Diego.  While that is very encouraging, I find it very telling that the only offensive player selected was their center, Olin Kreutz.  Three defensive players (Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Tommie Harris) and three special teams players (Devin Hester, Brendon Ayanbadejo and Robbie Gould) were chosen. ( I won't say a WORD about the Bears' quarterback!)

Outstanding selections, one and all, especially Devin Hester - six returns for touchdowns already this season, including on three punts, two kickoffs and a missed field goal.  Hester is the only one of the outstanding rookies in the NFL this year to make the Pro Bowl.  Vince Young, Tennessee is an alternate, though.

As for elsewhere in the league, San Diego's LaDanian Tomlinson (record-setting running back) heads up the 12 players chosen, along with linebacker Shawne Merriman who was selected despite missing four games for a failed steroid test. New Orleans quarterback Phil Rivers who is finally out from under Drew Brees' shadow in San Diego will be the NFC starter.  And, Tony Romo, a local Wisconsin boy, was chosen, regardless of what Bill Parcells might think.  (Parcells said it was "ludicrous" when the possibility of Romo being chosen was brought up after his fourth start!)  And, in another fun twist, the Barber twins (Tiki and Ronde), the first twins to make it together, are now the second set of brothers to be chosen for the Pro Bowl for thee consecutive seasons - just like Shannon and Sterling Sharpe before them.

And the Packers?  Well, they did manage to get two players to the Pro Bowl.  As poorly as they are playing this year, they are whining that it wasn't more.  And, Brett Favre even postulated that it didn't matter to him, since if he was selected, he would have tried to find a way to get out of it anyway.  With an attitude like that, why is he still playing?

Were there deserving players who were overlooked?  You betcha!  But, then, that's another story!

You can view the AFC Pro Bowl Roster here.

View the NFC Pro Bowl Roster here.

Howdy there scoutmom (Cindy) - before another day goes by let say me HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO YOU! I hope your birthday was indeed happy and healthy. I meant to leave you a greeting on myspace but alas the old brain gave out on me again!

So onto probowl selections. Hmmm yes Chicago the #1 seed in the NFC should be deserving of the most picks in the conference - no argument there, especially that Hester kid - wow what a find he is!  Also, can't help but have respect and admiration for Ladanian - not so sure that the rookie Philip Rivers derserved the nod over Tom Brady however, what was Rivers QB rating last week, something like 14.2 LOL! While we the fans have our chances to vote, the bulk of the voting come from their peers and coaches and they apparently felt it appropriate to put Merriman in there, most likely because he would have made it anyway.

OK back to the NFC...I must must must disagree with the choosing of Tony Romo! I see he's from your neck of the woods which is very nice and all but oh my please! He's has played 8 games in his entire pro career and has won drawing from memory is it 7 or 6 at this point!  A disgrace -  and I believe shows the power of Jerry Jones! Yes it is true that there are injuries to many NFC quarterbacks, however there are players who are on injured reserve who were voted onto the probowl roster. So lets take a finer look: Drew Brees starting - absolutely great pick; but I can't even justify Marc Bulger for goodness sake! So to back up my argument as to who I would replace them with I give you: Matt Hasselbeck - yes injured for alot of the season but a proven probowl QB; Michael Vick - yes Michael Vick over Tony Romo, he may not be having his best year but come on! OK, as much as I hate to mention this name because this one is not probowl quality, Eli Manning - don't like the Brothers Manning but at least he played a full season! And what would have been wrong with putting Donovan McNabb in there - he was having an MVP season before his injury, as I said other players have been voted in who are out for the season on injured reserve - there are always reserves on top of reserves. Jake Delhomme - no the Panthers have not had the season everyone thought they would have, but he's a proven QB, and finally here it is yes Brett Farve simply out of respect and the fact that the NFC is so so weak. This Tony Romo thing is a big slap in the face to all QB's who have put their time in. Now remember I'm an Eagles fan and have no love lost for any member of any other NFC EAST team.  No one knows for sure if Romo is the real deal or a fluke. He could simply be someone who gave the Cowboys a new hearbeat and the mobility that Bledsoe didn't have.

Next - no Jeremiah Trotter at middle linebacker - now I know he had to compete with Urlacher however Lofa Tatupu shouldn't have been the second choice. We got Brian Dawkins in there, probably the best free safety to play the game and Lito Sheppard as a reserve Corner, a bit surprising, must have been all his interceptions.

Now I absolutely love the Barber Brothers, class acts the both of them. Part of me will miss watching Tiki run circles around the Eagles next year (haha no I won't) but I do like these guys. HOWEVER, I have to speak up for Brian Westbrook; he has proven himself to be a probowl running back this year. Since the best of the best running backs are in the AFC, Westbrook should have been in the running here in the NFC. I'm hoping he might be an alternative to a reserve player should someone not be able to show. Brian has had a breakout season this year...it's time he gets some credit from his peers and other coaches.  The Eagles other pick and a starter is Shawn Andrews - good for Shawn, good QB protector and all around good ole "big kid".

One word on NFC wide receivers. Many of us may not like Terrell Owens antics; being an Eagles fan one might think I would dislike him most of all. I thought these selections were based on ability, apparently I was wrong - it it were, Terrell would have made the probowl. Romo made the probowl - how many of the receptions were made by Owens? I do believe Owens is leading the league in TD receptions (yes I know he also has 15 drops). Torry Holt is a staple in the probowl; Steve Smith has not had a great year nor has his team. Donald Driver comes out of nowhere to make the probowl but his QB does not and Boldin makes it while again his QB does not and their team is in last place.  IMO Terrell Owens is still a probowl caliber wideout for what it's worth. Also surprising was Andre Johnson from Houston, a last place team, starting over Marvin Harrison. Some very strange selections this year in my humble opinion.

Happy Holidays all. If you get a chance try to catch the Eagles/Dallas game on Christmas day; the Eagles still have a chance to win the NFC East.  FLY EAGLES FLY!

Marilyn

 

I wholeheartedly agree that there are MANY fine players who were overlooked once again for the Pro Bowl.  Some far more deserving than those chosen that is 100% certain. 

As for someone like Tony Romo?  Who knows if he's the "real deal", but he's caught a lot of attention this year, and being on people's minds is what gets you voted in.  The right place at the right time, and that seems to be where this fine young man has been this year.  And who knows how many people decided to vote for him simply because they wanted to prove Bill Parcells wrong!!  No, you're right, a quarterback can only do so much on his own, he needs the support of the entire offensive line.  Not only to take his handoffs and catch his passes, but to keep him off his butt!  Just ask the OTHER Manning brother!!

This has been a great year for football.  The Chargers are going to be THE team to beat, the Bears have had another season where sheer dumb luck seems to be as critical as skill (just ask the quarterback who up until the last game had a 4th quarter efficiency rating in the SINGLE DIGITS!), guys who sat on the bench or were second string in the past are burning up the air and the ground.

I have a very football-oriented family.  I am the Bears fan - Da Bears, my husband is (sad to say) a Packers fan, I have one son who is a die-hard Cincinnati Bengals fan and another who lives and breathes Denver Broncos.  The rest of the family just kind of goes along with whatever we're watching, and it's definitely a lot of football.  This has been an exciting year so far - for some of us anyway - and promises to continue that way right into the post-season. 

And, for a change, I'm looking forward to the Pro Bowl.  I think despite some obvious overlooks and some less-than-stellar players who are there because of past performance instead of this year's, it should shape up to be an interesting game this year.

(and thanks for the birthday wishes!)

 

At least the bucs managed to procure on position.