Thursday, January 29, 1998
Broncos basking
in afterglow
The Super Bowl champs
By Pat Bigold
are still recovering from
the celebration
Star-BulletinThey arrived dead tired, functioning on euphoria. Four bleary-eyed members of the Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos, who were selected to play in Sunday's Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium, stepped off United Airlines flight 193 at 5 p.m. yesterday and made their way through a throng of autograph-seekers, well-wishers and media at Honolulu International Airport.
Elway, Favre both duck out,
citing medical reasons
Those who expected to see quarterback John Elway were disappointed because the six-time All-Pro was keeping his time of arrival a secret.Also among the missing, and uncertain for Sunday, is Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre.
Super Bowl MVP running back Terrell Davis, here for his second straight Pro Bowl, was on the flight, but slipped quickly through baggage claim to ground transportation, escorted by a highly protective cordon of Pro Bowl security.
''I haven't had more than two or three hours of sleep the past three or four days," Broncos tight end Shannon Sharpe said.
''I think he had a little more sleep than I did," added six-time All-Pro defensive lineman Neil Smith, his voice hoarse ''from partying."
By Dennis Oda, Star-Bulletin
AFC quarterbacks Drew Bledsoe, left, of New England
and Mark Brunell of Jacksonville go through drills during
practice for the Pro Bowl yesterday.
''I'm tired, my family's tired, but hopefully we'll get some relaxation out here," said center Tom Nalen, a first-time Pro Bowler.Since their 31-24 upset victory over the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, life has been hectic for the Bronco players and their families -- endless interviews, congratulations and partying on Sunday night; a massive rally at Mile High Stadium on Monday; and a victory parade attended by three-quarter of a million adoring fans.
''But it was a good 'hectic,' " Sharpe said. ''You get an opportunity to celebrate this moment with your fans. I never thought I would see 700,000 people at once smiling and clapping. It was wonderful."
Nalen was asked if the sight of that many people converging on the motorcade was intimidating.
''The parade wasn't so bad, it just took us forever to get where we were going with so many people jamming the streets," he said. Reports estimated that the motorcade moved at the rate of two blocks every 45 minutes.
Asked if playing in the Pro Bowl would be anticlimactic, Sharpe shook his head vigorously.
''I played in the biggest game I could play in and won that game, and I am tired. This is my 26th ballgame. But I think I owe it to the guys and the coaches and the fans who selected me to show my respect, and I've come over here to do what I can to help the AFC squad win."
But Sharpe said he'll only ask his body to do what's reasonable in the Pro Bowl.
''I don't expect to go out there and try to catch seven or eight passes and 400 yards and score a couple of touchdowns," he said. ''The backup tight end (New England's Ben Coates) and I are good friends and we have a pretty good understanding of what we're trying to accomplish out here."
Asked how he felt about Green Bay's strategy of allowing the last touchdown in order to get the ball back, Sharpe puckered and said, ''That's OK. We appreciate it. We'll take the trophy regardless. And I appreciate those other 24 points they gave us also."
Nalen said that even though his linemates broke their well-publicized vow of silence for the Super Bowl -- under pressure from the NFL -- the line will clam up again next season.
''It worked for us," said the Boston College product, whose hometown is Foxboro, Mass., home base for the Patriots. ''In fact, I think we had more people taking notice of us when we weren't talking."
DAVIS FANS: Among the local Bronco fans waiting for Davis were 20-year-old Shane Centeio and 16-year-old Akoni Racoma of Kailua.
''I know they have to be tired," said a sympathetic Racoma, who held a football for Davis to sign.
Centeio, who said he played slotback for the St. Louis' football team as a sophomore, held a Broncos' helmet he bought for $200. He wanted Davis to sign it with the liquid silver pen he was grasping.
''He's the man," Centeio said.
Pro Bowl, state extend deal
Despite Orlando's efforts,
By Paul Arnett
the all-star game will be played at
Aloha Stadium through 2001
Star-BulletinOrlando is no longer part of the Pro Bowl equation, the Star-Bulletin learned last night. An NFL spokesman confirmed that the new contract to be signed by Gov. Ben Cayetano this morning will keep the game in Hawaii for four consecutive years, starting this year.
Under the new agreement, ABC-TV will broadcast the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl for four years. NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said last January that he wanted the Super Bowl and the Pro Bowl to be on the same network for promotional purposes.
The NFL originally had the option of taking the game to Orlando, Fla., in 2001, then bringing it back to Hawaii in 2002. But Hawaii and NFL officials reached the agreement last night to keep the game at Aloha Stadium through the duration of the contract.
Under the new arrangement, Hawaii paid an additional $700,000 for Sunday's game. That brings the total cost of the four-year deal to $2.5 million.
City Councilman Mufi Hannemann, who is chairman of the state's Pro Bowl host committee, said the NFL all-star game generates an estimated $80 million for the local economy.
Earlier this year, Orlando made a concerted effort with ABC and Disney to take away the only NFL event in Hawaii. Had it been straight dollars, the state probably would have lost the game to the aggressive Florida city.
"Not in a million years could we compete with what they were able to offer," Hannemann told the Star-Bulletin last week. "Orlando was offering big bucks, so we can't rely on just sun, surf and sand to keep the Pro Bowl."
Pro Bowl week events
Wednesday
8:00 a.m.--NFC practice at Ihilani Hotel.
10:00 a.m.--AFC practice at Ihilani Hotel.
2:00 p.m.--Pro Bowl players' visit at Kapiolani Medical Center.
8:00 a.m.--NFC practice at Aloha Stadium.
9:00 a.m.--AFC practice at Ihilani Hotel.
11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m.--Miller Lite Pro Bowl Battle of the Gridiron at Ihilani Hotel.
Noon-1:00 p.m.--Pro Bowl Week Kickoff Rally at Blaisdell Arena.
1:00-10:00 p.m.--Topps Pro Bowl Card Show & Experience at Blaisdell Arena.
2:30 p.m.--NFL Youth Football Clinic at Kaneohe Marine Base.
9:30 a.m.--NFC practice at Ihilani Hotel.
9:30 a.m.--AFC practice at Aloha Stadium.
11:00 a.m.--NFL Rookie Beach Bowl on Fort DeRussy Beach.
Noon-10:00 p.m.--Topps Pro Bowl Card Show & Experience at Blaisdell Arena.
12:30 p.m.--Pro Bowl Golf Tournament at Ko Olina Golf Course.
12:30-5:00 p.m.--Play Football on the Beach Day (celebrity touch football, musical entertainment), on Fort DeRussy Beach.
7:00 p.m.--Pro Bowl Block Party at Aloha Tower Marketplace.
9:00 a.m.--Photo Day at Aloha Stadium.
9:00 a.m.--Pro Bowl Cheerleading and Dance Competition at Waikiki Shell.
10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.--Topps Pro Bowl Card Show & Experience at Blaisdell Arena.
10:00 a.m.--AFC Practice at Aloha Stadium.
11:00 a.m.--NFC Practice at Aloha Stadium.
2:00 p.m.--Special Olympics Punt, Pass and Kick at Ihilani Hotel.
1:00 p.m.--Kickoff 1997 NFL AFC-NFC Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium.
