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KIP AOKI / KAOKI@STARBULLETIN.COM

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Rock ’em Sock ’em

The Pro Bowl could be headed
for another offensive shootout
similar to last year’s 55-52
NFC victory

It's certainly true that many players voted into the Pro Bowl over the years have opted out because of various injuries -- some legit, some questionable. For today's game at Aloha Stadium, 13 of the AFC and NFC's 86 all-stars are replacements.

AFC All-Stars vs. NFC All-Stars When: Today Kickoff: 2:30 p.m. Where: Aloha Stadium TV: ESPN Radio: KKEA 1420-AM

It's not always hangnails and paper cuts that slice into Pro Bowl playing time, though. Troy Aikman left the game early one year so he could fly back to the mainland in time for a memorabilia show. It is not known if the now-retired Cowboys star quarterback signed enough autographs at the event to make up for the $10,000 fine levied upon him by the NFL.

Last week Aikman, now an NFL analyst for FOX, said no one wants to play in the Pro Bowl, and the game should be abolished. Aikman also said words to the effect that everything about the Pro Bowl is great -- except the game itself.

If that's the true sentiment of the players in today's game, they did a pretty good job of hiding it at yesterday's final walk-throughs.

"We enjoy playing the game," said Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden, on the eve of his eighth Pro Bowl. "We also enjoy being around the other players and interacting with the fans. It's a great week highlighted by a great event."

Philadelphia's Terrell Owens played in last Sunday's Super Bowl after completing a tremendous job of rehabbing a sprained ankle and broken foot. He's out today, but he practiced the last two days for the NFC, running routes and catching passes.

Is it possible T.O. could get some P.T. today?

"No, he's definitely out, he's been replaced (by the Rams' Torry Holt)," NFL director of game operations for special events Bill McConnell said. "But he wants to play, and that's what it's all about."

So does Mike Vick.

Vick, the Falcons' quarterback and one of the league's most gifted athletes, is eager to show it at his first Pro Bowl today.

"Definitely, I'm focused on this game a whole lot," Vick told the Associated Press this week. "I've been thinking about it since our season ended in Atlanta. This is the first chance I'm going to have to line up against the best of the best."

Vick passed for 2,323 yards and 14 touchdowns, and rushed for 902 yards and three TDs in 2004.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson signed autographs for fans after yesterday's AFC practice.

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The Colts' Peyton Manning, New England's Tom Brady and San Diego's Drew Brees will quarterback the AFC, with Vick, Philadelphia's Donovan McNabb and Minnesota's Daunte Culpepper running the show for the NFC.

If that's not enough firepower, maybe Dan Marino and Steve Young can go in and sling it around. They will be introduced today as part of the next Hall of Fame class.

When the NFC goes on offense All eyes will be on Mike Vick, since this is the Pro Bowl debut for the multi-talented Atlanta quarterback. Although Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb was intercepted three times and sacked four in last week's Super Bowl loss, he and the Vikings' Daunte Culpepper are coming off their best seasons. Packers running back Ahman Green has 29 career 100-yard games, and he'll be working behind fullback William Henderson, his Green Bay teammate, for the first time in the Pro Bowl. When the AFC goes on offense The Colts' Peyton Manning to Marvin Harrison is the most prolific quarterback-to-wide receiver combination in NFL history. Also, the Chargers' Drew Brees has a familiar target in tight end Antonio Gates. Gates had 13 TDs this year. The Patriots' Tom Brady doesn't have a teammate to throw to, but Chiefs tight end Tony Gonzalez worked with all three QBs on some special routes this week in practice. Steelers running back Jerome Bettis will get some carries since this may be his swan song, but look for the AFC to throw early and often.

"I wouldn't want to be a defensive coordinator for this game," NFC coach Jim Mora of the Falcons said. "We might let Mike run around a little bit, and we've got two other great quarterbacks and we've got three great running backs and four great receivers."

All six quarterbacks were the first choices of the voting by fans, players and coaches. No one suddenly developed a cough or a limp. Their presence could lead to something similar to the offensive fireworks of last year's 55-52 NFC victory.

"That was great for the fans and the players," Manning said. "I don't know if we can duplicate it, but I hope the AFC can win this time."

Maybe Broncos safety John Lynch can supply some of the defense the AFC was missing last year -- his previous five Pro Bowl appearances were as a member of the NFC's Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"For our first (AFC team) meeting, I went to the wrong locker room," Lynch said. "It's pretty clear the power has shifted to the AFC. It's good to be on this side."

It will be twice as good if his team wins. The winning players today get $35,000 each and those on the losing team get $17,500.

Cowboys defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, in his fifth Pro Bowl, said the experience is about more than making money to pay for the trips of family and friends who came along to Hawaii.

"It never gets old," Glover said. "It's always a good time. It's always a fun time seeing some of the new guys that are coming up for the first time and seeing some of the older guys that have been here more times than I have. You can never have a bad time in Hawaii."

Today's game is the last official event for Jim Steeg as NFL senior vice president in charge of special events. Steeg leaves after 26 years of running the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl to be chief operating officer of the San Diego Chargers. Steeg is replaced by former NHL executive Frank Supovitz.

Also, it might be the final game for Steelers running back Jerome Bettis. "The Bus" was brought in as an injury replacement for the Patriots' Corey Dillon this week. Bettis is contemplating retirement after 12 seasons, including four Pro Bowls.

Today's game is officially a sell-out, and will be shown live locally on ESPN.

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Around the NFL

New England Patriots

FOXBORO, Mass. » The Patriots promoted Eric Mangini to defensive coordinator yesterday, succeeding new Cleveland Browns coach Romeo Crennel.

Mangini, who was the Patriots' defensive backfield coach, was pursued by Crennel and the Miami Dolphins.

But Patriots coach Bill Belichick, playing at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am golf tournament in California, told CBS-TV yesterday that Mangini was taking over for Crennel.

"He's done a great job for us with the secondary," Belichick said. "(He has) big shoes to fill with Romeo, but Eric's a great young coach. He's been with me for a long time, he's done a great job for our football team for the last five years."

Mangini has been credited with helping the Patriots' defensive backfield overcome injuries to starting players in the team's push to their third Super Bowl victory in four years.

In a statement released by the team, Mangini said he is thrilled to be staying with the Patriots.

"The Kraft family and Bill Belichick have treated me tremendously," he said. "This team and our players are a special group and mean a great deal to me. I look forward to putting this process behind and focusing on our offseason and the new challenges ahead."

The 34-year-old Mangini has been on the Patriots' defensive staff since 2000. He was also an assistant under Belichick with the Cleveland Browns in 1995, and moved with the team to Baltimore in 1996. From 1997 to 1999, he worked on the New York Jets' defensive staff.

Though the champions were able to keep Mangini, they were not as fortunate with chief operating officer Andy Wasynczuk, who is joining the Harvard Business School

Wasynczuk, the Patriots' chief operating officer, is leaving the team to become a senior lecturer in the school's negotiation, organization and markets unit. He will be the first sports executive to join the faculty, school spokesman Jim Aisner said.

"I will forever be indebted to the Kraft family for letting me live out a dream these past 16 years," Wasynczuk said. "While I will miss the day-to-day involvement with the team, I am also excited about my new challenge."

Baltimore Ravens

BALTIMORE » The FBI is investigating two e-mails that allegedly threatened linebacker Ray Lewis, a federal law enforcement spokesman said yesterday.

The e-mails were traced to Akron, Ohio, and agents executed a search warrant there on Wednesday, said Special Agent Robert Hawk, a spokesman for the FBI's Cleveland office.

Yesterday, The (Baltimore) Sun, citing an anonymous official with knowledge of the case, reported that the person suspected of sending the e-mail is believed to be related to one of two men killed in a fight in 2000. Lewis was charged with murder along with two other men after the fight.

Charges against Lewis were subsequently dropped and he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor obstruction of justice charges. He was sentenced to a year of probation.

Hawk would not comment on the identity of the person who was believed to have sent the e-mails. No arrests have been made, though Hawk said authorities were focusing their investigation on a specific person.

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1971 NFC 27 AFC 6 Jan. 24 Los Angeles Att.: 48,222 MVP: Mel Renfro, Dallas and Fred Carr, Green Bay	1972 AFC 26 NFC 13 Jan. 23 Los Angeles Att.: 53,647 MVP: Jan Stenerud, Kansas City and Willy Lanier, Kansas City	1973 AFC 33 NFC 28 Jan. 21 Irving, Texas Att.: 37,091 MVP: O.J. Simpson, Buffalo
1974 AFC 15 NFC 13 Jan. 20 Kansas City Att.: 66,918 MVP: Garo Yepremian, Miami	1975 NFC 17 AFC 10 Jan. 20 Miami Att.: 26,484 MVP: James Harris, Los Angeles	1976 NFC 23 AFC 20 Jan. 26 New Orleans Att.: 30,546 MVP: Billy Johnson, Houston
1977 AFC 24 NFC 14 Jan. 17 Seattle Att.: 64,752 MVP: Mel Blount, Pittsburgh	1978 NFC 14 AFC 13 Jan. 23 Tampa, Fla. Att.: 51,337 MVP: Walter Payton, Chicago	1979 NFC 13 AFC 7 Jan. 29 Los Angeles Att.: 46,281 MVP: Ahmad Rashad, Minnesota
1980 NFC 37 AFC 27 Jan. 27 Game moves to Honolulu Att.: 49,800 MVP: Chuck Muncie, New Orleans	1981 NFC 21 AFC 7 Feb. 1 Att.: 50,360 MVP: Eddie Murray, Detroit	1982 AFC 16 NFC 13 Jan. 31 Att.: 50,402 MVP: Kellen Winslow, San Diego and Lee Roy Selmon, Tampa Bay
1983 NFC 20 AFC 19 Feb. 6 Att.: 49,883 MVP: Dan Fouts, San Diego and John Jefferson, Green Bay	1984 NFC 45 AFC 3 Jan. 29 Att.: 50,445 MVP: Joe Theismann, Washington	1985 AFC 22 NFC 14 Jan. 27 Att.: 50,385 MVP: Mark Gastineau, New York Jets
1986 NFC 28 AFC 24 Feb. 2 Att.: 50,101 MVP: Phil Simms, New York Giants	1987 AFC 10 NFC 6 Feb. 1 Att.: 50,101 MVP: Reggie White, Philadelphia	1988 AFC 15 NFC 6 Feb. 7 Att.: 50,113 MVP: Bruce Smith, Buffalo
1989 AFC 34 NFC 3 Jan. 29 Att.: 50,113 MVP: Randall Cunningham, Philadelphia	1990 NFC 27 AFC 21 Feb. 4 Att.: 50,445 MVP: Jerry Gray, L.A. Rams	1991 AFC 23 NFC 21 Feb. 3 Att.: 50,345 MVP: Jim Kelly, Buffalo
1992 NFC 21 AFC 15 Feb. 2 Att.: 50,209 MVP: Michael Irvin, Dallas	1993 AFC 23 NFC 20 Feb. 7 Overtime Att.: 50,007 MVP: Steve Tasker, Buffalo	1994 NFC 17 AFC 3 Feb. 6 Att.: 50,026 MVP: Andre Rison, Atlanta
1995 AFC 41 NFC 13 Feb. 5 Att.: 49,121 MVP: Marshall Faulk, Indianapolis	1996 NFC 20 AFC 13 Feb. 4 Overtime Att.: 50,034 MVP: Jerry Rice, San Francisco	1997 AFC 26 NFC 23 Feb. 2 Att.: 50,031 MVP: Mark Brunell, Jacksonville
1998 AFC 29 NFC 24 Feb. 1 Att.: 49,995 MVP: Warren Moon, Seattle	1999 AFC 23 NFC 10 Feb. 7 Att.: 50,075 MVP: Keyshawn Johnson, New York Jets and Ty Law, New England	2000 NFC 51 AFC 31 Feb. 6 Att.: 50,112 MVP: Randy Moss, Minnesota
2001 AFC 38 NFC 17 Feb. 4 Att.: 50,128 MVP: Rich Gannon, Oakland	2002 AFC 38 NFC 30 Feb. 9 Att.: 50,112 MVP: Rich Gannon, Oakland	2003 AFC 45 NFC 20 Feb. 2 Att.: 50,125 MVP: Ricky Williams, Miami
2004 AFC 52 NFC 55 Feb. 8 Att.: 50,127 MVP: Marc Bulger, St. Louis

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Connecting to help
tsunami victims

LAMNO, Indonesia » The children in the remote coastal town of Lamno had never heard of American football or New York Giants quarterback Kurt Warner -- until yesterday.

Warner and teammate Amani Toomer visited here to help raise money for the long-term aid needs of tsunami victims in Aceh province, where the Dec. 26 disaster left more than 200,000 people dead or missing, and many more homeless.

The kids seemed to enjoy their time with the NFL stars, chasing Warner and Toomer around a soccer field.

"I don't know who they are, but they are really nice," said Saledulah, a grinning 9-year-old in tattered shorts and a T-shirt who, like many Indonesians, goes by one name.

Warner and Toomer, along with their wives, were flown in on a helicopter by the United Nation's World Food Program. Warner, a two-time Most Valuable Player who led the St. Louis Rams to victory in the 2000 Super Bowl, said the devastation was simply impossible to imagine.

"To actually think of lives and homes and the community as a whole and then to see all this -- unbelievable," Warner said. "People think that when the media leaves, things go back to normal, but that is not the case."

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ASSOCIATED PRESS Giants quarterback Kurt Warner and his wife, Brenda Sue, held a 2-month-old while visiting a refugee camp in tsunami-ravaged town Lamno, Indonesia, yesterday.

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The four helped unload a helicopter full of rice, bottled water and cooking oil destined for camps and feeding centers elsewhere on the island's west coast. They also visited the USNS Mercy, a U.S. Navy hospital ship treating tsunami victims off Sumatra Island.

The disaster has prompted a massive global outpouring of aid, from governments and individuals. More than $4 million has been raised by the NFL, its teams, owners, players and fans to support the tsunami relief efforts, but Toomer said it's still not enough.

"People are going to need a lot more help in the future," he said.

President Bush plans to ask Congress for $950 million for tsunami relief efforts -- up from $350 million committed so far. The pledge would put the United States at the top of the donor list.

But despite the incredible loss and devastation in the area, the children of Lamno proved they still know how to have fun. Warner's wife, Brenda, taught them to chant a few phrases in English while her husband looked on grinning.

"Football is silly!" they cried, and "Kurt Warner is old and fat!"

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ASSOCIATED PRESS Giants receiver Amani Toomer and quarterback Kurt Warner unloaded food aid from a truck yesterday.