NFL official optimistic
Pro Bowl will stay
in Hawaii
Jim Steeg, the NFL's executive vice president for special events, said his meetings with the Hawaii Tourism Authority have been going well and a new contract to keep the Pro Bowl in the islands could be completed soon.
The current contract ends after next year's game, which will be the 26th consecutive Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium.
"We had some really good meetings this week and we're going to continue them to talk over some of the details. Then we'll turn it over to the lawyers," Steeg said after yesterday's game.
He declined to reveal any particulars.
"I don't think I want to yet because there are still a lot of things going on. But I can characterize the meetings as very positive," Steeg said.
Local golf analyst Mark Rolfing, who is also part of the negotiating committee, was cautiously optimistic. He said something could come about very quickly.
"Stick close to the phone," Rolfing said. "Because something could be coming down very quick."
Fans lend a hand: St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger can thank Internet voters for assisting on his record-tying touchdown pass.
Bulger hit Atlanta tight end Alge Crumpler on a play called "solo right, pass 67 solid, U Seattle" for a score on the NFC's first offensive play of the fourth quarter. The play won a vote of 60,000-plus fans on the Internet.
It was Bulger's third touchdown pass of the game, tying the game record, and brought the NFC back into contention after falling behind by 25 early in the third quarter.
"I got it to (Crumpler) about the 10 and he did a great job getting in the end zone," Bulger said. "I'm glad the (fans) chose that one."
He eventually set the mark with four scoring strikes that resulted in him being named Pro Bowl MVP.
Nice sub: You won't find Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila's mug on the NFC team picture, but the Green Bay Packers defensive end certainly left his mark on yesterday's game.
"I've got a poster of the team without me in it," Gbaja-Biamila said, pulling the photo out of the envelope in the NFC locker room after the game. "I'll keep it just to remember that. I was there."
Gbaja-Biamila was a last-minute replacement for Tampa Bay's Simeon Rice, who was sent home by NFC coach Andy Reid for missing practices. He arrived on Oahu on Saturday night and barely had time to get his legs under him before heading onto the Aloha Stadium turf.
"I don't know if I enjoyed too much, I just had time to sleep and try to get ready for this game," he said. "It's a blessing and I thank the good Lord that I was able to experience this game."
He was among the NFC's defensive leaders with six tackles and two sacks of Kansas City quarterback Trent Green for losses totaling 15 yards. Not bad for a guy who hadn't played since the Packers were eliminated from the NFC playoffs.
"I was working out a little bit, but not for this," Gbaja-Biamila said. "I won't lie to you, I wasn't working out that much."
Sellout, but no full house: The attendance for yesterday's game was announced at 50,127, but an estimated 48,000 actually attended.
The top-level of the 50,000-seat stadium was around half full and there were many other empty seats throughout the facility.
Regardless, it is considered the 25th consecutive sellout crowd for the Pro Bowl at Aloha Stadium.
Honors for Hawaii: Members of two state high school football teams were recognized before the game -- coach Siuaki Livai, linebacker Walker Vave and center Jeremy Perry of Division I champion Kahuku and linebacker Lawrence Leovao and slotback Ben Ah Mook Sang of Division II champion Aiea.
BACK TO TOP |
Hall election snuck up
on Broncos legend Elway
Count John Elway among those having a hard time fathoming that it's time for him to join the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"It's hard to believe five years have gone by," said Elway at a press conference prior to yesterday's game won by the NFC 55-52. "It seems like yesterday we were down in Miami for the Super Bowl."
Elway, the legendary Denver Broncos quarterback who won two Super Bowls before retiring after the 1998 season, was one of three members of this year's Hall of Fame class who made the trip.
Offensive lineman Bob Brown and defensive lineman Carl Eller were also introduced before the sellout crowd. The fourth inductee, Detroit Lions running back Barry Sanders, was excused from the proceedings as his wife Lauren is close to giving birth.
Brown played in six Pro Bowls in his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams and Oakland Raiders and took pride in being relatively anonymous on the field.
"Usually if you're playing well, you're really very obscure, there's not much going on, no one notices you," Brown said. "But I'm happy now that more and more offensive linemen are being recognized."
Eller was a member of the Minnesota Vikings' famed "Purple People Eaters" and helped the Vikings win four NFC titles.
"I think there's something different about a Hall of Famer," Eller said. "I think it's guys who are willing to put in the hours and put in the work and pay the price. You don't just all of a sudden wake up and become a Hall of Famer. All of the guys here, they've paid the price and paid their dues."
Reed catches buddy sleeping: Baltimore safety Ed Reed made the biggest special teams play of the game early in the first quarter when he came up the middle to block Carolina punter Todd Sauerbrun's boot.
"It was kind of a lax play for them," said Reed, who picked up the bouncing ball and ran 23 yards for a TD and a 14-0 AFC lead. "They took too long to get the punt off because I wasn't really pushing that hard to get in. But I noticed on their previous punt that (Seattle's) Shaun Alexander (who was in at blocking back) was kind of taking the play off. I said to myself, 'The next time, I'm coming.' It ended up being (Minnesota's) Corey Chavous who took the play off. He's my boy, my very good friend, and he ended up doing a great job in the game."
Chavous intercepted Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning's pass late in the game to set up the eventual winning TD -- Alexander's 2-yard run.
Hall OK: Kansas City's potent kick returner Dante Hall bruised his ribs early in the game, but the injury isn't serious. He returned just two kicks and turned the job over to Tennessee's Derrick Mason.
Even though Mason returned eight kicks for 186 yards, the AFC could have used Hall's breakaway potential.
Mason also had a team-high six catches for 113 yards.
Marion almost plays hero: An interception by Miami safety Brock Marion with 1:29 left gave the AFC its final, ultimately unsuccessful comeback bid.
"I was trying to take it to the house," said Marion, who caught Marc Bulger's pass 5 yards deep in the end zone and returned it to the AFC 22. "But there were way too many people out there. I made a cut back, but I should have made a bigger cut. It put the ball back in Peyton's hands and gave us a chance."
Marion's teammate, cornerback Patrick Surtain, had the AFC's only other interception in the game.
