Pro Bowlin'

Very few people tune in to the AFC/NFC Pro Bowl the NFL holds every February in Honolulu, Hawai'i, and even fewer people care about who wins. Ask any NFL fan (or player, for that matter) who won last year's game, and you'll be greeted with a blank stare.

Still, the announcement of the Pro Bowl rosters is always greeted with outrage and a slew of lists of player's that were snubbed.

Here's my two cents, beginning with:

The Outrage

It is outrageous to me that Shawne Merriman was elected to the Pro Bowl. Not because his production didn't warrant it (it did), rather my outrage that Merriman will be participating in this event (which I likely won't be watching) after being suspended during the season for steroid use.

The NFL determined that his steroid use would require him to sit for 4 games earlier this season, yet on based on his production, which includes the game he played while "juiced", they name him as a participant in the Pro Bowl?

If a player is suspended for such infractions during the league's calendar year, he should automatically be disqualified from any of the post-season awards and ceremonies. He cheated. He broke the rules. He doesn't deserve the praise. Not this year, anyways.

The steroid likely won't follow Merriman around like a dark cloud for the rest of his career. Julius Peppers has been to multiple Pro Bowls (and was named again this year) despite serving a similar suspension in 2002. Merriman is a phenomenal player, and based on his talent alone, he's assured of making the annual trip to Honolulu. But not this year. Not in a year where his production is tainted.

Snubs

The biggest snub in the AFC, to me anyways, was San Diego left tackle Marcus McNeill. I've closely watched about 4 San Diego Chargers games, and this guy, a 2006 2nd round pick, is as good as their is in the AFC. He's allowed just 2 sacks this season and has paved the way for LaDainian Tomlinson's record-breaking season. He deserved to go, and I fully expect him to be among the alternates at the position, possibly replacing Willie Anderson.

The runner-up to this award goes to Bart Scott, the most productive, and most anonymous, of the Baltimore Ravens linebackers. He's great in pass coverage and will likely finish the season with 10+ quarterback sacks. Though not as physically talented or as well-known as his Pro Bowl teammates, Terrell Suggs and Adalius Thomas, Scott has been a force this year and deserved to be downing some poi in Hawai'i in February.

In the NFC, my most obvious snub was Seahawks kicker Josh Brown. If it weren't for Brown, Seattle would likely be a 6-8 team. He's nailed four game-winning field goals, including a pair from over 50 yards. The guy who got in, Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould, hasn't even attempted a 50-yard field goal this year. Gould did deliver in overtime 3 days ago, but that was a chipshot field goal and it was after he already missed a gimmie. Brown deserved the nod.

I'm going to call Terrell Owens a snub, as well. His production indicates that he belongs, but perhaps his tired act warranted the "snub" from fans, coaches and players alike.

Four 'Hawks in Pro Bowl

Two weeks ago, had you asked me which Seahawks belonged in the Pro Bowl, I'd have listed 3 deserving Seahawks: Walter Jones, Julian Peterson and Josh Brown.

Yesterday, four Seahawks were assured that their football season wouldn't end on December 31st. The lucky winners were Jones, Peterson, and in what I'd consider a surprise, MLB Lofa Tatupu and in what I consider a major surprise, full back Mack Strong.

Jones hasn't had his best year, but to me, he's still one of the best tackles in the game. Peterson has been the best, if not only, solid player on the Seahawks defense. He's got the tackle numbers, the sacks, an INT and has played well each week.

Tatupu hasn't been nearly as effective as he was a year ago, and his selection to the Pro Bowl tells me that the NFC doesn't have as many Pro Bowl-caliber linebackers as the AFC. After Brian Urlacher, you'd be hard-pressed to find another deserving linebacker from that spot in the conference. I guess Tatupu is as good a choice as anyone. The selection of Mack Strong as the NFC's Pro Bowl fullback falls into this category as well. He was robbed of the selection in 2004, so I don't have much of a problem with him going in 2006. Next year, this will be Justin Griffith from Atlanta. Good blocker, receiver and has the speed to gash some decent runs.