pro bowl – Sportscolumn Blog

After being on the injury report all season long, NOW Tom Brady’s injury is for real?!

We’re not going to call Tom Brady and Randy Moss sore losers, but what a couple of titty babies!! The duo were all laughs and smiles, cracking jokes and taking jabs at the Giants going into Sunday’s super shocking Super Bowl, but after a 17-14 loss and an abrupt detour off the road to perfection, the record-setting scoring threats pulled out of the Pro Bowl.

Brady’s excuse stems from “Boot Gate”, claiming his tender ankle took a pounding from the Giants defense. Apparently Moss is learning more than just routes from his quarterback because he is also citing an injured ankle, not a broken heart, for his inability to attend the Pro Bowl on Feb. 10.

Now, we know other players skipped out on the All-Star tradition – in fact, we’re surprised anyone would go to this stupid thing – but the timing of this whole thing just stinks to us. And, as usual, it’s the fans that get screwed in the end. Now, instead of seeing the greatest offensive `one-two punch’ in NFL history, fans are treated to seeing Chad Johnson and Derek Anderson.

Ocho-Cinco can be entertaining as hell, but it’s going to take a lot of oversized Hall of Fame jackets to make up for the absence of Brady and Moss.

Links:

[The Canadian Press]: Brady and Moss pull out of Pro Bowl a day after loss to Giants in Super Bowl

Pro Bowl rosters and outrage released

Better than Westbrook?

For a game that nobody even watches, a lot of outrage sure does come with the announcement of the Pro Bowl rosters (AFC | NFC) . Some we agree with, some are just homers talking. The Pro Bowl is based on reputation more than anything else so why is everyone always so surprised when undeserving players get in?

Here are some notable snubs:

Tom Brady — To be fair, the three AFC QBs who were named to the Pro Bowl — Peyton Manning, Rivers and Palmer — are having good seasons. Manning is the game’s best quarterback and he showed that in beating the Bengals on Monday night. Rivers has led the Chargers to a 12-2 record. But Palmer over Brady? Let’s see. The Patriots have a better record and they beat the Bengals 38-13 earlier in the season. Palmer’s stats might be better, but Brady is a three-time Super Bowl champ who is on the verge of winning a division title. (John Clayton)

Brian Westbrook — Where would the resurgent Eagles be without Westbrook, their multi-purpose man who has rushed for 1,092 yards, caught 74 passes for 664 yards and produced 86 first downs, just eight fewer than LaDainian Tomlinson? (SI)

Javon Walker — On paper, it might appear as the four guys who made the team over Walker deserve it. Sure, they are all having nice seasons, but of the guys chosen over Walker I’d have to take out Andre Johnson. Yea, I know, he leads the league in receptions, but looking at his average yards per catch shows he is catching a lot of dink and dunk passes. Even Marvin Harrison who would be considered a possession receiver has averaged over 3 yards per carry more per catch. Walker leads the group in average, and has reached the end zone two more times than Johnson. (The Sports Guru)

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. (4th and Inches)