Thursday, December 22, 2005
Chicago and Atlanta led the NFC with six selections each.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
There will be only one brother act in the Pro Bowl this season: the Barbers.
The Mannings? Only Peyton made it, hardly a surprise because brother Eli has had a very up-and-down second season with the New York Giants.
So Eli, one of the leaders in the fan vote, ended up as a third alternate in the NFC when the players and coaches added their say.
Peyton Manning was one of an NFL-high seven Indianapolis Colts who made the group of 42 players from each conference announced Wednesday; the seven Pro Bowlers befit the Colts' 13-1 record. San Diego, which handed Indianapolis its first loss last Sunday, had six, including linebacker Shawne Merriman, one of two rookies to make it.
Houston kick returner Jerome Mathis was the other first-year man.
Chicago and Atlanta led the NFC with six selections each, while the Giants and Seattle had five apiece in the selections for the Feb. 12 game in Honolulu. The Bears' contingent was the largest they have sent to Hawaii in 15 years, and New York defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora were the first pair from the same team at that position since Miami's Jason Taylor and Trace Armstrong in 2001.
Colts selections
The Colts selections include Manning, running back Edgerrin James, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, center Jeff Saturday, defensive end Dwight Freeney, linebacker Cato June and safety Bob Sanders.
An eighth, offensive tackle Tarik Glenn, was originally told he made the team. Then the NFL said there was a computer error and he was fourth in the voting behind Willie Anderson, William Roaf and Baltimore's Jonathan Ogden.
"I'm happy with the guys who made it," coach Tony Dungy said. "And I'm a league guy, but this is a bad, bad situation ...the less I say the better. You'll have to ask the league."
Saturday, a first-time Pro Bowler, indicated he might take his linemates to Honolulu with him, which would mean almost all the Colts' offensive starters would attend.
"They'll be well taken care of, you can count on that," Saturday said.
The selections generally reflect the standings although players on losing teams are every bit as happy.
"It's always been a dream of mine since I was a little kid," said wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald of Arizona, the third overall pick in the 2004 draft. "It hasn't been that long since by dad took me over there and I was taking pictures with the guys that were over there, so it's truly an honor."
None chosen
Four teams had no players chosen -- Cleveland and Tennessee in the AFC, San Francisco and Green Bay in the NFC. Of those four, the Browns have the best record: 5-9.
This will be the second straight year in Hawaii for the Barber twins, Tiki, the Giants' running back and Ronde, the Tampa Bay cornerback.
"It was special. It was nerve-racking, too many people. It was fun," Ronde said of last season's trip. "It will be another fun trip, I'm sure."
The Colts' seven players include Manning, running back Edgerrin James, wide receiver Marvin Harrison, center Jeff Saturday, defensive end Dwight Freeney, linebacker Cato June and safety Bob Sanders.
The starting lineups will be announced Jan. 7.