Sunday, January 30, 2011
Associated Press
HONOLULU
When Ray Lewis stepped off the plane from his cross-country flight and was greeted with a lei and an aloha, it finally hit him that he was voted back on the island.
“That’s when you say, ‘OK. I’ve made it again.’ You really appreciate it,” the Baltimore Ravens’ All-Pro linebacker said. “This is the reward. With the Pro Bowl being here, this is the reward.”
Today’s Pro Bowl marks the return to Hawaii — where it had been since 1980 — after spending a year in Miami in an experiment by the NFL to combine the All-Star game activities with the Super Bowl.
“This is where everybody wants to go,” said Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez, making his NFC-leading 11th appearance in the Pro Bowl.
Hawaii is paying $4 million per game to hold the Pro Bowl this year and in 2012 when Indianapolis hosts the Super Bowl. But the Pro Bowl site hasn’t been determined beyond that, with the 2013 Super Bowl scheduled for New Orleans and 2014 slated for East Rutherford, N.J.
But Hawaii, which has become synonymous with the Pro Bowl, is reeling from an $844 million projected deficit over the next 21/2 years.
Gov. Neil Abercrombie in his first State of the State address on Monday suggested diverting some of the $44 million the Hawaii Tourism Authority spends on marketing to infrastructure needs.
The Democrat and former longtime congressman also wants to decide the fate of aging 50,000-seat Aloha Stadium, which hosts the Pro Bowl. He said other than maintenance related to health and safety, “I will divert all other capital-improvement dollars for Aloha Stadium to other projects.”
It’s unclear what this will mean for the future of the Pro Bowl in Hawaii, but they will play key points in future negotiations between the NFL and the Hawaii Tourism Authority.
If the players have any say, they clearly want the game to stay in the islands.
“There’s no better place to have it,” Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning said.
Atlanta Falcons fullback Ovie Mughelli said there’s no comparing Hawaii.
“Nothing against Florida, but Hawaii is Hawaii,” he said. “For guys who worked hard through minicamp, training camp, the offseason and go through bumps and bruises, I feel Hawaii is so much a better way to reward them than just going down to Miami.”
Lewis, who lives in Miami and starred at the University of Miami, said having the game back home wouldn’t be a reward for the players since they play in Florida during the season.
Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson said, “We can go to Miami any time. Going to Hawaii, over the water, is special.”