Brett Favre to NOT Start In the 2008 Pro Bowl

For those who watch the Pro Bowl after the Super Bowl....there have been major changes to the rosters.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Jeff Garcia, Buffalo Bills defensive end Aaron Schobel, Arizona Cardinals defensive tackle Darnell Dockett, Philadelphia Eagles defensive end Trent Cole and Washington Redskins long snapper Ethan Albright are going to the Pro Bowl.

Garcia will replace Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre on the NFC roster.

I ask why Garcia? Why no Tony Romo. That's my quarterback man! (I do a great imitation of Terrell Owens).

Garcia finished the season as the NFL's seventh-rated passer with a 94.6 rating. In 13 starts, he completed 209-of-327 attempts with 13 touchdowns and four interceptions. His 197 consecutive pass attempst without an interception to begin the season was a team record.

The Pro Bowl appearance will be the fourth of Garcia's career and his first as a Buc; he played in three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2000-02 when he was with the San Francisco 49ers. He becomes the third Tampa Bay QB in the Pro Bowl, joining Trent Dilfer (1997) and Brad Johnson (2002).

Schobel, who will appear in the Pro Bowl for the second straight year, was added to the AFC roster Thursday in place of injured Miami Dolphins end Jason Taylor.

Dockett has been added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster, replacing Tommie Harris of the Chicago Bears. Harris is out with a knee injury.

Cole was added to the NFC Pro Bowl roster in place of injured Seattle Seahawks end Patrick Kerney.

Schobel had been selected as a Pro Bowl alternate last month despite a down season statistically. In 16 starts, he finished fourth on the team with 95 tackles and led the Bills with 6½ sacks, a considerable drop after 14 sacks last season.

Taylor is unable to play after tearing his left plantar fascia -- an injury that brings pain to the bottom of the foot and heel -- against Baltimore on Dec. 16.

Schobel will be Buffalo's lone representative at the game, to be played Feb. 10 in Honolulu. Bills left tackle Jason Peters was selected as a starter but will miss the game with a groin injury.

It will be the first Pro Bowl appearance for Dockett, who joins wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald as Cardinals representatives for the game.

In his fourth NFL season, Dockett led the Cardinals and all NFL interior linemen with a career-high nine sacks. He had 75 tackles, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles and had 14 sacks while starting all 16 games.

Dockett was initially chosen as a Pro Bowl first alternate.

Cole, who was sixth in the NFL with 12½ sacks, had been selected as a Pro Bowl alternate. His total was the most by an Eagle since Hugh Douglas had 12½ in 2002.

A fifth-round draft pick by the Eagles in 2005, Cole recorded 103 tackles this season and earned the Eagles defensive MVP award.

Albrightt, the long snapper best known for his bright red hair and the fact he hasn't messed up a snap in ages, was selected for the NFC team.

"I really didn't think I'd ever be going," said Albright, a 12-year NFL veteran.

Albright will join tight end Chris Cooley and left tackle Chris Samuels as Redskins representatives. All three will wear jersey No. 21 during the game to pay tribute to former Washington safety Sean Taylor, who died Nov. 27 and was posthumously voted as a starter.

The long snapper position isn't subject to Pro Bowl voting, so the coaching staffs for each team have to select a snapper if there isn't one among the linemen already chosen. Green Bay's staff will coach the NFC, and Packers special teams coordinator Mike Stock held the same position when Albright joined the Redskins in 2001.

"They need a long snapper," Albright said. "Mike Stock is the one who brought me to Washington, and he thought of me."

Albright won't say the last time he had an errant snap, but all have been on target during his seven seasons in Washington.

Bad News For The New York Giants

Remember in a previous article I wrote that if Terrell Owens plays this Sunday, the New York Giants have no chance of beating the Dallas Cowboys? Remember my whole rant about how much of a playmaker and difference maker Terrell Owens is? Well, Terrell Owens warmed up for practice Friday, then went to see a trainer about his injured ankle.

Owens felt so good he wanted the protective tape he'd been wearing cut off. Then he ran to join his teammates who were lined up to stretch, slapping hands and practically doing a victory lap on his way to his spot, complete with waving his right index finger.

"I'm good,'' Owens said later, at his locker. "See you Sunday.''

The team's official report listed his participation in practice as limited and his game status as questionable. Coach Wade Phillips was more hopeful about having his All-Pro receiver in the lineup Sunday against the New York Giants. Phillips added that if Owens can play, he'll start.

"Terrell said he's going to play and I believe him. I think he will attempt to play and we will let him,'' Phillips said. "To what degree, at what level, remains to be seen in the game. Unless something unforeseen happens, I think he probably will [play].''

Owens was the last player out of the locker room and onto the practice field, then did some warm-up steps going forward and sideways. Once he felt comfortable, he joined the receivers catching lobs. He was striding slowly and without a hitch before stopping for the tape removal.

After stretching, Owens moved as quickly as anyone on his way back to join the receivers. Reporters weren't allowed to watch anything after that.

"He did good, he looked good -- he's ready to go Sunday,'' fellow receiver Sam Hurd said. "Especially when running, he looked good.''

The Many Faces Of Donovan McNabb

First, Donovan McNabb complained that the reason sports fans and analysts were scrutinizing his poor performance was because he's a black quarterback. Now, he insists that the reason for the Eagles' poor performance is because of the lack of playmakers on the team.

Um, hello? You're not exactly the greatest playmaker either, Donovan McNabb. Ever since your first injured season, its a coin toss whether can remain healthy enough to play every year. Also, you hold onto the ball and fumble too much and you try to force plays that aren't there.

This raises an interesting debate. Its a very fine line between receivers and quarterbacks. Who is to blame when something goes wrong? And don't give me that line its a team sport and everyone is responsible. If mistakes happen too frequently by one player, most teams wouldn't hesitate to get rid of that one player holding them back.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb made his desires known with his blog posting on yardbarker.com.

McNabb

"Now that the season is over and we are concentrating on 2008, I hope we are able to secure some playmakers in all three phases of the game," McNabb wrote in his Monday posting. "Maybe some of those playmakers are already on the roster but have struggled with injuries, myself included, that have held us back a little."

Coach Andy Reid had pointed to the team's numerous injuries as one reason why the Eagles finished 8-8 this season. He also said that players should be careful in addressing personnel situations, because the person in the next locker might not take it the right way.

"I haven't heard Donovan talk about that, so I'm not answering it," Reid said during a wrapup news conference on New Year's Eve. "I know, as players, you have to be careful about saying that, because those are your teammates that are being replaced. Most players don't get into that, who really care about their teammates on the other side."

Nice way to handle it Andy Reid. You don't want to break up the team chemistry or create an imbalance in the locker room.

McNabb didn't mention any names of play-makers and difference-makers he'd like to have on his side, but he did direct attention to a certain undefeated team and how it went about its business.

"You can't argue with how the Patriots went outside their locker room and stocked up on playmakers last year. It certainly helped to have Randy Moss, Donte' Stallworth, Wes Welker and Adalius Thomas making plays for them all year," McNabb said in his blog posting.

"I'm surprised that anyone would have a problem with me, or anyone else in the organization, expressing a desire to bring in more quality players," he added. "We were 8-8. There is room for improvement. This is a competitive sport. It's about putting together the best players, the best team, and giving yourself the best chance to win.

Again, what McNabb just said goes back to my debate. Does the quarterback make the receivers or do the receivers make the quarterback? Nobody knew who Reggie Wayne was until Peyton Manning developed him into a skilled receiver. However, Tom Brady, who already won Super Bowls with average receivers, inherited already gifted receivers this year and it looks like nothing can stop them. Would Donovan McNabb be any better if he had a Randy Moss on his team, or would he continue to get injured, force interceptions, and fumble?

OH WAIT! McNabb already had one of the best receivers in the game on his team. Anyone remember Terrell Owens? And we all know how that worked out.

If, McNabb is unhappy on the Eagles, he would make excellent trade bait. Any team would love to scoop this guy up just because of the name he carries and they would probably trade generously for him.