New York — Tom Brady made it to the Pro Bowl. So did three members of the Carolina Panthers, a team with one win. And so did Garrison Hearst, who came back from an ankle injury that sidelined him for two years and seemed to have ended his career.
The Pro Bowl teams, announced Wednesday, were the usual hodgepodge of surprises, sentiment and the same old names, many of whom make it simply because they ARE the same old names.
Three Kansas City Chiefs were selected: tight end Tony Gonzalez, running back Priest Holmes and guard Will Shields.
"It's been a horrible year but it's still an honor," said tight end Wesley Walls of Carolina, which can become the first team ever to lose 15 straight games in one season if it loses to New England on Sunday. "Usually guys ride the crest of a winning team into the Pro Bowl and we certainly haven't had that."
The other Panthers voted to the team by fans, players and coaches were punter Todd Sauerbrun and kick returner Steve Smith. "It doesn't make any sense," Sauerbrun conceded.
As usual, the selections generated a lot of discussion the Pro Bowl is probably the only all-star game in which there's more interest in the selections than in the game, which will be played in Honolulu on Feb. 9.
Two of this year's notables are Brady and Pittsburgh's Kordell Stewart, who join Rich Gannon as AFC quarterbacks. Stewart has emerged as an MVP candidate after three subpar seasons.
Starters will be announced Jan. 12. One third of the voting was done by fans, one third by players and one third by coaches.
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