It's old hat for coaching staff, many of 9 players
Friday, February 11, 2005
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
When Jerome Bettis walks into the locker room that houses the AFC Pro Bowl team, he will be a long way from the South Side, both in distance and climate. But, even in Hawaii, where the temperature is 85 degrees and the palm trees sashay in warm ocean breezes, he will feel as if he's back in the 'burgh.
"It will be like walking into our locker room," Bettis said.
That's because Bettis is one of nine Steelers who will be part of the AFC team Sunday in the Pro Bowl in Honolulu --one shy of the club's 1979 record.
In addition, Bill Cowher and his staff will coach the AFC team, meaning there will be nearly 30 members of the Steelers, counting trainers and medical personnel, on the sideline.
"It should be easy to implement our game plan," said offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt.
The Steelers will have five players on offense, four on defense -- more than any other NFL team, including the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots.
Six players were voted to the team --guard Alan Faneca, center Jeff Hartings, wide receiver Hines Ward, safety Troy Polamalu and linebackers Joey Porter and James Farrior. Faneca and Ward are each making their fourth appearance in the Pro Bowl; Porter is making his second.
Three other players have been added --Bettis, offensive tackle Marvel Smith and defensive end Aaron Smith. Bettis, who is making his sixth Pro Bowl appearance, was named by the NFL three days ago to replace injured Patriots running back Corey Dillon as much for his career accomplishments as his performance during the 2004 season.
Marvel Smith and Aaron Smith were voted as alternates to the team. They made it to Hawaii because of injuries to Kansas City tackle Willie Roaf and New York Jets defensive end John Abraham.
The addition of Marvel Smith means the Steelers will have three offensive linemen in the Pro Bowl for the first time. They have had two offensive linemen in the game on two previous occasions -- in 1983 (tackle Larry Brown, center Mike Webster) and '93 (center Dermontti Dawson, guard Carlton Haselrig).
"We'll have the entire left side of our offensive line," Whisenhunt said. "How many teams can say that?"
The players have different feelings about the Pro Bowl than the coaches.
They would have been in Hawaii even if they had managed to beat the New England Patriots in the AFC championship at Heinz Field. Win or lose, they were going to bask in the tropical sun as one of the best players in the AFC.
"It would have been nice to be in Hawaii after winning the Super Bowl," said Farrior, who will start for the AFC along with Faneca.
Not the coaching staff. They're only in Hawaii, coaching the AFC team, because they lost to the Patriots, small consolation for a staff that is getting far too accustomed to reaping such spoils.
"I'm sure, at some point, it will be nice," coach Bill Cowher said, when asked if the Pro Bowl is becoming a drag.
This is the third time in the past eight years and fourth overall that Cowher and his assistant coaches have been, uh, punished and exiled to Hawaii. Some, like running backs coach Dick Hoak, are a little weary of the assignment.
"The flight's too long," said Hoak, the only assistant who has made every trip to Hawaii with Cowher. "I'd rather not go."
Nonetheless, the coaches enjoy working with the AFC's best players, even if some of them are their own. And it is not a grueling week of work.
There are two-hour practice sessions, beginning at 9 a.m, consisting mostly of getting the non-Steelers players accustomed to simple versions of the offense and defense.
Whisenhunt said he has installed 42 basic plays for the offense. Compare that to the 120 to 125 he has at his disposal for a regular-season or playoff game.
"The toughest thing is getting them to understand the terminology," Whisenhunt said. "They might run a similar play with their teams, but they might have different names for it."
NOTES -- Porter and Ward will compete in the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge that will be aired at 6 p.m. tomorrow on ESPN. Porter will compete in the strongest man competition, along with Buffalo linebacker Takeo Spikes, Dallas defensive tackle La'Roi Glover, Detroit defensive tackle Shaun Rogers and Philadelphia linebacker Jeremiah Trotter. Ward will compete in the best hands competition against eight other receivers, including Marvin Harrison of Indianapolis, Chad Johnson of Cincinnati and Muhsin Muhammad of Carolina.
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(Gerry Dulac can be reached at gdulac@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1466.)
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