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Taylor has a request
February 6, 2008 2:54 AM
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike McAllister
HONOLULU -- He's carried the ball 2,285 times in the regular season. Another 127 in the playoffs. Has more than 11,000 yards to show for all that work during his 10-year career.
But not once has the Jaguars' Fred Taylor carried the ball at the Pro Bowl, probably explained by the fact that, well, he's never been invited to play in the game until a month ago when he replaced an injured Willie Parker on the AFC roster.
No wonder Taylor made it a point of going up to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who'll start for the AFC, and making one simple request.
"I told Peyton that I just want a handoff," Taylor said.
Taylor thinks Manning will oblige. After all, he said the two have known each other for years, going back to when they visited Florida State at the same time on a recruiting trip.
And as far as finally going through his first Pro Bowl practice?
"I'm a fan," he said. "It's just fun to be here with my peers."
Others enjoy Pats loss
February 5, 2008 10:35 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike McAllister
HONOLULU -- As Osi Umenyiora received the congratulatory handshakes, the pats on the back, the praise and greetings that come with winning a Super Bowl, he felt something strange Tuesday as he joined his NFC teammates for the Pro Bowl.
These were not guys who were merely showing their respect for the shocking upset Umenyiora's Giants pulled off against the previously undefeated Patriots. These were guys who felt like they had grabbed a small part of the Lombardi Trophy too.
"I get the sense that a lof of them really wanted to see the Patriots lose," the defensive end said after the NFC practice. "For some, it was like they had won. They were so happy.
"I don't know what the Patriots did [to deserve that], but I'm just glad we won."
As it turns out, that us-against-the-world mentality that Bill Belichick used to help fuel the Patriots to near-historic proportions also works in reverse. Perhaps the other 31 NFL teams, seeing the Patriots dominate the regular season, felt like they were fighting together in hopes of destroying the Evil Empire.
Or maybe Umenyiora's NFC teammates were just glad to see their conference win after hearing all season about the supposed dominance of the AFC.
"It was so tough at first because I didn't want either team to win," Commanders tackle Chris Samuels said. "I hate the Giants. They're in our division. They're a cocky group.
"I kind of thought New England should win because of what they had done this season. But after awhile, I just got sick of hearing their story. So you know what: I'm rolling with the Giants."
As the lone Giants representative to the Pro Bowl, Umenyiora missed Tuesday's ticker-tape parade in Manhanttan to honor the city's latest sports heroes. Instead, he watched it on television in his hotel room before practice.
"I cried a little bit," he said.
He could've been there, riding in a car up Broadway. The NFL would've let him miss a day a practice if he wanted to jet back to New York instead of hopping a plane from Arizona to Hawaii. He then would've flown from New York to Honolulu.
One problem.
"I hate to fly," Umenyiora said. "It would've been too much. If I had gone to New York, there's no way I would've left there."
2008 Pro Bowl
February 6, 2008 2:54 AM
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike McAllister
HONOLULU -- He's carried the ball 2,285 times in the regular season. Another 127 in the playoffs. Has more than 11,000 yards to show for all that work during his 10-year career.
But not once has the Jaguars' Fred Taylor carried the ball at the Pro Bowl, probably explained by the fact that, well, he's never been invited to play in the game until a month ago when he replaced an injured Willie Parker on the AFC roster.
No wonder Taylor made it a point of going up to Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, who'll start for the AFC, and making one simple request.
"I told Peyton that I just want a handoff," Taylor said.
Taylor thinks Manning will oblige. After all, he said the two have known each other for years, going back to when they visited Florida State at the same time on a recruiting trip.
And as far as finally going through his first Pro Bowl practice?
"I'm a fan," he said. "It's just fun to be here with my peers."
Others enjoy Pats loss
February 5, 2008 10:35 PM
Posted by ESPN.com's Mike McAllister
HONOLULU -- As Osi Umenyiora received the congratulatory handshakes, the pats on the back, the praise and greetings that come with winning a Super Bowl, he felt something strange Tuesday as he joined his NFC teammates for the Pro Bowl.
These were not guys who were merely showing their respect for the shocking upset Umenyiora's Giants pulled off against the previously undefeated Patriots. These were guys who felt like they had grabbed a small part of the Lombardi Trophy too.
"I get the sense that a lof of them really wanted to see the Patriots lose," the defensive end said after the NFC practice. "For some, it was like they had won. They were so happy.
"I don't know what the Patriots did [to deserve that], but I'm just glad we won."
As it turns out, that us-against-the-world mentality that Bill Belichick used to help fuel the Patriots to near-historic proportions also works in reverse. Perhaps the other 31 NFL teams, seeing the Patriots dominate the regular season, felt like they were fighting together in hopes of destroying the Evil Empire.
Or maybe Umenyiora's NFC teammates were just glad to see their conference win after hearing all season about the supposed dominance of the AFC.
"It was so tough at first because I didn't want either team to win," Commanders tackle Chris Samuels said. "I hate the Giants. They're in our division. They're a cocky group.
"I kind of thought New England should win because of what they had done this season. But after awhile, I just got sick of hearing their story. So you know what: I'm rolling with the Giants."
As the lone Giants representative to the Pro Bowl, Umenyiora missed Tuesday's ticker-tape parade in Manhanttan to honor the city's latest sports heroes. Instead, he watched it on television in his hotel room before practice.
"I cried a little bit," he said.
He could've been there, riding in a car up Broadway. The NFL would've let him miss a day a practice if he wanted to jet back to New York instead of hopping a plane from Arizona to Hawaii. He then would've flown from New York to Honolulu.
One problem.
"I hate to fly," Umenyiora said. "It would've been too much. If I had gone to New York, there's no way I would've left there."
2008 Pro Bowl
next year, it will be a different situation.
