Williams, not Portis, deserves Pro Bowl spot

Williams, not Portis, deserves Pro Bowl spot
December 18
Charlotte Observer
"DeAngelo Williams was at home Tuesday when he learned he had not made the Pro Bowl.

Did the savvy and sophisticated NFL send a representative to his door or a text to his telephone?

Williams learned the old-fashioned way. He took a break from his video game, went on the Internet, checked the Pro Bowl roster and saw he was not on it.

Panthers fans are roiling about the snub. Williams is not.

"I don't care," he says after practice Wednesday. "When going to the Pro Bowl means going to the Super Bowl, I'll care about it."

Selected were running backs Adrian Peterson, who leads the league in rushing, Michael Turner, who is second, and Clinton Portis, who is third.

Although Williams is fourth, he has been more effective than Portis, and the final berth should have been his.

Portis has rushed for 108 more yards on 67 more carries. But Williams averages almost a yard more per carry (5.5 to 4.6) and has scored more than twice as many touchdowns (16 to seven).

And when the weather turned cold, two things happened. Portis and his team faded, and Williams and his team thrived.

But Williams never had a chance to beat out the veteran. Two factors worked against him.

The first is name recognition. A Pro Bowl invitation can be like a lifetime achievement award. Williams did not start regularly until this season, his third. Portis, who is in his seventh season, always has been a starter, was the offensive rookie of the year in 2002 and made the Pro Bowl in 2003.

Secondly, the players are selected by a vote of players, coaches and fans, and each component carries the same weight. To commandeer the fan vote, the Redskins did everything but cut a deal with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

Two of Washington's most beloved all-time players, Sonny Jurgensen and Sam Huff, campaigned on the Internet, and the campaign was so absurdly successful that at one point fans had voted 21 Washington players starters.

No matter how hard Sonny and Sam push, however, fans can't vote the Redskins into the playoffs.

If the league doesn't realize what Williams offers, Carolina fans do. He is the first running back in team history who is a threat to score every time the ball is in his hands."
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