The NFL announced its Pro Bowl rosters yesterday, and the AFC roster is missing a quarterback that has won 11 games in a row and is the odds-on favorite for a Super Bowl appearance. Ben Roethlisberger, the Pittsburgh Steelers rookie who has Steel City fans thinking championship for the first time in a decade, will apparently watch the Pro Bowl from home:

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger missed out as six of his Steelers team-mates were named to the NFL's annual all-star Pro Bowl on Wednesday.

The rookie quarterback is unbeaten in 12 starts and could lead Pittsburgh to a Super Bowl crown.

But he was surprisingly overlooked in the AFC squad for the trip to Hawaii in February.

Obviously, Peyton Manning deserves the start for the AFC, with 11 wins and 47 touchdown passes in a season where he will almost certainly eclipse Dam Marino's record. However, the inclusion of Tom Brady (New England, who lost to Roethlisberger's Steelers) and Drew Brees in San Diego, who barely hung onto his starting job this year, amounts to a slap in Roethlisberger's face. The Steelers play Brees and the Chargers this Sunday, and I expect that they will use this opportunity to demonstrate the NFL's foolishness. In fact, the snub may serve to motivate Roethlisberger even more to continue his record-setting win streak all the way to the Super Bowl.

Somehow, I suspect Hugh Hewitt had something to do with the Pro Bowl selections this year ...

UPDATE: I'm mistaken; Pittsburgh plays the Ravens this weekend and finishes up against the Bills next weekend. (Hat tip: Steelskins.)

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» Is Captain Ed a Stillers Fan? from krempasky.com
I daresay he might be. I can totally understand the grief felt watching Roethlisberger get snubbed by the Pro Bowl - and I hate Tom Brady with a passion normally reserved for elderly Grand Marquis drivers. But... He didn't exactly get snubbed - ... [Read More]

Tracked on December 23, 2004 10:41 AM