First off, congratulations to Brian Dawkins, Lito Sheppard and Shawn Andrews on their selections to the ProBowl. The only person I regret NOT being able to congratulate is our team's MVP: RB Brian Westbrook. He lost out to First time selectees Frank Gore and Steven Jackson and the outgoing Tiki Barber.
So why didn't he make it and why do I think he was overlooked? Well, if you're here you probably already know I am very much biased in his favor. I get to see this Westbrook each week, and I know how much he means to the Eagles.
That said, I think part of the "problem" is on the on-line ballot itself (I say that because all the selectees are deserving and I'd be hard pressed to say, this guy doesn't belong and Brian does) ....The ballots only register limited stats per position. For offensive players it is NOT total yards...this hits the RBs hardest because they are the ones who have the greatest chance to accumulate combined yardage (with some yearly exceptions to QB's with execptional running skills like Vick, Culpepper, McNabb (when he ran), maybe Vince Young in the future). Brian's forte and true worth is measured not just by rushing stats, his "all-purpose" yards stack up well. Especially when you consider that the balloting ends before the end of the season, so it behooves running backs to crack the 1,000 yard mark early in the season (instead of just this weekend as Brian did).
For example, when I was voting online, I'd see Westbrook with 7-800 yards and but I'd know it was really more like 11-1200 total...but when you see 3 other guys up over the 1,000 yard mark just in rushing...I'm sure the fans not familiar with the NFC or Philly or such just click on the dudes with the most yards...
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