I don’t usually get too worked up over All Star, Pro Bowl, All Pro, et al teams because they are typically just a popularity contest. People also make way too big of a deal out of them. Every year since forever, fans of each team are complaining about a couple of guys they like who were left off the roster. It is stupid, but it gets everybody talking so it’s good for the NFL.
Lots of Steelers fans are up in arms over Lawrence Timmons and Mike Wallace not being included in the AFC’s Pro Bowl roster. I’m not one of them. We watch these guys every snap so obviously we will think they had great seasons, but I’m not comfortable with taking Ray Lewis or Jerod Mayo off the team to put Timmons in. Same thing with a Dwayne Bowe or Brandon Lloyd. All of these guys had monster seasons and a lot of times it is like picking a name out of a hat. Definitely not worth getting all upset over.
But 2010 also marked the first year of Bloguin’s own All Pro team. Three Steelers were named starters, all defensive players: Timmons, James Harrison and Troy Polamalu. Two of the four linebackers were Steelers. That is quite a statement.
I thought that was especially interesting because we didn’t participate in this year’s voting because I was too busy watching Home Alone and stuffing my face with ham.
So, despite all the chatter out there that people don’t respect the Steelers a guy like Timmons was named an All Pro linebacker by bloggers who aren’t Steeler fans.
Jump it to see what the panelists said about each Steeler and which Pittsburgh player just missed the cut.
ROLB (tie): James Harrison, Steelers – “Whether you like his style of play or not, you cannot take away the fact that he may be the hardest hitting linebacker in the game.” Dirty Bird South
ILB: Lawrence Timmons, Steelers – “Might be the best defensive player on the Steelers, which is saying something considering Polamalu, Harrison and Hampton are teammates.” Total Titans
SS: Troy Polamalu, Steelers – “The hardest hitting defensive back in the game today, and a complete defensive player for a top defensive team.” Dirty Bird South
Also receiving votes: Casey Hampton (NT)
