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		49ers, Ray Lewis headline AFC-FC Pro Bowl rosters By Morris Phillips January 24, 2012

	If you’re a 49ers’ fan—and you’re finally starting to reconcile with the results of the NFC Championship—you might have noticed that San Francisco is generously represented at the Pro Bowl in Honolulu this Sunday. You may have also noticed that the healing power associated with island paradise’s surf and sun isn’t very therapeutic for a football player carrying a heavy heart this time of year. Three of the nine-player contingent for the 49ers—Carlos Rogers, Frank Gore and Dashon Goldson—won’t play due to injury. You don’t need a medical degree to know that had Goldson, Gore and Rogers instead had a couple of hot baths in Indianapolis they would be a lot closer to suiting up than recuperating with a week of 75-degree temperatures and cool Hawaiian breezes. But that’s how a pro football player’s body reacts this time of year… nothing new there. Goldson didn’t practice much leading into the meeting with the Giants because of an ankle injury, Rogers and Gore—the medical marvel—have a season’s worth of less-obvious dents and bruises so they’ll watch from the sidelines. Justin Smith, Joe Staley, Andy Lee, David Akers, Brian Jennings and Patrick Willis--San Francisco’s Pro Bowl mainstay--will all play on Sunday. And of course, all nine will to some extent have their minds somewhere else, probably thinking about losing the championship game at home in overtime and missing an opportunity to play in the Super Bowl on February 5. Alex Smith may be the NFL’s breakout quarterback of 2011, but he won’t be in Hawaii. Instead, the NFC will have Aaron Rodgers of the Packers, Drew Brees of the Saints and Cam Newton of the Panthers. Newton is replacing the Giants’ Eli Manning who has enough on his plate already. The AFC will counter with Ben Roethlisberger of the Steelers, Philip Rivers of the Chargers and Andy Dalton of the Bengals. Dalton is replacing Tom Brady who is also busy this week. The AFC will also have high-profile players Maurice Jones-Drew, Ray Lewis, Darelle Revis and Champ Bailey. They will be without Arian Foster, Ray Rice, Terrelle Suggs and Troy Polamalu due to injury. Lewis will be making his 13th Pro Bowl appearance, second all-time to only Merlin Olsen and Bruce Matthews. Reggie White and Jerry Rice are among the players who have made 13 Pro Bowl appearances. The NFC will have Charles Woodson, Matt Forte, Steve Smith and Larry Fitzgerald. They will be without Calvin Johnson, Brian Urlacher and Lance Briggs due to injuries. The Raiders are represented—like the 49ers—by their kicker and punter, Sebastian Janikowski and Shane Lechler. The 49ers and the Patriots—with nine players each—have the most representatives. The game will be held the week before the Super Bowl for the third straight year as the NFL attempts to make the game relevant entertainment. The NFC won last year, 55-41, and lead the series 21-20 over the AFC. The Redskins’ DeAngelo Hall was the game’s MVP in 2011.