Sports Radio Service


		Bay Area Players excited to be at the Pro Bowl By Scary Barry February 5, 2008

	HONOLULU-Oakland Raiders punter Shane Lechler: Lechler kept in practice between the time he got the notice at the end of the regular season in December that he would be going to the Pro Bowl and to this point. Lechler worked out with holders and some Raider kicking specialists to keep his pin point kicking accurate and "was feeling the vibe". Lechler whose entire NFL career has been with the Raiders set records in his first five pro seasons which began in 2000. Lechler now will enjoy his third Pro Bowl holds the NFL record for the best average per punt in a career at 46.5 which now tops NFL legend Sammy Baugh who previously held the record at 45.10. Lechler played in the 2001 and 2004 Pro Bowls and was here last year in the 2007 Pro Bowl. Lechler between the years of 2003-2005 hit for at least one 50 yard punt between week 13 of that 2003 season through week 14 of 2005 which ran for 33 straight games it was and still is the longest streak of any punter since 1970. Lechler has won the AFC two-time Special Teams Player of the Week and had two career rushes for four yards. Lechler enjoys the game and looks back on his 126 regular season career that has all been with the Raiders and even though the Raiders have not been to the Super Bowl since Super Bowl XXXVII he is fond of participating in those seven career post season contests in a Raider uniform. Lechler is looking forward to the day when the Raiders can get back to being a post season team again but for now he is enjoying Hawaii, the Pro Bowl environment and looking forward to practice with some of the NFL's greatest stars. At the rate that Lechler is going after it's all said and done it should be to no ones surprise that he could be a Hall of Fame nominee and after a few more Pro Bowl selections that should prove to be no problem. 49er punter Andy Lee: Andy Lee shares the same kind of excitement that Lechler does coming to the Pro Bowl and is going into his fifth year as a 49er.Lee ranked for first in the NFL with punting with 4612 yards and finished second in the league with 48.0 in punting average for the season. Lee is leading the NFL with an outstanding 47 punts for over 40 yards which includes 12 punts of 50 or more. Lee is also making NFL history when you combine both AFL and NFL since the merger when he passed Mike Horan who had 39.9 net on punting average when he played with the New York Giants in 1933. Lee whose seven punts against Baltimore (10-7) with 74 yards long in that game in the first quarter, which was a season high for distance and was the second longest punt of Lee's career the punt was behind his rookie season punt of 81 yards in 2004 against the Tampa Bay Bucs. Lee this season alone kicked twice for 70 plus yards both 71 yarders. In the fourth quarter of that game against the Bucs Lee hit a 64 yarder and in the second quarter "the hot foot" hit another one earlier in the game for 54 yards. In the overtime victory in Arizona Lee hit a 58 yard punt in overtime which was spotted at the Cardinals three yard line that punt help San Francisco set up a touchdown situation when Ronald Fields forced a fumble when he sacked the quarterback Matt Lienart which forced a fumble in the end zone and the ball was recovered by the Niners Tully Banta-Cain for the game winning touchdown. Lee told Sportstalk Ralph Gora that being in the Pro Bowl is going to be an unforgettable experience and that he was looking forward to his first Pro Bowl. Lee said he worked out with 49ers kicking specialists since the ending of the regular season in preparation of the Pro Bowl. Patrick Willis linebacker 49ers: Willis is enjoying his first season as a rookie and had a heavy success in his first pro season out of Ole Miss his alma mater. Willis was voted NFL Defense Rookie of the month in October and he picked up 43 tackles (27 solo). He like Lee in the Baltimore game had an outstanding performance when he made 16 tackles in the game and 10 solo. He won GMC Defensive Player of the Week which Willis won after Week #12 in Arizona, Willis picked up he Diet Pepsi Rookie of the Week Award honors following Week #1 versus Arizona, in St. Louis in Week 2 and Week 12 versus Arizona. In a crucial game in Willis' first week as a 49er Willis helped out in a crucial situation when starting quarterback Alex Smith was out with an injury and head coach Mike Nolan was looking for everyone to contribute as the Niners were looking for a big win from both sides of the ball. Willis delivered playing inside linebacker in that game and tackled for 15 times and made 10 solo tackles, in that first game Willis broke up a pass and forced a fumble. Coach Nolan was so impressed with Willis he stated "this one might be a keeper". Willis is the first rookie to serve as a 49ers team captain under head coach Mike Nolan in the game versus New Orleans on October 28th. Willis in that game lead the 49ers with 12 tackles and 8 solo tackles. In Atlanta he made 15 tackles and 9 solos and made his first career half sack in that game. Willis made a season highlight when he tackled the Falcons quarterback Joey Harrington for a seven yard sack loss in the second quarter of the game. Finally his best rated game came against the Cardinals in Arizona on November 25th when he set a season second best on tackles and franchise record. Scary Barry is covering his fourth Pro Bowl and appears on sportsradioservice.com.