Redskins’ Williams hurt in club scuffle
Washington Redskins offensive lineman Trent Williams will not play in Sunday’s Pro Bowl after being injured in a fight at a Honolulu nightclub early Friday morning, according to a statement from the NFL.
The statement said Williams was the victim of an assault and will not play due to an injury suffered in the fight.
A statement from the Honolulu Police Department said officers responded to "a large affray at a night club in central Honolulu" at 1:30 a.m. Friday, According to the statement, three males were injured — two were treated and released from the hospital while the third declined treatment. One male was arrested for third-degree assault "and additional arrests are likely," the statement said. Williams was not arrested.
Williams, a third-year player out of Oklahoma, was selected to his first Pro Bowl and has been replaced on the NFC roster by Minnesota Vikings rookie Matt Kalil. Williams will be on the sideline as a member of the team on Sunday and will be credited with a Pro Bowl appearance and receive a full player’s share.
Tampa Bay’s Martin back in Hawaii
Running back Doug Martin will finally get a chance to showcase his skills at Aloha Stadium.
The Tampa Bay rookie came to Hawaii twice in college with Boise State but barely saw the field.
"The first time was the Hawaii Bowl and I was (redshirting) as a freshman, so I was basically doing my scout team work and it was a vacation after that," he said.
He didn’t carry the ball the second time, when the Broncos crushed Hawaii 54-9, but has been a workhorse ever since.
Martin rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 43 touchdowns at Boise State before Tampa Bay scooped him up with the 31st pick in the draft.
That success continued in the pros. He finished with 1,454 rush yards and 11 TDs.
He became the first player in NFL history to score touchdowns on runs of 70-plus, 65-plus and 45-plus yards in the same game when he finished with 251 rush yards and four touchdowns in a win over Oakland in November.
"He’s a sharp rookie, one of the smartest football players for being so young," Buccaneers teammate Vincent Jackson said. "He’s tough, he’s resilient, he runs, he catches, he blocks well. I am very excited to have him over here … and I’m sure he’ll be over here quite a few more times."
2 Patriots make the trip after tough loss
A week in Hawaii for the Pro Bowl is a nice consolation prize, but the sting of falling a game short of the Super Bowl still lingers for New England Patriots linebacker Jerod Mayo.
"Nothing eases the pain of losing," Mayo said. "Only getting back on the field, getting back with the guys practicing, that’s the only thing that can help us out."
Mayo and special teamer Matthew Slater are representing the Patriots in the Pro Bowl, the only two of New England’s seven selections to make the trip following Sunday’s loss to Baltimore in the AFC championship game.
Mayo played in the Pro Bowl in 2011 and skipped last year’s game as New England prepared for the Super Bowl.
"It’s always great to see the guys off the field and get to know them and pick their football minds. So it’s a good experience," Mayo said.
Wishes come true for 13 families
The Make-A-Wish Foundation hosted 13 families from around the country on Friday at the Ihilani Resort, giving them a chance to interact with the players after the AFC and NFC practices.
Shaina Reeser, the foundation’s sports program manager, said the families arrived Wednesday, attended a luau on Thursday and will go to the game on Sunday. With six families from Illinois as part of the group, she said the Bears representatives were particularly popular this year.
"They have the biggest smiles on their faces," Reeser said.
Game will be shown locally
Despite not reaching a sellout just yet, the Pro Bowl will avoid a television blackout in Hawaii.
NFL officials said Friday the game set for Sunday has sold enough tickets to allow the game to air live in the state. Officials say there are a limited number of tickets left for the game set for 2 p.m. Hawaii time.
This could be the last NFL all-star game. If the players don’t put on a better show than last year, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has threatened to pull the plug on the event that’s been held every year in Hawaii except once since 1980. Only one game has failed to reach a sellout at Aloha Stadium.
7 with Hawaii ties honored
Charlie Ane, Blane Gaison, Leo Goeas, Arnold Morgado, Jim Nicholson, Herman Wedemeyer and Wally Yonamine were honored at a Washington Place breakfast Friday hosted by Gov. Neil Abercrombie and installed as the first class of "Hawaii NFL Greats."
The seven honorees are former NFL players with Hawaii ties, and were recognized for their achievements on and off the field in conjunction with the Pro Bowl.
The four living honorees were all present. Ane was represented by his daughter Malia, and Yonamine by his nephew Dean. Gaison, a nephew of Wedemeyer, accepted on his behalf.
Abercrombie was also recognized for supporting the NFL in Hawaii.
