Reid, Dungy share dubious honor

KAPOLEI, Hawaii — Andy Reid has lived in cold-weather climates for much of his coaching career, so he thoroughly appreciates the chance to wear shorts to work as the coach of the NFC Pro Bowl team.

Still, Reid, a former Cougar, has done this weeklong job three straight seasons, and he'd prefer to skip it next February. That's because the Pro Bowl is run by the coaches from the losers of the conference title games — this year, Philadelphia coach Reid and Indianapolis' Tony Dungy.

"It's hard to say anything bad about a week of vacation in Hawaii," Reid said. "I wouldn't mind spending another week or two with my team, though. Everybody knows this is an honor because of how good your team has been, but it's not the ultimate honor you're always striving for."

Reid's NFC teams lost in his first two trips to the Pro Bowl, and the task is just as daunting today. The AFC quarterbacks — league co-MVPs Peyton Manning and Steve McNair, along with Kansas City's Trent Green — could be unstoppable in the Pro Bowl structure that prohibits blitzing, bump-and-run defense and most double coverages.

And the NFC offense must deal with a defense run by Dungy, one of the league's top defensive minds. Sure, there isn't much time to put together a foolproof game plan in a week of short, non-contact practices, but Dungy has impressed his AFC players in his first year running their squad.

"He's just a mellow guy, like everybody says he is," said Kansas City guard Will Shields, in his ninth Pro Bowl. "Everything is organization with him. He knows where everything is going on. It's fun to play for him."

Reid describes the assignment as "advanced football," since the players who reach the Pro Bowl need no basic instructions, even when faced with playing an unfamiliar scheme. Dungy, who coached the NFC team in February 2000 after his Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost the conference title game, echoes the assessment.

"Most of the guys here, you can tell what makes them good," Dungy said. "They're not only talented guys, they're really smart guys who can pick up on what you're doing right away. You've got guys like (Dolphins safety) Patrick Surtain, who know exactly what you want them to do, even before you tell them."

Unlike last season, when Reid coached an NFC squad with 10 Eagles, only defensive tackle Corey Simon and cornerback Troy Vincent are on the 2004 team. Quarterback Donovan McNabb was knocked out of the Pro Bowl lineup with the injuries that hampered him throughout the playoffs, but he made the trip to Hawaii anyway.