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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, February 10, 2002

Long trip worth it for father of MVP

Advertiser Staff

When Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon was selected for the Pro Bowl, he insisted his 74-year-old father, Jim, accompany him.

"He called me up and said, 'Hey, Dad, you have to come,' " said Jim. "When I said I'd think about it, he called some of the other (kids) to help talk me into it."

After yesterday, Jim said he's especially glad he made the trip from his Philadelphia home.

For not only did he get to see Rich lead the AFC to a 38-30 victory, but he'll be driving the new car that his son received for winning the Dan McGuire Award as the player of the game.

"It's yours, Dad," Gannon said after receiving the keys in a post-game ceremony. "He needs a new car and I figured he'd enjoy it."

• Helping hand: Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning didn't make it to the Pro Bowl this year, but he made sure his receivers were well taken care of.

"He was over on Maui getting ready for the Quarterback Challenge on Kaua'i and he called me at the hotel," said AFC quarterback Rich Gannon. "He congratulated me on being here and told me to have a good game. I appreciated that. Then, he told me, 'you've got to take care of my guys.' "

Gannon did, throwing TD passes to Indianapolis wide receiver Marvin Harrison and tight end Ken Dilger.

• Kwon honored: Bill Kwon, veteran sportswriter who presently writes a golf column for the Advertiser, was presented with the fourth annual Pro Bowl award for distinguished service.

Kwon, who has covered the game since it moved to Hawai'i in 1980, was presented with the award by Val Pinchbeck Jr., former NFL vice president for broadcasting and productions.

Previous recipients of the award were Pat Bowlen, Mufi Hannemann and the late Mackay Yanagisawa.

• 'Irresistible' show: Flanked by about 1,000 Pro Bowl dancers, recording artist Jessica Simpson took the stage at mid-field at halftime, performing "Irresistible," the title hit off her second album.

Simpson also sang the National Anthem, a capella-style, after the Kamehameha Schools choir and students from the Roy Sakuma Ukulele Studio performed a local rendition of "America the Beautiful."

The bald eagle Champion took flight and four jets from the 199th Flight Squadron from the Air National Guard at Hickam Air Force Base flew overhead. Sugar Ray followed Simpson with its hit "Every Morning."