DT Warren Sapp had an early lead in the Pro Bowl balloting and could be an all-star for the fourth straight year
The third annual Miller/Hess Pro Bowl Balloting Promotion will kick off this Wednesday, November 1st. The event will be held from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at the Hess location at 6332 North Dale Mabry. The Buccaneer Cheerleaders and Mascot will be on hand for the official start of the balloting campaign.
Pro Bowl ballots will be available at the Miller displays inside all Tampa, Orlando, Sarasota and Fort Myers area Hess locations throughout the month of November.
Buccaneer fans have been among the most involved in the NFL in recent seasons in terms of Pro Bowl balloting, a fact that has helped Tampa Bay players earn 19 invitations to the league's annual all-star game over the last three years combined. Prior to 1997, Buccaneers had made exactly 19 Pro Bowl trips in the franchise's first 21 seasons.
After one week of balloting online, Buccaneer players led the voting in six of the 19 categories listed, with DT Warren Sapp getting the most votes of any defensive players. The other Bucs off to quick starts in the balloting are FB Mike Alstott, C Jeff Christy, G Randall McDaniel, LB Derrick Brooks and S John Lynch.
Fan voting accounts for one third of the selection process for the National Football League's annual all-star game. Voting by players and coaches fills out the process. Continued fan support in the Bay area could help the Buccaneers set a new team record for Pro Bowl invites in a single season. The team's largest contingent, eight players, flew to Hawaii for the all-star game after the 1997 season.
