This is the second in our series of Player Diary entries from the Pro Bowl in Arizona. Today: linebacker Connor Barwin
I've been in Arizona for just a couple of days and it's been a great experience. The best part is getting to know guys that you don't know from other teams, and you get a chance to meet them and get to know them as people, and then seeing guys that you do know and have played with in the past and you have some time to reminisce and enjoy that personal time. This is my first experience and it's really cool for me.
Making the Pro Bowl is something that has always been a goal. Of course, the primary goal has always been and always will be to win a Super Bowl, but everybody likes being recognized by his peers. I wish we were playing next weekend, in the Super Bowl, and hopefully we'll be doing that next year. For now, I'm going to enjoy every part of the Pro Bowl and soak up the experience.
Since our Eagles season ended, I've thought a lot about it. I'm constantly thinking about it and evaluating it and thinking about what I can do to help us get over the hump. There is room for improvement, obviously a lot for myself and for the defense.
When I look at the season, I think the first answer as to where we can improve the most is in the category of turnovers. We need to take the football away more as a defense and we need to protect it better as an offense. I know that's a priority that every player feels.
I'm here and I'm feeling great physically after a long year. I've never felt better after a season than I have the last two years I've been here. I've been off the last three weeks after our season ended against the Giants, so my body is right for this game.
As for playing on Sunday, I want to have fun. Hopefully Team Carter wins the game and that will be nice, but the goal for me is having fun. I'll play hard football, but it's not at the level of intensity that you bring to the field for a regular season game. Nobody wants anybody to suffer an injury.
After that, there is only one game left in the NFL season. I will watch the Super Bowl because I love football, and I'm going to pick to New England to win it. I can't even give you a particular reason why I'm going with the Patriots, but that's just the feeling I have.
I know this: I want to be in the Super Bowl next year. That's what it is all about for me and I am so excited to get back to the team and start working toward that goal and that game once I finish enjoying this Pro Bowl experience. !
