Carney, Feagles representing the 40-somethings

KAPOLEI, Hawaii: Pro Bowl week has been anything but routine this year.

For one, Arizona Cardinals players are getting praised for their Super Bowl run. Also, the younger players have taken over the role of pranksters, taking jabs at the most-senior Pro Bowlers — New York Giants kicker John Carney and punter Jeff Feagles.

Two months away from turning 45, Carney is the oldest player ever to participate in a Pro Bowl, according to Elias Sports Bureau.

"I'm a close second," said Feagles, who's a month away from turning 43.

Carney and Feagles are the only players here born in the 1960s. They are so old that some of their NFC teammates were still in diapers when they entered the league two decades ago.

Feagles, who has a child about to start college soon, said he doesn't have too much in common with the younger players — and they're not swapping iPods by the pool.

"Our playlists are a little bit different," he said.

And the players, especially the five other Giants, aren't pulling any punches in the dressing room of the team hotel.

"We've heard it all," Carney said. "They say, 'Don't forget your Depends and stuff like that.'"

"Depends. Tums. Maalox," Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie added as he walked by.

Carney and Feagles, however, are obviously taking it all in stride and actually consider it an honor. They are both making their second Pro Bowl appearances, and their first since the mid-1990s.

"It is what it is. We're the old men of the team," Carney said. "But we're enjoying playing with today's superstars in the NFL."

They even added to the fun, in one of the memorable moments of the week, that had the entire NFC laughing.

Carney and Feagles came out to the practice field wearing leather helmets, bearing the Giants' symbol and their numbers.

"It looked great," Giants center Shaun O'Hara said. "It looked like their rookie year."

Carney said he took it out of his closet and dusted it off. He and Feagles actually ordered them online and had the Giants equipment guys dress it up with the Giants logo.

"This game is real special because at our age, you really don't think you're going to get back here. For me, it was 13 years ago," Feagles said. "It's most likely our last time, but who knows. But this is one of the goals we wanted to make."

As much harassment they take, they understand there's an element of respect and admiration. DeOssie said what the two have been able to accomplish is incredible.

"They've been working hard all year long and they're the epitome of perfection," he said. "It's so good to have these guys out here."

Feagles said most players realize that after 20-something years in the NFL, they're doing something right.

"We've been able to compete all of our careers and there's always younger guys trying to take our jobs," he said. "John and I both understand there's no substitute for experience and a lot of coaches think that, too."

Usually after the joking is over, Carney said, the players ask them about the secret to their youth. O'Hara says he already knows the secret.

"As kickers, they don't hit, they don't get tackled, they don't do much," he said. "So they don't age in dog years like the rest of us. They probably get more sore from playing golf than they do at practice."

O'Hara and DeOssie said no one should feel bad for the old men.

"Feagles? I bust his chops all the time, but he gives it right back," he said. "He's a good prankster and I'm just working on getting better."

Also, O'Hara knows when to back off.

"One thing you learn in the NFL is you don't want to want to mess with the kickers too much because they're the ones with the most time, so they can always get you back," he said.

(iht.com)