The numbers don’t lie

Jon Beason came up to the studio today about 1:30. We had a 20 minute conversation. He was cordial, but you could tell something was bothering the 2009-2010 Carolina Huddle Fan MVP.

“Snubbed,” Jon said. “The numbers don’t lie.”

Jon was referring to the egregious fact that he didn’t make the NFC Pro Bowl roster. The fact that he’s a second alternate behind London Fletcher doesn’t help take the sting away. Jon wants to be the best — not just at the end of the season, but after every single play. That’s how he rolls. He’s intense, and I’m afraid this latest oversight is just gonna make him meaner. Like the Hulk.

I heard Jon on WFNZ’s Primetime with the Packman later in the day with the same message that he delivered to Jeremy and I. Snubbed. Anger. Venom.

Then you read his latest blog post on JonBeason.com an it’s the same thing. Snubbed. Anger. Venom.

Jon is angry — not that he isn’t just going to the Pro Bowl but that people don’t recognize that he’s one of — if not THE best middle linebacker in the NFL. Jon’s not off base. It’s a fact.

The numbers don’t lie.

Beason broke his own team record for tackles in a season, notching 169 in 2009 per the Charlotte Observer, which ranked him second in the NFL behind San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis. The Panthers’ defensive captain notched three sacks, three interceptions and a forced fumble all behind a virtual revolving door at defensive tackle.

“I try to break it every year,” Jon said. “I got the mark my rookie year, I was extremely happy about it … and proud, knowing there were some great linebackers that played here before me. To be the best in franchise history is a great accomplishment.”

Then I asked him about the Pro Bowl.

“I had a lot to say,” Jon said. “My blog is about a 10 minute read. The guy who went ahead of me, who is a UM guy and a guy I look up to and a guy I admire (Saints MLB Jonathan Vilma), and I don’t want to put him in a negative light. I tried to sit back and think about what I wanted to say. To me, being an NFL player, what validates you in terms of your play is going to the Pro Bowl. I think every player going into the NFL wants to go to the Pro Bowl. With the success I had my rookie year, one thing I didn’t want to be was a fluke. I want to be a guy who is real consistent and have a great career. Pro Bowls validate that.”

The thing I like about Jon is that this bothers him. Some players could take missing the Pro Bowl in stride.

Not Jon. He wants to be the best. All the time. It’s the fire that churns in him.

“To still get snubbed for the Pro Bowl, it hurt bad,” Jon said. “My rookie year, I cried — I wasn’t even thinking about it, and people were like “hey, you got a chance to go to the Pro Bowl” and “you know you are ranked here in the league” and I was like wow. To miss it hurt bad. Then last year I cried because I did make it and kind of was thinking that I had arrived, and then not getting it this year just kind of opened my eyes.”

“They way I’m looking at it, God’s got more for me than just the Pro Bowl. Maybe I’m bigger than the Pro Bowl. Maybe I should be shooting for MVP, Defensive Player of the Year … bigger awards than just the Pro Bowl. ”

You can’t help but to believe that Beason is going to back up what he says. The guy has so much talent and so much passion for his team and the game, how can you argue?

“I’ll be better,” Beason said, already thinking of next season. “I’ll be more comfortable in the scheme that we’re in. I’ll have more fuel, more rage with the whole Pro Bowl thing going into the offseason.”

“I want to win it all.”