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By Carter Toole
www.HoustonTexans.com
HONOLULU -- Forgive Andre Johnson if he's done a little star-gazing this week.
After all, in just his second season, Johnson is basking in the glow of his first Pro Bowl appearance. And, as the AFC's second-youngest player, he's practicing with some of the players he grew up watching.
But make no mistake about it, Johnson also knows he belongs here.
"I think if I didn't belong here I wouldn't be here," Johnson said. "I feel like I had a real good season and I belong here."
No argument here. Johnson set team records in receptions (79) and receiving yards (1,129) in 2004 despite drawing consistent attention from the opposition. And his reward is the chance to play with the league's best.
Johnson and the rest of his conference 'mates continued their preparation work Thursday, holding an hour-long practice session at the Ihilani Resort. The NFC held their session at Aloha Stadium. The two sides will swap locations tomorrow.
Sure, the weather and sights around Oahu are the most conspicuous rewards for a Pro Bowl season. But football is a fun game and what could be more fun than playing catch with the likes of Tom Brady and Peyton Manning?
"Just getting a chance to hang around these guys and pick their brains a bit has been great," Johnson said. "Brady just had a game last week so he's throwing the ball pretty well. The other guys are a bit rusty because they've been off a few weeks. The first day everybody was kind of rusty but things are picking up now."
Johnson forms one-fourth of a formidable receiving corps, joining Cincinnati's Chad Johnson, Pittsburgh's Hines Ward and the Colts' Marvin Harrison. We're guessing it won't be the first time Johnson will be taking a February trip here.
"I don't know what the future holds," Johnson said. "But I'm just going to enjoy this week right here."
QUICK HITS: Johnson and his family headed to Pearl Harbor after practice...Manning ended practice with his "patented" quarterback sneak in goal-line drills...actually, Manning probably has fewer designed runs than any quarterback in the league...there's one Texans fans that will have to split his allegiances after the Titans hired USC's Norm Chow as offensive coordinator this week...Chow's son, Carter, interned for the Texans in 2003 and now works as an attorney in New York...the youngest AFC player we referred to earlier? Baltimore linebacker Terrell Suggs.