While working under bright skies on Oahu this week, the NFL stars who experienced last year’s Pro Bowl have been careful not to slight the Sunshine State.

Even so, when asked, the players haven’t been shy about expressing their preference for the game’s return to Hawaii.

"I like it in Hawaii," Minnesota running back Adrian Peterson said yesterday after the NFC’s final practice. "You can’t imitate it. Miami is great, don’t get me wrong, but you can’t imitate Hawaii. It’s different, it’s spectacular. It’s more of an experience being here."

The NFL’s annual all-star game is back at Aloha Stadium after a 30-year run on Oahu was broken by last year’s experiment in Miami.

Even guys with connections to South Beach didn’t mind making the trip over.

"Being here is the reward you work for," said Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis, who played college ball at Miami. "Anytime you come back to Hawaii, when you get on the plane and the first word is ‘Aloha’, you’re like, ‘OK, I made it again.’ You really appreciate it."

Today’s game marks the front end of a two-year commitment to hold the game in Hawaii.

The pre-Super Bowl time slot that accompanied last year’s move remains in place, leaving today’s game without representation from Green Bay and Pittsburgh.

So where players and coaches continue to speak of the honor of being selected to participate, it’s no secret Honolulu was a clear second choice for a season-ending destination.

The Pro Bowl officially punctuated the NFL season in its previous visits to Honolulu. It now represents something of a consolation prize for players from the 30 teams who came up short of the Super Bowl.

"We’d rather be playing in a different game than this," New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick said as he helped prepare the AFC squad last week. "But it’s a great game and it’s great to be a part of it."

Even without players from the finalists, and a few injury-related absences, there’s still quite a bit of star power in this year’s game.

Lewis is the longest-tenured player in terms of Pro Bowl service and will make his 12th appearance today. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez are right behind with 11 selections.

"I wasn’t there last year, but it just seems like a lot of the players who were there say they’re glad to be back here in Hawaii," said Manning, who missed the game while preparing for the Super Bowl. "It’s always an honor to be here, it’s a privilege."

Manning will back up AFC starter Philip Rivers of San Diego. Philadelphia’s Michael Vick, subject of perhaps the NFL’s most compelling story line this season, is slated to start for the NFC.

Manning noted the AFC and NFC enter today’s game tied 20-20 in the all-time series following the AFC’s 41-34 win last year.

"Coach Belichick said he’s 2-0 in this game and wants to be 3-0," Manning said. "He wants to win; I think all the players want to win."

The offenses have a few light practices to get on the same page of a simplified playbook. But limitations placed on the defenses in terms of coverages and blitzing tend to turn Pro Bowls into fan-pleasing shootouts.

While staying healthy remains a priority, Peterson — a Pro Bowl pick each of his four years in the league and MVP of the 2008 game — said he can sense an up-tick in intensity as the winner’s check comes into view.

"The third (and) fourth quarter it picks up," Peterson said. "Guys really start playing. You can definitely tell the difference."

The mood in the days leading up to the game has been generally light, although the league’s labor issues and the threat of a lockout next season linger on the horizon.

The Pro Bowl’s long-term future in Honolulu is also in doubt.

The game’s return was finalized in 2009 when the NFL and Hawaii Tourism Authority came to an agreement on a two-year deal in which the HTA pays $4 million a game and $145,000 for game-day operations for this year’s event.

The site of the 2013 game, when New Orleans plays host to the Super Bowl, has yet to be determined.