McKinnie booted off Pro Bowl team..Leonard Davis could play tackle

[Chief]

Typical Viking ... way to represent.




FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie has been dismissed from the NFC Pro Bowl team for unexcused absences.

The NFL said McKinnie missed practice Friday and Saturday and is subject to a fine. His agent didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

This was the first Pro Bowl selection for McKinnie, whose Vikings lost to New Orleans in the NFC championship last Sunday.

Defensive end Julius Peppers also had an unexcused absence Friday, but was back at practice Saturday.

Since the rosters for Sunday's game in Miami were first announced, more than a dozen players have been scratched.

[Chocolate Lab]

Wade's such a hard ***.

[bbgun]

Maybe he was out boating.

[WoodysGirl]

McKinnie will not play in Pro Bowl (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/mckinnie-might-not-play-in-pro-bowl/)

Posted by Josh Alper on January 30, 2010 2:13 PM ET
Vikings tackle Bryant McKinnie's decision to spend more time enjoying South Beach nightlife than Pro Bowl practice might result in his missing the game altogether.

Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that the feeling around the team is that the lack of practice time, even in an offense as basic as the one the NFC will run on Sunday, will preclude McKinnie from playing in the Pro Bowl game (http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikings/blogs/83153782.html). Craig also reports that there's some anger toward McKinnie among other players on the team.

Cowboys offensive line coach Hudson Houck, serving in the same capacity for the NFC team, said he wasn't sure how things will play out.

"It also depends on whether he even wants to play,"Houck told me at the team hotel today. "I don't know."

Giants tackle David Diehl, who would have to play a lot more if McKinnie isn't allowed on the field, also spoke to Craig about the absentee tackle from the Twin Cities.

"I can't speak for him. All I can speak for is me. I was here for everything. I was prepared and I'm ready to go. I'll be ready to go tomorrow night."

You really have to wonder why McKinnie didn't just bow out of the game like several of his Vikings teammates if he wasn't interested in playing. No one would have thought twice about it and he could have gone to party in Miami anyway.

If McKinnie doesn't wind up playing, here's hoping that the NFL will direct his Pro Bowl share toward a worthy charity in Miami or elsewhere. It obviously doesn't mean anything to McKinnie, but it would surely be appreciated a great deal by someone else.

UPDATE: Craig now reports that McKinnie has been kicked off the NFC's Pro Bowl (http://twitter.com/JuddZulgad/status/8421882438) squad. So he can go clubbing all weekend long (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/vikings-mckinnie-was-out-clubbing/) if he'd like.

Vikings' McKinnie was out clubbing (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/vikings-mckinnie-was-out-clubbing/)

Posted by Evan Silva on January 30, 2010 10:43 AM ET
We mentioned yesterday that Bryant McKinnie was an unexcused absence (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/29/peppers-mckinnie-skip-pro-bowl-practice/) from Friday's Pro Bowl practice and is subject to a fine. No reason was given at the time.

According to McKinnie's Twitter account (@bigmacvikings), the Vikings' left tackle was out clubbing at Miami's Mansion nightclub (http://twitter.com/bigmacvikings) Thursday night and Friday morning.


"On the way 2 Mansion (http://twitter.com/bigmacvikings/status/8356190904)," McKinnie tweeted at 11:28 p.m. Thursday night. "Finna shut it down!" Apparently having arrived at the club, McKinnie tweeted at 12:06 a.m. Friday morning, "If u coming 2 Mansion 2nite u better hurry (http://twitter.com/bigmacvikings/status/8357249193)! Getting packed!"


The rest of McKinnie's tweets don't indicate that he was at all concerned with missing Pro Bowl practice. And McKinnie skipped practice again on Saturday (http://twitter.com/JuddZulgad/status/8413473107), according to Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune. It's unknown if Saturday's absence was excused.


Either way, McKinnie's social life obviously takes precedence over the NFL's annual all-star event. He was undeserving of Pro Bowl distinction (http://www.footballoutsiders.com/extra-points/2009/what-we-did-our-holidays) in the first place, so it's probably better for everyone that McKinnie isn't showing up.

[Juke99]

When is the NFL gonna wise up and just ditch this game?

[bbgun]

When is the NFL gonna wise up and just ditch this game?

Just move the game to Des Moines, Iowa. That'll take care of the "clubbing" bit.

[speedkilz88]

He shouldn't expect to ever get voted in again. I expect players and coaches to not make that mistake again.

[WoodysGirl]

When is the NFL gonna wise up and just ditch this game?
Cuz I'm one of the few who like watching the pro bowl game. I like seeing how players from throughout the NFL fraternity get together, put aside their normal competitiveness against one another, and play a virtual pick up game.

The only thing that takes away from the fan experience for me is them getting rid of the Skills competition.

[dbair1967]

Typical Viking ... way to represent.




FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Minnesota Vikings offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie has been dismissed from the NFC Pro Bowl team for unexcused absences.

The NFL said McKinnie missed practice Friday and Saturday and is subject to a fine. His agent didn't respond to messages seeking comment.

This was the first Pro Bowl selection for McKinnie, whose Vikings lost to New Orleans in the NFC championship last Sunday.

Defensive end Julius Peppers also had an unexcused absence Friday, but was back at practice Saturday.

Since the rosters for Sunday's game in Miami were first announced, more than a dozen players have been scratched.

He didnt belong there in the first place, so good riddance

[Dash28]

He didnt belong there in the first place, so good riddance
Yeah, good riddance to a player that shouldn't even be there.

[Bob Sacamano]

why Miami?

[CowboyFan74]

Cuz I'm one of the few who like watching the pro bowl game. I like seeing how players from throughout the NFL fraternity get together, put aside their normal competitiveness against one another, and play a virtual pick up game.

The only thing that takes away from the fan experience for me is them getting rid of the Skills competition.


They ditched the skills competition?:mad:

[Jon88]

Somebody went out partying a little too much.

[Hostile]

I bet Tony Romo feels safer without the possibility of that guy protecting his blindside.

[WoodysGirl]

Leonard Davis could see time at tackle Sunday
2:03 PM Sat, Jan 30, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

Minnesota left tackle Bryant McKinnie has been dismissed from the NFC team for failing to show up the last two days of practice with unexcused absences.

As a result, the only tackles remaining are Philadelphia's Jason Peters and David Diehl of the New York Giants, which will likely mean Cowboys right guard Leonard Davis could slide outside during Sunday's Pro Bowl to tackle.

Maybe there is a reason for Cowboys' fans for watch the game after all.

When the Cowboys signed Davis as a free agent in 2007 the idea was that he could play tackle if Flozell Adams did not re-sign or if there was an injury. Those feelings are a little different now after Doug Free's play late in the 2009 season, but the Cowboys could get a free look at Davis Sunday against the AFC's all stars.

But back to McKinnie for a second, what a lack of respect he hasn't just shown this game and the fans, but his teammates. They should be peeved that McKinnie is putting them in this situation at all because it is too late to get a replacement here in time for the game.

And he supposedly lobbied for fans' votes during the course of the season because he had never played in a Pro Bowl.

Davis could play some tackle (http://startelegramsports.typepad.com/cowboys/2010/01/davis-could-play-some-tackle.html)

The NFC might need Cowboys offensive guard Leonard Davis to play tackle some in Sunday night's Pro Bowl. Minnesota's Bryant McKinnie was kicked off the team after failing to show up for two of the three days of practice, including Saturday's walk-through.

That leaves Philadelphia's Jason Peters and David Diehl of the New York Giants as the NFC's only tackles.

Davis played left tackle for three seasons with the Cardinals before signing with the Cowboys in 2007. He has started at right guard in Dallas.

Davis said he hopes to play left tackle if the NFC needs him to spell Peters or Diehl, because he is "more comfortable" at left tackle than at right tackle.

-- Charean Williams

[WoodysGirl]

McKinnie: I'm too injured for Pro Bowl (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/mckinnie-im-injured/)

Posted by Evan Silva on January 30, 2010 3:30 PM ET

Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie has gone into damage-control mode after being kicked off the NFC Pro Bowl squad (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/mckinnie-might-not-play-in-pro-bowl/).


"Had to withdraw from Pro Bowl!" McKinnie tweeted Saturday afternoon. "I've been playing thru pain the last month (http://twitter.com/bigmacvikings) and need time 2 let my body heal."


This begs the question: Why did he accept the invitation in the first place? Plenty of McKinnie's banged-up teammates declined the opportunity to go to Miami.


"Been having some problems with my feet and ankle and I gotta give it a break," McKinnie replied minutes later to a question on Twitter. "I had a long season + my body is hurting."


Perhaps most interestingly, McKinnie then gets into it with Willis McGahee on Twitter. McGahee, his former college teammate, tweeted to McKinnie that his explanation was "**** **** (http://twitter.com/23McGahee/status/8423563332)."


We don't doubt that McKinnie is sore after an 18-game season. But he is obviously not sore enough to stop clubbing (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/vikings-mckinnie-was-out-clubbing/), and clearly did not inform Pro Bowl coaches that he was injured. Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that McKinnie did not withdraw from the Pro Bowl on his own. He was dismissed (http://twitter.com/JuddZulgad/status/8423581993). So McKinnie isn't too banged up to lie, either.

[Chief]

"Had to withdraw from Pro Bowl!" McKinnie tweeted Saturday afternoon. "I've been playing thru pain the last month (http://twitter.com/bigmacvikings) and need time 2 let my body heal."


This begs the question: Why did he accept the invitation in the first place? Plenty of McKinnie's banged-up teammates declined the opportunity to go to Miami.


"Been having some problems with my feet and ankle and I gotta give it a break," McKinnie replied minutes later to a question on Twitter. "I had a long season + my body is hurting."



Liar.

[big dog cowboy]

Just man up and admit you decided to party like a rock star.

Coming out now and saying you are to hurt to play just doesn't fly with me. If that were true, you shouldn't have went down there to begin with.

[TheSport78]

Leonard Davis could see time at tackle Sunday (http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/01/leonard-davis-could-see-time-at-tackle-s.html)


http://dmn.beloblog.com/mt-static/support/uploads/tarcher-1.jpg (http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/authors.html#Todd%20Archer/Reporter) 2:03 PM Sat, Jan 30, 2010 | Permalink (http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2010/01/leonard-davis-could-see-time-at-tackle-s.html) | Yahoo! Buzz (http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=dallas_morning&guid=http%3A%2F%2Fcowboysblog.dallasnews.com%2Farc hives%2F2010%2F01%2Fleonard-davis-could-see-time-at-tackle-s.html%3Fnpc)
Todd Archer/Reporter http://www.dallasnews.com/blogs/images/bio-icon.jpg Bio (http://cowboysblog.dallasnews.com/authors.html#Todd%20Archer/Reporter) | http://www.dallasnews.com/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail (tarcher@dallasnews.com) | http://www.dallasnews.com/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg News tips (dmnsports@dallasnews.com?subject=Sports%20News%20 Tip) Minnesota left tackle Bryant McKinnie (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/Bryant_McKinnie) has been dismissed from the NFC team for failing to show up the last two days of practice with unexcused absences.
As a result, the only tackles remaining are Philadelphia's Jason Peters (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/Jason_Peters) and David Diehl (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/David_Diehl) of the New York Giants (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/New_York_Giants), which will likely mean Cowboys right guard Leonard Davis (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/Leonard_Davis) could slide outside during Sunday's Pro Bowl (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/Pro_Bowl) to tackle.
Maybe there is a reason for Cowboys' fans for watch the game after all.
When the Cowboys signed Davis as a free agent in 2007 the idea was that he could play tackle if Flozell Adams (http://topics.dallasnews.com/topic/Flozell_Adams) did not re-sign or if there was an injury. Those feelings are a little different now after Doug Free's play late in the 2009 season, but the Cowboys could get a free look at Davis Sunday against the AFC's all stars.
But back to McKinnie for a second, what a lack of respect he hasn't just shown this game and the fans, but his teammates. They should be peeved that McKinnie is putting them in this situation at all because it is too late to get a replacement here in time for the game.
And he supposedly lobbied for fans' votes during the course of the season because he had never played in a Pro Bowl.



;)

[burmafrd]

Still would be good to get a look at Davis at Tackle just to see how he compares. Never know when we might get desperate. Would not have helped us vs The Vikes since the proctologist would have replaced him and thus the leaks up the middle would have been worse.

[Faerluna]

They ditched the skills competition?:mad:

They haven't had it for a few years now, which sucks. I wonder why they stopped doing them...

[BAT]

I find it strange that Davis, a RIGHT guard, always stresses that he is only comfortable playing LEFT tackle.

[Don Corleone]

I'm just having a hard time believing that buffoons like this beat up on my Dallas team in the playoffs.

:banghead:

The Vikings seem like a bunch of headcases.

[mldardy]

McKinnie: I'm too injured for Pro Bowl (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/mckinnie-im-injured/)

Posted by Evan Silva on January 30, 2010 3:30 PM ET

Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie has gone into damage-control mode after being kicked off the NFC Pro Bowl squad (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/mckinnie-might-not-play-in-pro-bowl/).


"Had to withdraw from Pro Bowl!" McKinnie tweeted Saturday afternoon. "I've been playing thru pain the last month (http://twitter.com/bigmacvikings) and need time 2 let my body heal."


This begs the question: Why did he accept the invitation in the first place? Plenty of McKinnie's banged-up teammates declined the opportunity to go to Miami.


"Been having some problems with my feet and ankle and I gotta give it a break," McKinnie replied minutes later to a question on Twitter. "I had a long season + my body is hurting."


Perhaps most interestingly, McKinnie then gets into it with Willis McGahee on Twitter. McGahee, his former college teammate, tweeted to McKinnie that his explanation was "**** **** (http://twitter.com/23McGahee/status/8423563332)."


We don't doubt that McKinnie is sore after an 18-game season. But he is obviously not sore enough to stop clubbing (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/vikings-mckinnie-was-out-clubbing/), and clearly did not inform Pro Bowl coaches that he was injured. Mark Craig of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that McKinnie did not withdraw from the Pro Bowl on his own. He was dismissed (http://twitter.com/JuddZulgad/status/8423581993). So McKinnie isn't too banged up to lie, either.
:lmao2:This article makes him sound like a big baby. Like he went up to Wade in a whiny voice and said "Wade, I'm too hurt to play, can I go home"

[WoodysGirl]

Anger mounts regarding McKinnie (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2010/01/30/anger-mounts-regarding-mckinnie/)

Posted by Mike Florio on January 30, 2010 6:56 PM ET

With Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie kicked off the NFC Pro Bowl team, we're hearing that there's a high degree of anger from his colleagues regarding the events that resulted in his banishment from the team.

"Why didn't he just not refuse to come?" a league source told us tonight. "That way, they could have gotten someone to replace him. Now, they have to play the game with one less tackle."

Ravens running back Willis McGahee, a former teammate of McKinnie's at the University of Miami, put it a slightly different way on his Twitter page: "that's **** **** (http://twitter.com/23McGahee/status/8423563332)."

McKinnie got the boot after blowing off practice on Wednesday and Thursday. His dismissal officially has been documented (http://www.nfl.com/probowl/story?id=09000d5d8155c2fa&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true) on the Pro Bowl page at NFL.com.

And so the NFC will have to get by with only Jason Peters (Eagles) and David Diehl (Giants) at tackle. Other offensive linemen could pitch in; Cowboys guard Leonard Davis previously has played tackle during his NFL career.

McKinnie obviously has forfeited his pay check for playing in the Pro Bowl. The only remaining question is whether he's also facing a fine from the league office. And that's what we're currently trying to find out.

[lkelly]

The Pro Bowl is sliding down a steep slope. With contracts like they are and fear of injuries, the game is a shell of what it used to be. Throw in the stupid scheduling so that the NFC and AFC's best teams' players are ineligible and the roster looks nothing like the original voting.

They should either cancel the thing or revise it so that it becomes a rookie showcase game. Most first year players wouldn't drop out (many would see the payout as a significant bonus compared to their base salaries - even moreso when a rookie cap goes into place), and fans would be excited to see the new stars of tomorrow compete. At many colleges you have huge turnouts for spring games (scrimmages) and a lot of that is fan enthusiasm for underclassmen that haven't played much yet.

It's ironic that the NFL has fantastic TV ratings, but their all-star showcase and their late season games featuring playoff teams are becoming jokes.

[Don Corleone]

The Pro Bowl is sliding down a steep slope. With contracts like they are and fear of injuries, the game is a shell of what it used to be. Throw in the stupid scheduling so that the NFC and AFC's best teams' players are ineligible and the roster looks nothing like the original voting.

They should either cancel the thing or revise it so that it becomes a rookie showcase game. Most first year players wouldn't drop out (many would see the payout as a significant bonus compared to their base salaries - even moreso when a rookie cap goes into place), and fans would be excited to see the new stars of tomorrow compete. At many colleges you have huge turnouts for spring games (scrimmages) and a lot of that is fan enthusiasm for underclassmen that haven't played much yet.

It's ironic that the NFL has fantastic TV ratings, but their all-star showcase and their late season games featuring playoff teams are becoming jokes.

I, for one, enjoyed the Pro Bowl in years past. Regardless of the format of the game this year, it doesn't excuse this lard ***'s behavior this past week.

[CowboyFan74]

They haven't had it for a few years now, which sucks. I wonder why they stopped doing them...

My memory is shot but now that cha mention it yeah...I don't remember seeing the skills challenge for a while but every year I get mad and ask this question...:o: :D

[SaltwaterServr]

The Pro Bowl is sliding down a steep slope. With contracts like they are and fear of injuries, the game is a shell of what it used to be. Throw in the stupid scheduling so that the NFC and AFC's best teams' players are ineligible and the roster looks nothing like the original voting.

They should either cancel the thing or revise it so that it becomes a rookie showcase game. Most first year players wouldn't drop out (many would see the payout as a significant bonus compared to their base salaries - even moreso when a rookie cap goes into place), and fans would be excited to see the new stars of tomorrow compete. At many colleges you have huge turnouts for spring games (scrimmages) and a lot of that is fan enthusiasm for underclassmen that haven't played much yet.

It's ironic that the NFL has fantastic TV ratings, but their all-star showcase and their late season games featuring playoff teams are becoming jokes.


Agreed in totality.

[JPM]

When is the NFL gonna wise up and just ditch this game?
When it stops being profitable.

[big dog cowboy]

When it stops being profitable.
:hammer:

[HoosierCowboy]

keep the Pro Bowl and bring back the Loser's Bowl and the NFL champ versus the college all-stars game ;)

[Don Corleone]

They're saying that suspension isn't out of question for McKinnie.

Wow! Moral of the story: Do not piss off the commish. He's taking a lot of heat over this game as it is.