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

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. 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 squad. So he can go clubbing all weekend long if he'd like.

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 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 Thursday night and Friday morning.


"On the way 2 Mansion," 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! 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, 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 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

 

[NeonNinja]

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?

 

[CF74]

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?

 

[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

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

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.


"Had to withdraw from Pro Bowl!" McKinnie tweeted Saturday afternoon. "I've been playing thru pain the last month 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 "**** ****."


We don't doubt that McKinnie is sore after an 18-game season. But he is obviously not sore enough to stop 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. 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 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


2:03 PM Sat, Jan 30, 2010 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/bio-icon.jpg Bio | http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg E-mail | http://www.***BANNED-URL***/blogs/images/email-icon.jpg 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.

 

[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.