[CBFF] [Fwd: VIKES BRACING FOR MCKINNIE SUSPENSION?]

[Tom Shannon]

http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/02/vikes-bracing-for-mckinnie-suspension/


    VIKES BRACING FOR MCKINNIE SUSPENSION?
    <http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/05/02/vikes-bracing-for-mckinnie-suspension/>

Posted by Mike Florio on May 2, 2008, 12:19 p.m.

Lost in the recent Jared Allen/John David Booty horn-blowing hysteria in 
Minnesota is the fact that a major question mark still hovers over 
the franchise — the status of left tackle Bryant McKinnie following a 
February arrest in Miami.

We’re hearing persistent rumors that the Vikings are preparing for the 
possibility that they’ll begin the season without McKinnie, due to a 
suspension. 

One month from today, McKinnie stands trial 
<http://www.profootballtalk.com/2008/04/11/june-trial-date-set-for-mckinnie/> on 
various charges, the most serious of which is that he played tennis with 
a bouncer’s head as the ball, and a metal pole as the racket. 

McKinnie previously pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct due to his, 
um, actions on the Love Boat 
<http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1215051vikings6.html>.

It’s possible that McKinnie has been summoned to meet with the 
Commissioner even before his trial, for a review of the situation 
pursuant to the Personal Conduct Policy.  However, NFL spokesman Greg 
Aiello declined to provide information as to McKinnie’s case, citing 
normal league policy.  “We do not generally comment on the timetable or 
other details of a specific review, including what steps the 
commissioner may or may not take,” Aiello recently told us via e-mail.

Although the Commissioner normally doesn’t take action under the 
Personal Conduct Policy until the underlying case is resolved, the 
policy plainly states that this approach applies only in the event of a 
“first offense,” and to cases that don’t involve “significant bodily 
harm.”  We don’t know whether the bouncer suffered “significant bodily 
harm,” but since it clearly wasn’t McKinnie’s first offense, the policy 
permits the league to impose discipline based on its own investigation, 
with or without a prior conviction or guilty plea.

Chase Johnson is listed as McKinnie’s backup on the team’s online depth 
chart <http://www.vikings.com/TeamDepthChart.aspx>.  They did not add 
any offensive linemen in the draft.  (A prior version of this item 
indicated that they selected Carl Nicks in round five.  I was looking at 
the wrong team at the time.  Sorry about that.)


-- 
The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools.
  - Herbert Spencer