Gbaja-Biamila
summoned for Rice
Green Bay defensive end Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila lived up to his team's nickname Friday and did some packing. Gbaja-Biamila was summoned late Friday to get on a flight to Honolulu yesterday to replace Tampa Bay's Simeon Rice on the NFC All-Star team for today's Pro Bowl.
Rice was cut by NFC coach Andy Reid with the NFL's blessing. Rice arrived two days late and missed several team meetings, according to a news release from the league.
Rice and San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Terrell Owens were fined last year for missing a Pro Bowl practice.
A league spokesman said this is the first time a player has been cut from a Pro Bowl team.
Reid declined to comment.
This was Rice's third trip to the Pro Bowl. He had 15 sacks among his 50 tackles this season.
Gbaja-Biamila is in his fourth NFL season. His 45 tackles this year included 10 sacks. This is his first Pro Bowl.
Pick a play, any play: The fans have helped pick the Pro Bowl players for years. Now they can choose some of the plays.
Go to nfl.com and click on the Pro Bowl bar. From there you can participate in MVP voting, ask players questions, and choose your favorite cheerleader.
There are also four plays for each team. The play that gets the most votes from fans will be run at the beginning of the fourth quarter.
The AFC plays include a reverse pass, while the NFC choices are a bit more conservative, featuring West Coast Offense pass selections.
McNair indicted: Tennessee Titans quarterback Steve McNair was indicted by a Davidson County (Tenn.) grand jury Friday on charges of DUI and possession of a handgun.
McNair, in Hawaii for his first Pro Bowl, was arrested in downtown Nashville last spring.
His arraignment will be Feb. 18, at which time he will enter a plea and receive dates for court appearances.
"It has made it through the grand jury. They presented an indictment on it that came out today," assistant district attorney Dumaka Shabazz told The Tennessean newspaper.
McNair was arrested May 22 in downtown Nashville and charged with driving while intoxicated and possessing a handgun while intoxicated. McNair has a permit for the 9 mm handgun, but an intoxicated person cannot legally carry a loaded weapon.
No Sanders: Incoming Hall of Famer Barry Sanders didn't make it to Hawaii because of his wife's pregnancy.
But Bob Brown, Carl Eller and John Elway will be in attendance today.
Marv's ready: Marv Levy (AFC) and Don Shula (NFC) are honorary coaches today.
Levy, 78, said he welcomes the opportunity to be a real coach again.
"It could always happen. I'm reinvigorated and in good health. If it comes I welcome it. Maybe people are looking at my age and saying I'm too old. I don't agree with them," said Levy, who led the Buffalo Bills to four Super Bowls. "(Dick) Vermeil, Joe Gibbs coming back, Jack McKeon in baseball. Experience is a tremendous quality, as long as you haven't become complacent, or one of those 'We've always done it this way' people."
The Star-Bulletin's Dave Reardon contributed to this report.
