"I didn't want to miss practice at all but they wanted me to check it out," he said.

They try to give one concert a month, but sometimes too many miss practice because of their jobs.

He never misses practice, but you know, one of these days it is going to end.

Ward was firm that he did not want to miss practice.

Team officials said Johnson had felt ill for several days, and he missed this morning's light practice.

The team did not say how serious either injury was or whether the players would miss additional practices.

This isn't the only place in the league where people miss practice or show up late.

"I couldn't play even a couple of minutes, not today," said Johnson, who again missed practice.

He missed practice Wednesday for the fifth time in six days.

School officials would only say that Porter had missed practice for personal reasons.