Picking Up the Tab

The Vikings are going to have seven Pro Bowl representatives today, but the biggest story has been rookie Adrian Peterson, who is also going to have one of the biggest tabs leaving Hawaii of any player in attendance.

To get named to the Pro Bowl is an honor for any player, whether he opts to play in the game or not. But sometimes it comes with a price.

Just ask Vikings rookie Adrian Peterson. As part of his selection, Peterson said he would pay the freight for his offensive line to go. While Steve Hutchinson and Matt Birk were going to the Pro Bowl anyway, Peterson agreed to bring 10 of his teammates to the game on his dime. Including family, there will be about 25 people enjoying the Pro Bowl courtesy of A.D.

But it doesn’t stop there. As Peterson has learned this week, rookies pick up the tab more often than not and at times they don’t find out until check-out time how much his teammates have felt is his obligation to play.

“He’s a rookie, he’ll learn,” Birk said. “That’s the way it works. Rookies end up paying for quite a bit. There may be a charge to his room that he isn’t sure where it came from. I wouldn’t be surprised to see a few of those end up on (Peterson’s) room (account).”

SUNDAY NOTES
* The Vikings will be well represented today on both sides of the ball, with Peterson, Birk, Hutchinson and Tony Richardson on offense and Pat Williams, Kevin Williams and Darren Sharper on defense.
* Peterson is one of just four rookies at the Pro Bowl, joining 49ers linebacker Patrick Willis, Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas and Cowboys kicker Nick Folk.
* While doing the media circuit in Hawaii, A.D. said he think he can rush for 2,000 yards next season. Of the players who have done it, Eric Dickerson did it in his second season, Jamal Lewis did it in his fourth year in the league, Terrell Davis did in his fourth season, O.J. Simpson did it in his fifth and Barry Sanders in his ninth.
* On his own pending free agency, Richardson said to ESPN’s John Clayton about the Vikings: “I couldn’t ask for a better situation. All signs point to be me staying, but it is a business.”
* Unlike Richardson, the same may not be true for Mewelde Moore. A lost man behind A.D. and Chester Taylor last year, Moore is likely to test free agency and has a good chance of landing elsewhere.
* Peterson, Richardson and both of the Williams Brothers visited sick children at the pediatric cancer floor of a Hawaii children’s hospital as part of their week of Pro Bowl prep. The Vikings were among a very small list of players who did hospital visits during the week.