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Packers coach Mike McCarthy believes in bonding, cancels practice

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- At some point today, we'll find out what the Green Bay Packers are doing for the team-building exercise in lieu of a minicamp practice, but it's not the actual activity that matters as much as the bonding time.

That's why coach Mike McCarthy is willing to give up one of just 13 offseason practice days allowed under the collective bargaining agreement.

Whether it's skeet shooting, bowling, dodgeball -- well, dodgeball has probably been crossed off the list because that's how assistant coach Alex Van Pelt tore his Achilles a few years back -- or some other activity, it has become an annual offseason event under the 10th-year head coach.

"To me, people win, people lose," McCarthy said. "The opportunity that our players will have tomorrow, they'll be in groups of four, maybe five, and there'll be guys that ride in a cart with Aaron Rodgers or with someone they've never really had a conversation with. This is about culture. It's about developing the bonding between your players and coaches and support staff. So it's very important."

Riding in a cart with Rodgers? Although that sounds like it might be golf, indications were that's not the plan.

"Packers.com will let you know what it is," McCarthy said.

Whatever it is, McCarthy clearly believes it's important even if another coach takes a shot at him like former Lions coach Jim Schwartz did in 2012 after the Packers went clay shooting.

"I think Mike's done a great job of doing some fun outings over the years," Rodgers said. "I think dodgeball's probably out based on some of the things that's happened the last couple of times we've done that, but yeah, Mike does a great job of putting these events together to do some bonding and there's been some fun stuff. We've done some bowling over the years and some skeet shooting. It's a lot of fun."

The Packers will then return to the field for one more minicamp practice on Thursday before they break until training camp opens on July 30.