"be on the milk carton" = 'be missing in action' (esp. in sports context)

[Laurence Horn]

ex-New York Giants linebacker Carl Banks, on sports radio show,
referring to current Giants linebacker Lavar Arrington:

"He's kind of been on the milk carton"

In looking for google hits that don't involve a direct reference to
missing kids, actual milk cartons, and the best-selling young adult
novel by Caroline Cooney, _The Face on the Milk Carton_, I noticed
that several do involve sports contexts, referring to players who
(metaphorically, not actually) don't show up in (usu. big) games, e.g.

http://www.stanforddaily.com/article/1999/2/12/no6StanfordBouncesBackToughBruinsPutUpFight
"My face has been on the milk carton. I felt like I needed to step in
and help the team win, and I did that."

More recently (6/26/06), DD22 posted a blog at
http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/DD22/2006/06/26/Part_31st_ever_Milk_Carton_Awards

that recognizes "the players or teams that did not show up in the
playoffs, these awards are called the Milk Carton Awards"

LH

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