With the Vikings and Gophers playing out of town last weekend, I can’t give you reports from TCF Bank Stadium, but here’s a recounting of how I kept myself occupied the last few days.
On Thursday I listened to 83-year-old former Gophers basketball coach Jim Dutcher speak to the CORES group (coaches, officials, reporters, educators and sports fans). He last spoke to CORES in 1986. This prompted Dutcher to quip: “The next time I talk to this group I will be 112.”
The University of Iowa sent a news release late in the week warning fans to beware of counterfeit tickets for Saturday night’s Hawkeyes-Gophers game. This made me wonder what to do if I had purchased tickets for the game and then encountered strangers sitting in what I thought were my seats. How to decide who would stay, and who would move on?
Rock-paper-scissors?
Maybe, but the ideal situation would be learning these strangers were music teachers who mostly had come to Kinnick Stadium to watch the Iowa marching band before the game, at halftime and post-game. Does a negotiation where my group sat in the seats for the first, second, third and fourth quarters sound unreasonable?
Not sure how Friday the 13th went for you but Brock Vereen will remember the day for awhile—maybe a long time. The Vikings released the former Gophers safety on Friday.
News of Vereen’s departure came via e-mail but there were other e-mails last weekend much more important than football.
Minneapolis advertising legend Pat Fallon, an alumnus of Washburn High School and the University of Minnesota, died unexpectedly on Friday. Heart-felt condolences to Pat’s family and many friends. He was 70 years old.
The Timberwolves sent word about a presentation prior to their home game Sunday against the Grizzlies. Chris Herren, former NBA player and ex-drug addict, came to Target Center to tell his story about addiction and recovery—and his mission to help others by speaking to the public.
I learned via e-mail former Gopher and Viking tight end Doug Kingsriter got married in Dallas on Sunday. Anyone who knows Doug enjoys his wit and wisdom. He was a 1971 All-American at Minnesota and later played for Bud Grant with the Vikings.
I was trying to be on a no-football “diet” during the day on Saturday—saving my brain cells for analysis of the Gophers and Vikings—but a friend phoned and was raving about the performance of North High School’s Tyler Johnson. I turned the TV on when North’s Class 1A state title game against Minneota was in the late second quarter. Right on cue Johnson the quarterback made an elusive run for a touchdown. A couple of moments later Johnson the defensive back intercepted a pass and made an electrifying run where he seemingly left almost every Minneota tackler grabbing for air before finally going to the ground.
Johnson, a Gophers recruit, looks like he has the athleticism to play at a high level in the Big Ten. He won’t be a quarterback but whatever his position he sure looks like a playmaker.
About 4 p.m. on Saturday I received the perfect warm-up text for the Gophers-Iowa game from my son: “Big upset tonight.”
Earlier in the week he predicted a Vikings win in Oakland: 34-31.
Couldn’t help but notice coach Richard Pitino scheduled the Gophers basketball team for a game on Sunday, just an hour before kickoff in Oakland. Coach, I know you have only lived here a couple of years but the Vikings are kind of a big deal.
Umm. The Timberwolves also played Sunday afternoon. Guess they use the same schedule maker the Gophers have. And is that the person who schedules the Wolves and Wild on the same nights?
It was a good weekend to be a Hawkeyes fan. The wrestling team defeated No. 1 ranked Oklahoma State in Kinnick Stadium Saturday afternoon, drawing an NCAA dual match record attendance of 42,287. Then Saturday night at sold out Kinnick Stadium the Hawkeyes hung on to defeat the Gophers 40-35 and stay unbeaten with a 10-0 record.
Quarterbacks are always a focus and certainly were on Saturday night. Iowa’s C.J. Beathard has become one of the better quarterbacks in the country during his first full season as a starter. His passing and running were a problem all night for Minnesota, but the Gophers Mitch Leidner may have played the best game of his career completing 19 of 27 passes with no interceptions and running for a score. His passing rating was 163.2, according to ESPN.com.
Gophers offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover, often a target of critics, impressed with play calling that frequently had the Iowa defense off balance. Minnesota scored three touchdowns rushing against a defense that had given up only three all season. The Gophers had 301 yards passing including a touchdown throw from running back Shannon Brooks to wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky.
Credit too goes to the offensive line that played its best game of the fall. The line gave Leidner more opportunity than in the past to throw and at times opened big holes for Brooks. But while the offensive line had a good performance, the defensive line didn’t. The Hawkeyes were forced to punt only two times all night and Iowa rushers had huge holes including a 51-yard run late in the game when the Gophers were trying to get the ball back while trailing 33-28.
Minnesota is playing through a difficult season characterized by an abnormal loss of starters to injuries and a schedule of nationally-ranked opponents. But Minnesota has played through it all with much more determination and execution than a lot of teams would. The team’s 4-6 overall record and 1-5 Big Ten record doesn’t reflect the team’s quality. There’s reason for optimism in the two remaining games of the season against Illinois and Wisconsin at home.
I missed church on Sunday morning but tried to make up for it by listening to Greg Coleman’s “Pregame Preach” on KFAN prior to kickoff in Oakland. The former Vikings punter quotes scripture each week while talking football. Yesterday he was inspiring listeners while referencing King David and imploring Vikings fans to have faith in the presence of the “Black Hole,” otherwise known as the notorious south end zone section of the Oakland stadium where rowdy fans clad in all kinds of outfits reside.
And now about that Vikings game…and yesterday’s Packers-Lions game…and those NFC North standings…and about next Sunday’s Vikings game with the Pack in Minneapolis.
Remember that famous Al Michaels quote in 1980 when Herbie Brooks and his U.S. Olympic hockey team stunned the world? “Do you believe in miracles?”
Well, the 7-2 Vikings might not be a miracle forming in the northland but they’re a darn good team that just happens to be on a five-game winning streak, partially earned with three consecutive wins on the road including yesterday’s 30-14 victory over the Raiders. Meanwhile, in Green Bay, the Packers lost to—gulp—the lowly Lions, 18-16, and increased their losing streak to three straight.
All of a sudden the “Perfect Packers” are imperfect and are looking up at the Vikings in the standings. The Packers, 6-3, come to town having fallen from their spot among the NFL elite and at best are a shaky favorite in Sunday’s game.
The Packers figure to be a determined bunch next Sunday but the Vikings defense looks like it will carry this team into the playoffs for the first time since 2012. Yesterday in Oakland that defense held a Raiders offense that had scored 34 points or more in three consecutive games to just two touchdowns.
Those who had faith in the Purple before the game were rewarded.
Amen.