When Longwell was with Green Bay he participated in the first and only New Orleans Superdome game played on grass. He recalled how hard the surface was with the turf on top of concrete.
Longwell on his role along with Steve Hutchinson and E.J. Henderson as team captains: “You just want to be a steady influence around the team at all times. And I think that’s what E.J. and Hutch and I have tried to do is be steady and be consistent.”
Part of the captains’ responsibility is the pre-game coin toss and Longwell always calls heads. He considers tails a “negative call.” He said the three captains “kind of fight over” who has to make the coin toss call, instead of “who gets to.”
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen on indoor stadiums versus outdoor: “I like playing outside. I prefer playing outside. That’s where football is supposed to be played. …”
Tonight’s game features the NFL’s third ranked offense with the Saints averaging 414.2 yards per game against a seventh ranked Vikings defense allowing 279.2 yards.
Saints quarterback Kerry Collins talking about the Vikings’ defensive line: “They love to get penetration. They have the guys to do it; they’ve got big guys. They like to get pressure on the quarterback. They like to disrupt the running game with penetration. They are big. They are talented. They are fast.”
The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission has retained HKS Architects of Dallas and Mortenson Construction of Minneapolis at a cost of $2.5 million for Phase I work on a proposed multi-purpose facility on the Metrodome site that would be home to the Vikings. A Phase I report that will include schematic design is expected by March 1, commission executive director Bill Lester reported via e-mail. HKS was the architect for Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis and the new Dallas Cowboys stadium, according to Lester.
Assistant general manager Fred Hoiberg expects Timberwolves 20-year-old rookie Kevin Love “to emerge as one of the leaders of the team at a very young age.”