Author: David Shama

The weeks go by but themes remain the same, according to Minnesota Vikings critics.  Opening drives on offense are productive, followed by more minimal results, suggesting that other teams are making more successful adjustments during games. Also, who’s the quarterback?  What are his credentials?  Rookie Adrian Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher with 740 yards, has been under-utilized.  Bryant McKinnie underachieves at left tackle and the offense’s right side seems like a permanent project. The defense is on the field too often and eventually yields major passing plays.  Coach Brad Childress is a target of public and media criticism.

The Vikings are 2-5 and it seems like much of the conversation is the same after each game.  I like Childress, a good guy who learned many of his values and football knowledge under one of the best college coaches in Big Ten Conference history, Barry Alvarez at Wisconsin. Although Childress had never been an NFL head coach prior to coming here, he has a lot of coaching experience. This is his 30^th year of coaching, including 10 in the NFL.  He’s been associated with 17 winning seasons.

His job here, though, is the most demanding of his career. Reality is that he’s so scrutinized the public can turn on him based on one game, even a single play.

Criticism and frustration with the Vikings is increasing.  The talk shows are scorching with critiques. The boo-birds at the Metrodome sometimes arrive in the first quarter. For the first time in years the franchise is struggling to sellout games.  A zealous fan even held up a “Fire Childress” sign at last Sunday’s game.

Mike Morris, the former Viking now a KFAN radio host, told Sports Headliners he thinks the Vikings need a coaching change   Childress’ record is 4-13 in his last 17 games and his overall record since he started coaching the Vikings in 2006 is 8-15.  Morris is frustrated with personnel and in-game coaching decisions, attributing some problems to “stubbornness.”

“The owner’s got as much stubbornness as he (Childress) does,” Morris said earlier this week. “He (Zygi Wilf) thought he had a great hire.  He ran out and got the guy.  He doesn’t want to be embarrassed by a bad hire.  He’ll keep the guy I am sure, regardless of what his record is.  Unless he swallows his pride and says, ‘Look, I’ll do anything for this team to do better’ and hire another guy, (Bill) Cowher, (Marty) Schottenheimer.  You got to right the wrong.  He (Wilf) would make more people happy about it…if he would just redeem himself.  He needs to rehire someone.  He’s got the wrong guy.  Stubborn, stubborn, stubborn coaching over on that sideline.  It’s not working. …”

It’s a refrain as old as laces on a football.  When a team isn’t winning, fans campaign to change quarterbacks.  Gophers quarterback Adam Weber passed for only 162 yards against North Dakota State two weeks ago and just 99 in the Michigan game last Saturday. Weber, a redshirt freshman, is a better passer and runner than junior backup Tony Mortensen.  Third string true freshman Clint Brewster isn’t ready to play.

Unless Weber is injured, he will be the starting quarterback in the team’s last three games, at home tomorrow night against Illinois, at Iowa on November 10 and back home against Wisconsin on November 17. Any team that uses the spread offense like Minnesota places extra emphasis on quarterback performance.  Although Weber has had his struggles learning the offense and executing, his statistics are impressive, despite 20 interceptions.

Weber has completed 195 of 340 passes for 2,145 yards and 19 touchdowns.  With 286.1 yards per game total offense, he ranks No. 1 in the country among major college freshmen quarterbacks, 21^st in the nation including all quarterbacks and third in the Big Ten Conference.  He is the only freshman in the country to have passed for at least 2,100 yards.  He ranks 15^th among all quarterbacks in touchdown passes.

Weber has broken all of the freshman passing and total offense records at Minnesota.  Now he’s nearing overall single season school records in several categories.  He needs 675 yards to break the record for total passing yards, 20 more pass completions, 46 more passing attempts, four touchdown passes and 348 yards in total offense.

Coach Tim Brewster has stayed with Weber, knowing the former Mounds View High School quarterback gives Minnesota the best likelihood of winning.  Don’t be too surprised if the Gophers, 1-8 overall and 0-5 in the conference, win on Saturday night if Illinois makes too many mistakes and doesn’t respect Minnesota.  Illinois, 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the conference, is an athletic team but one that can self-destruct.

Speculation is Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr will resign after this season.  Former Michigan assistant Les Miles, now at LSU, might be the next Wolverine coach.

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said freshman running back Duane Bennett, whose running style is similar to former pro star Emmett Smith, has a “chance to be really, really good.”

Illinois quarterback Isiah “Juice” Williams almost died at birth because of his size, 13 pounds, eight ounces.  The sophomore quarterback was a highly recruited prep player, and he chose Illinois over Ohio State and other powerhouse programs.

Illini offensive coordinator Mike Locksley receives a lot of credit for the team’s recent recruiting success.  Rivals.com ranked him as a top 10 Big Ten recruiter in 2006 and Sports Illustrated rated him a top 20 recruiter nationally.

The Vikings and San Diego play for only the 10^th time when the two teams meet in the Metrodome on Sunday.  The Chargers lead the series 5-4.

Ted Cottrell’s Chargers defense ranks 18^th in the NFL while the Vikings are 27^th.  Cottrell is the defensive coordinator, the same title he held with the Vikings in 2004 and 2005.

The Vikings’ defense is tied for fifth in the NFL with 16 takeaways, including four resulting in touchdowns.  The defense has 18 sacks, 10^th best in the league.

Mr. Perfect.  In his Vikings’ career that began with the 2006 season, Ryan Longwell is 25-25 on field goals of 45 yards or less.

Minnesota freshman goaltender Alex Kangas had a memorable first game last Saturday in a 3-1 win over the U.S. Under-18 team. He had 32 saves, including 21 in the third period. He had a shutout entering the final period and made four straight saves in a 30-second stretch, earning a standing ovation from the Mariucci Arena crowd. The Gophers play Denver tonight and on Sunday at home.

Minnesota Wild prospect Erik Reitz, a defenseman, has been impressive playing for the Houston Aeros.  Through games as of Tuesday, he had 10 points in eight games.

Baseball hall of famer Dave Winfield was a pioneer when he established a charitable foundation in his home town of St. Paul, according to Kwame McDonald.  He said Winfield was the first pro athlete to start such an organization, and the Winfield Foundation continues to provide college financial assistance to students of Asian, Latin American, Native American and African American backgrounds.  McDonald, a sportswriter for many years, is a member of the Winfield Foundation Board of Directors.

The Minnesota Twins announced yesterday that third baseman Brian Buscher has been named the 2007 Sherry Robertson Award winner as the Twins’ Minor League Player of the Year. Right-handed pitcher Kevin Slowey has been named the 2007 Jim Rantz Award winner as the organization’s Minor League Pitcher of the Year.  Buscher, 26, batted .309 (117-for-379) with 58 runs, 28 doubles, 14 home runs and 59 RBI in 103 games (63 with New Britain in the Eastern League and 40 with Rochester of the International League). Slowey, 23, was 10-5, with a 1.89 ERA, allowing 110 hits with just 18 walks and 107 strikeouts in 20 starts for Rochester