Author: David Shama

What’s the Packer-Viking rivalry mean to the players and coaches?  “I hear (about) it all the time,” said Viking tight end Jim Kleinsasser.  “I just had my house built (finished last year) and one of the construction workers put ‘Packers rule…Favre rules’ on my insulation. So that’s the way it goes. …”

Ex-Packer Robert Ferguson, who joined the Vikings in August, said head coach Brad Childress talked to the team about the rivalry Wednesday morning.  “He wanted to inform the young guys about how big this is and how long it’s been going on,” Ferguson told Sports Headliners. “The only way you can do that is to put those numbers in front of them. …It’s important.”

The 3-0 Packers and the 1-2 Vikings meet at noon Sunday in the Metrodome.  It will be the 93^rd time the two franchises have played in a series that goes back to 1961.  Childress shared some of the history with the media earlier this week including the competitiveness of the series.  The record favors the Packers at 46-45-1.  In the last 10 regular season games, Childress said, both teams have scored 239 points. Nine of the last 13 division winners (NFC Central or NFC North) have been won by the Vikings or Packers.

Childress talked about the border rivalry, comparing it with the Gophers and Badgers.  Their college rivalry dates back to 1890.  “We can’t quite match that but it will feel the same as competing for Paul Bunyan’s axe,” Childress said.

While the players and coaches have to take a consistent business approach to every game, they’re certainly aware of the excitement that builds during Packer-Viking week (the Vikings are at Green Bay on November 11).  “The crowd’s a little more electric (for the Packer game),” said Viking place kicker Ryan Longwell.  “We just hope our fans show up wearing purple and scream their heads off on Sunday, and give us a huge home field advantage.”

The Vikings lost both games to the Packers last season and Green Bay will be favored to win Sunday. Yet in rivalry games played at home there are often surprise winners.  “This is a great rivalry,” Childress said.  “Good old fashioned black and blue division football. Our guys are looking forward to it.”

Longwell played nine seasons with the Packers and still knows some of the Green Bay players.  He said there will be good natured comments after the game initiated by him if the Vikings win, and a loss means just the opposite.  “I can give it to them just as well as I can take it,” he said.  “It’s not a one-way street on that thing.”

When Ohio State takes a kid from Minnesota the Buckeyes sure know what they’re doing.  Until two years ago no Minnesotan had played for the Bucks on scholarlship since the early 1930s when Sid Gillman, from Minneapolis North High School, was starring in Columbus.  An all-American end, Gillman became a pro football coaching legend but he wasn’t the football player that Wayzata High School’s James Laurinaitis is (all-American last season as a sophomore for the Buckeyes).

Laurinaitis comes home for tomorrow night’s game with the Gophers carrying a sizeable reputation and the potential to be remembered as one of the Big Ten’s most celebrated players ever. He won the Bronko Nagurski Trophy last season that symbolizes the nation’s best defensive player.  As a junior this season he’s obviously a candidate for that award, plus the Bednarik Award (also recognizes the best defensive player) and the Butkus Award given to America’s best linebacker.  Laurinaitis could finish a four year career at Ohio State as a three time all-American, and multiple winner of the Nagurski, Bednarik and Butkus awards.

Gopher senior center Tony Brinkhaus recalled earlier this week that Laurinaitis originally said he would attend Minnesota, but changed his mind.  Although he hasn’t personally met Laurinaitis, he’s played against the 6-3, 244 linebacker in the Big Ten.  “He’s a very strong kid,” Brinkhaus said. “Not only is he strong but he can move and he can deliver a blow.  He’s got a reputation for being quite the hitter and he plays with a lot passion.”

Tim Brewster became the Gopher football coach last winter and has been on a crusade since day one to convince Minnesota’s best prep players to play for the U.  He was asked for an evaluation of Laurinaitis.

“You know what, to be quite honest with you, I’ve daydreamed about this kid just a little bit,” Brewster said.  “Here’s a kid who is a tremendous football player from Wayzata High School right here in town from Minneapolis and he is one of the best football players in America.  He certainly is one of the best linebackers in America. I would be lying to you if I didn’t tell you I didn’t daydream about him wearing maroon and gold. …”

Brewster said Laurinaitis is the “complete package” as a linebacker, praising his athleticism, ability to run down ball carriers, intercept passes and more.  “The thing I guess I like most about him is he looks like he loves to play,” Brewster said. “He plays the game with tremendous passion, energy, (and) excitement, and the other guys feed off him. …It’s evident when you turn on the (game) tape, Laurinaitis is one hell of a player.”

Viking coach Brad Childress talking about 37-year-old quarterback Brett Favre who has the Packers off to a 3-0 start: “He has no conscience in terms of firing the football in there.  He plays with great confidence, and you can see right now he’s playing with great enthusiasm.”

Sports Illustrated jinx?  Favre is on the magazine’s latest cover and the superstitious will say that means a Viking win on Sunday.

The Vikings will wear throwback uniforms for Sunday’s game as the franchise celebrates Chuck Foreman’s induction into the Ring of Honor as part of Alumni Weekend. The uniforms are representative of those worn by the Vikings during Foreman’s Viking career and differ from the current uniforms in several areas.

Marion Barber III ran with exceptional emotion and toughness for the Gophers.  Those characteristics are being noticed in Dallas, too, where Barber has gained 256 yards, 12^th in the NFL.  Among rushers, he’s tied in touchdowns (four) with Joseph Addai of Indianapolis. Barber has one touchdown reception and is tied for the league lead in touchdowns (five) with receivers Randy Moss of New England and Plaxico Burress of the Giants.

Dick Tressel, former Hamline football coach and athletic director, has been on brother Jim’s staff at Ohio State since 2001.  Dick is the Ohio State running backs coach.

The Gophers have been picked to finish second in the WCHA for 2007-08, according to the Grand Forks Herald’s annual preseason coaches’ poll. The Gophers received three of the 10 first-place votes while WCHA favorite North Dakota received the other votes.  North Dakota’s Ryan Duncan was named the Preseason WCHA Player of the Year, and Kyle Turris of Wisconsin was selected as the league’s Preseason Rookie of the Year. Minnesota sophomore Kyle Okposo also received a vote for WCHA Preseason Player of the Year.

The Herb Brooks Foundation’s third benefit gala will be held on Friday, November 9 beginning at 6 p.m. at The Depot in Minneapolis. Hockey Hall of Famers Gordie Howe and Bobby Hull will be keynote speakers. Members of the 1980 US Olympic Hockey team, as well as other former and current NHL players, will be attending the event. Live auction items include an ice skating party for 10 with Olympic star Kristi Yamaguchi and her husband, Bret Hedican, a Minnesota native and Stanley Cup winner . A walk-on role opportunity in the upcoming Mayhem Pictures film, “Secretariat,” and a 1980 Olympic jersey signed by Brooks and the team will also be auctioned off. Tickets are $140 per person and can be purchased by calling Tracy Adams at 763-479-4499 or via email at tracyadams@frontiernet.net.

When Tubby Smith was coach at Kentucky he recruited Joel Przybilla, the Monticello High School center who went on to play two seasons with the Gophers before becoming a No. 1 NBA draft pick.  Smith and Przybilla, now starting his eighth NBA season, have been talking since Smith became the Gopher coach earlier this year and the two are building a friendship.