Author: David Shama

The Vikings are nearing the half way mark in the schedule
and fans had hoped for more from the offense.  Quarterback
Brad Johnson has thrown only four touchdown passes and
the Vikings have two rushing touchdowns, both by Chester
Taylor.  Field goals and touchdowns generated by trick
plays (two touchdowns) and the defense (two interceptions
and two fumble recoveries for scores) have contributed
more than expected while the offense has struggled
including near the goal line. 

The offense doesn’t have Pro Bowl playmakers at the skilled
positions of quarterback, running back and receiver.  Right
tackle Marcus Johnson and right guard Artis Hicks are
developing players. The unit’s stars are on the line’s left side
with tackle Bryant McKinnie, guard Steve Hutchinson
and in the middle with center Matt Birk.  This is a group
that fans perhaps thought would push defensive lines all over
the field, creating running and passing opportunities that
could make the team’s skilled position players look better.

The offensive line, including the big three, hasn’t been
dominant so far.  However, this is a line that is learning a new
system with new coaches.  They are also learning about one
another and how to play together.

Hutchinson is in his first season with the team.  Birk didn’t
play at all last season because of hip and hernia injuries.  A
major setback such as that can cause a player to take a long
time to fully recover. Vikings fans may not want to hear this
but it could be late this year or even next season that the
offensive line establishes itself. Led by Hutchinson, Birk and
McKinnie it should happen. 

Hutchinson came to the Vikings from Seattle having been
recognized as perhaps the league’s best left guard, earning
three straight trips to the Pro Bowl and helping Shaun
Alexander score an NFL best 28 touchdowns while playing
on a line that for four games didn’t allow a sack.

Hutchinson voiced optimism after joining the Vikings earlier
this year.  “I know Matt Birk well,” Hutchinson said. “In my
opinion, he is one of the best centers in the game.  Bryant
McKinnie at the left tackle spot, I think he is one of the top
 tackles in the game.  I think I’ll fit in there well between
them and we should have a really good flow and be able to
jell pretty good.”  

Hutchinson, Birk and McKinnie are all 30 or younger and
figure to have a lot of football left in them.  Hutchinson will
be 29 in November.  Birk, a four time pro bowl selection, is
30.  McKinnie, 27, has started 61 straight games for the
Vikings and should have his best football ahead of him.  At
6-8, 335, he is a human shield providing pass protection.  
There is still time for Hutchinson, Birk and McKinnie and
the offensive line to become dominant.

Dan Monson was introducing his Gopher basketball
players one by one last week to season ticket holders at a
reception.  He came to redshirt freshman guard Kevin
Payton who used to live in Austria.  Monson asked Payton
to say the following in German: “The Gophers are going to
surprise everybody and win the Big Ten this year.” 

A conference championship is an unlikely possibility to most people who follow the Gophers and the Big Ten Conference.  Many hoopologists see a finish between eighth and 11^th in the Big Ten.  The Gophers finished in 10th place last season and no full time starters return from a team that was 16-15 over all and 5-11 in the Big Ten.  The roster has four freshmen, four sophomores and six juniors. 

Yet Monson and the coaching staff are trying to look optimistically (see Payton reference above) at this season.   They know that after last season when Monson reportedly was almost terminated, their need to win now is urgent.  Talk to fans or listen to the media and you will hear speculation about whether Monson can last beyond his eighth season as Gopher coach. 

Athlon college basketball magazine, for example, printed only Monson’s name in red in a feature titled “Pressure Is On” listing coaches expected to improve or else.  “His seat could be the hottest in the nation,” the magazine wrote. 

Another magazine, CBS SportsLine.com said:  “There is scaffolding around the Gopher program as Monson works to rebuild his team. …The Gophers won’t go into the tank, but it could be a rough season in Minnesota.” 

In addition to inexperience (seven players who have never played a game minute for Minnesota), there are concerns about rebounding, team defense and inside scoring.  Bright spots could include Oklahoma transfer guard Lawrence McKenzie’s outside marksmanship, the athleticism of junior college transfers Limar Wilson (guard) and Engen Nurumbi (forward), and leadership of Payton (guard).  The Gophers look like a team with effective outside shooting and good overall athleticism.   

Freshman center Bryce Webster’s development will be intriguing, too.  He has offensive and defensive skills, and at 6-9, 240 provides size on a roster filled with smaller and mid-size players.  Assistant coach Jim Molinari said Webster was the most highly recruited player on the team and could have attended a long list of other schools.  Still, Webster has much to learn as evidenced by his six foul performance about half way through the second half of a scrimmage last week. 

Intriguing is a good word to associate with the coming season that starts November 3 with a home exhibition game against Bemidji State.  At the season ticket holders gathering last week Monson thanked his most loyal customers for sticking with the program “through thick and thin.”  He’s hoping for a lot more “thick” this season.

Tom Kelly is on WCCO Radio with Dark Star from 9:30 to 10 p.m. on weekday nights through the World Series.  After that he is on with Star at the same time on Tuesdays.  This reminds a writer that perhaps no local coach or manager ever took the time to explain his sport to the public like Kelly, the former Twins manager. 

Star and Kelly are long time friends.  “I thought I knew a lot about baseball before I met Kelly,” Star said.  “I didn’t know anything.” 

For years while Kelly was managing the Twins his radio show was hosted by Dave Mona and Sid Hartman.  Mona said he thinks Kelly wants people to appreciate baseball at a “deeper level” so Kelly can often be very detailed in his responses to questions. 

Mona used to anticipate when a classic Kelly answer was about to be delivered after a WCCO caller had posed a question. “Sometimes I could audibly hear him sigh and Sid would start to say, ‘goodbye,’ and Tom would say, ‘no, let’s hear him out.’  And then there were two keys to what was going to follow.  The first was, ‘oh, my,’ which is only two words but spoke volumes if you knew Kellyese because you knew the recipient of the, ‘oh, my,’ was about to get a tutorial on how baseball is done (played). 

“And the other (key) would be, ‘well, let’s take a look at the situation.’ And then Tom would start with reverse roles and become the person asking the questions (of the caller) and I always thought when he did that it was some of the most insightful Tom Kelly shows in history because of the kinds of questions he asked.”

Mona then gave these examples of questions. “What was the count?  Who was on desk? What’s his experience been with that pitcher? Who is in the bullpen?  How have they done against him?  What sort  of bunter is he?…I thought during those times people got a pretty rare insight into the seemingly easy but really very complicated world of being a major league manager and I don’t think anyone ever did that better than Tom when he was going through one of those
Q & A’s.”