Author: David Shama

The NFL’s new format of spreading the draft over two nights and one day probably isn’t that popular with league teams.  “I don’t like all the dead time in between when you start picking players,” Studwell said.  “I think it’s a waste of time.”

Vikings coach Brad Childress said decision makers may “over think” with so much time.

Childress was asked if Florida’s Tebow could play for an NFL team as an H-back: “Yeah, he’s athletic enough to be able to do that, and he’s a big enough body to be able to do that. …”

Childress talking about Tebow being a winner at Florida (two national championships): “It’s one of the most important things.  Damn how rough the sea, did you bring the ship in?  There’s a lot of different ways to win. … He’s willed a lot of teams to wins, whether it was through him handing it to somebody or throwing it to somebody, running it. There’s a lot of different ways that guy has beaten people.”

In his first round mock draft, Sports Illustrated writer Peter King has the Vikings taking Tebow (as a quarterback). https://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/writers/peter_king/04/21/mock.draft/1.html

Cornerback was probably the Vikings most immediate need in the draft until the club signed free agent veteran Lito Sheppard yesterday but the team could use help in other defensive positions, too, including safety and linebacker, and still might choose a college cornerback.  Vikings vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman is upbeat about the defensive prospects available in various positions. “…I think it’s a strong defensive draft,” he said.

Spielman likes the defensive tackle prospects and said there’s depth among safeties and cornerbacks.  With over 50 college juniors declaring early for the draft, many of them defensive players, that’s “added depth to the defensive side of the draft this year,” according to Spielman.

Spielman has to be a busy guy not only at the office, but at home.  He and wife Michele have six adopted children.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen has received attention regarding an incident at an Arizona bar where he reportedly threatened to break a man’s neck.  https://www.tmz.com/2010/04/19/jared-allen-video-bar-fight-nfl-minnesota-vikings-scottsdale-arizona/

Childress said he talked to Allen about the incident earlier this week. “I actually spoke to Jared about that last night (Monday),” Childress said.  “That (video) is from back in March, if I’m not mistaken. I don’t think he’s happy with his language but I don’t think he was happy with what was said to his fiancée either.”

Former University of Minnesota offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch, now coaching with the NFL’s Seahawks, has an edge in providing draft information on Gophers eligible for the draft including wide receiver Eric Decker and cornerback Marcus Sherels.

A “sleeper” pick in the NFL draft tomorrow night or Saturday could be Northwestern quarterback Mike Kafka.

The Big Ten Network will have coverage this weekend of Big Ten Conference spring games including the Gophers.

The Gophers game at TCF Bank Stadium offers free admission to fans and starts at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday. The game will consist of four 12-minute (running time) quarters, plus a 15-minute halftime. The coaching staff and players will be available on the field following the game for a 30-minute fan autograph session.

Parking for $10 will be available from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. in lots 33 and 37, and at the Maroon, Gold, Minnesota and Ski-U-Mah lots, and also the Fourth Street, University Avenue, Washington Avenue and Oak Street ramps.  Stadium gates A, C and E will open at noon.

It won’t be surprising if the legislature reverses itself and allows the Gophers to sell alcohol in premium seating areas at TCF Bank Stadium, Williams Arena and Mariucci Arena for the coming school year.

Two former Twins pitchers have eye-catching stats so far.  Livan Hernandez, pitching for Washington, is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA.  Matt Garza, helping Tampa Bay to an 11-4 record, is 3-0 with a 0.75 ERA.  Hernandez and Garza rank first and second in ERA among major league pitchers.

Michael Cuddyer, who drove in three runs for the Twins last night in a 6-0 win over Cleveland, is tied with several other players for third among American League RBI leaders at 13.  He’s hitting .389 in his last nine games.

A mixed martial arts event promoted as the largest card in Minneapolis since 1987 starts at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Target Center.  Travis Wiuff of Rochester fights Jeff Monson from Olympia, Washington in the main event.  Highly ranked Yoko Takahahi from Japan will fight Shana Olsen, a native of Hibbing and graduate of Bemidji State who is a registered nurse at a St. Paul hospital.

Wild wing Pierre-Marc Bouchard missed 81 of 82 games last season because of concussion symptoms.  Bouchard is still not recovered and hasn’t resumed a regular workout schedule.  After Bouchard receives medical clearance, he will use this summer to get back in shape, not vacationing.  He told Wild.com: “I rested enough this year. When I’m symptom free and able to get my heart rate pretty high, I’m going to start playing. As soon as I can, I’m going to start being on the ice.”  https://wild.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=526167&navid=DL|MIN|home

St. Thomas assistant men’s hockey coach Jeff “Duke” Boeser has been named interim head coach for next season.  Boeser has been on the Tommie coaching staff for 30 seasons, including the last 23 as coach Terry Skrypek’s top assistant. Skrypek announced his retirement in late March after winning 419 games and continuing the program’s streak of 28 consecutive winning seasons.

It’s anyone’s guess who the Vikings will choose in this week’s NFL draft but it’s almost a certainty that club decision makers won’t hesitate to take an aggressive approach.  Vice president of player personnel Rick Spielman and his colleagues are risk takers and those decisions have helped build one of pro football’s best teams.

In 2007, Spielman’s first draft, the Vikings chose running back Adrian Peterson despite concerns about past injuries.  The Vikings didn’t let character questions stop them from trading draft choices to bring veteran defensive end Jared Allen here from Kansas City in 2008 and a year later character was a reason wide receiver Percy Harvin was still available in the first round.

Peterson and Harvin became offensive rookies of the year.   Peterson and Allen are among the best players at their positions in the NFL.

Spielman has particularly been willing, too, to trade draft choices after the first round.  His maneuvering in the 2007 draft resulted in a second round choice of wide receiver Sidney Rice who became a Pro Bowl selection last season.

There’s consensus that in this year’s draft the Vikings need help at cornerback and in the offensive line.  When the Vikings choose at No. 30 in the first round on Thursday night, though, it’s most likely the club will make a value pick, the best player regardless of the position he plays.

That could even result in a quarterback.  After Sam Bradford, there’s controversy about who else is worthy of being a high draft choice.  Jimmy Clausen’s attitude comes up quickly in discussions but his arm, vision and accuracy rank him No. 2 behind Bradford.  Clausen might be among the first 10 picks but could be around late in the first round.

The Vikings might say, “Okay,” to Clausen, or Tim Tebow or Colt McCoy.  Tebow and McCoy played in spread offenses in college.  That’s been raised as a concern about their pro futures.  So, too, has Tebow’s throwing motion and McCoy’s durability.  But some draft followers see a lot to like about the two.

If the Vikings are in that camp they won’t hesitate to choose either one.  Spielman and his colleagues have shown they see opportunity where others see risk.

At his news conference yesterday Spielman acknowledged all the NFL mock drafts but wasn’t letting on as to who the Vikings like in the first round.  “I’ve seen maybe nine different players at the No. 30 spot,” he said.