Author: David Shama

Vikings offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell suggested yesterday that All-Pro running back Adrian Peterson can be more effective by not trying to go the distance on some plays.  Specifically, Bevell said it can be better to “punch” into the hole rather than cut back while trying to make a big run.

“I think he tries to break every run,” Bevell said.  “…I am not saying because he’s trying to break every run that he’s not doing his job.  But I do believe there are some he needs to cram in there (the hole) and get the positive gain, and not try to slip it outside.  Because sometimes when you slip it outside, you’re running east and west, and that’s when you get hit for a minus yardage play.”

Bevell answered questions at yesterday’s Vikings news conference including about the team’s running game that produced 62 net yards last Sunday in a 30-17 loss to Arizona.  Peterson ran for only 19 yards, the second lowest of his career and fewest yards since he had three against San Francisco during the 2007 season.

Bevell wasn’t critical of Peterson yesterday and said expectations for Peterson to gain 200 yards a game aren’t realistic.  Peterson, with 1,103 yards this season, has gained 100 yards or more only once in his last six games.

Peterson, with four games remaining in the regular season, has been under 100 yards nine times this season.  All of last season he had only six games where he gained fewer than 100 yards.

Defenses have prioritized to stop Peterson and that has created opportunities for the Vikings to pass effectively. The challenge in running the ball on Sunday at home against Cincinnati will be formidable.  The Bengals rank second in the NFL in rushing defense, giving up 81.8 yards per game.  They are 12^th against the pass yielding 211.5 yards per game.

Peterson and his Vikings teammates weren’t pleased with their work at Arizona.  Coach Brad Childress said earlier in the week his team didn’t play with “urgency,” and yesterday Peterson blamed “lack of attitude.”

“Personally, I feel in that game everyone wasn’t there,” he said.  “Lack of attitude.  It can trickle down to an entire team.  I feel like that was all it was.  That can make the run look bad.  It can make the pass game look bad.  Special teams.  It was all around.  We can correct those things.  Make sure we come in with the right mindset.  We’ll be all right.”

New head coach Todd Richards has made a solid impression in his first few months on the job for the Wild but what isn’t well known is Richards might have become the Pittsburgh coach last season, according to an NHL source.  Pittsburgh fired coach Michel Therrien in February and wanted to pursue Richards who was an assistant at San Jose but the Sharks wouldn’t give the Penguins permission to interview him, according to the source who requested anonymity.

Instead the Penguins hired Dan Bylsma who had been coaching Pittsburgh’s American Hockey League affiliate team.  The rookie coach directed the Penguins to a Stanley Cup championship, beating Detroit in seven games.

Neither Bylsma or Richards had ever been an NHL head coach until this year.  Bylsma had replaced Richards as head coach of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the 2008-09 season.  He had been an assistant there to Richards for two seasons.  The two had working relationships with Chuck Fletcher who until becoming general manager of the Wild last spring had been assistant GM in Pittsburgh.

After the NHL season ended last spring, the Wild and all the teams with coaching vacancies were interested in Richards, according to another NHL source.  A lot of research on candidates by Wild owner Craig Leipold and Fletcher convinced them to hire Richards.

Richards, 42, hopes to have his team in the Stanley Cup playoffs next spring and the team’s recent play (won six of the last seven games) indicates that might happen.  Prior to the season the Wild weren’t considered among the league’s most likely playoff teams.

The Wild has shown determination under Richards.  Earlier this week the Wild led the NHL with five wins when behind after the second period.  The Wild has trailed opponents in nine of its 14 wins.

Richards has developed a solid relationship with his players who respect him, according to sources.  Even for an NHL coach, Richards is a hard worker and his personal values have impressed inside and outside the Wild organization.

Like any team, the Wild hope their best players, led by forward Mikko Koivu and goalie Niklas Backstrom, stay healthy. “They will make a good run for the playoffs,” a source said.

Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was one of the newsmakers featured Wednesday night on ABC TV’s “Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2009.”  He was the only sports figure included and unlike everyone else wasn’t shown in an interview during his segment.  Walters read a script about Favre’s career while viewers saw him playing football and speaking at his Green Bay retirement news conference.

I don’t know who to credit but a GopherIllustrated.com reader researched the first three rounds of the NFL draft during the last 15 years.  According to his research, the Gophers had three players drafted in that span, the fewest of any Big Ten school.  Among major college programs only Duke with two had fewer players, according to the research.

At the request of Sports Headliners, Mr. Basketball chair Ken Lien provided his early season rankings of the best teams in 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A.  His top five in big school 4A are: Hopkins, Henry Sibley, Stillwater Area, Minnetonka and Tartan.  Benilde-St. Margaret’s is No. 1 in 3A followed by Columbia Heights, Patrick Henry, Johnson and Winona.

The top five in 2A are Plainview-Elgin-Millville, New London Spicer, Crosby-Ironton, Sibley East and Pequot Lakes.  Minnesota Transitions is No. 1 in 1A followed by MACCRAY, Ellsworth, Sebeka and Maranatha Christian.

St. Joseph’s, a team that plays the Gophers tomorrow at Williams Arena, played No. 3 ranked Villanova close on Wednesday night, losing 97-79.

Point guard glut?  The Timberwolves own the rights to two young point guards in Jonny Flynn and Ricky Rubio.  The best player in next year’s NBA draft could well be Kentucky point guard John Wall.  If the Wolves pick No. 1, they could be forced to  expand their point guard depth, although trading the rights to Rubio might be a likely option.

St. Thomas’ famed O’Shaughnessy Hall will close in early January, 70 years after it opened. The final sports event will be held there tonight starting at 6 p.m. when Gustavus and St. Thomas compete in a men’s and women’s swimming dual meet. O’Shaughnessy Hall is the oldest swimming venue being used by a Minnesota college or university, and one of the state’s oldest on-campus college buildings that hosts varsity sports events.  O’Shaughnessy Hall, built for $400,000, will be demolished this spring and the $66 million Anderson Student Center will be constructed to replace it.

Coach Steve Fritz and the St. Thomas men’s basketball team are ranked No. 3 by D3Hoops.com for the third consecutive week.

Former Hopkins basketball player Trent Lockett has been playing about 25 minutes per game as a freshman for Arizona State.  Watch his dunk: https://www.youtube.com/user/ASUAthletics#p/a/u/0/vKuMb6o2n0o

The Wild’s Andrew Brunette was tied earlier this week for third in the NHL with seven power play goals.  His career high is 11 in 2005-06.  He has 10 goals this season, giving him 12 straight years with 10 or more goals in the NHL.

Wild prospects Matt Hackett (goalie) and Marco Scandella (defense) were recently named to the roster for Canada’s World Junior Team Selection camp.

Six Minnesotans were named to the preliminary roster for the U.S. World Junior team: Justin Faulk (South Saint Paul, United States National Team Development Program); Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka, University of Wisconsin); Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, University of North Dakota); Mike Lee (Roseau, St. Cloud State University); Jordan Schroeder (Prior Lake, University of Minnesota); and Derek Stepan (Hastings, University of Wisconsin).

Twins front office workers will move from the Metrodome to Target Field at month’s end.