Author: David Shama

Speculation that Vikings head coach Brad Childress and agent Bob LaMonte are trying for a contract extension makes sense to an NFL insider who spoke to Sports Headliners on condition of anonymity.  “If I were Brad, and Bob was my guy, I would have Bob on the horn regularly because they’ve got to work that out,” the source said on Saturday.  “They’ve (the Vikings) got a favorable schedule out of the bye but when they get to December that’s a tough situation.”

The Vikings were 6-0 last week when reports were published that Childress, who is in the fourth year of a five year contract, was looking for a new deal.  Whether that’s true isn’t confirmed by the Childress-LaMonte team, or the Vikings, but the source said the coach should “strike now while the iron is hot.”

Although the Vikings lost to Pittsburgh yesterday, the team’s impressive start to the 16 game season provides the 53-year-old Childress with leverage for a contract extension.  His annual coaching records have reflected progress: 6-10, 8-8, 10-6 and now 6-1.

In the fragile world of coaching security, results and employment can change fast.  The Vikings play at Green Bay next Sunday, and then have the next weekend off.  Following that are likely wins in November at home against Detroit (1-5) and Seattle (2-4).  After that starts a run of games against Chicago (3-3) in late November, with December dates versus Cincinnati (5-2), Carolina (2-4), Chicago again and the early January finale with the Giants (5-2).

If the Vikings falter in their late season games, the record won’t be so sparkling and the contract negotiating leverage is gone.  Childress is in a strong position now not only because of the team’s impressive start in the first seven games but also for his gamble to make Brett Favre a Viking.

Childress helped convince the 39-year-old legend to postpone retirement, also moving aside the hoped for plan to make Tarvaris Jackson the starting quarterback.  Jackson was drafted in 2006 and schooled for three prior seasons by Childress.  “Brad Childress pushed all his chips to the middle of the table on Favre, essentially giving up on Tarvaris Jackson,” the source said.

However, the Vikings ownership, including Zygi Wilf, has sound reason to wait until the season ends before negotiating with Childress on a contract extension.  The full 2009 results and four coaching seasons will be complete in January.  Waiting and then evaluating also avoids a potential distraction for the team during the season, the source said.

Childress is believed to earn less than $2 million annually, making him among the lower paid head coaches in the NFL.  Prior to coming here Childress had never been an NFL head coach.

Data on NFL coaches’ salaries is scarce, so figures can involve some guesswork. The source said Childress and his agent might be looking for a new five year deal that provides security and compensation reflecting the average of what the upper tier of NFL coaches is paid.  What’s negotiated, though, could be less than the average and for perhaps $4.5 million a year with incentives that let Childress make more based on performances.

The Gophers’ season record may end at 6-6 if they can win November home games against slumping Illinois and small school South Dakota State.  Coach Tim Brewster’s Gophers, 4-4, also have remaining games with Michigan State and Iowa.

The Illini, a Rose Bowl team a year ago last January, is in free fall having lost five consecutive games.  The only Illini win is against Illinois State, a Missouri Valley Conference team as is South Dakota State.  Illinois was 5-7 last season and considered a possible Big Ten conference contender going into this season, but the Illini (1-6) have imploded badly losing by double digit margins in every game including to so-so Indiana and Purdue.

The struggling Gophers can hardly be over confident about beating Illinois, or South Dakota State.  The Jackrabbits have a 6-1 record playing teams such as Cal Poly, North Dakota State and Northern Iowa.  Those aren’t scary teams but the Gophers got more than a fright put into them two years ago when North Dakota State (same conference as SDS) upset Minnesota in the Metrodome.

The Gophers’ two other remaining games, against Michigan State and Iowa, definitely look spookier.  This Saturday, on Halloween night at TCF Bank Stadium, the Gophers play MSU (4-4), a solid team.  MSU went down to the last play before losing 15-13 to undefeated Iowa (8-0) last Saturday. The Spartans have one of the Big Ten’s better defenses, although probably less formidable than what the Gophers have faced in recent weeks.

The Gophers had 138 yards in total offense against Penn State a week ago last Saturday in a 20-0 loss.  At Ohio State last Saturday the Gophers managed one late fourth quarter touchdown in a 38-7 loss.  Minnesota had 286 total yards but 78 of those yards came on the touchdown drive when the game was long decided.

The Gophers put together a heavy list of mistakes in Columbus on Saturday including five dropped passes in the first half alone.  A blown coverage in the secondary gave the Buckeyes an easy touchdown pass for a 7-0 lead at halftime.  A fumbled kickoff return to start the second half and later two Gopher interceptions and other mistakes made for a disappointing outcome against an Ohio State team that has a struggling offense, too.

With successive home games coming against Michigan State, Illinois and South Dakota State, the Gophers are likely to have better performances than the last two weeks.  Two or three wins are possible.  A November 21 finish at Iowa looks much more difficult.  The Hawkeyes are the favorite now to win the conference championship and they beat Minnesota 55-0 last season.

Former Vikings quarterback Brooks Bollinger is playing for Florida in the United Football League.

Expect Adam Weber to be the starting quarterback against Michigan State but MarQueis Gray will play frequently in the game.

Rumors about where Cretin-Derham Hall offensive tackle Seantrel Henderson will attend college continue to include Southern California, Notre Dame and Minnesota.

Last week’s issue of Sporting News magazine named a mid-season All-America team and not a single Big Ten Conference player made the offensive or defensive units.

Will Chad Hartman, now working Monday afternoons, be full time with WCCO Radio by next year?

Lights at Target Field are being tested until Friday of this week, according to https://minnesota.twins.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20091021&content_id=7515904&vkey=news_min&fext=.jsp&c_id=min.

Major League Baseball International has agreements with 50 television and radio partners to broadcast the World Series in 15 languages to 233 countries and territories around the world.  The World Series opens on Wednesday in New York with the Yankees hosting Philadelphia.

Lynx star Seimone Augustus, who tore the ACL in her left knee just six games into the season last June, is rehabbing in Minneapolis.  She hopes to return to the court in late January or early February.  Augustus recently cut her dreads off, saying she “wanted to start fresh.”

Former Edina resident Brian Burke, now general manager in Toronto, has seen the Maple Leafs have a winless start to the 2009-10 season after a last place Northeast Division finish in 2008-09.  An NHL source said: “Brian will get it done, but it takes time, effort and patience.”

Former Wild coach Jacques Lemaire, who has New Jersey winning and in third place in the Atlantic with 12 points, is admired by that same source. “Fans need to understand that Jacques Lemaire is all about hockey and will talk hockey with anyone who would ask a question and wants to learn.  Lemaire, away from the game, loves investing and tinkering in the stock market, fine wine, cigars and golf.  He spends his summers in Sarasota, Florida on his boat fishing and relaxing.  He also has a fine sense of humor.”