Author: David Shama

Jerry Burns, who coached teams that generated Super Bowl predictions, will be “tickled” if the 2008 Vikings make the playoffs.  That was his response when told famed pro football writer Paul Zimmerman is picking the Vikings, who were 8-8 last season and missed the playoffs, to win the next Super Bowl.

Burns, the Vikings’ head coach from 1986-1991, said he respects Zimmerman, known to generations of Sports Illustrated readers as Dr. Z.  “It’s hard for me to go out on a limb to that extent (winning the Super Bowl),” Burns told Sports Headliners.  “I think they’ve unquestionably improved their defense. …And offensively they’re very good with (Adrian) Peterson.  I look for them to go some place around 8, 9, 7 (wins), and I would say I would be tickled right now if they were 10 and 6. Because if they were 10 and 6, I think they’d be a playoff team.

“So much of it depends on the continued development of Tarvaris Jackson, the quarterback. …If Jackson continues to develop, if the defense plays well and they’re injury free I think they could have a very successful season.

“I like Brad Childress very much as a football coach.  Very much as a person.  I wish him nothing but the best, but I don’t want to go out on a limb to the extent that they’re going to win the Super Bowl, or be in the Super Bowl.”

Dr. Z wrote a column on SI.com last month headlined:  “Dare I Pick Minnesota to Win It all?”  While Dallas is a popular choice, Dr. Z is intrigued by the Vikings’ efficiency at running the ball and stopping the run.  Best in the league at both last year, he writes.

Dr. Z liked the Vikings’ defense last year but he wouldn’t be suggesting the Vikings will win their first Super Bowl in history if not for signing free agents Jared Allen (defensive end), Madieu Williams (safety) and Charlie Gordon (cornerback).  He describes Peterson as the NFL’s “flashiest” runner last season and the left side of the offensive line as “arguably the best” in the league at run-blocking.

His column provides attention to Jackson, the third year quarterback.  Count Dr. Z as a Vikings believer who thinks Jackson, his coach and team can travel the playoff road all the way to the end.

Burns coached his 1987 team (8-7 during the regular season) to within one win of the Super Bowl.  His 1988 group finished 11-5, and then went 1-1 in the playoffs.  The 1989 team, with Herschel Walker inspiring Super Bowl hype, was 10-6 and lost its one playoff game.

Burns, 81, said Super Bowl talk didn’t impact his team.  “It didn’t affect us negatively or positively in any way that I can put a finger on,” he said.

Burns was an assistant under head coach Bud Grant on all four Vikings teams that went to the Super Bowl between 1970 and 1977.    He said it’s “very, very difficult” to make the Super Bowl and win it.  That’s why Dr. Z implies in his column it’s a guess as to who will be Super Bowl champs each year.  New Orleans, which finished 7-9 and didn’t make the playoffs, was his pick last year.

Best to take all of this with a wink.

Three college football magazines now on the newsstands predict the Gophers will again be Big Ten Conference bottom feeders.  The Gophers, who finished in last place in 2007 with a 0-8 record, will stay in the same spot in 2008, according to both Sporting News College Football ’08 and Athlon Sports Big Ten Preview.  Lindy’s Big Ten 2008 Preview predicts the Gophers will finish 10^th in the standings, ahead of last place Northwestern.

The publications believe the Gophers, 1-11 overall last season, will be improved in 2008 and beyond.  Sporting News, for example, suggests the team “will win at least two games it isn’t supposed to.”   All three magazines rated Minnesota’s 2008 recruiting class the third best in the Big Ten, an indication better years are ahead for the Gophers.

Lindy’s included Gopher quarterback MarQueis Gray, from Indianapolis, among its “top 20 incoming Big 10 recruits.”  In regard to national recruiting, the publication ranked the top 10 schools at each position.  The Gophers received a No. 7 ranking in the athlete category and a No. 10 in the defensive back listings.

There isn’t much hype about individual Gophers for the coming season.  Senior punter Justin Kucek, who averaged 42.7 yards per punt last season, is on Athlon’s all-Big Ten second team.  Kucek is also on the prospective winners’ list for the Ray Guy award as the nation’s best punter.  Athlon included Gopher receiver Eric Decker on its all-Big Ten third team.

James Laurinaitis, the former Wayzata star who will be a senior at Ohio State, is Lindy’s pick for Big Ten MVP.  The award winning linebacker could go first in next year’s NFL draft, according to the magazine.

The Buckeyes rate at the top among favorites to play in the national championship game.  Ohio State, a school that has been to two consecutive national title games, is the dominant team in the Big Ten, according to the publications.  Lindy’s ranks Ohio State No. 3 in its pre-season national ratings while Sporting News and Athlon have the Buckeyes at No. 2.  Illinois (No. 10 Sporting News) and Wisconsin (No. 11 Lindy’s) are best of the rest in the conference.

Vikings’ single-game tickets and a two-game mini-pack for home games go on sale today (Wednesday) at 9 a.m. in person at the Metrodome Gate B ticket booth. All ticket sales at the Metrodome are cash or credit card only.  At 10 a.m. tickets will also be available in person at all Midwest Ticketmaster locations, and also by phone through Ticketmaster at (651) 989-5151, or via the internet at www.ticketmaster.com. Single-game ticket prices range from $30 to $135.  If available, tickets for the Vikings’ game versus the Green Bay Packers on November 9 will only be sold in a mini-pack that includes the pre-season Seattle game on August 8.  Ticket prices range from $96 to $176 per package.

The Gophers’ TCF Bank Stadium, scheduled to open next year, is impressive already with its arched entrances (like the old Memorial Stadium) and names of Minnesota’s counties on the exterior.

Sporting News College Football ’08 ranks St. John’s No. 3 and Bethel No. 8 in its top 25 listings of Division III football schools.

In this year’s July 15 all-star game the Twins will be represented by three players, catcher Joe Mauer, first baseman Justin Morneau and reliever Joe Nathan.  It’s the 19^th time in Twins’ history the franchise has had three players selected for the game.

Twins pitcher Livan Hernandez, 9-5 overall, is 7-1 at the Metrodome. He starts today against the Red Sox in Boston.

Former Twins shortstop Cristian Guzman, now with Washington, leads the National League in hits with 119.

In his last two starts for the Twins’ AAA Rochester farm team, Francisco Liriano has won twice, pitching 13 innings, striking out 16, walking two batters, giving up seven hits and no runs.

Anticipated date: Timberwolves’ rookie Kevin Love makes his debut next Monday in an NBA Summer League game against Dallas in Las Vegas.   Former Gophers Dan Coleman and Vincent Grier are on the Wolves’ team that will play five games over 10 days.

The Wild opened their seven-day development camp yesterday at Xcel Energy Center.  The camp focuses on the development of the organization’s top young prospects.

This week’s announcement that the NHL will hold another regular season game outdoors (Wrigley Field between Chicago and Detroit) is another indication that in the near future the Wild will play an outdoor game in Minneapolis, possibly in the new Twins’ stadium.