Leslie Frazier – Page 13 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Vikings Loadholt Talking Super Bowl

Posted on May 7, 2012May 7, 2012 by David Shama

Reporting from Winter Park:

Last season’s 3-13 record hasn’t lessened Phil Loadholt’s optimism about 2012. “Our goal is to win the world championship,” the offensive tackle told Sports Headliners.

Such a statement may surprise outsiders but the off-season is a time of renewed optimism, particularly for players who have been taught since Pop Warner football to set goals and anticipate success. Loadholt said having the Vikings participate in the next Super Bowl is “definitely possible.” His opinion is the team has the “right” talent and coaching staff to make that happen.

With no NFL labor strike preventing players and coaches from working together as training camp approaches, the Vikings won’t be at the disadvantage they were a year ago when they were learning a new offensive system under then new coordinator Bill Musgrave, according to Loadholt. That’s another reason for his optimism.

The return of running back Adrian Peterson from an ACL injury will make a difference, too. Like a lot of observers, Loadholt looks at Peterson’s physical gifts with wonder. “I expect him to come back faster than anyone else (from the injury),” Loadholt said.

Loadholt was one of many veteran players watching last weekend’s Vikings Rookie Mini-camp at Winter Park in Eden Prairie. There were ten 2012 draft choices, 15 rookie free agents, seven pre-draft signees and 39 pro-college tryout players listed on a roster provided to media. There were 71 total players listed including a few being counted on in 2012 like first round draft choices Matt Kalil (offensive tackle) and Harrison Smith (safety), but the roster consisted mostly of long shots to make the team.

Brandon Fusco, a sixth round draft choice last season who did earn a 2011 roster spot, was one of the veterans who watched the drills at mini-camp. He could be lining up at right guard next to Loadholt this season. He told Sports Headliners as last season progressed, “the game slowed down” because his knowledge improved. Now he’s more experienced and in his best physical shape ever. “I feel a lot more confident I am the guy for the (starting) job,” he said.

Another second-year player, quarterback Christian Ponder, was at the mini-camp. Coach Leslie Frazier said he liked having Ponder volunteer to watch Musgrave’s offense being installed. “That’s a big deal because we’re counting on him from a leadership standpoint and you like the fact that you’re starting quarterback is a football junkie,” Frazier said. “He would take the time to just watch and observe. That’s encouraging.”

Kalil left USC after his junior season but said the decision to turn pro wasn’t a difficult one even though the Trojans could be the No. 1 team in college football next fall. “I think I accomplished everything I wanted to at USC,” he said.

Vikings starting center John Sullivan said playing in a pro style offense and in “pressure games” at USC will help Kalil make the adjustment faster to the NFL. Kalil agreed that the offense was similar to the Trojans but he’s learning different terminology with the Vikings.

Although the Vikings drafted Georgia kicker Blair Walsh in the sixth round, Frazier said it’s not likely the team will keep two kickers. That means either Walsh or 15- year veteran Ryan Longwell will be responsible for field goals and kickoffs. Walsh was a first team USA Today prep All-American.

Wide receiver draft choices Greg Childs and Jarius Wright have been friends since elementary school. After playing football together at Arkansas, they have a chance to be teammates on the same NFL team.

“I know,” Frazier said. “…I was talking to them and it’s just amazing to go from elementary school, middle school, high school, college and then teammates in the pros. What are the odds of that happening?

“They’re great friends as you would expect and tremendous players. They are reminding me, ‘Coach, we’ve always been winners. Everywhere we went.’ I said, ‘Hallelujah, we’ll take that. Bring some of that with you.’ We’re glad to have them and looking forward to seeing how they progress.”

Among the players on the mini-camp roster were several former Gophers including tight ends Tiree Eure and Nick Tow-Arnett, and wide receiver Da’Jon McKnight. Two other ex-Gophers listed were defensive linemen Anthony Jacobs and Brandon Kirksey.

Another name of local interest was Minneapolis native Marcus Fitzgerald, brother of Cardinals All-Pro wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Marcus is 26 and although out of football for awhile is trying to make a pro roster as a wide receiver. His dad, Larry Sr., said Marcus has been working as a social media consultant.

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Worth Noting

Posted on March 1, 2012March 1, 2012 by David Shama

Kill expects almost his entire roster to be available for spring practice including Marcus Jones, a promising freshman wide receiver last year who missed part of the 2011 season because of a torn ACL. The coach did report on WCCO Radio last Sunday morning that junior linebacker Brendan Beal (ACL) won’t be available.

News of a tentative deal on a Vikings stadium announced this morning is consistent with what sources have been telling Sports Headliners that political approval will get done. Most likely this year.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and general manager Rick Spielman plan to attend Saturday’s 42^nd annual NFL 101 Awards gala in Kansas City where those being honored will include Minnesota defensive end Jared Allen, selected as the NFC Defensive Player of the Year in nationwide voting by the media. Allen had a league leading 22 sacks last season, only a half sack short of the NFL record. He is 20^th all-time in NFL sacks.

The Gophers basketball team has lost six straight Big Ten games, matching the season ending losing streak of last year. Minnesota, 5-12 in the Big Ten, closes the regular season at home on Saturday afternoon against Nebraska (4-13).

Tubby Smith is finishing up his fifth season as Gophers coach. His conference record, including Big Ten tournament games, is 43-56. The coach he replaced, Dan Monson, was 31-56 after five seasons but had to deal with NCAA and school sanctions left over from the Clem Haskins era.

While Smith is experiencing his second consecutive disappointing season, Monson’s Long Beach State team has won a second straight Big West regular season championship.

“I always thought he (Monson) could coach,” said Spencer Tollackson who played three seasons for Monson atMinnesota. “He had proven that he could coach at Gonzaga. I think he had some problems here that weren’t self-inflicted. …They’re able to recruit guys and get guys into school (at Long BeachState) that some other schools maybe wouldn’t. … He’s able to be successful out there. I am not surprised at all.”

Monson was only 37 when named Gophers coach and Tollackson thinks his former boss is probably a better coach now than he’s ever been. “I don’t know if coach was really ready for this job when he took it,” he said. “I think he was a little young. He was just starting a family with a bunch of young kids.”

Pam Borton’s Gophers team, the No. 8 seed, plays Wisconsin, the No. 9 seed, in an opening game of the Big Ten Women’s Tournament starting at 5 p.m. tonight in Indianapolis. Rachel Banham is the league’s Freshman of the Year as voted by coaches and media. Borton’s conference record in 10 seasons is 89-77.

The February issue of Minnesota Basketball News includes a listing of great state basketball tournament teams and players as selected by a committee of the Minnesota State High School League. The all-time top five boys’ teams: Minneapolis North, 1995; Hopkins, 2009; Edina, 1966-68; Edgerton, 1960; and Minneapolis Edison, 1937. The best boys players: Khalid El-Amin, North; Randy Breuer, Lake City; Isaiah Dahlman, Braham; Jim McIntyre, Minneapolis Patrick Henry; and Mark Olberding, Melrose.

The top girls’ teams: St. Paul Central, 2007; Rochester Mayo, 1997; Minneapolis North, 1998; Lakeville North, 2010; and Rochester Lourdes, 1991. The best girls players: Tayler Hill, Minneapolis South; Janet Karvonen, New York Mills; Kelly Miller, Rochester Mayo; Coco Miller, Mayo; and Angel Robinson, St. Paul Central.

The St. Thomas women’s basketball team (26-1) hosts an opening Division III NCAA Tournament game on Friday starting at 8 p.m. against Martin Luther (20-7). The Tommies have won 26 games in a row including 24 over MIAC opponents, finishing as both regular season and conference tournament champions.

Oswaldo Arcia, a 20-year-old outfielder on the Twins 40-man spring training roster, is unlikely to make the big league club this year but has shown power in the lower minors including last season hitting 13 home runs in 292 at-bats. The Venezuelan outfielder is 6-feet, 210 pounds.

The Twins search for pitching is exemplified by the 21 pitching candidates on the 40-man roster listed on the team website.

The Twins, who might have the least power among major league teams, are looking for home runs from offseason acquisition Ryan Doumit. A catcher-outfielder, he’s likely to see a lot of at-bats as a designated hitter. But Doumit has never hit more than 15 home runs in one season. His next best totals are 13 and 10.

A 20-bout mixed martial arts card matching Minnesota fighters against rivals from Japan is scheduled for Saturday, April 28 at Target Center. An anticipated match involves Minnetonka welterweight Jeremy Hamilton (8-1-0) against Yoshiyuki Yoshida (13-6). Hamilton is a rising star while Yoshida, a former world judo champion, earned the first Cage Force welterweight title in 2007. A crowd of 8,000 to 10,000 is expected with tickets still available in all price categories including $200 ringside.

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Look for Wilf to Assess Vikings

Posted on January 2, 2012January 2, 2012 by David Shama

Bob Lurtsema expects Vikings owner Zygi Wilf to demand accountability in the organization following the team’s 3-13 season, among the worst records in franchise history.

“If I was him I would put people on the spot as far as job security,” Lurtsema told Sports Headliners. “From people in draft headquarters to assistant coaches. There’s (got to be) a wakeup call.”

Lurtsema doesn’t expect any change in the head coaching position where Leslie Frazier finished his first full season yesterday during the team’s 17-13 loss to the Bears. Lurtsema, who played 12 NFL seasons for the Vikings, Giants and Seahawks, said the players play hard for Frazier and that’s a “big, big plus.” He also acknowledged the importance of coaching, attributing any team’s success to “65 percent” of what the staff accomplishes.

Before Wilf became a Vikings owner he was a loyal Giants fan and friend of Lurtsema. “I love Zygi Wilf,” Lurtsema said. “I knew him in New York and have done a lot of different things with him.”

Wilf wants the Vikings to be winners and has shown a commitment to spending money for personnel. “After a loss you never see anybody more down than Zygi,” Lurtsema said.

While Wilf can assess the leaders in the organization, it’s up to those authorities to scrutinize themselves and people who work for them, according to Lurtsema who is a passionate follower of the team. Players have to do their own assessments, too. “Everyone has to be accountable,” Lurtsema said. “Being nice will get you nowhere.”

The Vikings need to draft better in the future, according to Lurtsema who credited the organization with “the steal of the draft” in 2011 with the second round selection of tight end Kyle Rudolph. Lurtsema believes the first draft priority in 2012 is a big play wide receiver who can open up the field for the offense. He also said fans have to realize the reality of NFL drafting is “one-third” of the picks will be busts.

Worth Noting

If the Vikings decided to restructure their front office by creating a powerful general manager position, Brian Billick would be an interesting candidate. The former Vikings offensive coordinator and Super Bowl winning head coach with the Ravens is a TV commentator now, but last week expressed interest in the Dolphins coaching job.

Joe Webb considers himself a quarterback, not a wide receiver. His minutes at quarterback have been limited in playing behind Christian Ponder. Why hasn’t he played more?

“They (the coaches) don’t give me a reason,” Webb said last week. “I try not to get into all that. I just try to control what I can control.”

Webb has sometimes been impressive in spot duty but Lurtsema noted those are different circumstances than when opposing defenses game plan for a quarterback’s tendencies week after week. “He’s got a great attitude, studies hard and is athletic,” Lurtsema said.

Webb is conscious of being an upbeat leader. “They (teammates) see you down, they’re going to be down,” he said.

Vikings running back Toby Gerhart was drafted in 2010 but couldn’t participate in the team’s organized team activities because he was finishing school work at Stanford. In 2011 there were no OTA’s due to the NFL labor dispute so he’s looking forward to more thorough offseason preparations in 2012. Adrian Peterson’s left knee injuries have clouded the Vikings’ starting running back situation and yesterday Gerhart also hurt a knee.

“Adrian is a great friend of mine and he’s become like a brother,” Gerhart said recently. “You don’t want to see anybody get hurt, no matter what the circumstance. We pray for a speedy recovery for the interim. …”

Reserve wide receiver Greg Camarillo is a free agent after this season and may not return to the Vikings. Camarillo, who has played six seasons with the Vikings, Dolphins and Chargers, admires Vikings tight end Jim Kleinsasser whose last game yesterday ended a 13 year career.

“I was just telling Jimmy Kleinsasser he’s my hero,”Camarillo said last week. “Because if you can play 13 years and retire on your own free will, instead of injury or something like that, that is truly respectable. To have a career like that guy would be ideal.”

Defensive tackle Kevin Williams has two years remaining on his contract and is 31 years old. He’s undecided how much longer he wants to play, perhaps four or five more seasons. “I know if I can’t play at a high level, I don’t want to do it,” he said.

Glenn Caruso has been named 2011 Division III National Coach of the Year by American Football Monthly. The 37-year-oldSt. Thomas coach led his team to a school-record 13 wins and the program’s first trip to the Division III semifinals. He is also one of five finalists for the Liberty Mutual D-III National Coach of the Year award.

Concordia, St. Paul senior left offensive tackle Tyler Hendrickson placed fifth out of nine national finalists for the 2011 Gene Upshaw Division II Lineman of the Year award presented by the Manheim Touchdown Club. The award is given annually to the top NCAA Division II junior or senior lineman (offense or defense) in the nation.

It will be a surprise if major league baseball doesn’t award the 2014 All-Star game to Target Field.

The Timberwolves, who only sold out one game last season, sold out their first two home games this season. The TV rating of 5.6 for the home opener against Oklahoma City was the best in years.

Burt McGlynn, who was a Timberwolves owner and once owned the Minnesota Buckskins of World Team Tennis, died last month. He also owned McGlynn Bakeries.

Former Gophers coach Jim Dutcher said his ex-assistant Jimmy Williams was hired as an assistant at Memphis last month to fill the vacancy left by Luke Walton. Walton was working for the Tigers until the NBA labor dispute was settled and then returned to the Lakers.

Dutcher’s son Brian is the head coach in-waiting at San Diego State. When Steve Fisher retires the school has agreed to promote Brian from assistant to head coach. Jim said the Aztecs, ranked No. 25 in last week’s A.P. poll, are the only nationally rated team on the West Coast and have defeated three Pac-12 schools this season.

The Aztecs play in the Mountain West Conference and among the league’s best teams is UNLV. Jim said UNLV is the “most underrated” team in the country.

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