Leslie Frazier – Page 16 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Rosen Commitment: Connect with Viewers

Posted on October 7, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

By the late 1980s Rosen became the station’s No. 1 sports anchor. His success ties back to being himself on and off camera. He both celebrates and suffers with the fortunes of Minnesota teams and athletes, but won’t hesitate to “call out” a nice guy like Vikings coach Leslie Frazier if appropriate.

Rosen’s commitment to journalism is appreciated by viewers who are looking for more than scores and sound bites. Last year, for example, he was the first in town to report that catcher Joe Mauer was close to agreement on a new contract with the Twins.

Years ago former Viking turned sportscaster Ahmad Rashad told Rosen he was going to propose to Phylicia Ayers-Allen on NBC-TV. It was the night before Thanksgiving and Rosen informed his WCCO audience to watch NBC the next day for the proposal. “Now if I did that today, everybody would know about it around the country because it would be on Twitter and Facebook,” Rosen said.

He gushes recalling some of his career experiences including covering the “greatest sporting event ever” — the U.S. Olympic hockey win over the Soviet Union in 1980 at Lake Placid, New York. Nor is there any forgetting his interview with baseball legend Sandy Koufax who was his childhood hero.

“I interviewed him (and) I didn’t even know where I was,” Rosen said. “I was so gone.

“I had a great color picture taken with him. That’s one of my prize possessions because he really was my idol growing up and he was so pleasant.”

A lot of pleasant memories will be in Rosen’s new book and while it’s far from a “tell-all” adventure in journalism, Rosen admits there will be details about the difficult times in his life, too. How could there not be during a 40-year career?

But what are those details?

You will have to read the book.

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Winless Start Won’t Derail Vikings

Posted on October 3, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Don’t expect the 0-4 Vikings to emotionally collapse starting with next Sunday’s home game against Arizona. The winless start has surprised the players and coaches but while fans are bailing out the Vikings won’t.

First year head coach Leslie Frazier was the choice of the players after being interim boss last season and before that the defensive coordinator. He’s liked by his players and his calm demeanor generates support.

The locker room leadership will keep spirits in place, too. Jared Allen, Chad Greenway, Adrian Peterson and Ryan Longwell are veterans committed to helping the team turnaround.

Part of the Vikings’ fan base has quit on this team already and the boos will come fast and furious at Mall of America Field next Sunday if things don’t go to the fans liking. There have been lots of empty seats in the upper deck at the Metrodome for the first two home games and why wouldn’t there be even more for the Arizona game? Looking for a $20 upper level ticket next Sunday? See your first ticket hawker on the street Sunday.

The Vikings have lost four games by a total of 19 points. That’s indicative of a team which is far from incompetent, but not making enough big plays to win games.

What’s particularly troubling is that the Vikings haven’t been able to make Peterson a dominant weapon for most or all of each game. With limited talent among the receivers and at quarterback, the Vikings’ hope going into the season was to ride Peterson’s powerful legs for consistent yardage and big plays. In four games Peterson has rushed for over 100 yards only once.

Opposing defenses are placing a lot of defenders at the line of scrimmage. The Vikings’ offensive line, mediocre at best by NFL standards, too often can’t move the tacklers for Peterson. This is a line that never has recovered from the departure of center Matt Birk and is even seeing its best blocker, the 34-year-old Hutchinson, growing older.

It was the 0-3 Chiefs, not the 0-3 Vikings, who got a win yesterday. Down in K.C. some folks had been vocalizing this: “Suck for Luck.” The implication being to have such a bad season the Chiefs could draft Stanford quarterback phenom Andrew Luck with the first pick in next year’s NFL draft.

Somebody will adopt it here in the North Country.

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Purple Ouch: Game Stats and Score

Posted on September 12, 2011November 27, 2011 by David Shama

Seen through a Purple lens the post-game numbers were ugly.

In their season opening game in San Diego yesterday, the Vikings had 10 first downs and 28 yards passing. The Chargers had 31 first downs and 330 passing yards.

The worst numbers of all: Chargers 24 points, Vikings 17.

The Vikings’ offense was a second half no-show after Minnesota held a 17-7 halftime lead. Quarterback Donovan McNabb and his receivers never established a rhythm including late in the game when they trailed 24-17. When the Vikings had their last possession of the game with about five minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, McNabb and friends went three and out.

Coach Leslie Frazier and coordinator Bill Musgrave took a conservative approach most of the day, seemingly trying to win the game against the favored Chargers with minimal offensive mistakes and a stout defense. Except for Adrian Peterson, who rushed 16 times for 98 yards including a 46 yard first half run, there wasn’t much life to the offense.

Even the team’s second best playmaker, receiver Percy Harvin, could only produce two receptions for seven yards. Harvin, though, returned the game’s opening kickoff 103 yards, providing an initial spark for a team that could be points challenged this season with an iffy offensive line, so-so receivers and a 34-year-old quarterback who is trying to become the Comeback Kid after last season’s disappointing season in Washington, D.C.

The Vikings’ defense, despite missing three starters from last year’s line, deserved better yesterday. The defense gave up one short touchdown to the Chargers in the first quarter after McNabb “completed” a pass to San Diego linebacker Saun Phillips at the Minnesota six yard line. In the second half the defense was on the field too long and although Vikings’ end Jared Allen killed one San Diego drive with a nifty running interception, the Chargers and quarterback Phillip Rivers established a rhythm and produced points.

McNabb and the Vikings had very little of each yesterday.

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