Vikings – Page 141 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Griffen Praying for Rodgers’ Recovery

Posted on October 15, 2017October 15, 2017 by David Shama

A Sunday night notes column kicking off with the Vikings, following Minnesota’s 23-10 win over Green Bay.

Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr knocked Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers out of today’s game with a hard hit in the first quarter. After getting up off the turf, Rodgers appeared to have words for Barr while heading toward the sidelines—perhaps describing what he thought was a late hit.

After the game Barr wasn’t available to reporters because he suffered a concussion during the game but two of his defensive teammates didn’t find fault with the play that broke Rodgers’ collarbone. “We play as hard as we can to the whistle,” linebacker Eric Kendricks said. “I didn’t see a flag (penalty) on the play so it was clean.”

Defensive end Everson Griffen said he didn’t hear what Rodgers said, or to whom. “I didn’t hear nothing,” Griffen told Sports Headliners. “I am here to play ball. I want to compete against Rodgers all day. I wish him a speedy recovery—the best quarterback in the league, in my opinion. I pray for him. I hope he heals up well.”

Sam Bradford (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

While Rodgers could be out for a long time, the Vikings might be getting former starter Teddy Bridgewater back later this season. Bridgewater may receive medical clearance to begin practice with the team this week, and in three weeks the Vikings could take him off the physically-unable-to-perform list and activate him. Although Bridgewater presumably will be rusty after not playing in a regular season game since 2015, he could be an asset to the quarterback roster that is using backup Case Keenum while starter Sam Bradford is sidelined with his ongoing left knee issue.

Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur was chosen as honorary captain for Michigan State last night. The Spartans defeated the Gophers, 30-27, at TCF Bank Stadium. Shurmur was a captain and All-Big Ten center for the Spartans in the 1980s.

When Gophers athletic director Mark Coyle had the same job at Syracuse he hired Dino Babers as the school’s football coach, and Friday night the Orange stunned the nation defeating No. 2 ranked and defending national champion Clemson.

As of October 5, total men’s Gopher hockey season tickets for the public and students were down slightly from a year ago on that date, according to figures provided by the University of Minnesota. The comparative public totals were 5,511 for 2017-2018 public season tickets, versus 5,941 in 2016-2017. The student numbers were 2,483 versus 2,690. The University reported 89.2 percent of public accounts renewed for this season versus 80.4 a year ago.

The Gophers, who have already opened their home schedule at 3M Arena at Mariucci, sold 183 new public season tickets for 2017-2018. The total as of October 5 a year ago was 227. There was no increase in pricing for either public or student season tickets from last year to this.

Mariucci, with a capacity of almost 10,000, opened in 1993. The all-time single game attendance record is 10,587 set on November 6, 2004 for a Minnesota-Wisconsin game. The Gophers were defending NCAA national champions going into that game.

The Gophers, who won a sixth consecutive regular season conference title in 2017, averaged 9,595 fans per game last season at home. The averages the two prior seasons were 9,847 and 9,982.

WCHA Men’s Commissioner Bill Robertson thinks all five Division 1 men’s hockey schools in the state will for the first time finish the 2017-2018 season ranked among the top 20 teams nationally. In addition to the Gophers from the Big Ten, the other four teams are Minnesota State, Mankato and Bemidji State from the WCHA, and St. Cloud State and UMD from the NCHC.

“The state of Minnesota has never had better overall talent and depth than in 2017-2018 with regard to men’s college hockey,” Robertson said via email. “If all goes well we could potentially see a couple of Minnesota teams make it to the Frozen Four in April at the Xcel Energy Center. It should be a banner year for college hockey in this state leading up to the NCAA Tournament. It will be so exciting for the fans.”

A spokesman for men’s Gophers basketball said about 1,800 new public season tickets have been sold for 2017-2018. The student allotment of about 2,000 tickets is sold out. Single game tickets for the Big Ten season go on sale next month. Multiple sellouts of Gopher conference games at Williams Arena are likely.

Optimism is high about this year’s team, including from observers at fall practice. The Gophers are being ranked among the nation’s top 25 teams by various sources.

The public can attend a free intra-squad scrimmage that begins at 5 p.m. Sunday, October 29 at Williams Arena. There will be an autograph session after the game.

Former Timberwolf player and executive Fred Hoiberg, now the Chicago Bulls head coach, has his 45th birthday today. The Bulls are rebuilding and figure to rank with the NBA’s worst teams this season.

It will be interesting to see how much Brian Dozier is in the local baseball news this offseason. The Twins second baseman, who many observers believe was the club’s MVP during the team’s turnaround season, could be the subject of trade rumors, or given a contract extension. Dozier’s final contract season is in 2018, according to Baseballprospectus.com, which reports the 30-year-old will earn $9 million next season.

Congratulations to high school football coaches Dean Aurich of Mayer Lutheran and Joe Kemp from Wabasso on achieving 200th and 100th career wins respectively earlier this month. Aurich has coached Mayer Lutheran in four state tournaments, while Kemp has had three teams in the tourney including last year.

Comments Welcome

Unlucky Vikings Feature Limping QBs

Posted on October 10, 2017October 10, 2017 by David Shama

What’s next for Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford?

A source close to the organization told Sports Headliners prior to kickoff last night against the Bears that Bradford had missed the previous three games because he tore scar tissue in his left knee causing soreness and swelling. The person said the hope was a knee brace would provide enough protection in Chicago to prevent re-injury, and that adrenaline would block out whatever pain Bradford experienced.

But Bradford didn’t look right from the beginning of the game, throwing off target and taking a safety in the end zone because he waited too long holding the ball. “I don’t like his body language,” ESPN’s Jon Gruden told a national TV audience watching the game.

Gruden speculated about Bradford not being able to throw properly off his left foot. Ben Leber, the former Viking working as a sideline reporter on the team’s radio network, wondered if the brace was limiting Bradford’s passing form.

Sometime during the first half Bradford took a blow that clearly re-injured the knee. He began limping, looked vulnerable and was an easy target for Bears tacklers. “Throw the damn towel,” Leber said from the sidelines.

With less than a minute to play in the second quarter, head coach Mike Zimmer finally replaced Bradford with Case Keenum. The Vikings led in the game 3-2 and Bradford had completed 5 of 11 passes for 36 yards.

The source referred to above said that when Bradford was sidelined earlier in the season there was “no structural damage” to a left knee that has been surgically repaired in past years. After the Vikings won last night’s game and improved their record to 3-2, there was no word that Bradford’s re-injury was serious enough to end his season. But today and in the days ahead there will be more definitive information—even if not details about the knee, at least an estimate about a timeline before a return to starting games.

The Vikings are also monitoring Teddy Bridgewater and his rehabilitation from his devastating knee injury suffered over a year ago. Currently on the physically unable to perform list, there is enough time remaining in the season for a Bridgewater return. Whether it will happen is something no one can know for sure but the source who talked with Sports Headliners about Bradford said Bridgewater “is still limping.”

Worth Noting

In Sports Illustrated’s NHL preview out last week the magazine predicted the Capitals will defeat the Wild for the Stanley Cup championship. While talking with Sports Headliners, Minnesota hockey icon Lou Nanne declined to make a prediction on the teams he believes will qualify for the NHL finals. “The league is so close you can go from making the playoffs on the last day to winning the Cup,” he said.

The Wild has never played in the finals. Asked about a major storyline for the Wild, Nanne brought up 33-year-old star Zach Parise who has health issues. “A key is Parise being healthy,” Nanne said. “That’s a big deal.”

Nanne also said Minnesota needs more production from young players Charlie Coyle, Matt Dumba, Mikael Granlund, Nino Niederreiter and Jason Zucker. He likes Alex Stalock as the team’s backup goalie and said the Wild need starter Devan Dubnyk to perform as he did last season.

The Wild has a postseason history characterized by disappointments. Only once has the team played in the final four, 2003. After an impressive regular season in 2016-2017, the Wild lost its opening playoff series to the Blues. But a late September Associated Press quoted owner Craig Leipold as saying “anything short of winning the Stanley Cup would be a disappointment” in 2018.

The team is winless in its first two games this season but plays in Chicago Thursday night where Minnesota is 4-1-0 in its last five games at the United Center.

Nanne is a regular at the newly renamed Tavern 23 sports bar and restaurant in Edina. He is an investor and said business is up “50 percent in the past month” and that 36 new items have been added to the menu. Happy Hour, with views of Centennial Lakes Park, is particularly popular at the location formerly known as Lou Nanne’s American Grill.

It will be a homecoming for Brad Salem, the Michigan State quarterbacks coach, when the Spartans come to Minneapolis for Saturday’s game against Minnesota. Brad was a Gophers ball boy when his father Joe was Minnesota’s head coach. Brad’s twin brother Brent is offensive coordinator at O’Gorman High School in Sioux Falls, while brother Tim, the former Gophers quarterback, is tight ends coach at Pitt.

The Gophers are one of the youngest teams in the nation, with 50 of 111 players (45%) being freshmen or redshirt freshmen. There are 77 underclassmen (69.3%) on the roster. Minnesota has just 14 players (six on offense, eight on defense) who have started 10 games or more in their careers.

Defensive tackle Steven Richardson leads the team (not including specialists) in career starts with 37, while tight end Nate Wozniak has the most among offensive players with 29. Minnesota has used 65 players this season—13 freshmen, 21 sophomores, 16 juniors and 15 seniors.

The Gophers 2018 football recruiting class is No. 35 in the latest 247Sports composite rankings that have several Big Ten schools ahead of Minnesota, with Ohio State No. 1; Penn State No. 3; Michigan No. 14; Maryland No. 18; Michigan State No. 27; Nebraska No. 31; Wisconsin No. 32.

Amani Hooker, the Iowa sophomore safety from Minneapolis, had an impressive day last Saturday in the Hawkeyes’ win over Illinois. Hooker had a pass interception and ran for a first down on a fake punt to set up an Iowa touchdown.

In that game Jeff George Jr., the son of the former Vikings QB, made his first start of the season at quarterback for Illinois.

Sean Engel, the 6-5 redshirt freshman wide receiver from Chaska High School, has played in four of North Dakota State’s five games and has one catch for 15 yards. The 5-0 Bison are averaging 51.6 points game, while opponents are averaging 6.2.

October 10 sports birthdays include Brett Favre, 48, and former Gophers athletic director Mark Dienhart, 64.

Comments Welcome

Frustrated Fans Target Fleck, QB

Posted on October 8, 2017October 8, 2017 by David Shama

Gophers football fans are understandably frustrated after two consecutive defeats, including Saturday’s 31-17 loss to Purdue. Communications sent to Sports Headliners focus on coach P.J. Fleck and quarterback Conor Rhoda.

No surprise there.

Football fans typically direct attention to the head coach and quarterback, two of the most visible and important positions on any team. The Gophers, 3-2 overall and 0-2 in the Big Ten, have lost to mediocre league rivals in Maryland and Purdue. The remaining seven teams on the schedule are more formidable than the first five opponents and that prompts pessimism about Minnesota qualifying for a bowl game—something the program has achieved for five straight years.

The feedback received here is fans want to know why Fleck doesn’t use another quarterback, or have Rhoda become a running threat. Those questions are understandable and expected when after a 3-0 nonconference start the Gophers lose games late in the fourth quarter they could have won.

Let’s start with this. Fleck and his assistant coaches are with the players, including the quarterbacks, every day. That constant exposure gives the coaches the best possible opportunity to evaluate personnel. Fans don’t have that advantage, nor are most fans professionally qualified to make such evaluations.

Fleck is earning a $3.5 million salary and he better know what he is doing. He is charged with choosing a quarterback who best fits his system—a scheme that doesn’t emphasize the quarterback running the ball. His starter must have the knowledge to run the offense, make impromptu and correct decisions on the field, and be a strong and exemplary leader.

Through five games the coaches have determined Rhoda best fits the job description. They have also decided backups Seth Green and Demry Croft aren’t ready to play. They are better runners than Rhoda but Fleck and his assistants have so far decided Rhoda has the best command of the offense, and is the better leader and passer.

Rhoda is instructed by the coaches to use caution when making decisions to run on option plays. Fleck’s concern about Rhoda sustaining an injury sends a message about the lack of QB depth on the roster.

Saturday Rhoda made a first half run and fumbled the ball, killing a scoring drive inside the Boilermakers’ 10-yard line. Late in the game Rhoda came up limping after taking a blow trying to pass, according to KFAN Radio. His physical skills and body don’t appear well suited to running and absorbing a lot of hits during a game. Even in high school at Cretin-Derham Hall Rhoda didn’t make his reputation as a running quarterback.

Rhoda has been an effective game manager and he has completed some timely passes, although he has a few he wishes he could take back. He has demonstrated poise and command. Overall, he has played well within his abilities and what the coaches have asked him to do.

During a football season things evolve, so maybe Rhoda will be directed to run a dozen times per game in the future instead of handing the ball off to his running backs. That could be an indication Fleck is more comfortable using Green or Croft if needed. Perhaps the coach will see enough improvement in either or both of them to provide playing time.

Whatever the quarterback decisions going forward, it’s suggested fans take a deep breath and trust that the coaches have the expertise to know who their best candidate is for the job and what he is capable of doing.

Worth Noting

New Vikings running back Stevan Ridley seems like a third option to play Monday night against the Bears but he’s ready for whatever workload comes his way. “As many as the coaches throw my way, man,” Ridley said. “I really feel confident in that.

“I can’t say an exact number (of carries). I just know that it was more than I was getting last week at the house. I am really anxious and ready to get out there and do whatever I can.“

Ridley was home in Mississippi and football-unemployed last weekend, hoping to hear from an NFL team. He played in one game last season for the Falcons. The 28-year-old former LSU running back was among the final cuts by the Broncos in training camp last summer.

Ridley, who ran for 1,263 yards with the Patriots in 2012, has had two ACL surgeries but believes his physical abilities are the same as five years ago. Ironically, the Vikings added him to their roster because rookie running back Dalvin Cook is out for the season because of a torn ACL.

Being without a team didn’t discourage Ridley from taking care of his body but he’s been frustrated after playing for four teams. “It’s been tough, man. It’s been a lot of ups and downs, a lot of different stops,” he said. “A lot of hoping and praying that things work out.”

Latavius Murray and Jerick McKinnon will get the first opportunity to replace Cook but with 12 games remaining in the regular season, Ridley could see the field sooner or later.

Ridley has a passion for not only football but hunting and had a new bow he was planning to try out soon. He has been hunting ducks, deer and turkey since he was a child. “Everything I kill, I eat, man,” he said.

Dalvin Cook (photo courtesy of Minnesota Vikings)

Cook’s explosive running made him an early season candidate for NFL Rookie of the Year. His absence could cost the Vikings a couple of wins because he’s that effective of a playmaker. While Cook goes off the roster, the Vikings do add a potential points-producer in wide receiver Michael Floyd who was suspended for the first four games but seems likely to play Monday night.

Floyd, at 6-3, 220 pounds, brings size to the Vikings’ wide receivers roster in his first year with Minnesota. In three of Floyd’s six seasons with the Cardinals he averaged 16 yards or more per reception.

“Mike is a little faster than people will give him credit for,” said Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur. “That’s sort of what I factored in after watching him here in the training sessions.”

Floyd is living with Vikings tight end and former Notre Dame teammate Kyle Rudolph and his family. Do the two players talk football around the house?

“From time to time but not a whole lot,” Rudolph said. “I really don’t see him much. He kind of just hangs out in the basement, and comes up for dinner—and that’s about it.”

Vikings defensive tackle Linval Joseph will get an early birthday present if the Vikings win against the Bears. Joseph turns 29 on Tuesday.

A local sports industry source believes the Twins may sign manager Paul Molitor to a new contract for two or three years at about $1.5 to $1.8 million annually. MLB manager salaries aren’t well document but the source said Molitor’s old contract was for three years and worth about $4 million. Ron Gardenhire, who Molitor replaced in the fall of 2014, is believed to have made $2 million annually.

The Twins and Molitor, 61, seem likely to reach a deal this week or next.

Executive Dana Warg, who used to be with Target Center, now makes booking and entertainment decisions for the new Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.

Congratulations to high school football coaches David Haugen of Pelican Rapids and James Semmen of Lanesboro on earning 100th career wins earlier this season. Both have known career postseason success including Semmen’s second place state tournament finish in nine-man football in 2010, and Haugen’s 1997 Class 2A title in 1997.

3 comments