Vikings – Page 229 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Physical Play May Define Vikes vs. 49ers

Posted on August 23, 2013August 23, 2013 by David Shama

Preseason NFL games are similar to arguments with spouses. A lot of folks avoid both but Sunday night’s Vikings game with the 49ers in San Francisco deserves more attention than most exhibitions.

The nationally televised (NBC) game is expected to feature more playing time by regulars than is the norm during preseason. Look for the Vikings to possibly use starters on offense and defense in the first half and into the early third quarter. If the 49ers do something similar—and it’s typical for NFL teams to use regulars the most in preseason game threes—it will be interesting to see how physical the action is on the field.

49ers coach Jim Harbaugh defines aggression. He used physical play to turn around a punch line college program at Stanford. Then he followed a similar blueprint with the 49ers since taking over in January of 2011. Visit the 49ers website and read this mantra posted about Harbaugh: “Attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind.”

Harbaugh, perhaps the NFL’s best coach, had his team in the Super Bowl last season before losing to the Ravens and his brother, head coach John Harbaugh. The 49ers, who were 21-27 in the three seasons before Harbaugh took over, are a favorite to win the Super Bowl next February.

Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway said his team wants a physical identity, too. “I think we’re going to be very physical which is a good thing for us. Coach (Leslie) Frazier has preached that and we’re trying to act on it in camp by being physical every day.

“They’re (the 49ers) a very physical team…so I think it’s going to be a good matchup to see where we’re at. They’re talented. It will be a fun game.”

The Vikings are 0-2 and the 49ers 1-1 in preseason games. Greenway is much more interested in how his team performs, rather than whether the Vikings win.

“This game doesn’t mean anything really as far as what it’s going to be like—what’s going to happen when you play a full four quarters game in the regular season,” Greenway said. “It gives you a snapshot of where you’re at. Obviously if things go well I think we’ll feel good about how we’re doing. But if things go poorly it doesn’t mean that things are going to be poor (during the season). You can’t think that way.”

Worth Noting

Mike Singletary, now a Vikings assistant head coach, was the 49ers head coach before Harbaugh. His career record with the 49ers was 19-22.

Reserve cornerback Bobby Felder, signed by the Vikings in 2012 as an undrafted free agent, was a member of the practice squad last year but is in competition with starter Marcus Sherels for the punt return job. Felder is expected to return punts on Sunday night. Felder has three returns in preseason, averaging 20.7 yards per return.

Former Gophers receiver and quarterback MarQueis Gray is a tight end with the 49ers and has caught one pass for 13 yards.

Vikings reserve quarterback McLeod Bethel-Thompson attended Balboa High School in San Francisco.

The 49ers are tied for seventh and the Vikings are tied for 10^th on the most difficult 2013 schedules list compiled by the NFL.

NFL teams have to reduce their rosters to 75 by Tuesday and 53 by August 31.

After this season the Vikings will have many unrestricted free agents on the roster including All-Pro defensive end Jared Allen. Would Allen like to see at least some contract offers from the Vikings during the season to retain players, rather than wait until 2014?

“Not my concern really, to be honest,” Allen told Sports Headliners. “They’re (management) going to make decisions based on what they feel is best for the team. My job is to go out and play as hard as I can with whoever is on the field and try to win a championship.”

Tyus Jones plays in the Under Armour Elite 24 game tomorrow night on ESPNU starting at 6 p.m. Minneapolis time. Another Minnesota native, Rashad Vaughn , will also participate. The game will be played on an outdoor court under the Brooklyn Bridge in New York City and features 24 of the best high school players in the country. Jones, the Apple Valley High School senior point guard, is rated by Rivals.com as the No. 2 player in the country for the class of 2014. Vaughn, a shooting guard now playing for Findlay Prep in Las Vegas, is rated No. 7 in the class.

Tyus’ brother Tre, an outstanding eighth grade guard, may join the Apple Valley varsity this fall. Debbie Jones, mother of Tyus and Tre, said she will be completing paperwork with the school district to request that Tre join the varsity this coming season.

The Twins have a rarity with Baseball America’s best prospects ranking of Byron Buxton at No. 1 and Miguel Sano No. 3. Since the rankings began in 1990 only five other teams had two prospects among the top five players, according to the August 19 issue of Sports Illustrated.

Obviously rankings don’t come with a guarantee for future success. In 2004 the Devil Rays had B.J. Upton ranked No. 2 and Delmon Young No. 3. Earlier this month Young was put on waivers by the Phillies and his eight year MLB career, including with the Twins, has been a disappointment.

Congratulations to former Albert Lea High School coaching legend Paul Ehrhard on his 80^th birthday party last Saturday. About 150 family and friends celebrated with Ehrhard who contributed to three state football and three state wrestling titles at Albert Lea. Ehrhard also coached in California where he worked with some high profile football players including Reggie Bush. Ehrhard graduated from Montgomery High School and played collegiate baseball and football at St. Thomas where he later coached the freshman football team.

Starting with this season the MIAC will recognize its top football coach with the John Gagliardi MIAC Football Coach of the Year Award. The award is named after former Saint John’s coach John Gagliardi who is the winningest college football coach ever.

St. Thomas is No. 1 in the nation in the American Volleyball Coaches Association’s Division III preseason poll. The Tommies, 39-1 last season and national champs, have a loaded roster with returning talent.

Comments Welcome

Wiggin Raves about Vikings D-Line

Posted on August 12, 2013August 12, 2013 by David Shama

Paul Wiggin coached the Vikings defensive line in the 1980s and has decades of NFL experience. He told Sports Headliners the talent among the defensive linemen on the 2013 Vikings is more than impressive.

“I don’t think that we ever had that many great players,” Wiggin said. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen competition at this level in coaching (the) defensive line.”

Wiggin, 78, is a personnel consultant for the Vikings. Not only is he a former defensive line coach, he was once head coach of the Chiefs and during his playing career with the Browns was a starting defensive end.

The actual or potential talent might be at least eight deep on the defensive line. “There’s no dog days. These guys have to come out every day and compete,” Wiggin said.

The Vikings have been in training camp since late July and no defensive lineman has created more of a stir than fourth-year reserve end Everson Griffen. Wiggin said Griffen, who has only one regular season start in his previous three seasons, “has put on a show” in training camp.

What happened? “Some guys, it takes them awhile to realize what they’re capable of doing,” Wiggin said. “Suddenly the light came on. He’s done some things this offseason that are impressive.”

“I became a student of the game,” Griffen said on the broadcast of last Friday night’s preseason Vikings-Texans game.

Wiggin said Griffen’s self-image improved because of his role as a spokesman for the 2013 Million Meal Challenge and the goal of reducing hunger for millions of children. “It’s going to be hard to keep him off the field (this season),” Wiggin said.

Worth Noting

Attendance at Friday night’s game at Mall of America Field against the Texans was announced at 62,306 but there were empty seats all over the stadium. No surprise that more than an hour before the game no ticket hawkers were visible on the street.

For a second consecutive season the city of Minneapolis is using increased parking meter fees for Vikings games. Parking at meters about six blocks from the stadium cost $15 on Friday night, although an adjacent lot was charging $10.

Former Vikings linebacker Ben Leber, who did sideline reporting for radio and TV on Friday night’s game, said he misses the “camaraderie” of the locker room but not being on the field. “I don’t miss the way my body feels. I don’t miss some of the collisions out there. I don’t miss a large part of the game.”

Leber on the Vikings’ possible record for 2013: “I would say 10-6, and I think we get in the playoffs, and then from there who knows?”

Former safety Joey Browner talking about what it means to him being inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor on October 27: “To know that I am above ground to see it.”

Browner, a Viking from 1983-1991, describing the highlight of his NFL career: “When my mom saw me, (and my brothers) Keith and Ross play in the same season (1986),” he said.

Fantasy Football fans can read the August 12 issue of Sports Illustrated to see how the magazine ranks the top 32 NFL players at offensive positions. Aaron Rodgers is No. 1 among quarterbacks with Drew Brees, Peyton Manning, Matt Ryan and Cam Newton joining him in the top five.

The Vikings’ Christian Ponder is ranked No. 26. “He was awful down the stretch and will be without (Percy) Harvin,” the magazine commented. “Still, he’s better than he showed in ’12.”

Other Vikings are Adrian Peterson No. 1 among running backs, Blair Walsh No. 3 kicker, Kyle Rudolph No. 6 tight end and Greg Jennings No. 33 wide receiver.

Jerry Kill’s wife Rebecca talking about first impressions of her husband when they began dating: “I was ready to verbally commit on the first date. Sign the National Letter of Intent on the second date.”

Kill said after Saturday’s scrimmage it will be awhile before he decides on his starting punter and kicker. “I think a kid needs to know a week going into a game, or close to three or four days out,” said Kill whose Gophers open the season on August 29 at home against UNLV. “We keep charts of kicks and things like that, and we want to give everybody an opportunity. We don’t have to be in a hurry right now.”

The Timberwolves will introduce new shooting guard Kevin Martin to the media today in Minneapolis. Martin is a three-point shooting specialist with a career field goal average of .385. He’s played in games when he’s attempted 10 or more three- point shots.

Concordia-St. Paul senior Zach Moore is the choice in a NSIC coaches poll for South Division Preseason Defensive Player of the Year. Moore, a defensive end from Chicago, was an All-American last season and had 14 sacks.

The Twins traded 39-year-old infielder Jamey Carroll to the Royals yesterday but some day it might be a smart move to interview him about rejoining the organization as a coach or manager.

Comments Welcome

Frazier Expects ‘Big Things’ of Simpson

Posted on August 7, 2013August 7, 2013 by David Shama

Jerome Simpson’s first season with the Vikings last year was a disappointment but he could be among the team’s most pleasant surprises in 2013.

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier is expecting “big things” from the 27-year-old wide receiver who because of a suspension and injury started only 10 games and played in 12 last season. Built for speed, Simpson averaged 14.5 yards per catch with four touchdown receptions in 2011 playing for the Bengals. With the Vikings he averaged 10.5 yards with no touchdown catches.

With a developing third-year quarterback in Christian Ponder and the need for an effective deep passing game, the Vikings brought in Greg Jennings to be a big play guy but an effective Simpson can create a potent one-two combo. Ponder threw a 50 yard pass to Simpson in last Saturday night’s training camp scrimmage to preview the kind of deep threat potential the Vikings have.

Last week and prior to that scrimmage Frazier was praising Simpson. “…He looks like the Jerome we had a year ago at this time. He was doing some very good things for us last preseason, and he had done some good things in camp, and then we had to fill the time for the suspension. Then he came back, played a game, and then he was injured and never really got on track after that.

“But we are seeing a guy right now that I think can help our football team and really make a difference for us in the passing game. He’s having a very, very good camp. His attitude has been great. It’s been great watching him get in and out of routes in the passing game and we are expecting big things out of him this year. We just need to keep him on the field and keep him healthy.”

Simpson missed three games last season because the NFL suspended him for violating league substance abuse policy. Simpson told Sports Headliners last September he recognized the need to change. “Just getting back to the old Jerome Simpson, and just being myself and not getting out of character,” Simpson said. “Just always staying humble and doing the right thing.”

Wide receivers coach George Stewart said earlier this summer that while Simpson was slowed by a foot injury in 2012 he can be a contributor, and not just catching passes. “He’s a young man, if he’s healthy (he) will help us in the vertical game, but (he) also has been a good leader,” Stewart said after watching Simpson in spring activities.

Starting his sixth pro season in September, Simpson has much to prove to himself and the Vikings. He has only a one year contract so there’s extra incentive to have a productive season, and perhaps become a breakthrough player on an offense that also has plenty to prove.

Worth Noting

It will be no surprise if Texans superstar defensive end J.J. Watt doesn’t play or sees only a few series on the field Friday night when Houston meets the Vikings in the opening preseason game for both teams. Watt, who had 20.5 sacks last season, dislocated his left elbow about a year ago. He acknowledged soreness on Sunday and will wear the same mammoth black brace on the elbow used in 2012.

The Texans plan to announce today their division of quarterback reps for the game. Matt Schaub is the starter. Christian Ponder is expected to play at least a few series for the Vikings as their No. 1 quarterback.

The Texans training camp is in Houston where temperatures this week have been at or near 100 degrees.

The Vikings have 32 new players on their 90-man roster since the end of last season. Along with nine draft choices, the Vikings have nine free agents and 14 undrafted free agents.

Vikings head coach Leslie Frazier and Texans head coach Gary Kubiak were teammates at Rice University.

The Vikings are promoting awareness of the NFL’s new game day policy limiting the size and types of bags allowed in league stadiums. More information for fans is available at NFL.com/allclear.

When the Gophers play UNLV at TCF Bank Stadium on August 29 it will be Minnesota’s first home season opener since 2008. The Gophers are set to open seasons at home on future schedules including 2014-2016.

If defensive tackle Ra’Shede Hageman is named All-Big Ten after this season he will be the first Gophers player so honored since Eric Decker in 2009. Since 2006 Minnesota has only two other All-Big Ten players, Matt Spaeth in 2006 and Willie VanDeSteeg in 2008.

Quoting Collegefootballnews.com in its Big Ten preview story: “Minnesota could very, very quietly be dangerous. Jerry Kill might not have a whole bunch of flash, but his team should be more than just competitive.”

Two of the best prep seniors in the state will lead their teams in the annual Timberwolves Shootout at Target Center January 4. Guard Tyus Jones and Apple Valley will play Blue Valley Northwest High School from Overland, Kansas. Forward Reid Travis and DeLaSalle will meet St. Rita High School from Chicago. Also, Cretin-Derham Hall will face Bettendorf High School from Bettendorf, Iowa. Grand Rapids, featuring junior center Alex Illikainen, will play against a team yet to be determined.

Jones’ younger brother Tre Jones is a gifted playmaker but is even a better defensive player. Tre, who as an eighth grader might play for the Apple Valley varsity next season, is a great on-ball defender.

The Saints new baseball park in Saint Paul’s Lowertown might command a $750,000 to $1 million per year naming rights fee, according to a sports industry source.

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