Vikings – Page 236 – David Shama's Minnesota Sports Headliners

Peterson Might Play at 40 Years Old

Posted on December 20, 2012December 20, 2012 by David Shama

Vikings running back Adrian Peterson is 27 years old and 294 yards short of breaking Eric Dickerson’s NFL single season rushing record. He said today at Winter Park where he and the Vikings are preparing for their last two regular season games of the year that if he maintains his health and passion he might play pro football until he is 40.

“I think I can perform at this level for a long time,” Peterson said. “It depends how long God bless me to play, 35, 36. …”

Peterson is the cover story for this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated. “I feel like I can play 10, 12 more years,” he told the magazine.

The amazing Peterson, who is having his best season despite tearing his ACL about 12 months ago, is full of self-confidence. That is obvious by his dramatic recovery from ACL surgery, and the mindset with which he approaches his future.

Peterson doesn’t seem to put limitations on what he can do. He told S.I. he wants to run the 400 meters for the United States in the 2016 Olympics, and is interested in becoming a “socially conscious entrepreneur.”

Peterson was asked today if he could break Dickerson’s record on Sunday against the Texans, and not need the season finale against the Packers on December 30. Peterson didn’t refute the possibility. “That’s how I am looking at it. Just get it done. Get it out of the way.”

At this point in the 16 game NFL schedule most players have injuries. Peterson has groin and abdominal issues but he minimized their importance. “Normal wear and tear. …I’ll be ready to roll,” he said.

Not a surprising answer from the man who is regarded as the best running back of his era and is seen as super human by some fans. “God watches over me,” Peterson said. “My spirit man be out there doing the things that I do on the field. It’s beyond me.”

U Needs Big Ten Attendance Boost

The Gophers men’s basketball team ranked ninth among Big Ten Conference schools in home attendance averages through games of last week, according to figures from the league office. Minnesota is averaging 10,501 fans per game for seven nonconference games.

That announced figure of 10,501 is larger than actual fans in attendance, with some games probably having 6,000 to 7,000 patrons inside Williams Arena. The arena’s capacity is 14,625 and during recent seasons the Gophers typically haven’t come close to filling the building for nonconference games, while Big Ten games may sell out.

But this fall’s no-shows by season ticket holders and minimal interest among single game buyers has been startling. To see so many empty seats despite having an exciting nationally ranked top 20 team to watch isn’t a good sign for a program that historically was among the Big Ten leaders in largest home attendances and gross ticket receipts.

New Gophers athletic director Norwood Teague talked with Sports Headliners about the lack of interest this fall, and also included the ticket selling challenges of home football games in the conversation. “In the offseason I want to do some real research in finding out where we are with the tickets for football and basketball,” he said. “I’ve only been here five months so I am trying to figure it out, but the offseason will be a time when we can take a step back and really look at it, football and basketball.”

The Gophers sold 7,136 public season tickets and 1,182 student season tickets for this season, according to a story in yesterday’s Star Tribune by Mike Kaszuba. The combined total of 8,318 was the lowest shown on a season tickets graphic dating back to 2007.

Some public customers didn’t renew their tickets because of the new preferred seating charges placed on tickets. Other fans may have not renewed because of seven consecutive second division finishes during Big Ten seasons (ninth and 10^th the last two years). And certainly an unattractive schedule of home games that included American, North Florida and Lafayette didn’t entice potential buyers for either season tickets or single game tickets. “I agree we need to add quality opponents best we can,” Teague said.

The Gophers finish their nonconference schedule with a game on Saturday night at home against Lafayette. Then it’s all Big Ten games including a much anticipated league opener at Williams Arena on December 31 against Michigan State. Teague said single game ticket interest “going forward has been phenomenal,” referring to conference opponents coming here.

Starting with the Michigan State game the Gophers will be announcing attendances much closer to the numbers of fans in the building than was true this fall. The Gophers, though, averaged 12,723 in Big Ten games last season, the first time that figure was under 13,758 since 2006-2007. In all home games Minnesota averaged 11,794 last season, the lowest since 10,974 in 2006-2007.

If the Gophers fulfill predictions of being a Big Ten title contender, Minnesota won’t have a problem besting last season’s attendance numbers. And a winning season will likely boost offseason ticket sales and announced attendances next fall during nonconference games.

Worth Noting

As of Monday, the 11-1 Gophers’ RPI rating was 11, while 10-2 Michigan State was 53. The Gophers are ranked No. 13 in the country by the Associated Press while the Spartans are No. 20.

The Vikings will use TCF Bank Stadium during part of the construction process for their new downtown stadium. Teague told Sports Headliners expansion of seating in TCF Bank Stadium’s west end will increase capacity from 50,805 to about 60,000.

The Gophers continued practicing this week on campus for their December 28 Meineke Car Care Bowl game. Coach Jerry Kill said on WCCO Radio’s “Sports Huddle” Sunday that senior quarterback-wide receiver MarQueis Gray is the healthiest he’s been in awhile.

It wouldn’t be surprising if Gray starts the bowl game against Texas Tech at quarterback instead of first team freshman Philip Nelson. A switch to the strong running Gray could give the underdog Gophers an advantage, and provide a final game reward to the senior who likely would have been the starting quarterback all season if not for injury.

In Houston the McDonald’s Family Pack promotion for the game costs $99 and offers four game tickets, hot dogs, sodas, and four McDonald’s coffee vouchers and four ice cream vouchers (www.meinekecarcarebowloftexas.com).

Vikings rookie kicker Blair Walsh was selected yesterday as the NFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week for his five field goals performance against the Rams last Sunday. Walsh joins Adrian Peterson and Randy Moss as the only rookies in franchise history to win the Player of the Week Award multiple times in their first NFL seasons. Walsh has set the Vikings’ rookie scoring record with 117 points after surpassing Moss’ 106 points in 1998.

Peterson has been rounding up tickets for Sunday’s game in his native Texas for some time. He said over “100 family members” will attend the game against the Texans in Houston.

Minneapolis native and Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is tweeting to his fans about guessing what his favorite Christmas movie is. For those who guess correctly, Fitzgerald will do a random drawing and award the winner a pair of signed game gloves (used).

The Timberwolves are in the midst of a three game schedule against the better teams in the NBA. Tuesday night they lost to the Heat, the team with the second best record, 16-6, in the Eastern Conference. Tonight the Wolves play at home against the 21-4 Thunder, the team with the best record in the Western Conference. Then Sunday the Wolves are in New York to play the Knicks with an Eastern Conference leading 19-6 record.

The Wolves are making only .294 percent of their three point attempts, a 30-team league low. Outside shooting is an issue because of injuries to Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio, Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger. Defenses can crowd interior space close to the basket because of the Wolves’ outside shooting problems.

Tonight’s game, a 6 p.m. start because of the national broadcast by TNT, is only the second game between the Wolves and Thunder since March 23 when the two teams played a news-making double overtime in Oklahoma City. The Thunder won 149-140, combining for 289 points—the fifth highest total in an NBA game in over 15 years. Love scored 51 points.

The St. Thomas men’s team, ranked No. 4 nationally by D3hoops.com, plays at home tomorrow night against No. 5 UW-Stevens Point, three times an NCAA champion in the last 10 years. Admission is free with tipoff at 7:30 p.m. Both teams are undefeated this fall.

The Tommies’ wins include an overtime victory over Bethany Lutheran, 94-91. St. Thomas sent the game into overtime after trailing by five points with 6.6 seconds remaining. Coach John Tauer has an experienced team with four senior captains starting, Will DeBerg, Tommy Hannon, Noah Kaiser and John Nance.

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Frazier to Crank up Heat at Practice

Posted on December 17, 2012December 17, 2012 by David Shama

Coach Leslie Frazier said this afternoon he wants his players prepared for warmer temps when the Vikings play in Houston on Sunday where the forecasted high is 72 with 84 percent humidity, according to weather.com.

The Vikings can expect warm temperatures in their indoor practice facility. “Our players don’t know that, but when they come back on Wednesday we’re gonna warm it up a little bit because they’re predicting about 72, 75 (in Houston) which is a lot different than where we are right now,” Frazier said at his news conference. “So we’re going to try to simulate that as best we can in our indoors (practices).”

The Texans play their home games in Reliant Stadium, a facility with a retractable roof. A Texans spokesman said whether the roof is open or closed is a decision made by the club two hours before kickoff.

The roof has been closed for all Texans regular season games so far this season. When the roof is closed, the inside temperature might be around 70 degrees, the spokesman said. That could still be warm compared with what the Vikings are accustomed to, particularly down on the playing field where temperatures are expected to be among the warmest in the building.

Obviously Frazier wants his team prepared in every way possible. The 8-6 Vikings, with two regular season games remaining, are trying to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2009. The 12-2 Texans are among the NFL’s better teams and their strengths include a more than capable defense against the run.

The Texans are expected to continue the strategy of other defenses the Vikings have played, crowding the line of scrimmage with tacklers trying to stop Adrian Peterson, the NFL’s leading rusher. Peterson needs 294 yards to break the NFL single season rushing record of 2,105 yards by Eric Dickerson.

“For good reason (crowding the line),” Frazier said. “He’s on the verge of breaking a record that many thought would never be broken. We expect it. We’re preparing for it again this week. Houston is a very good team against the run. It won’t be any different.”

Frazier liked the play of second-year quarterback Christian Ponder yesterday, praising Ponder for “putting us in good plays” and passing efficiently. “I thought he played a very good game,” Fraizer said.

Frazier said defensive end Brian Robison, who injured his shoulder in yesterday’s win over the Rams, is the only player coming out of the game that is “questionable” for the Texans.

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Award Fate Rests with Peterson

Posted on December 14, 2012December 14, 2012 by David Shama

Adrian Peterson has three regular season games to break the NFL single season rushing record of 2,105 held by former Rams running back Eric Dickerson. If the Vikings monster rusher does that he should be a cinch for the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award.

Peterson has 1,600 yards rushing in 13 games and needs to average 169 yards per game the remainder of the season to break the record. He has run for a career best 100-plus yards in each of his last seven games, and for the season is averaging six yards per carry while gaining more total yards than most of the teams in the NFL. Peterson’s career high single season total is 1,760 yards in 2008.

Those are remarkable numbers, but within the context of recovering from reconstructive knee surgery earlier this year they are astounding. After ACL surgery most athletes hope for a return to previous form. The 27-year-old Peterson is having his best season, working his tail off to achieve the greatest numbers of his career and break a benchmark NFL record.

“Boy, it’s hard to imagine someone overcoming as much as he has,” Vikings coach Leslie Frazier told Sports Headliners. “He’d get my vote (for comeback award). He’s been incredible in every sense of the word. Just a terrific accomplishment when you consider how devastating an ACL injury can be on a player’s career. Not only comeback (award) but…an MVP candidate as well. He’s been terrific.”

Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning, who missed last season because of his neck injury, is Peterson’s primary rival for comeback honors. Manning has led the Broncos to eight consecutive wins and the AFC West title. He has thrown 30 touchdown passes, second in the NFL only to Drew Brees, and his passer rating of 104 is right behind Tom Brady’s league leading 104.2. All of this despite having to adjust to new surroundings and football assignments during his first season in Denver.

“You can’t discount what Peyton’s overcome.” Frazier said. “Four neck surgeries. That’s pretty serious stuff to come back and play at the level he’s playing at.”

But Manning is surrounded by more offensive help than Peterson has in Minnesota. The Vikings’ limited passing game hasn’t done much to create opportunities when Peterson carries the ball. Even the casual fan knows Peterson is going to run the ball often in the team’s offense but waiting defenses still can’t stop him.

If Peterson not only breaks the league single season rushing record but carries the Vikings into the playoffs, his resume for NFL MVP will be loaded too. There’s a bias toward making a quarterback MVP in the pass-happy NFL but all the more reason to recognize a record breaking rusher if he’s beast enough to carry his otherwise subpar offense into the playoffs.

Worth Noting

Vikings radio analyst Pete Bercich said on a broadcast last month from Chicago that he rates the now deceased Walter Payton, who Bercich watched while growing up, an even greater runner than Peterson.

The Vikings, 7-6, have remaining games on the road against the 6-6-1 Rams and 11-2 Texans, and at home versus the 9-4 Packers. Based on the records of opponents in 2011, there are only seven teams in the NFL who have more difficult schedules than the Vikings in 2012.

What’s the key to the Vikings winning on Sunday in St. Louis? “For us, it seems when we travel we don’t do a good job of protecting the ball,” Frazier said. “Then we gotta execute our assignments across the board. But we gotta do a good job of protecting the ball and then trying to take the ball away.”

In six road games the Vikings have lost five fumbles and quarterback Christian Ponder has been intercepted six times.

The Vikings started five rookies against the Bears last Sunday, the most in one game in franchise history—safety Harrison Smith, cornerback Josh Robinson, offensive tackle Matt Kalil, fullback Rhett Ellison and wide receiver Jarius Wright.

Rookie kicker Blair Walsh is among the NFL leaders with 41 kickoff touchbacks, one more than the previous Vikings franchise record of 40.

Don’t be surprised if Darrell Bevell, the former Vikings offensive coordinator, is the next Badgers football coach. Bevell, who is now offensive coordinator with the Seahawks, has a high football IQ and is a quality person. He was Wisconsin athletic director Barry Alvarez’s first Rose bowl quarterback when Alavarez was coaching and resurrecting the Badgers program.

Because of Jerry Kill’s history with seizures, the NCAA allows his wife Rebecca to accompany him on recruiting trips. Kill is committed to better understanding his condition, and despite the news media attention about the seizures they haven’t caused him to miss an entire game while coaching at Minnesota.

St. Thomas football coach Glenn Caruso was diagnosed with a life-threatening blood disorder when he was five years old. He credits the doctors at Yale-New Haven Cancer Center for helping save his life, and in appreciation he set up a living trust with the hospital as the beneficiary.

Caruso’s Tommies play Mount Union tonight in Salem,Virginia for the Division III national championship. The game begins at 6 p.m.Minnesota time and will be televised on ESPNU.

The championship game is another step during a remarkable head coaching career for Caruso that began in 2006 at Macalester where for two years his records were 2-7 and 4-5. At St. Thomas his teams have been 7-3, 11-2, 12-1, 13-1 and now 14-0.

Wild prospect Mikael Granlund returned to the Aeros lineup last week after missing 12 games with an ankle injury. Despite playing in fewer than half the team’s games, Granlund is tied for fourth in points with 13.

Aaron Hicks is only 23 but he might be able to make the jump from Double-A New Britain to starting center fielder for the Twins next spring. In search of a center field replacement for the traded Denard Span and Ben Revere, Hicks is a switch-hitter with potential power in the big leagues and the athleticism to chase down the ball. He hit .286 with 13 home runs and 61 RBI at New Britain last season.

TwinsFest will be January 25-27 at the Metrodome and tickets went on sale this week. Adult tickets are $9 each ($15 at the door) and tickets for children are $5 ($8 at the door).

The Gophers basketball team was No. 14 in national RPI ratings on Monday when the Big Ten Conference issued its weekly news release. Minnesota is ranked No. 13 in the country by the Associated Press.

Stats in the news release include the Gophers leading the Big Ten in steals at 9.8 per game and blocked shots at 7.2. Minnesota guard Andre Hollins is listed with the single game scoring high among conference players after his 41 points against Memphis last month.

Canterbury Park’s 2013 thoroughbred stakes schedule includes 26 races worth $1.76 million, an increase of more than 20 percent over this year. The 69-day 2013 race meet, the longest scheduled since 2006, begins May 17 and concludes September 14.

Canterbury and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community agreed to a cooperative marketing and purse enhancement deal this year that will put $75 million into the horsemen purse fund over 10 years.

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