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Big Ten Football: Big Disappointment

Posted on September 24, 2007February 9, 2012 by David Shama

Big Ten football schools have a flashy .794 non-conference winning percentage (27 wins, 7 losses) but reality is the teams are disappointing.  College football observers including Sports Illustrated rank the Big Ten among the worst BCS conferences.  In its issue last week the magazine rated the conferences this way: SEC, Pac-10, Big East, Big 12, ACC and Big Ten.

Three of the non-conference wins by Big Ten teams have come against feeble Notre Dame (0-4, scored 24 total points).  League teams scheduled mostly a collection of nobody schools and stumbled to a few losses.  Headline embarrassments include Michigan-Appalachian State, Minnesota-Florida Atlantic, Iowa-Iowa State and Northwestern-Duke (Blue Devils ended nation’s longest losing streak).

In non-conference games Big Ten schools haven’t come near playing top 10 ranked teams with the closest quality win being Ohio State’s road victory over Washington, 33-14.  The conference doesn’t have a team that deserves consideration among the nation’s elite.  In this week’s Associated Press rankings of the top 25 teams the league has only three schools included, Ohio State No. 8. Wisconsin No. 9 and Penn State No. 21.  Top ranked USC and No. 2 LSU are probably three touchdowns better on a neutral field than any Big Ten team.

A major problem is that several conference teams lack balance between offense and defense.  Iowa and Purdue are two examples. The Hawkeyes have speed, talent and are well coached defensively but have much less to offer offensively.  In their last two games, both defeats, the Hawks have allowed 29 points but scored 26 in losses to Iowa State and Wisconsin.  Purdue has scored over 40 points in all four of its wins, including a 45-31 victory over the Gophers but the Boilermakers have an average defense that has allowed Toledo, Eastern Illinois and Minnesota to score 77 points.

Last weekend the Big Ten opened its conference schedule with only Michigan State’s win over Notre Dame being a non-league game.  From now through mid-November league teams will infrequently play non-conference games, more “Joe Blows” like Eastern Michigan, Western Michigan, Temple, Ken State and Ball State.  Except these days it’s a good idea for conference teams to address these opponents as Mr. Ball State, Mr. Kent State etc.

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Worth Noting

Posted on September 24, 2007February 9, 2012 by David Shama

Forbes magazine and Web site (www.forbes.com) lists Twins owner Carl Pohlad as the 114th richest person in America with a net worth of $3.1 billion.  In the Forbes annual listing of the 400 wealthiest Americans, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is 149th at $2.7 billion. Donald Trump ranked 117th at $3 billion. Oprah Winfrey is 165th at $2.5 billion.   Minnesota Vikings and Minnesota Wild owners didn’t make the list.

Steve LaCroix, Viking vice president of sales and marketing, said late last week that the Packer game on Sunday will be a sellout and televised in the metro area.  LaCroix expects tickets for the game to be available early this week.

Viking end Ray Edwards said the defense has set a goal of 68 sacks for the season.  Through the first three games the total is 11.  Edwards, a fourth round draft choice from Purdue now in his second season with the Vikings, wants to start every game after being a reserve in 2006.  Going back to his pee-wee football days, he’s played every position in football except quarterback and center.

Viking wide receiver Troy Williamson said he’s continuing with eye exercises he learned during the off-season.  He said his depth perception has improved as a result of the exercises.

Tejas Restaurant in Edina has a special promotion today through Friday to help promote the Taste of the NFL and benefit Hunger Solutions Minnesota.  Each day a Minnesota Viking alum or other celebrity will be in attendance from noon to 1 p.m. and a 2007 MINI Cooper will be on display.  Raffle tickets costing $100 each are being sold with a chance to win the MINI Cooper courtesy of Motorwerks MINI, plus a year of insurance from Calhoun Insurance agency.  Only 500 total tickets are being sold and the winning ticket will be drawn at the Taste of the NFL Celebrity Dinner on October 1 at Winter Park, practice home of the Vikings. Ticket info available by calling 612-338-4537 or www.tasteofthenflmn.org.

I learned a lesson from a player agent years ago.  With a promising young client, you usually want a shorter contract so that when the player starts accumulating impressive stats there is a free agency opportunity.  A longer contract is desirable for an older player who may be more likely to suffer injuries and could be a less effective performer in the near future. Now think about the Twins and free agent Torii Hunter.  The Twins offered a three year contract but Hunter, 32, wants a longer deal.

Twins outfielder Michael Cuddyer is hitting .500 (5-for-10) with 13 RBI with the bases loaded and less than two outs.

Gopher football coach Tim Brewster said he and his wife are still deciding whether to build or buy a home here.

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Don’t Bet On QB Jackson Starting Sunday

Posted on September 21, 2007February 9, 2012 by David Shama

The guess late this week is Tarvaris Jackson will not play Sunday when the Vikings meet the Chiefs in Kansas City. Earlier this week Jackson told a media gathering his groin injury is bothering him.  Neither he nor coach Brad Childress was saying whether the second year quarterback would make the fifth start of his NFL career on Sunday but groin injuries often result in slow recoveries.

Jackson said he wants to be “100 percent” when he plays.  As an inexperienced quarterback he has enough challenge without playing hurt and even making the injury worse.

Jackson said his teammates were supportive after last Sunday’s four interception game in Detroit.  He regrets some of his game decisions and said “punting” can be a better alternative to forcing plays.

Jackson injured the groin in the fourth quarter but didn’t leave the game until overtime when Brooks Bollinger had to replace him.  Bollinger fumbled a snap, stopping a drive and the Vikings couldn’t score in overtime, losing 20-17.

It might be that Bollinger will start the game in Kansas City instead of Kelly Holcomb.  Bollinger has been with the Vikings for about a year, while Holcomb was acquired from Philadelphia late last month.   If either is ineffective after starting, the other may have an opportunity.

The Vikings may have been headed toward uncertainty about who their starting quarterback is even if Jackson were healthy.  In two regular season games the offense has produced only two touchdowns.  In two regular season and four pre-season games, the defense and offense have each scored six touchdowns.  Jackson believes the coaches have confidence in him.  “I don’t feel like I am on a short leash,” he said.

Childress gave this evaluation about Jackson to the media earlier in the week:  “I have to point back to things like the two-minute drill before the half (in Detroit) that he moves us up the field and does some good things, getting up and (downing) the football when we had a questionable play. Those are the type of things that the quarterback has to orchestrate, and has to have a feel for getting people up and getting them set, knowing how many timeouts you have, and can I take a sack here and those kinds of things. I see a lot of the facets of his game that are fine. Administering the run game, we ask him to do a lot in terms of getting us in the right run look. The thing that I don’t like to see is I don’t like to put the ball up for grabs. …”

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