Quarterback Brad Johnson and tight end Jermaine Wiggins talked earlier this week about the contrasting defenses of the Dallas Cowboys and Washington Redskins.   The Cowboys were expected to provide a “vanilla” look in the Vikings’ final pre-season game last night while the Redskins’ defense is capable of the “exotic” in the NFL regular season opener for both teams on Monday, September 11. 

Regarding the Cowboys’ defense, Johnson said, “They are about as vanilla as you can get, but they’ve been stopping people.  They‘ve only played probably three different coverages.” 

The Redskins?  “They do a lot of things,” Wiggins said.  “They have a lot of exotic blitzes.  They like to change it up so they definitely have a good defense.  They have always been up there in top 10 total defenses so we know that we will have a good game on our hands.”

Whatever defenses the Vikings face, they will take on the challenge without super stars Randy Moss and Daunte Culpepper.  Still, Wiggins, who has led the team in receptions the last two seasons, is optimistic about the offense.   

“You don’t need an identifiable super star to win championships,” Wiggins said.  “Obviously, if you look at a team like New England that won a bunch of Super Bowls they didn’t have no real super star.  … Give me a team of good players (rather) than a team of one great super star.  That’s the main thing.  Just guys going out there and doing their jobs.”

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Bucky Zimmerman, former Gopher tennis player and prominent local lawyer, will marry media personality Pat Miles on October 8 in Santa Fe, New Mexico.  The couple first met in Minneapolis in 1978 and their interests include a passion for golf. 

Miles said she and Zimmerman are “about nine handicaps.” They both love golf, Miles said, and play as much as they can.  Her home courses are Spring Hill Golf Club in Long Lake (Michael Jordan is a member) and Minikahda in Minneapolis.  “They are like children (to me),” Miles said.  “I just can’t let go of either.” 

Miles recently gave up her WCCO Radio show, but after years in the media business, including as a popular local TV anchor, she is still making commercials and is available as a substitute host on WCCO.  Zimmerman has a successful Minneapolis law firm, Zimmerman and Reed. 

Miles said the couple will split time between Minneapolis and Arizona after they are married.

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Twins president Dave St. Peter said broadcaster Herb Carneal’s status for next season hasn’t been determined.  The two meet after every season to decide on future plans.  Carneal, 83, has worked a limited Twins radio schedule in recent years and has been doing play-play here since 1962.  Carneal’s longevity with one major league team is exceeded only by Vin Scully with the Los Angeles Dodgers.  St. Peter said if Carneal returns he will be employed by the Twins, not KSTP, the team’s new broadcast home.   

Viking quarterback Brad Johnson talking about the team’s rebuilt offensive line that includes free agent tackle Steve Hutchinson: “They have a little nasty attitude about them.  That’s really what’s going to take us the distance.” 

Johnson, who will be 38 later this month, pretending to be upset while joking about Jeff George, 38, and Kerry Collins, 34. coming back into the NFL with Oakland and Tennessee.  “I a little hot (about it) right now.  I want to be the oldest guy in the league for another four or five years.”  (Not to worry, George turns 39 in December).  

Viking linebacker Napoleon Harris played varsity basketball for Northwestern during his red shirt year in football.  He averaged 4.9 points and 5.1 rebounds in 18 games during the 1998-99 season.  He scored 18 points against Ohio State and had 13 rebounds versus Indiana. 

Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin likes the communication skills of Harris, describing him as a “great communicator and also as a “highly motivated guy.” 

Big Purple/Little Purple: The biggest of the Vikings is offensive tackle Bryant McKinnie, 6-8, 335; the smallest is cornerback Antoine Winfield, 5-9, 180. 

That was often injured Troy Hudson of the Timberwolves working out on his own at a local health club earlier this week. 

John Bell Wilson, who for 30 years was the official scorer for Gopher men’s basketball and for 20 years the public address announcer for Gopher men’s hockey, will volunteer his time to be the public address announcer for the Eden Prairie High School girls hockey team this season.  He is a vice president of investments for UBS. 

Kevin Gorg, University of St. Thomas women’s hockey coach, will again this hockey season provide Minnesota Wild and Minnesota Gophers pre-game and post game analysis on Fox North telecasts.  Gorg is also media relations manager at Canterbury Park and the Star Tribune’s horse racing handicapper.   

Edina High School senior Whitney Taney, undefeated in her high school tennis career with a 146-0 record, probably will make a college choice by the end of September, according to her father, Ted.  Official college visits next month likely will be Minnesota, Michigan, Penn State, Illinois and Pepperdine.  In the national USTA rankings for girls’ 18, Whitney has been ranked as high as 16 this year. 

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