Ray Edwards, the youngest player on the Vikings’ roster at 21, made two eye-opening plays in the last six minutes of the Vikings’ pre-season win over Baltimore last week.  First, the rookie defensive end made a sprawling attempt to sack quarterback Brian St. Pierre who then hurriedly threw an interception to Willie Offord leading to a Vikings’ field goal.  In the final two minutes of the fourth quarter Edwards stripped the ball from St. Pierre and Khreem Smith picked up the fumble to score on a 29-yard touchdown run. 

Only days before the game defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said the Vikings’ fourth round rookie draft choice was “trying to make the team at this point.”

He also said, “He is doing a nice job of etching out a potential spot for himself.  That will continue to develop over the next two weeks.” 

Edward’s performance against the Ravens was some nice “etching” and fit with his reputation as a potentially talented pass rusher.  At Purdue Edwards tied for second in sacks in the Big Ten Conference as a sophomore and although he played only three seasons for the Boilermakers he is tied for seventh among the school’s career sack leaders. 

Asked to evaluate himself as if he were a scout, Edwards said, “Definitely can get to the quarterback.  Definitely got a great first step.” 

The 6-foot-5, 268-pound Edwards, who said he wants to improve his performance against the run, left Purdue after his junior season.  The Boilermakers’ 2005 season was one of disappointment and discontent.  The team returned all 11 starters on defense along with a veteran quarterback, had an early season top 20 ranking, hit a six game losing streak and finished with a 5-6 record, missing a bowl game for the first time in coach Joe Tiller’s nine year career at Purdue.  There was plenty of finger pointing and talk about attitudes. 

In another scenario, Edwards may well have been drafted higher but the Vikings, including Scott Studwell, the team’s director of college scouting, were happy  for the opportunity to draft the gifted college pass rusher in the fourth round.  “I was a little disappointed (not to be drafted higher) but everything happens for a reason,” Edwards said.  “I can’t be no better than where I am at right now.  I am happy here and I think I will continue to stay happy here.” 

Minnesota tennis legend David Wheaton likes Roger Federer or Andy Roddick to win the men’s singles at the US Open in New York.  The women’s winner?  “It’s very hard to pick (someone) this year,” he answered. 

With Andre Agassi retiring, Anna Kournikova fading from the scene and John McEnroe long past his prime, who has star power in the sport that still misses the marketing appeal of Jimmy Connors, Bjorn Borg, McEnroe and Billie Jean King?  “Rafael Nadal has a lot of cache in him,” Wheaton said.  “He brings a lot of energy.  On the women’s side, (Maria) Sharapova.” 

In 1990 Wheaton lost in the US Open singles quarterfinals to McEnroe, his best showing ever at America’s Grand Slam.  In recent years he has been playing in the 35 and over doubles at the Open but is no longer eligible because of a new rule limiting participation to players who once were champions or runner-ups in Grand Slam events.  Wheaton, 37, and partner T.J. Middleton won the 35 and over doubles championship at Wimbledon in 2004 and finished second the last two years.   

A devout Christian, the Tonka Bay resident is the author of the book “University of Destruction.”  He writes about the “three pillars of peril students face in college: sex, drugs/alcohol, and humanism (secular or religious).”

The annual Trent Tucker Youth Program fund-raiser has a new event to complement the celebrity golf tournament.  A celebrity poker tournament, with scheduled guests that include Michael Jordan and poker star Phil Ivey, will be held at Canterbury Park on Friday, September 8.  On Saturday, September 9, Rush Creek Golf Course will be the site for a celebrity golf outing including you-know-who.

Twins pitcher Francisco Liriano talking about going back to his native Dominican Republic for the winter:  “I was here in the winter this year for the Twinsfest.  Pretty cold, man, I don’t like that.  That’s not the way that I am used to it, you know.”   

Former Gopher football coach Lou Holtz is promoting his new book, “Wins, Losses, and Lessons.”  He said on WCCO Radio’s Sports Huddle:  “I am the only guy who has written more books than he has read.”  Holtz told the local radio audience he would have stayed at Minnesota and not gone to Notre Dame if the University had extended his authority in the athletic department. 

Gopher junior safety Dom Barber visited his older brother, Marion III, in Dallas during the off-season.  Marion, whose Dallas Cowboys play the Vikings Thursday night, spent time with Dom bowling, eating pizza and staying around the house and swimming pool.  Dom, who played running back in high school, will play defense for the Gophers and not follow the running back tradition set by his father, Marion II, and his older brother, two of the school’s best runners ever.  Another Barber runner may be coming, though.  “Little Thomas, he’s eight now, and some day may be he will the next one to carry the tradition of running backs,” Dom said. 

Matt Spaeth, recently named a Gopher co-captain, talked earlier this month about how the team must learn from the past and not give away games (see 2005 versus Wisconsin):  “I think as a team we look at some of our games where we’ve had let downs.  Fourth quarter letdowns or just stupid mistakes. Things like that that will cost us the game.  We definitely (have) got to get rid of those.”

Former Viking coach Mike Tice’s son, Nate, and nephew, Mike, are both playing football for Edina High School.