Gather a group of Vikings together and let them relax while having a few beers.  Then ask what team on the schedule they most want to defeat.  A lot of the players will answer the Packers, according to Jeff Dugan, Vikings tight end.

The reason is there are thousands of Packers fans living in Minnesota.  Vikings players prefer silencing those fans rather than listening to them talk about a Packers win in the middle of Purple Nation.

It will certainly calm the Vikings critics a bit if Minnesota (3-6) can avoid losing to the Packers (6-3) for a second time this season when the two teams meet on Sunday at Mall of America Field.  The Vikings are being labeled a “bad” team but the players believe they are a talented group.

“We’re loaded with talent,” Vikings defensive end Brian Robison said. “As far as us being a bad team, I totally disagree with that.  I just think this year we’re just not making the plays that need to be made in order for us to win.”

The scores in half the losses substantiate that last sentence.  The Vikings have lost three of their games by five points or less.

That includes a 28-24 loss to the Packers in Green Bay on October 24.  The defeat in Green Bay is part of a nine-game road losing streak dating back to last season.

The Vikings, who are 17-3 in their last 20 home games, will be happy to be at Mall of America Field on Sunday, unless they lose and have to listen to those “Minnesota” Packers fans.

Comments Welcome

The Vikings were 12-4 during the regular season last year and winning impacts Pro Bowl selections.  With this season’s losing record the Vikings won’t have 10 Pro Bowl selections again.  “I think if anybody on the team deserves it, Chris Kluwe deserves it,” said placekicker Ryan Longwell.  “I think he’s the best punter in the league.  He’s had the best year in the league of any punter.”

Robison has mostly been a reserve during his Vikings career but said he’s been playing more the last two games than earlier in the season, about 20 plays per game.

Vikings coach Brad Childress and Packers coach Mike McCarthy are in their fifth seasons coaching their teams.  Childress, who was linked with the Packers head coach opening before coming here, has a 39-34 regular season record, 1-2 in the playoffs, while McCarthy is 44-29 and 1-2 also.

Vikings wide receiver and punt returner Greg Camarillo watched his teammates slip on the Solider Field turf in Chicago last Sunday and told Sports Headliners it was as “bad” a dry surface as he has played on.

Former Vikings defensive lineman John Randle will receive his Pro Football Hall of Fame ring on Sunday from a hall of fame representative.

The Goal Line Club will sponsor the annual Gophers football banquet on Sunday, November 28 at TCF Bank Stadium.  The public is welcome and the registration deadline is tonight.  More information from Bob Hughes, 651-322-0779, or www.goallineclub.com.

Jim Dotseth of the Minnesota High School Football Coaches Association announced yesterday the 10 finalists for the annual Mr. Football award: Joe Bjorklund, Rosemount; Reggie Gandy, DeLaSalle; Jordan Hayes, Brainerd; Eric Kline, Blaine; Dillon Olson, Goodridge/Grygla-Gatzke; Colby Salonek, Springfield; Ayrton Scott, Minneapolis Southwest; Dylan Ulferts, Shakopee; Frank Veldman, Eastview; and Peter Westerhaus, Holy Family.  The winner will be announced at the Mr. Football Banquet on December 19 at the Doubletree Hotel in St. Louis Park.

Brainerd stunned observers last week when the Warriors defeated Eden Prairie 13-10 in the prep football playoffs.  Answering an email from Sports Headliners, Brainerd’s Ron Stolski, the winningest prep football coach in state history, wrote that the Eden Prairie win “ranks with the biggest in our long history.”  Before coming to Brainerd, Stolski started the football program at Park Center High School and in 1971, his team’s first year, Park beat Osseo, winners of 38 straight games. Tonight the Warriors play Rosemount in a Class 5A semifinal game at the Metrodome.

Since Cal Clutterbuck’s mustache began its own twitter account (@ClutterStache) the Wild forward has scored four goals in seven games.  He is involved with the “Movember” promotion encouraging men to grow moustaches during November to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer research.

Wild goaltending prospect Dennis Endras led Germany to the Deutschland Cup championship last weekend with wins against Canada and Switzerland.  Endras was the Wild’s emergency goalie when the team opened the season in Helsinki.

Augustana’s Dan Schoen, an offensive lineman from Maple Grove High School, has won the Glen Galligan award as voted by the NSIC coaches.  The award is given to an outstanding senior football player in the conference who excels as a student and athlete.

Woodbury’s Larry Freedman and Princeton’s Jim Beck lead two MIAC football officiating crews that because of their quality work have been selected to officiate NCAA Division III playoff games tomorrow. Freedman’s crew will work the Coe College at Wheaton College game.  Beck’s group will have the St. Norbert College at North Central College game.

Comments Welcome

In Gophers basketball news, coach Tubby Smith said his team will need to play “50 percent” better in its next game, and the University will retire the jerseys of two more former players later this season.

After the Gophers defeated Siena (76-69) on Monday night at Williams Arena, Smith criticized his team’s lack of consistency in a season that is just beginning.  The Gophers, 2-0 in regular season games and 2-0 in exhibitions this month, will be on the road for the first time when they play tomorrow night against Western Kentucky in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off in San Juan.

The tournament includes schools with basketball pedigrees such as North Carolina and West Virginia.  If the Gophers and North Carolina win tomorrow, the two schools will play each other Friday.

“It’s going to be a good test for us,” said Gophers forward Trevor Mbakwe.  “We’re gonna be on a neutral site.  We’re not gonna have the (home) crowd so we’re gonna have to rally around each other to win those games.”

Smith was critical of his team’s effort on Monday night.  “We can’t look by anybody,” he said.

Guard Chuck Mencel and forward Dick Garmaker will have their jerseys retired at halftime of Gophers’ Big Ten games on January 26 and February 6.  Mencel was a four-year starter for the Gophers from 1951-55.  He and Garmaker played together during the 1953-54 and 1954-1955 seasons when the Gophers finished third and second in the Big Ten.

Mencel averaged 18 points or better twice during his career while Garmaker had averages of 21.6 and 24.2.  Both players were twice first team All-Big Ten and were All-Americans in 1955.  Mencel was the Chicago Tribune’s 1955 Big Ten Most Valuable Player.

The retired jerseys of other Gophers as displayed in Williams Arena are: Jim Brewer, Kevin McHale, Lou Hudson, Mychal Thompson, Whitey Skoog and Trent Tucker. The Gophers don’t actually discontinue use of a player’s jersey number.  For example, Mbakwe wears the same jersey number as Tucker, No. 32.

Comments Welcome