I’ve been scratching my head for awhile now thinking about the Tony Dungy link to the University of Minnesota football coaching position.  Dungy has been granted special status as an authority about the job opening by University officials and media.

It’s almost like this: “If Tony can’t be our coach, he can at least tell us who to hire.”

Baloney.  Dungy hasn’t coached college football since he was an assistant at Minnesota about 30 years ago.  He achieved a highly successful career in pro football where he became the first African-American head coach to win the Super Bowl.  He’s been out of coaching since 2008 and now is seen weekly on NBC’s Sunday night football telecasts.

The college and pro coaching cultures are different in their demands.  Dungy is an expert on the NFL, not the NCAA.  His knowledge and contacts with other coaches run deepest in the NFL.  Don’t make the man into something he’s not.

Ask Dungy’s opinion on coaching candidates for Minnesota and he’s likely to offer up guys coaching in the pro game, or with strong ties to it.  That doesn’t fit the profile Minnesota should be pursuing.  The Gophers need an established college football coach who has been a proven winner elsewhere.

Dungy is a very nice man with admirable character but let’s not go overboard on his commitment to Gophers football.  Yes, he once played quarterback here and later coached for Joe Salem but if moving Gophers football out of the dumpster is a  priority for Dungy it sure seems like he should accept the job that’s been offered to him at least twice in the last four years.

Dungy doesn’t have the interest and will to take on this job and he doesn’t even have a lot of personal equity in who is hired as coach.  Dungy is not employed by the University.  He is not a member of the Board of Regents.  He doesn’t live in Minnesota, nor has he any plans to do so.  I am not aware that he’s even a season ticket holder, and if so he doesn’t attend the games.

University leaders, passionate season ticket holders and other fans have much more invested in Gophers football than the far removed Dungy who both lives and works thousands of miles from Minneapolis.  Those who truly love Gophers football and have loyally (blindly?) supported it through the years are the real stake holders.

The University doesn’t need a nod up or down on final candidates from Dungy

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Vikings rookie running back Toby Gerhart said ball security is a constant priority when playing in a game.  He has one fumble in 57 rushing attempts this season.

The California native wanted to visit Minnesota’s North Shore during the team’s bye week earlier this fall but couldn’t find lodging during the popular fall colors season.

Rookie Joe Webb, the Vikings No. 3 quarterback, said he is knowledgeable now about the team’s offense.  He will be nervous if and when he plays in his first game, but expects the feeling to go away quickly.  A physical quarterback at 6-4, 220 known for his running ability, Webb said if he has the opportunity for an important play he won’t hesitate to make contact with tacklers, rather than sliding like most NFL quarterbacks.

The Gophers basketball team opens with an exhibition game at home against Northeastern tomorrow night.  Based on Minnesota’s exhibition tour to Canada last summer, coach Tubby Smith will be looking for better communication among his players on defense.

Tickets (all sessions) for the men’s Big Ten Basketball Tournament next March are $300, $220 or $165.  There’s only one price for the women’s tournament, $45.

When the Wild host the Sharks tomorrow night, Nick Schultz bobbleheads will be distributed to the first 5,000 fans to recognize his being named to the franchise’s 10 year all-time team.

The predicted order of finish for MIAC men’s hockey from the coaches poll: Hamline, Augsburg, St. Thomas, Gustavus, St. Olaf, Concordia, Saint John’s, Bethel and Saint Mary’s.

Brainerd’s Ron Stolski is now the state prep football coach with the most all-time wins, 328.  Brainerd, 9-0, defeated Buffalo in a playoff game Saturday.

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The Brett Favre soap opera becomes even more dramatic in the days ahead with speculation about whether he will play on Sunday and how his relationship is with coach Brad Childress.  Oh, and then there’s that matter involving Jenn Sterger.

Favre gives up his NFL record of 291 consecutive starts if he can’t play in New England on Sunday because of his left ankle and heel injuries.  Even at age 41, no one is betting Farve can’t take the field against the Patriots.  He’s a tough old codger with a history of playing through injury and pain.

But his performance so far this season often hasn’t been sharp and some wonder whether Childress wants to change quarterbacks.  The coach reportedly thought about a change in last Sunday’s Green Bay game, a night when Favre threw three interceptions and the Vikings lost 28-24 to leave their record at 2-4.

Adam Schefter, NFL reporter for ESPN, said on KSTP Radio Wednesday morning he thinks the Vikings are looking for an “excuse” not to play Favre who has 10 interceptions and only seven touchdown passes.  “The ankle injury is a convenient answer right now for everybody,” Schefter said.  “Because if he doesn’t play it’s going to be because of that, but I am not convinced that there aren’t other factors involved in that decision.”

Schefter said quarterbacks and coaches “have issues over time” and there have been rumors going back to last season that Favre and Childress may have differences about running the offense.  Asked this week about the two of them being on the same page, Childress said: “Absolutely.”

Even if things are “ducky” there remains the issues of whether Favre’s health will allow him to play, and if he can perform effectively enough to give the Vikings their best chance to win.  His passer rating is an unimpressive 68.0 (last season it was 107.2).  He’s forced passes that should not have been thrown.

Yet in fairness to Favre, his offensive line’s pass protection is often sub-standard.  He also began the season without his favorite receiver, Sidney Rice. Wide receiver Randy Moss, who joined the team after three games, has needed time to learn about his quarterback and the system.  Big play wide receiver Bernard Berrian has been almost nonexistent.

And then, too, Favre boosters will remind us that had Percy Harvin managed to have two feet in bounds on Favre’s 35-yard pass late in the Green Bay game it would have counted for a touchdown and a Vikings’ 31-28 win.

But now the Vikings are almost desperate for a win against the Patriots, facing the possibility of falling three games under .500 with the halfway mark of the season approaching.  Does Childress decide between now and game time that Tarvaris Jackson can help him more than Favre on Sunday?

Jackson hasn’t started a game since he was the team’s regular quarterback in 2008.  Will he be the new and improved T-Jack?  Or the one we knew who made poor decisions throwing the ball?

And what if Favre can’t play and Jackson is injured in the game?  That means 23-year-old rookie Joe Webb, a project drafted on the sixth round, is the next man up.

If all this isn’t enough theater for you, then remember the NFL still has not announced the results of its investigation surrounding allegations that Favre sent Sterger inappropriate texts and photos when both were employed by the Jets.

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