Archive for January, 2010

That lovable lug Mike Tice will once again be prowling the sidelines for an NFC North team, but not as a head coach.  Yet. According to various sources, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the former Vikings head man, who was fired one year into the Zygi Wilf regime to make way for Brad Childress, has landed a gig as offensive line coach with the Purple’s hated rivals the Chicago Bears. Tice’s hiring comes as part of a major coaching staff overhaul for the Bears, who have retained Lovie Smith but gotten rid of almost everyone else, including offensive coordinator Ron Turner.  [...]

The voice that put a thousand reporters to sleep is not what it seems, according to Jared Allen. Speaking to WHB in Kansas City (via Sports Radio Interviews), Allen discussed the low, gravely monotone Brad Childress adopts in press conferences and radio appearances, and insists it’s not indicative of the real Chilly. “I think that’s his stage voice,” Allen said.  “Yeah, that’s like his 1-900 voice…He’s not real boisterous and he’s not that soft spoken – there’s not a whole lot of fluctuation. But no, he’s not that deep voice guy, that’s just his radio voice.” My sources tell me [...]

The Vikings have found some pretty novel ways of losing over the years, including letting Steve Walsh beat them down in a home playoff game.  Here are the top 10 things that could ruin the Vikings’ championship run this time around: 10.  Bernard Berrian letting a Favre fastball go off his hands and right to Terence Newman for a pick-6.  Berrian was a lot better at catching those soft Gus Frerotte lobs, no? 9.  The defensive line playing like the road defensive line even though the game is at home on the fast turf.  The team ends up filing a [...]

Don’t call it a guarantee.  Do call it a sign of confidence. In his regular weekly press conference on Wednesday, Brett Favre stopped short of making any Namath-like proclamations, but was willing to express his belief that the Vikings can and will beat Dallas Sunday at the Metrodome. “Honestly, I see us sitting here next week having this press conference again,” Favre told reporters.  “If that doesn’t happen, to me it will be a shock.” Not exactly bulletin board material.  Unless the Cowboys are extremely sensitive to perfectly reasonable statements of self-assurance by a player who is not poking them [...]

In which I make like I’m some kinda football wonk… Cowboys:  Tony Romo There was a monkey riding on his back – or maybe it was a baby orangutan; anyway, it was some kind of small animal – until this weekend’s win vs. the Eagles when the monkey either jumped off or was forcibly removed.  Now it should be easier for Romo to play, cause he no longer has some critter pooping down his neck.  Also, as far as I know, he isn’t dating any pop stars who got cursed by gypsies, which is always a plus. Vikings:  Brett Favre [...]

“Shock video” is of course sarcastic.  There’s nothing shocking about Packer fans getting in fights.  The only shocking thing is that they’re ever coordinated enough to throw punches after drinking so much alcohol.  I guess when you stay pickled so much of the time, your body just learns to adjust. I was actually rooting for the Cheeseballs yesterday.  I wanted Brett to get another shot at making them cry.  But it wasn’t to be.  For next year, they might want to work on covering receivers over the middle.  #1 defense in the NFL my ass. Kurt Warner is good, but [...]

Last Sunday, the Dallas Cowboys blasted the Philadelphia Eagles, handing the Vikings the #2 seed and a first-round bye. Tonight, the Cowboys destroyed the Eagles again, earning themselves a trip to the Metrodome, with a berth in the NFC Championship Game on the line. The Cowboys have been arguably the most impressive team in the NFC over the past month.  Their great run started in Week 15 with a surprising victory over the then-undefeated Saints in New Orleans, and has reached a crescendo with consecutive blow-out wins over division rival Philly. Their next opponent is a Vikings team that was [...]

It’s become an annual ritual in Vikingland:  watching teams with head coaching vacancies court defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier. Last year, the Broncos, Lions and Rams all interviewed Frazier before electing to go with other candidates.  Among those teams, the Rams reportedly came closest to hiring Frazier. Since the end of the regular season on Sunday, Frazier has already been contacted by at least two teams, the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks. On Thursday, the Bills sent representatives to Minneapolis to interview Frazier, who otherwise is spending his time preparing for the Vikings’ playoff game a week from Sunday.  There’s been [...]

There was much debate going into this year’s draft over which position the Vikings should address.  Some said we needed a tackle worse than anything, others argued we had to take a cornerback, a few advocated for a center or even a quarterback. Quite a few focused in on the wide receiver position, which had been a Viking thin spot for years, and targeted Florida’s Percy Harvin as the man to select. Those in favor of Harvin pointed out his great speed, shiftiness and versatility.  Those opposed mentioned Harvin’s failed drug test at the combine, rumors of bad behavior at [...]

The Vikings already had a league-high eight players in the Pro Bowl, including first-time honorees Heath Farwell, Sidney Rice and – stupefyingly enough – Bryant McKinnie. Yesterday, a ninth Viking discovered that he too is being honored with a selection to the roster of NFL All-Stars. Because Philadelphia‘s DeSean Jackson was voted in as both a receiver and kick returner, the choice was made to add a second kick returner, and the Vikings’ very own rookie sensation Percy Harvin was selected to be that man. Harvin, before teams started kicking away from him in terror, added a quick-strike dimension to [...]