Vikings finally throw knockout punch
Following are opinions from Mille Lacs County Times editor-sports editor Gary Larson, reporter Luther Dorr and Logan Marxhausen, a Milaca native who is on the sports staff at the St. Cloud State University Chronicle. Note: This feature is written on Monday each week.
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•Question: What are your thoughts on the Vikings’ 35-9 victory over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday?
-Dorr: I watched only part of the first half but my reaction, without seeing statistics or knowing much about the game, is that the Vikings finally threw a knockout punch against a team they should dominate. In so many games this season the team has had a chance to do that but has been unable to do so. This time they played a dominating second quarter, took control of the game in the third period and didn’t let an inferior team back in the game. That’s the step I’ve been looking for on the stairway to becoming better than just a good team. Jay Cutler and the Chicago Bears are due for a good game but the Vikings can take another step toward being one of the best in the league by dominating the Bears next Sunday.
-Marxhausen: The Vikings did what they normally do. I never had the time to sit and watch the Seahawks play this season until Sunday. They certainly didn’t prove to be a very professional team compared to the Vikings. The Seahawks put up less than competitive standards, only rushing for four yards on 44 plays, they went 1-10 on third down and had 10 penalties. The Vikings had strong passing with a near perfect game by Brett Favre, going 22-25 with four touchdowns. The game could not have been more lopsided unless the Seahawks totally refused to play offense. With Favre behind the center, Sidney Rice is getting the precision passes that he needs to become that X-factor in the game. The Vikings are limiting their mistakes and taking advantage of the opposing team’s mistakes.
-Larson: It was a near-perfect scenario. Favre and Co. chewed up the Seattle defense and the Vikings’ defense embarrassed the Seattle offense. And, Tarvaris Jackson, who may be calling signals for Minnesota in 2010, completed six of eight passes for 77 yards and a touchdown. Favre spread his passes around and seemed like his receivers were open play after play. Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor once again made a case that they are the top one-two running punch in the league.
The Vikings look like they’re among the NFL’s elite. But, they need to stay healthy.
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•Question: Last week, Vikings coach Brad Childress received a contract extension through the 2013 season. What are your thoughts on that?
-Dorr: I don’t care much either way but it’s the way things are handled today. Childress began here in 2006 with a 6-10 record (worse than Mike Tice the year before), moved up to 8-8 in 2007 and then was 10-6 last year with a division title. The 9-1 start this year virtually assures Childress of 11 or 12 or more wins this year and that’s another improvement. And the contract extension is the way things work these days.
-Marxhausen: I am not a firm believer in the Brad Childress coached Vikings. I understand he can bring in players, but I still firmly believe that he should not be calling the plays. I sit and I watch the Vikings games and sometimes he can be predictable. Favre makes Childress look like a genius behind this high-powered offense, but if Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson were under the center, then the story for this year would be entirely different. Nobody can deny that without Favre, the Vikings are just another team missing the link to make them a force to be reckoned with.
-Larson: Why not? I’m not convinced Childress ranks with the top half dozen coaches in the league but he appears to have a good relationship with his players and the guys who count most – Zygi and Mark Wilf. Ownership has given Childress the players he needs to Succeed and he’s put the pieces together very well this season.
His relentless pursuit of Brett Favre last summer and the signing of No. 4 set the stage for a contract extension. With the possible exception of Favre, Minnesota’s roster appears set for one or two more seasons which should boost Childress’ record, too.
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•Question: Vikings owners Zygi and Mark Wilf clashed with the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission last week, stating they were “shocked, exasperated and disappointed” by the commission’s attempt to keep their team in the Metrodome beyond 2011. It’s apparent the Wilfs want no part of a remodeled Metrodome and a new stadium is the only thing that would keep the Vikings in Minnesota. Your thoughts?
-Dorr: If the economy hadn’t gone in the tank last year there would likely be serious discussions about a new stadium. The decision to build Target Field came before the economy cooled, as did the decision for the U of M’s new football stadium. No one wants to see the Vikings leave Minnesota but the times are different. The Vikings have the state backed into a bit of a corner and I suspect something will get done before the Metrodome lease ends in 2011.
-Marxhausen: It seems that nothing short of a brand new stadium will change the thinking of the Wilfs. I would like to see the Vikings stay in the Metrodome, but both Zygi and Mark Wilf are intent on getting a new stadium. I personally don’t see anything wrong with the current stadium and with the Twins in their new stadium, the Vikings can have the Metrodome to themselves. Some agreement will have to take place because if things don’t look like they are progressing towards the future, the Wilfs will take the Vikings to a place that will offer a new stadium.
-Larson: When the University of Minnesota came knocking, the state answered with $138 million for a stadium that wasn’t needed. When the Minnesota Twins showed up with their palms wide open, the state responded with approximately $245 million.
The precedent for a new Vikings stadium was set and now, bad economy or not, the state has to get into serious negotiations with the Vikings. The Wilfs may not be the ones who would move the team but they can sure sell it for a profit and let the new owners say goodbye to Minnesota.
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•Question: Minnesota Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire finished second to Los Angeles Angels Manager Mike Scioscia in the voting for American League Manager of the Year. Who would you have voted for?
-Dorr: Using the theory that managers should take the blame for losses if they get credit for wins, I thought Gardenhire was below average most of the 2009 season. The team was great in September and he gets credit for that. The Angels had three of their starting pitchers out for a time this season and still had a good year. I suppose Scioscia gets credit for that. You can also make a case for the job Gardenhire did. In the end I would have given a slight nod to Gardenhire.
-Marxhausen: The Twins did some marvelous things this season. They came back from a large deficit and made a good race to make the playoffs. Gardenhire is and always will be known as a good manager. He brings the best out in players and always tries to use opportunities when they occur during a game. He utilizes players for their talent and potential to be even better. He has an eye for young prospects and has enough experience to convince anybody in an argument. My vote would’ve gone to Gardenhire.
-Larson: Gardenhire would’ve received my vote, with Girardi being my second choice. Gardenhire gets the nod because of his team’s frantic finish when just about every game for a month was a “must win.” Girardi had baseball’s best team and he ran it smoothly – not an easy task in New York.
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•Question: The University of Minnesota football team lost at Iowa 12-0 Saturday to finish 6-6. Sum up the Gophers’ woes.
-Dorr: I counseled many of my friends who are Gopher fans to be careful what they wished for when they wanted Glen Mason fired. I also counseled them not to take the everything-is-great posture of Tim Brewster too seriously. Quarterback Adam Weber threw 24 touchdown passes as a freshman and was third team freshman All-American. He also ran for 617 yards. Last year he was second team All-Big Ten and had 8 interceptions in 410 attempts. This year he has been mediocre, except for the 5 touchdowns and 416 yards against Michigan State, as Brewster brought in a new offensive coordinator and changed the offense. Weber ran for 840 yards his first two years but had -135 this year. Why change something that was pretty good? The game at Iowa not only could have been won, it should have been won. It was more unwatchable than the South Dakota State game. Is it all Brewster’s fault? You be the judge. The season goes beyond being disappointing. The loss of Eric Decker was a big blow but things started to go bad before he was hurt. I haven’t heard much from the Brewster supporters lately.
-Marxhausen: Their record itself says how the season has gone. Minnesota is just a mediocre team at the moment. The Gophers lose to teams who are good and beat the teams that aren’t very good. The conference action didn’t bode towards the Gophers finishing the season 3-5 in the Big Ten. They had opportunities down the stretch to be different from an average team, but they couldn’t muster up enough of something to get over that hump. The offensive scheme that was put in hasn’t exactly been executed properly. Teams have to balance the run and the pass, but they need to have a presence of both to win a game and that is what the Gophers were lacking.
-Larson Progress can be judged on how well a team is playing at the end of the season compared to how well it played in the first two or three games. Throw out Brewster’s first season when the Gophers were winless. In 2008 and this year his teams started out well, then belly-flopped the second half of the season. Brewster was heralded as a big time recruiter when he came to Minnesota but a StarTribune story last week revealed that while Brewster has landed some very good players, the big-time show-stoppers haven’t showed up.
Brewster’s “we’re really not too bad of a football team” quotes and his coy attitude are starting to get old. A bowl victory in which the Gophers played well would be nice. And, Brewster deserves one more season to see if he can produce a team that’s playing its best in November.
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