It's a good day to be a fan of the Minnesota Vikings, and even a greater day for Randall McDaniel. If ever there was a guy that deserved to be in the Hall of Fame, it was #64.
He was the first round draft pick of the Vikings in 1988, made the all-rookie team, and then the Pro Bowl...every year, except his final season. He was an incredibly durable player, missing only two games in his NFL career. As a guard. Over 14 seasons. He physically dominated just about everyone that he played against, and was the anchor for the 1998 offensive line that protected Randall Cunningham, went 15-1, and set an NFL recors for points in a season. Over the course of his career, teams he played for averaged over 1,800 yards a season on the ground and 14 touchdowns. He blocked for 1,000 yard backs 6 times in his career, and helped Robert Smith to become the Vikings all time leading rusher in the process. I couldn't be happier for him, for the Vikings organization, and Viking Nation. But I do have a few questions I would like to ask:
1) What the hell took so long for Randall McDaniel? He should have been a first ballot guy.
2) Why are Jim Marshall and Mick Tingelhoff still on the outside looking in? It's the the NFL Hall of Fame equivalent of the first OJ trial, it's such a miscarraige of justice. it's a sham. It's a travesty. It's a mockery. it's a...travishamockery.
3) How the hell can Bob Hayes make the Hall of Fame before Cris Carter? I mean, he was such a memorable player I had to look up how to spell the guys name. Did I have to add an 'e' in Hayes, or not?
I mean, Jesus doing jumprope, who the hell has Cris Carter pissed off? He scored twice as many yards, scored twice as many TD's, was a Pro Bowler twice as often, and the list goes on. I understand that Bob Hayes was a veteran's committee selection, so if you want to focus on other veteran's that should have been selected over Hayes (ahem, Tingelhoff and Marshall) I'm still your Huckleberry.
But okay, let's look at the contemporary guys that got selected over Carter. Bruce Smith, the second best defensive end behind Reggie White, never won a Super Bowl, got in on his first ballot. Okay, fair enough. He should have been. But Carter, the second best WR ever behind Jerry Rice, didn't get in on the first ballot? Why? Rod Woodson. Rod freaking Woodson deserved it over Cris Carter? Are you kidding me? Look, Woodson is a Hall of Famer, I'm not saying he isn't, but can you honestly say he was the second best defensive back in the history of the NFL? He's a top 5, definitely a top 10, but I'm sorry, he wasn't as good at his job as Cris Carter was at his--Carter played longer and is the best revceiver, ever, in the history of the NFL who isn't named Jerry Rice. Woodson got in on the first ballot. And that's bullshit.
Finally, Derrick Thomas. Great player, died tragically, had numbers that put him in the Hall of Fame discussion, but again, was he as much of a standout over his career, at his position, than Cris Carter? Borderline maybe.
My point of this rant isn't that those other guys don't deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, it's that Cris Carter shouldn't be denied entry because of some bullshit belief that there's not enough defensive guys in, they already selected a WR so you can't have another, or there's already one Viking picked and you can't have two in the same class. Why? Show me where it's written that only one WR, one Viking, or so many defensive players have to go in over offensive players.
You're either a Hall of Famer or you're not. Cris Carter clearly is.
Give him that gay ass yellow jacket.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Getting on the QB Carousel
So I’ve been reading in the blogosphere that the Minnesota Vikings need to address the QB position in 2009, and I agree. You can make an argument that Tarvaris Jackson should be given every opportunity to succeed, but let’s say he isn’t the guy, and the Vikes need to find a new guy to run the show next season. Who would the Vikings sign? Now, I’m not looking at this as a fan who would love to see a certain guy, but as a guy that tries to look at how Chilly, Chris Spielman’s brother, and Zygi will look at it, and go from there.
Matt Cassel—Depending on what the Patriots do with him, I think he’s the guy the Vikes will target. Mr. WIlf has shown no reservations to open up the checkbook, so signing him to a big money contract isn’t the issue. If the Patriots franchise Cassel, now you have to look at doing a deal with the devil (Bill Belichick). Do you give the Patriots two first round draft picks for a guy that’s played full one full season? The Lions did for Scott Mitchell. But that’s the Lions…and it was Scott Mitchell. If you take it, you’re pretty much going all in, because you now go three years without a first round draft pick, when you factor in the Jared Allen trade. By the way, there were a lot of people outside of Minnesota who thought that was a bad trade for the Vikings. Turned out okay, it appears. Would the Vikings catch lightning in a bottle twice, or would Matt Cassel turn out to be just another quarterback who looked really good passing to Randy Moss? I think he’d actually be somewhere in between. No question the Patriots, even without Moss, have a better receiving corps than the Vikings, but the few times I saw Cassel play this year (and they were game snippets, not a complete outing) he seemed to play…older, in a good way, than he is. He seemed to have a veteran presence that belies his youth; that “flatline” that Coach Childress discusses so often when talking about quarterbacks. He reminds me a lot of Brad Johnson, circa 1997-98, and that’s a good thing.
Matt Hasselbeck—He’ll be 34 early into the 2009 campaign, and is coming off of an assortment of injuries that caused him to miss 9 games. And the games he did play in he pretty much sucked, quite frankly, although he was playing injured. But he is a quarterback with a proven track record of success that if healthy, can still play at the Pro Bowl level. Seattle’s wide receivers were a horror shop of injuries this year, and that has to be factored in when looking at Hasselbeck’s performance this year as well. He is a good character guy, another flatliner, and with all things being equal I can see the Vikings making a run at him. He has a more proven track record than Matt Cassel, more veteran presence, which I think weighs heavily into this equation based on the sense of urgency the Vikings have to win now, and he could be had much cheaper than a franchised Cassel. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell said on the 9th of January that they won’t trade him, but Seneca Wallace played well in his absence, so never say never, especially if the Vikes dangle a good offer in front of them. Seattle needs help, and a couple of mid round draft picks and/or players might look like a good deal.
Donovan McNabb—The Vikings have been an off-season destination rumor for McNabb for a couple of seasons now, but I really don’t see it. Like Hasselbeck, he is a veteran with a proven track record, he has a good relationship with Childress, and would seem like a perfect fit. Had the Eagles gone 9-6-1 and missed the playoffs, I could see Philadelphia seriously consider a change. I mean, they replaced McNabb in Baltimore, they…tied…Cincinnati, and they would have missed the playoffs. But they went 9-6-1…and went to the NFC Championship, which changes the dynamic. McNabb played very well during the post-season, and that made everything that happened during the regular season sort of drift into the background. His post season exploits have probably held off the Philadelphia dogs for one more season, but I’m sure if the Vikings QB and McNabb struggle again in 2009, we’ll be talking about this again next year.
Michael Vick—Speaking of dogs, how about convicted felon Michael Vick? He has serious character issues since, he’s like, in PRISON, really doesn’t show a propensity as a “flatline” guy when he flips the bird to home fans coming off the field, and if he ever does get reinstated by the NFL, will have gone anywhere from three to five (estimate) years from playing professional football. Thanks for playing in the 2009 Minnesota Vikings quarterback sweepstakes. We have some lovely parting gifts for you.
As John McEnroe would say, ‘you CAN’T be SERIOUS!”
Brett Favre—Oh God, here we go. Let me say this before I go any further: If Brett Favre hadn’t played almost his whole career in Green Bay, would you still want him on your team? Last off-season, the answer was yes, if you looked at the situation dispassionately. Favre, like it or not, is one of the five best quarterbacks who ever played, and was coming off of one of the more remarkable seasons in his career, leading the Packers to the NFC Championship. I was all for Favre coming to the Vikings, and I still am, with a couple of caveats. He’s one year older, and is realistically a one year guy for the Vikings. His shoulder is messed up, and if that isn’t fixed, don’t bother. But IF his shoulder is healthy, and IF he wants to play for Minnesota, I say go for it. I think Favre thought he could orchestrate his departure from Green Bay, and when he landed in New York, his give a crap level went down. I don’t think he half-assed it or mailed it in, but he didn’t play with the passion or fire he has in the past. I think he would in Minnesota, and has one good season left in him.
John David Booty—Maybe JDB will be a good quarterback someday; I hope he is. But this is a veteran team that is built to win now, and I don’t think this is a realistic option. You’d face a mutiny on two fronts: One, you throw Jackson to the curb for a guy that’s never played a regular season down, and you alienate him. Two, you don’t necessarily upgrade the position with a veteran on a veteran team, so you risk losing the locker room. I can easily see the locker room split in a Jackson camp and a JDB camp, and that is a disaster waiting to happen. But that said, no one, and I mean NO ONE thought Daunte Culpepper was ready in 2000 after the Vikings failed to lure Dan Marino out of retirement. Still, JDB isn’t an option for 2009 if the Vikings want to seriously contend for the Super Bowl.
But he should be ready by 2012, when the Vikes have relocated to LA.
BUILD A DAMN STADIUM!!!
Matt Cassel—Depending on what the Patriots do with him, I think he’s the guy the Vikes will target. Mr. WIlf has shown no reservations to open up the checkbook, so signing him to a big money contract isn’t the issue. If the Patriots franchise Cassel, now you have to look at doing a deal with the devil (Bill Belichick). Do you give the Patriots two first round draft picks for a guy that’s played full one full season? The Lions did for Scott Mitchell. But that’s the Lions…and it was Scott Mitchell. If you take it, you’re pretty much going all in, because you now go three years without a first round draft pick, when you factor in the Jared Allen trade. By the way, there were a lot of people outside of Minnesota who thought that was a bad trade for the Vikings. Turned out okay, it appears. Would the Vikings catch lightning in a bottle twice, or would Matt Cassel turn out to be just another quarterback who looked really good passing to Randy Moss? I think he’d actually be somewhere in between. No question the Patriots, even without Moss, have a better receiving corps than the Vikings, but the few times I saw Cassel play this year (and they were game snippets, not a complete outing) he seemed to play…older, in a good way, than he is. He seemed to have a veteran presence that belies his youth; that “flatline” that Coach Childress discusses so often when talking about quarterbacks. He reminds me a lot of Brad Johnson, circa 1997-98, and that’s a good thing.
Matt Hasselbeck—He’ll be 34 early into the 2009 campaign, and is coming off of an assortment of injuries that caused him to miss 9 games. And the games he did play in he pretty much sucked, quite frankly, although he was playing injured. But he is a quarterback with a proven track record of success that if healthy, can still play at the Pro Bowl level. Seattle’s wide receivers were a horror shop of injuries this year, and that has to be factored in when looking at Hasselbeck’s performance this year as well. He is a good character guy, another flatliner, and with all things being equal I can see the Vikings making a run at him. He has a more proven track record than Matt Cassel, more veteran presence, which I think weighs heavily into this equation based on the sense of urgency the Vikings have to win now, and he could be had much cheaper than a franchised Cassel. Seahawks GM Tim Ruskell said on the 9th of January that they won’t trade him, but Seneca Wallace played well in his absence, so never say never, especially if the Vikes dangle a good offer in front of them. Seattle needs help, and a couple of mid round draft picks and/or players might look like a good deal.
Donovan McNabb—The Vikings have been an off-season destination rumor for McNabb for a couple of seasons now, but I really don’t see it. Like Hasselbeck, he is a veteran with a proven track record, he has a good relationship with Childress, and would seem like a perfect fit. Had the Eagles gone 9-6-1 and missed the playoffs, I could see Philadelphia seriously consider a change. I mean, they replaced McNabb in Baltimore, they…tied…Cincinnati, and they would have missed the playoffs. But they went 9-6-1…and went to the NFC Championship, which changes the dynamic. McNabb played very well during the post-season, and that made everything that happened during the regular season sort of drift into the background. His post season exploits have probably held off the Philadelphia dogs for one more season, but I’m sure if the Vikings QB and McNabb struggle again in 2009, we’ll be talking about this again next year.
Michael Vick—Speaking of dogs, how about convicted felon Michael Vick? He has serious character issues since, he’s like, in PRISON, really doesn’t show a propensity as a “flatline” guy when he flips the bird to home fans coming off the field, and if he ever does get reinstated by the NFL, will have gone anywhere from three to five (estimate) years from playing professional football. Thanks for playing in the 2009 Minnesota Vikings quarterback sweepstakes. We have some lovely parting gifts for you.
As John McEnroe would say, ‘you CAN’T be SERIOUS!”
Brett Favre—Oh God, here we go. Let me say this before I go any further: If Brett Favre hadn’t played almost his whole career in Green Bay, would you still want him on your team? Last off-season, the answer was yes, if you looked at the situation dispassionately. Favre, like it or not, is one of the five best quarterbacks who ever played, and was coming off of one of the more remarkable seasons in his career, leading the Packers to the NFC Championship. I was all for Favre coming to the Vikings, and I still am, with a couple of caveats. He’s one year older, and is realistically a one year guy for the Vikings. His shoulder is messed up, and if that isn’t fixed, don’t bother. But IF his shoulder is healthy, and IF he wants to play for Minnesota, I say go for it. I think Favre thought he could orchestrate his departure from Green Bay, and when he landed in New York, his give a crap level went down. I don’t think he half-assed it or mailed it in, but he didn’t play with the passion or fire he has in the past. I think he would in Minnesota, and has one good season left in him.
John David Booty—Maybe JDB will be a good quarterback someday; I hope he is. But this is a veteran team that is built to win now, and I don’t think this is a realistic option. You’d face a mutiny on two fronts: One, you throw Jackson to the curb for a guy that’s never played a regular season down, and you alienate him. Two, you don’t necessarily upgrade the position with a veteran on a veteran team, so you risk losing the locker room. I can easily see the locker room split in a Jackson camp and a JDB camp, and that is a disaster waiting to happen. But that said, no one, and I mean NO ONE thought Daunte Culpepper was ready in 2000 after the Vikings failed to lure Dan Marino out of retirement. Still, JDB isn’t an option for 2009 if the Vikings want to seriously contend for the Super Bowl.
But he should be ready by 2012, when the Vikes have relocated to LA.
BUILD A DAMN STADIUM!!!
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Random Thoughts
First of all, to my two or three loyal followers, sorry for the length of time between posts. Real life gets in the way of this stuff too often, and frankly it's kind of irritating.
Vikings Thought For the Day: There is a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth now that billionaire Ed Roski is one step closer to buidling a stadium near the City of Angels. There are a lot of naysayers that think one of two things: foremost, that LA will never build a stadium because LA doesn't want an NFL team there, and two, even if they do, the Vikings will never move. Let's look at those two things a little more in detail.
Even though Los Angeles hasn't been too keen about luring an NFL franchise since the Rams and Raiders left, it's the NFL that wants a team there. There is tremendous amounts of money to be made, and if there is a semi-serious effort to build a facility there, the NFL will bend over backwards to see that it succeeds. Ed Roski is more than semi-serious, and he's cleared a major hurdle. It's not a done deal, but it's further down the rabbit hole than any other stadium effort has gotten in LA.
Most Viking fans think that LA is the only possible destination, and if LA isn't feasible, the Vikes aren't moving. The Vikings are last in the league in terms of value and profitability (they actually went from a $16 million profit to a $19 million loss between '06 and '07) and there is more than one location that would crawl over broken glass to get an NFL franchise in their city. Los Angeles is the pre-occupation in everyone’s mind when it comes to this team re-locating, and you think that if you can somehow cross that city off the list, the Vikings are safe. Not necessarily so. There are plenty of cities that would kill to have the NFL, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Vikings relocate to a city that no one is talking about. Portland, Toronto, Vegas (20-1 longshot there—get it?), Birmingham. Hell, even Chicago wants a 2nd team.
People laughed when the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis, which was/is considered a cow town. If a city with a decent population wants a team and will build a new stadium, the Vikes will leave, whether it’s LA or somewhere else.
Or how about…London? The NFL sells out an 80,000 seat stadium in 10 minutes, they have a media market that is almost as large as Los Angeles, playing games over there to match a 1 pm EST start means every game in London is in primetime, they have an untapped reservoir of souvenir sales, and a star to market them (AP).
Finally, to those fans that think the Vikes have too much tradition and history with the state to move, I offer up the Baltimore COlts and the Cleveland Browns, two franchises that had a more storied tradition with their cities than the Vikings have with Minnesota. If they can move, the Vikes can move. And they will, if the Legislature doesn't do something.
Still, at the end of the day, when push came to absoulte shove, they got something done for the Twins and Gophers, and I feel they will get something done for the Vikings.
Ohio State Thought For the Day: I got almost nothing. Looks like recruiting is going well, and even though I don't know anything about these guys right now, I'm sure I'll love watching most of them suit up for the Scarlet and Gray in the coming years. 25 years from now, when we look back on the Jim Tressel era, we'll appreciate what he's done even more than we are right now living in the moment.
Cardinals Thought For the Day: Did George Paletta get his degree from Jose's school of Medicine in Grenada or something? I mean, Troy Glaus had shoulder issues late last season, and the Cardinals JUST NOW operated on him??? I understand that injuries are a part of the game, I get it. But is it me, or have the Cardinals had WAY more than their share of bizrre shit happen to their marquee players over the last 4-5 years. Mark Mulder, Chris Carpenter, Scott Rolen, Jimmy Ballgame, Mike Matheny, and now Glaus? The Cards had some power issues before this happened, and now it looks like Glaus will miss the first part of the season. He's a historically slow starter to begin with, so does this mean his power issues will linger into possibly June or July? On the positive side, everything points to Chris Carpenter being on track and ready to go on opening day. But we've been down that road before. Good luck to Mark Mulder, by the way. I heard on local sports talk radio that he was going to throw for a couple of teams this week and that could end up as a spring training invite as a non-roster player. I know there's a lot of anger towards him from Cardinal fans that felt the Cards got screwed in a deal that saw Dan Haren blossom into a star in Oakland, but I never saw a guy work as hard as Mulder did to try and get back into game shape. I wish him nothing but the best.
Vikings Thought For the Day: There is a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth now that billionaire Ed Roski is one step closer to buidling a stadium near the City of Angels. There are a lot of naysayers that think one of two things: foremost, that LA will never build a stadium because LA doesn't want an NFL team there, and two, even if they do, the Vikings will never move. Let's look at those two things a little more in detail.
Even though Los Angeles hasn't been too keen about luring an NFL franchise since the Rams and Raiders left, it's the NFL that wants a team there. There is tremendous amounts of money to be made, and if there is a semi-serious effort to build a facility there, the NFL will bend over backwards to see that it succeeds. Ed Roski is more than semi-serious, and he's cleared a major hurdle. It's not a done deal, but it's further down the rabbit hole than any other stadium effort has gotten in LA.
Most Viking fans think that LA is the only possible destination, and if LA isn't feasible, the Vikes aren't moving. The Vikings are last in the league in terms of value and profitability (they actually went from a $16 million profit to a $19 million loss between '06 and '07) and there is more than one location that would crawl over broken glass to get an NFL franchise in their city. Los Angeles is the pre-occupation in everyone’s mind when it comes to this team re-locating, and you think that if you can somehow cross that city off the list, the Vikings are safe. Not necessarily so. There are plenty of cities that would kill to have the NFL, and it wouldn’t surprise me to see the Vikings relocate to a city that no one is talking about. Portland, Toronto, Vegas (20-1 longshot there—get it?), Birmingham. Hell, even Chicago wants a 2nd team.
People laughed when the Colts moved from Baltimore to Indianapolis, which was/is considered a cow town. If a city with a decent population wants a team and will build a new stadium, the Vikes will leave, whether it’s LA or somewhere else.
Or how about…London? The NFL sells out an 80,000 seat stadium in 10 minutes, they have a media market that is almost as large as Los Angeles, playing games over there to match a 1 pm EST start means every game in London is in primetime, they have an untapped reservoir of souvenir sales, and a star to market them (AP).
Finally, to those fans that think the Vikes have too much tradition and history with the state to move, I offer up the Baltimore COlts and the Cleveland Browns, two franchises that had a more storied tradition with their cities than the Vikings have with Minnesota. If they can move, the Vikes can move. And they will, if the Legislature doesn't do something.
Still, at the end of the day, when push came to absoulte shove, they got something done for the Twins and Gophers, and I feel they will get something done for the Vikings.
Ohio State Thought For the Day: I got almost nothing. Looks like recruiting is going well, and even though I don't know anything about these guys right now, I'm sure I'll love watching most of them suit up for the Scarlet and Gray in the coming years. 25 years from now, when we look back on the Jim Tressel era, we'll appreciate what he's done even more than we are right now living in the moment.
Cardinals Thought For the Day: Did George Paletta get his degree from Jose's school of Medicine in Grenada or something? I mean, Troy Glaus had shoulder issues late last season, and the Cardinals JUST NOW operated on him??? I understand that injuries are a part of the game, I get it. But is it me, or have the Cardinals had WAY more than their share of bizrre shit happen to their marquee players over the last 4-5 years. Mark Mulder, Chris Carpenter, Scott Rolen, Jimmy Ballgame, Mike Matheny, and now Glaus? The Cards had some power issues before this happened, and now it looks like Glaus will miss the first part of the season. He's a historically slow starter to begin with, so does this mean his power issues will linger into possibly June or July? On the positive side, everything points to Chris Carpenter being on track and ready to go on opening day. But we've been down that road before. Good luck to Mark Mulder, by the way. I heard on local sports talk radio that he was going to throw for a couple of teams this week and that could end up as a spring training invite as a non-roster player. I know there's a lot of anger towards him from Cardinal fans that felt the Cards got screwed in a deal that saw Dan Haren blossom into a star in Oakland, but I never saw a guy work as hard as Mulder did to try and get back into game shape. I wish him nothing but the best.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Vikings Draft Musings
With a division title under their belt and only a few needs that need to be addressed this coming off-season, the Minnesota Vikings find themselves in a somewhat enviable position as they prepare for the 2009 draft. Unlike years past, where there were almost too many holes that could be plugged with the draft, the Vikings have only a few needs, and it’s almost a stretch to say that. With maybe the exception of the quarterback position, the Vikings enter the 2009 NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting with a pretty strong roster from top to bottom. There are several positions that need to be addressed, but with the overall strength of the roster, the Vikings can go with the “best player available” strategery at the expense of having to reach for a player at a position of need. See Underwood, Demetrius. These needs are in no particular order, and with the willingness of owner Zygi Wilf to spend money for whatever free agent the club identifies as a need, these could very well be taken care of prior to the draft.
QB: Is it going to be Tarvaris Jackson or not? If it is, he needs a backup, unless the legend that is John David Booty will suffice. If it isn’t, there won’t be a Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan in the low 20’s available, and let’s face it, the Vikings aren’t going to draft a quarterback on the first day to be a backup. If you think that QB is your number one priority, make a trade for a proven guy that’s going to hit the free agent market, and don’t half ass it. Whoever you deem the top quarterback on the free agent market to be, go get him. I would be utterly shocked if the VIkes use a first day pick on a quarterback.
OT: Todd Steussie, I mean Ryan Cook, has become a false start machine, which is great if there was a need in the NFL for offensive lineman who twitch more than Michael J. Fox when they go in the set position. There isn’t, so that’s a big drawback for the big man. When the Vikings actually get the ball snapped, his run blocking is pretty good, and in my opinion he tends to get better in that department as the game progresses, but he seems very inconsistent as a pass blocker. He’s a serviceable lineman, but is still sub-par as an NFL starter. Same for the two primary backups, Marcus Johnson and Artis Hicks. All three seem to do pretty good for short periods of time, but none of them can elevate their performance and stay consistent for an entire game, like former journeyman Anthony Herrera has done. On the other side, Bryant McKinnie isn’t going to go to the Hall of Fame, but it’s not his on field performance that is the problem. If he doesn’t get his off the field issues straightened out, he could be facing a one year suspension. Therefore, I think it’s necessary for the Vikings to look for a tackle in the draft.
C: The most unsettled position next to quarterback is the center position, and that is very troubling. Matt Birk has played at a very high level for 10 years, and it seems that the Vikings are lukewarm, at best, to bring him back for the 2009 campaign. As good as the left side of the line has been, it’s the center that makes the blocking audibles at the line, and Birk has been almost taken for granted he’s been go good at it. If the Vikings aren’t going to bring Birk back, then the question remains whether or not it will be Cook or John Sullivan that will take over. If it’s going to be Cook, who was a center in college, that makes the drafting of a tackle even more imperative. If it’s going to be Sullivan, then the Vikings will need to find a backup for him.
DB: CB Antoine Winfield and S Darren Sharper have been great players for the Vikings, but Sharper seemed to have lost a step this year, and with the combination of age and reckless abandon that Winfield approaches the game, he’s down to maybe two years left at the high level he’s playing at. He is north of 30, and has never shied away from contact. The Vikings got younger last year with the selection of Tyrell Johnson, but when Sharper went out in the playoff game against Philadelphia, deep pass coverage took a noticeable drop. Madieu Williams was a significant upgrade over Dwight ‘The Original Stairmaster’ Smith, so the Vikings are drafting both the CB and S position for depth and eventual successor to a proven veteran, although the CB has a chance to be a nickel guy right off the bat, depending on the status of Charles Gordon.
DE: I think this depends a lot on what the status os Kenechi Udeze is. First of all, I hope that he lives a long and healthy life, whether he steps between the lines again or not. If doctors clear him to play, I really, really like the line of Allen, Williams, Williams, and Udeze, with Robison, Edwards, and Evans being the primary backups. Maybe throw Jimmy Kennedy in there, too. He seemed to be okay as a late season fill-in. So, Udeze healthy I think the Vikings bypass DE in the draft, if not, they draft for depth.
If I had to place a bet, I'd say the Vikes address the QB issue through free agency, and my money there is on Matt Cassel. Then they spend the first couple of picks on the defensive backfield and then move to the offensive line.
Of course, all rational bets are off if James Laurinaitis or Malcolm Jenkins are still on the board. If one of those two guys fall to the Vikings, I'd soil myself with joy if the Vikings picked them.
But that's just me.
QB: Is it going to be Tarvaris Jackson or not? If it is, he needs a backup, unless the legend that is John David Booty will suffice. If it isn’t, there won’t be a Joe Flacco or Matt Ryan in the low 20’s available, and let’s face it, the Vikings aren’t going to draft a quarterback on the first day to be a backup. If you think that QB is your number one priority, make a trade for a proven guy that’s going to hit the free agent market, and don’t half ass it. Whoever you deem the top quarterback on the free agent market to be, go get him. I would be utterly shocked if the VIkes use a first day pick on a quarterback.
OT: Todd Steussie, I mean Ryan Cook, has become a false start machine, which is great if there was a need in the NFL for offensive lineman who twitch more than Michael J. Fox when they go in the set position. There isn’t, so that’s a big drawback for the big man. When the Vikings actually get the ball snapped, his run blocking is pretty good, and in my opinion he tends to get better in that department as the game progresses, but he seems very inconsistent as a pass blocker. He’s a serviceable lineman, but is still sub-par as an NFL starter. Same for the two primary backups, Marcus Johnson and Artis Hicks. All three seem to do pretty good for short periods of time, but none of them can elevate their performance and stay consistent for an entire game, like former journeyman Anthony Herrera has done. On the other side, Bryant McKinnie isn’t going to go to the Hall of Fame, but it’s not his on field performance that is the problem. If he doesn’t get his off the field issues straightened out, he could be facing a one year suspension. Therefore, I think it’s necessary for the Vikings to look for a tackle in the draft.
C: The most unsettled position next to quarterback is the center position, and that is very troubling. Matt Birk has played at a very high level for 10 years, and it seems that the Vikings are lukewarm, at best, to bring him back for the 2009 campaign. As good as the left side of the line has been, it’s the center that makes the blocking audibles at the line, and Birk has been almost taken for granted he’s been go good at it. If the Vikings aren’t going to bring Birk back, then the question remains whether or not it will be Cook or John Sullivan that will take over. If it’s going to be Cook, who was a center in college, that makes the drafting of a tackle even more imperative. If it’s going to be Sullivan, then the Vikings will need to find a backup for him.
DB: CB Antoine Winfield and S Darren Sharper have been great players for the Vikings, but Sharper seemed to have lost a step this year, and with the combination of age and reckless abandon that Winfield approaches the game, he’s down to maybe two years left at the high level he’s playing at. He is north of 30, and has never shied away from contact. The Vikings got younger last year with the selection of Tyrell Johnson, but when Sharper went out in the playoff game against Philadelphia, deep pass coverage took a noticeable drop. Madieu Williams was a significant upgrade over Dwight ‘The Original Stairmaster’ Smith, so the Vikings are drafting both the CB and S position for depth and eventual successor to a proven veteran, although the CB has a chance to be a nickel guy right off the bat, depending on the status of Charles Gordon.
DE: I think this depends a lot on what the status os Kenechi Udeze is. First of all, I hope that he lives a long and healthy life, whether he steps between the lines again or not. If doctors clear him to play, I really, really like the line of Allen, Williams, Williams, and Udeze, with Robison, Edwards, and Evans being the primary backups. Maybe throw Jimmy Kennedy in there, too. He seemed to be okay as a late season fill-in. So, Udeze healthy I think the Vikings bypass DE in the draft, if not, they draft for depth.
If I had to place a bet, I'd say the Vikes address the QB issue through free agency, and my money there is on Matt Cassel. Then they spend the first couple of picks on the defensive backfield and then move to the offensive line.
Of course, all rational bets are off if James Laurinaitis or Malcolm Jenkins are still on the board. If one of those two guys fall to the Vikings, I'd soil myself with joy if the Vikings picked them.
But that's just me.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Random Thoughts
Viking Thoughts for the Day: Well, I guess there’s going to be an open competition for the quarterback position next season. That’s a good thing, but I hoped it isn’t rigged in the Harlem Globetrotters vs. the Washington Generals sort of way. Of course, if Tarvaris Jackson had played football like the Globetrotters play basketball, maybe there wouldn’t be a need for an open competition…Not sure who the quarterback competition will be, but if I had to guess it will be someone that currently isn’t on anyone’s radar…I have mixed emotions about Leslie Frazier being in the running for a head coaching vacancy. As a fan of the game, I think he deserves a chance to be a head coach. His body of work over the years shows that he knows the defensive side of the football, and indicates he can make a successful transition from top assistant to numero uno honcho. As a fan of the Vikings, I’d like a defensive coordinator to stick around longer than a teenage baby daddy, because defensive coordinators leave Minnesota with more regularity than a drunk leaves a Wisconsin bar. And is it just me, but do the Vikings have more than their fair share of assistant coaches that leave Minnesota and the success of the remaining head coach elsewhere? Brian Billick, Mike Tomlin, Tony Dungy…Speaking of Tony Dungy, he announced his retirement today, and he got his career started in Minnesota, so I think it’s more than appropriate I spend a minute or two on this…Many of you remember him as an up and coming defensive coordinator that turned the Vikings defense of the early 1990’s into a fearsome unit, but how many of you remember him as the starting quarterback at the University of Minnesota in the 1970’s, or as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers ‘Steel Curtain’ defense? There’s not a lot of guys better than Tony Dungy, and he proved it could be done with a calm voice and a nudge as opposed to yelling and a swift kick in the ass. He will be missed, but you get the feeling Dungy will make a far greater impact in whatever he does next than what he did in football…If I had to lay odds on Gus Frerotte coming back to the Vikings, I’m giving it about as much chance of Kevin James pushing back from the buffet table...
Ohio State Thought for the Day: Goodbye, Beanie, and good luck in the NFL. I wish you had been healthier while you were in Columbus, but thanks for pouring the 55 gallon drum of whoop ass on Michigan while you were here…I don’t think any other Buckeye has a decent chance of being a first day draft pick if they leave early, so I hope no one does. Jim Cordle is okay, but will help himself more by staying. The wildcard has to be Ray Small, but I don’t think he’ll go. He has a good chance to start next year, and if he leaves now he could have that dreaded “attitude problem” tag attached to his name. You could argue that Brian Hartline should leave early because he’s going to graduate in May, but I think that’s the perfect reason to stay. No school to worry about, degree in hand, still on scholarship AND playing at Ohio State? I mean, it’s not like the guy is passing up NFL millions.
Tim Tebow Thought for the Day: This is my usual spot for my Big 10 thought of the day, but as you know, the Big 10 is part of college football, and Tim Tebow is college football right now, so by federal law, I must now rename this the Tim Tebow section. Look, I have nothing against the guy. I want to hate him, and I want to hate Florida, but I don’t. You would think it would be easy to because I witnessed Florida’s dismantling of Ohio State live and in person, but it’s not. You see, all the Florida people I ran across after the game were the most gracios, humble, and complimentary winners I have ever been around. So as much as I want to hate Tebow and Florida, I don’t. I can’t stand the fuckin’ SEC, but that’s something else entirely. So there. And if St Tim of Gainseville played for OSU and got this much attention, I’d be eating that shit up. I’d even offer to have his child out of wedlock. But that’ll never happen because I don’t look like this, he doesn’t play for OSU, and I’m not gay. So really, can we stop with all the ‘Tebow is Jesus” bullshit? Besides, I thought Barack Obama was Jesus. I mean, Tebow just plays football and has questionable mechanics to make it at the next level, but Obama’s gonna pay all my bills. But back to Tebow. He’s good, I get it.
St Louis Cardinals Thought for the Day: I have none. They’ve kind of pissed me off with their inactivity. Do something! Anything! Get a starter, find another bat, just stay away from low hanging fruit!
Ohio State Thought for the Day: Goodbye, Beanie, and good luck in the NFL. I wish you had been healthier while you were in Columbus, but thanks for pouring the 55 gallon drum of whoop ass on Michigan while you were here…I don’t think any other Buckeye has a decent chance of being a first day draft pick if they leave early, so I hope no one does. Jim Cordle is okay, but will help himself more by staying. The wildcard has to be Ray Small, but I don’t think he’ll go. He has a good chance to start next year, and if he leaves now he could have that dreaded “attitude problem” tag attached to his name. You could argue that Brian Hartline should leave early because he’s going to graduate in May, but I think that’s the perfect reason to stay. No school to worry about, degree in hand, still on scholarship AND playing at Ohio State? I mean, it’s not like the guy is passing up NFL millions.
Tim Tebow Thought for the Day: This is my usual spot for my Big 10 thought of the day, but as you know, the Big 10 is part of college football, and Tim Tebow is college football right now, so by federal law, I must now rename this the Tim Tebow section. Look, I have nothing against the guy. I want to hate him, and I want to hate Florida, but I don’t. You would think it would be easy to because I witnessed Florida’s dismantling of Ohio State live and in person, but it’s not. You see, all the Florida people I ran across after the game were the most gracios, humble, and complimentary winners I have ever been around. So as much as I want to hate Tebow and Florida, I don’t. I can’t stand the fuckin’ SEC, but that’s something else entirely. So there. And if St Tim of Gainseville played for OSU and got this much attention, I’d be eating that shit up. I’d even offer to have his child out of wedlock. But that’ll never happen because I don’t look like this, he doesn’t play for OSU, and I’m not gay. So really, can we stop with all the ‘Tebow is Jesus” bullshit? Besides, I thought Barack Obama was Jesus. I mean, Tebow just plays football and has questionable mechanics to make it at the next level, but Obama’s gonna pay all my bills. But back to Tebow. He’s good, I get it.
St Louis Cardinals Thought for the Day: I have none. They’ve kind of pissed me off with their inactivity. Do something! Anything! Get a starter, find another bat, just stay away from low hanging fruit!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
And the Greeatest Viking/Buckeye is...
Okay, the poll says Cris Carter, and that's a fine pick. But this is a blog about several teams, one of which is in Minnesota. And in Minnesota, apparently, you can vote, re-count, double count, subtract, and do whatever the hell it is you want to to get Al Franken elected, so I'm overturning the result of this poll and installing/declaring Jim Marshall the winner!
Remember, a vote for Al is 2 votes for Stuart Smalley! Look, I was rockin' Jesse 'The Body" as Governor, because as he says, his muscles were bigger than Mean Gene's head, and the dude was a Navy Seal.
Al Franken is just a bad comic who couldn't make it in radio.
And since I live on the Illinois side of St Louis, I know a little bit about chief executive corruption as well. I am willing, for the right price, to install anyone as the "Greatest Buckeye/Viking".
Darrion Scott, Mike Doss, Derek Ross, Winfield Garnett, or even LeShun Daniels will be elevated to the top, so give me a bleeping price.
On a serious note, no one can deny the greatness of Cris Carter. Robert Smith and Antoine Winfield have both had distinguished careers as OSU alum playing for the Vikes, but Jim Marshall holds a special place in my heart, which is why he may have finished a distant second in the poll, he'll always be my personal favorite.
Marshall played in an era that helped make pro football what it is today. His streak of 282 consecutive games is staggering, and it's insulting that the streak was a: broken by a punter, and b: not heralded and given more reflection as said punter approached and then passed it. And he did it at the most demanding position on the field, defensive end.
He went up against, and often whipped, lineman who were 20 and 30 pounds heavier, because he played at abour 230 pounds. And he did it for over 20 years. He has 127 sacks unofficially, because the sack was not a statistic that was kept when he played. He does hold the NFL record for most fumble recoveries, and as a member of the Purple People Eaters, he was a key component in one of the greatest defensive lines in NFL history.
Sadly, when people think of Jim Marshall, they think of this. Not the entire body of work. What they don't mention about the wrong way run is that Marshall sacked Billy Kilmer later in the game and that caused a fumble to set up the winning score for the Vikings. You see, Marshall was often overshadowed by Alan Page and Carl Eller, who are both in the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. But Marshall is remembered for two things, the wrong way run and poor Super Bowl performances in which his vaunted defensive line was manhandled, for the most part.
But for those of you that think Cris Carter is the winner, you have a valid argument, and one that is tough to beat. Carter's long distinguised career included many fantastic highlights, both for the Buckeyes and Vikings. His career stats put him in elite company, and it is a certainty he will be in Canton, sooner rather than later.
But I feel it is almost my duty to let younger Viking fans know about how great Jim Marshall truly was, and how deserving he is for enshrinement in Canton. Remember when it was third down, and the Vikings needed a first down? You knew, just knew, the ball was going to Cris Carter. And you got this sense of excitement, anticipation, use whatever word you want. But the ball got to Carter, he made the first down, you went wild, and life was good.
Well, it was that way with Marshall in the 1970's. When the Vikings needed a big play, a sack, a forced fumble, you knew, you just knew, Marshall was going to be there to make it happen. Either bringing pressure from the perimeter to force an early throw, a sack, or a forced fumble, it seemed that when the Vikes needed to get off the field, Jim Marshall was the guy that made the play.
No, I can't give you any eye-popping stats like I can for Cris Carter, and to a lesser extent, John Randle. But I can tell you that Jim Marshall WAS the Minnesota Vikings and epitomized their hard nosed approach to football in the bruising NFC Central, and if anyone deserves a place in Canton, it is he.
Remember, a vote for Al is 2 votes for Stuart Smalley! Look, I was rockin' Jesse 'The Body" as Governor, because as he says, his muscles were bigger than Mean Gene's head, and the dude was a Navy Seal.
Al Franken is just a bad comic who couldn't make it in radio.
And since I live on the Illinois side of St Louis, I know a little bit about chief executive corruption as well. I am willing, for the right price, to install anyone as the "Greatest Buckeye/Viking".
Darrion Scott, Mike Doss, Derek Ross, Winfield Garnett, or even LeShun Daniels will be elevated to the top, so give me a bleeping price.
On a serious note, no one can deny the greatness of Cris Carter. Robert Smith and Antoine Winfield have both had distinguished careers as OSU alum playing for the Vikes, but Jim Marshall holds a special place in my heart, which is why he may have finished a distant second in the poll, he'll always be my personal favorite.
Marshall played in an era that helped make pro football what it is today. His streak of 282 consecutive games is staggering, and it's insulting that the streak was a: broken by a punter, and b: not heralded and given more reflection as said punter approached and then passed it. And he did it at the most demanding position on the field, defensive end.
He went up against, and often whipped, lineman who were 20 and 30 pounds heavier, because he played at abour 230 pounds. And he did it for over 20 years. He has 127 sacks unofficially, because the sack was not a statistic that was kept when he played. He does hold the NFL record for most fumble recoveries, and as a member of the Purple People Eaters, he was a key component in one of the greatest defensive lines in NFL history.
Sadly, when people think of Jim Marshall, they think of this. Not the entire body of work. What they don't mention about the wrong way run is that Marshall sacked Billy Kilmer later in the game and that caused a fumble to set up the winning score for the Vikings. You see, Marshall was often overshadowed by Alan Page and Carl Eller, who are both in the Hall of Fame, and deservedly so. But Marshall is remembered for two things, the wrong way run and poor Super Bowl performances in which his vaunted defensive line was manhandled, for the most part.
But for those of you that think Cris Carter is the winner, you have a valid argument, and one that is tough to beat. Carter's long distinguised career included many fantastic highlights, both for the Buckeyes and Vikings. His career stats put him in elite company, and it is a certainty he will be in Canton, sooner rather than later.
But I feel it is almost my duty to let younger Viking fans know about how great Jim Marshall truly was, and how deserving he is for enshrinement in Canton. Remember when it was third down, and the Vikings needed a first down? You knew, just knew, the ball was going to Cris Carter. And you got this sense of excitement, anticipation, use whatever word you want. But the ball got to Carter, he made the first down, you went wild, and life was good.
Well, it was that way with Marshall in the 1970's. When the Vikings needed a big play, a sack, a forced fumble, you knew, you just knew, Marshall was going to be there to make it happen. Either bringing pressure from the perimeter to force an early throw, a sack, or a forced fumble, it seemed that when the Vikes needed to get off the field, Jim Marshall was the guy that made the play.
No, I can't give you any eye-popping stats like I can for Cris Carter, and to a lesser extent, John Randle. But I can tell you that Jim Marshall WAS the Minnesota Vikings and epitomized their hard nosed approach to football in the bruising NFC Central, and if anyone deserves a place in Canton, it is he.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Comparing Mike Tice to Brad Childress
When Mike Tice took over for Denny Green in late 2001, the Minnesota Vikings were a team in turmoil, but only one year removed from the NFC Championship. Granted, it was the 41-doughnut game, but still, it was the NFC Championship. Korey Stringer had tragically died during training camp, Denny Green had lost the locker room with preferential treatment of certain players, some of Denny’s assistant coaches only had two qualifications for employment-- they kissed Denny’s ass and had plenty of chapstick-- because they didn’t know beans about football, and the defense that had been kept together with duct tape and bailing wire finally imploded. Daunte Culpepper was out for the year with a knee injury, a former wide receiver was a starting cornerback, and Vikings fans were suffering through the Spergeon Wynn era, which was about as painful to watch as Cloris Leachman in one of her dancing outfits. And who are you kidding? You’d hit it.
When Brad Childress took over for Mike Tice approximately eleven seconds after the 2005 season ended, the Vikings were a team that had been the butt of every joke in the NFL for most of the season. The Love Boat had been all over the news, as had revelations about Tice scalping Super Bowl tickets. Daunte Culpepper left his knee and career on the field in Carolina, right next to Fred Smoot’s charred remains. But through it all, the Vikings came off the canvas to finish 9-7, and by almost every measuring stick Mike Tice left the franchise in better shape than when he inherited it. Oh sure, they underachieved, but there was never a dull minute with Ringmaster Mike and those Wild and Crazy Vikings. Tice’s career was as colorful as Childress’ has been bland, but the results, in many ways, are strikingly similar, with Childress having a distinct advantage in one area.
After four years and one game, Tice went 32-33, with a 1-1 post season record.
After three years, Childress has gone 24-24, with a 0-1 post season record.
Tice’s draft record is spotty at best, with 2005 the beginning of the end. The Vikings had two first round picks and whiffed horribly on both of them. I blame that draft disaster on me, because I attended the Vikings draft party live and in person, much like I blame the 2006 Ohio State BCS Championship on me as well. Nothing like seeing old Red McCombs come out and yell “Purple Pride!”, only to be almost booed and fuck you’d off the stage. I was 38 at the time and pissed my pants I was laughing so hard. As usual, I digress. Tice did have some pretty good picks, though, from Brian Williams (who became a pretty good cover corner but was let go in favor of Fred “I’m Steve Smith’s Bitch” Smoot), Bryant McKinnie, Nate “Poison Pill Payback” Burleson, EJ Henderson, and Kevin Williams. But there were a lot more misses than hits, so his draft record can only be described as minimally acceptable to borderline failure, especially considering that 2005 draft. With two first round picks, the Vikings currently have zero players left from that draft still on the roster, and that is unacceptable.
But Tice was a master recruiter, and he got some pretty good talent to sign with the Vikings through free agency. Corey Chavous, Darren Sharper, Antoine Winfield, Pat Williams, and the aforementioned Smoot are his big free agency prizes. Now I admit Smoot was a bust in Minnesota, but the pick was lauded at the time, by no less than the New York Times.
Childress has had his fair share of free agent success as well. He’s signed Chester Taylor, Bernard Berrian, Madieu Williams, Ben Leber, and Steve Hutchinso, all who have had a significant impact on the success of the Vikings
Where Childress has seemed to far exceed Tice is in his ability to draft. 2006 was like winning the lottery for Childress, as five of the seven draft picks have become starters. Chad Greenway, Cedric Griffin, Ryan Cook, and Ray Edwards stand out in that group, and if Tarvaris Jackson pans out, it will be one of the all-time great draft classes in team history. 2007 was pretty good as well, with Adrian Peterson headlining a class that also includes key contributors Marcus McCauley and Brian Robison. The players selected in 2008 don’t really stand out, unless you consider John David “Gino Torretta” Booty a steal. But you must factor in the trade that brought Jared Allen to the Vikings for a 2008 first and third round pick…a deal that Red McCombs would have never done.
Speaking of ownership, when comparing Tice to Childress, that is the one variable that is undeniable, and skews the results towards Tice. While Tice was coach, Red McCombs ran the Vikings much like Ebeneezer Scrooge ran his business, only without the Christmas epiphany. His epiphany was to trade Randy Moss.
What a fucker. A school of business at...Texas. The same Texas that beat Ohio State.
Somewhere, God is pissing his pants he's laughing at me so hard.
Brad Childress has had the luxury of Zygi Wilf, who throws money around like Pacman Jones in a strip club, only in a classy, let’s not shoot people or ‘make it rain’ sort of way.
When Childress has asked for something, either in terms of people, facilities, or coaches, he has received it.
Tice had to pay for repairing the air conditioning at the teams Winter Park headquarters out of hide. No wonder he scalped Super Bowl tickets.
I guess the point of this is that Tice wasn’t nearly as bad as he is remembered, and Childress isn’t as incompetent as he is perceived to be. Unless, of course, he is calling a goddamn screen pass on third and 9. Then he’s a dope.
Both had their shortcomings, and both have qualities that I tend to like. Tice was a guy I would have loved to have played with or played for, and his Monday pressers became must-see TV. And when you factor in the fact he had a penny pinching owner that was cheap on everything, from facilities to coaching staff budget, I think Tice deserves another chance at a head coaching job somewhere that will give him a level playing field. Childress gives off more of the parent vibe, and like my Dad, he pisses me off with some of the decisions he makes, and I don’t understand them at the time.
My hope is that 20 years from now, I’ll realize he was right. Especially if there’s a Super Bowl trophy in the glass case.
When Brad Childress took over for Mike Tice approximately eleven seconds after the 2005 season ended, the Vikings were a team that had been the butt of every joke in the NFL for most of the season. The Love Boat had been all over the news, as had revelations about Tice scalping Super Bowl tickets. Daunte Culpepper left his knee and career on the field in Carolina, right next to Fred Smoot’s charred remains. But through it all, the Vikings came off the canvas to finish 9-7, and by almost every measuring stick Mike Tice left the franchise in better shape than when he inherited it. Oh sure, they underachieved, but there was never a dull minute with Ringmaster Mike and those Wild and Crazy Vikings. Tice’s career was as colorful as Childress’ has been bland, but the results, in many ways, are strikingly similar, with Childress having a distinct advantage in one area.
After four years and one game, Tice went 32-33, with a 1-1 post season record.
After three years, Childress has gone 24-24, with a 0-1 post season record.
Tice’s draft record is spotty at best, with 2005 the beginning of the end. The Vikings had two first round picks and whiffed horribly on both of them. I blame that draft disaster on me, because I attended the Vikings draft party live and in person, much like I blame the 2006 Ohio State BCS Championship on me as well. Nothing like seeing old Red McCombs come out and yell “Purple Pride!”, only to be almost booed and fuck you’d off the stage. I was 38 at the time and pissed my pants I was laughing so hard. As usual, I digress. Tice did have some pretty good picks, though, from Brian Williams (who became a pretty good cover corner but was let go in favor of Fred “I’m Steve Smith’s Bitch” Smoot), Bryant McKinnie, Nate “Poison Pill Payback” Burleson, EJ Henderson, and Kevin Williams. But there were a lot more misses than hits, so his draft record can only be described as minimally acceptable to borderline failure, especially considering that 2005 draft. With two first round picks, the Vikings currently have zero players left from that draft still on the roster, and that is unacceptable.
But Tice was a master recruiter, and he got some pretty good talent to sign with the Vikings through free agency. Corey Chavous, Darren Sharper, Antoine Winfield, Pat Williams, and the aforementioned Smoot are his big free agency prizes. Now I admit Smoot was a bust in Minnesota, but the pick was lauded at the time, by no less than the New York Times.
Childress has had his fair share of free agent success as well. He’s signed Chester Taylor, Bernard Berrian, Madieu Williams, Ben Leber, and Steve Hutchinso, all who have had a significant impact on the success of the Vikings
Where Childress has seemed to far exceed Tice is in his ability to draft. 2006 was like winning the lottery for Childress, as five of the seven draft picks have become starters. Chad Greenway, Cedric Griffin, Ryan Cook, and Ray Edwards stand out in that group, and if Tarvaris Jackson pans out, it will be one of the all-time great draft classes in team history. 2007 was pretty good as well, with Adrian Peterson headlining a class that also includes key contributors Marcus McCauley and Brian Robison. The players selected in 2008 don’t really stand out, unless you consider John David “Gino Torretta” Booty a steal. But you must factor in the trade that brought Jared Allen to the Vikings for a 2008 first and third round pick…a deal that Red McCombs would have never done.
Speaking of ownership, when comparing Tice to Childress, that is the one variable that is undeniable, and skews the results towards Tice. While Tice was coach, Red McCombs ran the Vikings much like Ebeneezer Scrooge ran his business, only without the Christmas epiphany. His epiphany was to trade Randy Moss.
What a fucker. A school of business at...Texas. The same Texas that beat Ohio State.
Somewhere, God is pissing his pants he's laughing at me so hard.
Brad Childress has had the luxury of Zygi Wilf, who throws money around like Pacman Jones in a strip club, only in a classy, let’s not shoot people or ‘make it rain’ sort of way.
When Childress has asked for something, either in terms of people, facilities, or coaches, he has received it.
Tice had to pay for repairing the air conditioning at the teams Winter Park headquarters out of hide. No wonder he scalped Super Bowl tickets.
I guess the point of this is that Tice wasn’t nearly as bad as he is remembered, and Childress isn’t as incompetent as he is perceived to be. Unless, of course, he is calling a goddamn screen pass on third and 9. Then he’s a dope.
Both had their shortcomings, and both have qualities that I tend to like. Tice was a guy I would have loved to have played with or played for, and his Monday pressers became must-see TV. And when you factor in the fact he had a penny pinching owner that was cheap on everything, from facilities to coaching staff budget, I think Tice deserves another chance at a head coaching job somewhere that will give him a level playing field. Childress gives off more of the parent vibe, and like my Dad, he pisses me off with some of the decisions he makes, and I don’t understand them at the time.
My hope is that 20 years from now, I’ll realize he was right. Especially if there’s a Super Bowl trophy in the glass case.
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