Posted August 19, 2009    

•Brett Favre

•Eric Decker

•Ricky Rubio

•Manny Fernandez

•Tiger Woods

Relationships, Perseverance Delivered Favre 

On a perfect summer morning yesterday, news of Brett Favre’s decision to join the Vikings as their quarterback imploded across this metropolis.  On talk radio, in cell phone conversations and around water coolers the passionate citizenry and even the not so engaged were talking Favre and the Purple. 

This town has never seen anything quite like the arrival of Favre, the 39-year-old legend who set numerous NFL career records, quarterbacked Green Bay in two Super Bowls, directed countless fourth quarter comebacks, and gutted his way through physical and emotional trauma.  Late in their careers, Paul Molitor and Dave Winfield, both on their way to the hall of fame, came home to join the Twins.  Lou Holtz set off a huge upsurge in Gopher football interest when he became coach.  Herschel-mania was the rage for awhile when the Vikings acquired Herschel Walker in the franchise’s most infamous trade. But no sports god the equal of Favre has ever set ground on the prairie here to join one of the local teams.  How Favre got here after months of speculation about whether he wanted to retire or play for the Vikings is a story of luck, relationships, perseverance, the right opportunity and negotiating skill. 

If the Vikings hadn’t hired Brad Childress as head coach in 2006, Favre might not be practicing this week at Winter Park.  Childress had been an assistant coach with Wisconsin in the 1990s and the team’s quarterbacks included Darrell Bevell who helped the Badgers to a 1993 Big Ten championship.  Later Bevell became quarterback coach with Green Bay where he developed a solid relationship with Favre. 

Bevell left the Packers to become Childress’ offensive coordinator in 2006.  He and Childress have been looking for consistent and high level quarterback play ever since.  This off-season Bevell and Childress have pursued Favre who obviously feels comfortable with them and what he considers an ideal opportunity with the Vikings. 

Favre said earlier this summer he wouldn’t be coming out of retirement to play for the Vikings.  Yet communication between Favre and the organization continued. Favre had the passion to continue playing if he was convinced his right arm was healthy.  It was obvious to he and the franchise leadership that exceptional quarterbacking was the team's missing asset. Perseverance on both sides and the willingness of Vikings owner Zygi Wilf to offer a reported $25 million two year contract resulted in a deal being finalized. 

At least a couple of questions deserve attention in this story.  If Favre debated (perhaps even agonized) for so long whether he could push himself through preseason camp and a 16 game regular season, did he make the right decision yesterday?  Did his heart finally overcome his head?   

Only those who have played football, or are close to the game, fully realize the physical wreckage the sport causes.  Favre knows this as well or better than anyone.  I thought that because Favre was so unsure for so long as to whether to play, he made the right decision not to.  If a decision to come back for another season was that difficult, wasn’t there a strong message to that? 

The other question is will the Vikings keep four quarterbacks?  They might. Tarvaris Jackson is only 26 and John David Booty is even younger at 24, and during the last off-season the club made the effort to acquire Sage Rosenfels, 31.  Jackson, who has been unreliable, could be offered up in a trade.  He might be the most interested of the three reserves in wanting out of Winter Park, too, after never convincing the coaching staff he was the answer.   

And then there’s the most important question of all.  Will Favre and the Vikings play at a level that can return the franchise to the NFC championship game, or even the Super Bowl? The answers start coming on September 13 in the opening game at Cleveland. 

 

 
Brad Childress
 

The question of questions is this: will Favre help the Vikings return to the NFC championship game, or even the Super Bowl?

Zygi Wilf

S.I. and SN Predict 7-5 Season for U 

Sports Illustrated and Sporting News magazine are making identical predictions for the Gophers.  In last week’s issues both national publications have Minnesota finishing with a 7-5 overall record, 4-4 in the Big Ten Conference.  

That won’t deliver yet on coach Tim Brewster’s mantra since day one of becoming Big Ten champs but such records figure to impress for a couple reasons.  First, with 11 potentially challenging opponents and only one “cupcake” (South Dakota State), the Gophers’ schedule could be among the more difficult in the country, certainly the most formidable for the local school in a long time.  Second, the Gophers haven’t won four conference games since 2005.  

Sporting News predicts Ohio State will win (big surprise!) the Big Ten with Penn State finishing second.  Michigan State and Iowa will tie for third, followed by Illinois, and then the Gophers and Michigan, with identical overall and conference records, will tie for fifth.  Sports Illustrated has the same schools ahead of the Gophers but predicts a three way tie for fourth place between Northwestern, Wisconsin and Minnesota.  

The Gophers haven’t played in a January bowl game since 1962 but they will change that in 2010, according to S.I.  The publication predicts a Papajohns.com Bowl match- up in Birmingham between Minnesota and Cincinnati on January 2.  If Sporting News is correct the Gophers will be in Tempe, Arizona for the Insight Bowl and a game against Missouri.  (Last year in the Insight Bowl the Gophers lost to Kansas).  

Gophers’ wide receiver Eric Decker and cornerback Traye Simmons are selections by Sporting News for its All-Big Ten offensive and defensive teams.  Both made the publication’s best of the Big Ten list, Decker for his hands, Simmons for man-to-man coverage.  

The Gophers open their schedule at Syracuse on September 5 and the Orange are a consensus pick by both publications to finish last in the Big East.  Air Force, which helps open TCF Bank Stadium here on September 12, will be a .500 team, according to S.I. while Sporting News doesn't predict a record.  California, at TCF on September 19, is ranked No. 21 in the country by Sporting News and both publications see a big year for the Golden Bears. 

 

The Gophers could be eating pizza in January if Sports Illustrated is correct about an invitation to the Papajohns.com bowl.

Worth Noting

In the preseason USA Today Coaches’ Poll, nine of the 11 Big Ten schools received at least one vote and two schools rank among the top 10. The Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC are the only conferences to feature multiple top-10 teams.  Ohio State ranks No. 6, Penn State 8 and Iowa 21 in the 25 team listing.  Michigan Sate, Illinois, Wisconsin, Northwestern, Michigan and the Gophers received at least one vote in the poll. 

Within nine months Minneapolis will have two new outdoor stadiums, TCF Bank Stadium and Target Field, and it’s possible both will host winter hockey games in the near future.  Speculation is TCF Bank Stadium could be the site for a game involving the Gophers, while the Wild might host an NHL game at Target Field.  

Timberwolves president Chris Wright told Sports Headliners that both new president of basketball operations David Kahn and new coach Kurt Rambis are “incredible assets” to the franchise’s business operation.  He said during Kahn’s first 30 days on the job earlier this year he attended 20 breakfasts and 15 lunches with "our stakeholders,” season ticket holders, sponsors and others who support the Wolves.  Kahn and Rambis (named coach last week) have impressed with their intelligence and forthrightness.   

Wolves’ CEO Rob Moor said Kahn talks daily with Ricky Rubio’s agent, Dan Fegan.  Moor said he’s heard that the reception Rubio’s representatives are receiving from companies regarding potential endorsement deals is positive.  Endorsement money is seen as potentially helping to buy out Rubio’s contract with his Spanish team and allowing him to join the Wolves.  

Cory Joseph, the prep guard from Las Vegas, has been in Minneapolis this summer visiting brother and Gopher Devoe Joseph.  Joseph, who will be a senior next season, has been pursued aggressively by Louisville and other elite basketball schools, according to http://www.courier-journal.com/blogs/demling/labels/Cory%20Joseph.html .

Former Wild goalie Manny Fernandez, 34, who played last season with Boston, remains an unsigned free agent.  Last season he played in only 28 games. 

Despite the success of past major tournaments like this month’s PGA Championship and also the 3M Championship for senior players, an annual PGA tournament might find support hard to come by here.  The PGA’s biggest names like Tiger Woods don't play in some of the PGA tournaments so an annual event wouldn’t have nearly the star power of past PGA and U.S. Opens at Hazeltine National Golf Club.  

Friends and family are concerned and wishing the best for long time prep football coach and advocate Don Swanson who has cancer.  http://www.mshsca.org/Football/. 

Jockey Scott Stevens, who got career win No. 4,000 while riding recently at Canterbury Park, has a long history of success at the Shakopee race track.  Stevens was second at Canterbury in wins 20 years ago, then had three straight years as the track’s top winner among jockeys.  

For the sixth consecutive season, the Concordia University- St. Paul women’s volleyball team has been picked by NSIC coaches to win the league championship. Winners of the 2007 and 2008 NCAA titles, the Golden Bears received all 13 of the possible first place votes (coaches can’t vote for their own team). The Golden Bears return All-American senior and setter Maggie McNamara, the coaches’ choice for Preseason Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. 

 

David Kahn

Scott Stevens
Photo courtesy of Canterbury Park
 

Maggie McNamara