Posted December 10, 2010    

•Adrian Peterson

•Marcus Sherels

•TwinsFest

•Martin Havlat

•Lindsay Whalen

Shh! Fumbleless Peterson on a Roll 

Adrian Peterson is fifth among NFL rushers with 1,123 yards, but the number that could be in bold face among his stats is zero fumbles.   

What was a hot topic a year ago has almost become forgotten.  Peterson had seven fumbles and lost the ball six times during 16 regular season games last year. The year before, 2008, he had nine fumbles, losing four of them. 

The fumble numbers hurt and likely so did the public criticism.  Peterson is a prideful guy. 

He acknowledged in September placing more emphasis on handling the football with care.  He said ball security is definitely a “mental” issue and also that running backs coach Eric Bieniemy showed him examples where he fumbled or presented the opportunity to tacklers to knock the ball loose.  

 “…As far as the physical part, it’s just holding it high,” Peterson said earlier in the season. “I found out by studying myself that when I’m going down I kind of brace myself with the hand I’m carrying the ball in, and that’s leaving opportunities for those guys that are reaching, and scraping and punching for that ball, giving those guys the opportunity to make big plays.” 

Vikings cornerback Litto Sheppard played for the Jets last year.  When he joined the Vikings he brought perspective on how rival players viewed Peterson.  “That was a big thing for Adrian this year to come in and try to protect the ball more,” Sheppard said.  “The kind of player that he is and considering how last year ended, with the history of what people think, I think he took it upon himself to take that next step and be a lot better as far as protecting the football and not turning the ball over especially in tough games. He’s done a great job and it shows.   

“When I first got over here I mentioned a couple of things to him as far as what…we were scouting him on.  I think he’s definitely took heed to some of that. …He’s such a tough runner, (and) he tries to fight for every yard.  Once guys got a hold of him they tend to go for the ball.  I think he has been more comfortable (this fall) as far as protecting the ball at the first initial contact.” 

Sheppard said the approach when he was with the Jets was that when a defender slowed Peterson down “everybody else was going for the ball.”   Regardless of whether Peterson faces that strategy this year or not, he’s holding on to the football. 

And including this Sunday’s game at home against the Giants he only has to get through four more games to have a perfect goose egg in the fumbles category.

 

Worth Noting

Peterson joins local writer and broadcaster Larry Fitzgerald for a guest appearance on Monday night at Outback Steakhouse in Inver Grove Heights.  More information on activities including Peterson’s appearance is available by calling 651-457-7688.

Sheppard is a free agent after this season and doesn’t know about his future with the Vikings.  “I have a lot of football left in me,” the 29-year-old said.  He believes he has “three or four great ones” left if he’s healthy.   

Rookie guard Chris DeGeare had his first NFL start last Sunday in place of the injured Steve Hutchinson.  DeGeare said he played “pretty good” and that a false start penalty given to him should have been on left tackle Bryant McKinnie.  DeGeare said he won’t know until Sunday morning if he will start against the Giants. 

Former Gophers cornerback Marcus Sherels, now on the Vikings practice squad, said he wants to add about 10 pounds of muscle next year and bring his weight to 180.  He’s not sure if the Vikings will bring him back next season and provide an opportunity to make the 53-man roster.   

The Texas offensive staff has openings and it might not be surprising if former Gophers coach Tim Brewster rejoined his old Longhorns boss Mack Brown as an assistant coach.  

Work ethic guy Cliff Lee would be a perfect fit in the attitude-conscious Twins organization but it would be a shock if the front office ever considered the kind of seven year big money deal the 32-year-old lefthander wants.

Last month the Twins added four players to their 40-man roster to protect them from being available to other clubs in yesterday’s Rule 5 Draft.  The four are first baseman Chris Parmelee, outfielders Joe Benson and Rene Tosoni and right-handed pitcher David Bromberg.  All but Tosoni are playing in the Arizona Fall League.  Parmelee, a former first round draft choice, is hitting .339 in 29 games with 13 RBI, according to stats on the Twins website.  Benson is hitting .236 in 17 games while Bromberg is 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA.

Deolis Guerra, acquired from the Mets in the 2008 Johan Santana trade, has a 2.92 ERA and 2-1 record pitching in the Venezuelan Winter League.  Kyle Waldrop has a 1-0 record and 16.05 ERA in 10 games in the same league.

Tickets for TwinsFest went on sale Wednesday.  The three-day event will be held January 28-30 at the Metrodome with more than 60 current and former Twins players expected.  Tickets are available at Target Field, the team’s pro shops and at www.twinsbaseball.com.

 

Notes Plus

Save Gopher Football, the website that has been critical of the hiring process for a new coach, posted a message this week sending best wishes to Jerry Kill.  http://www.savegopherfootball.com/

CBS College Sports will televise tomorrow’s Minnesota Duluth (13-0) and Northwest Missouri State (12-1) NCAA Division II football semifinal playoff game from Duluth.  The Bulldogs are the only undefeated Division II team in the country.  The winner of tomorrow’s game will play for the national championship on December 18.  The Bulldogs were 15-0 in 2008 when they won the national title.

Bethel lost 62-14 to Mount Union in the 2007 Division III football playoffs. The two teams meet again tomorrow in a semifinal playoff game in Alliance, Ohio.

The Wild has its first City Pages cover story ever with a feature this week titled: “The Opposite of Wild: Nik Backstrom is Cool as Ice between the Pipes.”

The Wild’s Martin Havlat, with 17 points since November 12, has been among the NHL’s most productive players.  Pittsburgh superstar Sidney Crosby has 28 during the same period.

Three Wild prospects, all from the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, were named to preliminary rosters for the World Junior Championship that begins later this month in Buffalo. Forward Jason Zucker (second round, 59^th overall) was named to the United States roster while forward Johan Larsson (second round, 56^th overall) and goalie Johan Gustafsson (sixth round, 159^th overall) were named to Sweden’s roster.  

Ken Lien, Mr. Basketball chair, rates the top five metro area teams like this: Hopkins, DeLaSalle, St. Paul Johnson, Osseo and Apple Valley.  Hopkins and Osseo play on Saturday night at Minnetonka High School as part of the Breakdown Sports Tip Off Classic.  

In a poll of league coaches, St. Thomas is favored to capture its sixth-straight MIAC championship.  Hamline, from 1946-1953, is the only men’s basketball program ever to have won six straight.  Last year UST finished 23-4 overall and 19-1 in conference play. This season 11 of the top 14 players return for head coach Steve Fritz now in his 31st season.  MIAC Player-of-the-Year and All-American guard Tyler Nicolai  returns for his senior season after averaging 14.1 points per game last year.  The Tommies are off to a 4-0 start in league play.

Lynx star Candice Wiggins, recovering from a ruptured left Achilles, is finishing her undergrad degree in communications at Stanford.  Finals end today.  

Lynx teammate Lindsay Whalen scored 17 points and added seven assists and seven rebounds in USK Praha’s (Prague) 78-58 win over Tarbes (France) on Wednesday. Whalen is averaging 14.7 points per game in seven EuroLeague games this winter.  

 

Tyler Nicolai

 Candice Wiggins