Posted December 3, 2010    

•Leslie Frazier

•Gophers Search

•Brett Favre

•Ralph Sampson III

•John Madden

The Frazier Way: Calm Approach with No Cussin’ 

Vikings interim coach Leslie Frazier not only coached as an assistant under Tony Dungy, he resembles the former Super Bowl winning coach in personality.  Both are soft spoken and have calming demeanors. 

When Frazier took over the job of head coach from Brad Childress last week the Vikings players realized what they were getting.  Frazier had worked three-plus seasons as the team’s defensive coordinator where he directed a talented unit while winning praise for his performance.  Players on both offense and defense knew the kind of personality to expect from the new boss.  

Defensive back Lito Sheppard had even worked for Frazier in Philadelphia where he was Sheppard’s position coach.  Sheppard said players respect Frazier and part of that is because of his demeanor.  “They want to go out and do well for him,” Sheppard said. 

Although his personality is reserved, that doesn’t mean Frazier won’t yell or raise his voice.  “Yeah, there might have been one or two (times this year),” Sheppard laughed.  “But you gotta have that as a man, (and) as a leader regardless of your demeanor.  It’s a time to get excited, to get a little angry and put your foot down.  As much as we don’t see it, he does have it in him.  We saw it once or twice this year.” 

Vikings wide receiver Greg Camarillo said a volatile coach would have added the wrong chemistry to the team’s locker room.  The Vikings were 3-7 and in free fall when Frazier took over last week.  “If you come in here halfway through the season cussing and yelling, nobody’s going to take to that,” he said.  “But to come in and be calm shows that he respects us.  That’s the first step.  You show that you respect your players, they’ll give you that same respect back.”  

Frazier will infrequently raise his voice, but not swear.  “I don’t think you necessarily need profanity to get your point across,” Sheppard said.  

Camarillo said in the “football world” coaches sometimes struggle to find the right words to communicate but not Frazier. “I don’t know if I have ever heard him cuss.  He’s actually got an impressive vocab, man.  He’s hit us with several vocab words that sound pretty good.”

 

Don’t Be Too Sure U Search Going Badly

Contrary to negative media reports and public opinion, the Gophers football coaching search is likely more positive than is being portrayed.  Also, don’t be surprised if a head coach, someone with previous college head coaching experience, is announced within two weeks.

Gophers fans have been told that several coaches who previously have been linked with the Minnesota job are not interested.  Some probably are not, but Sports Headliners believes the search is progressing successfully and coach Tim Brewster’s successor could be announced by mid-December.

Don’t be too concerned that a large contract buyout will sideline the Gophers and a candidate who wants to come here.  Minnesota probably can handle a buyout situation of $1 million or more needed to get a coach free from his existing contract.

Gophers athletic director Joel Maturi will make the hiring decision on the new coach with input from a few advisors.  Maturi will take his recommendation to school President Bob Bruininks.  It’s not known whether Eric Kaler, who will take over as president next year, will have input.

Among candidates most prominently rumored to be on the Minnesota short list, San Diego State’s Brady Hoke and Temple’s Al Golden could be front runners.  Both have Big Ten Conference backgrounds and that is a welcome qualification for the job by Maturi.

Timing is always a major factor during a personnel search.  South Florida’s Skip Holtz likely would have been a prime candidate a year ago before he left East Carolina.  Holtz’s team beat Miami last Saturday and he has an impressive resume but he’s an improbable candidate for Minnesota having been on the South Florida job for such a short duration.

Also regarding timing, Michigan’s coaching puzzle could be in Minnesota’s favor.  If the Wolverines job opens, Hoke is likely on the school’s short list because of his success at San Diego State and previous experience as associate head coach at Michigan. 

 

Worth Noting 

Vikings quarterback Joe Webb said 41-year-old Brett Favre can still throw the ball 70 yards.  Webb, 6-4, 220, also said he can throw 75 yards and he’s capable of running a 4.3 40-yard dash. 

Vikings guard Chris DeGeare said the team’s offense, including plays, was the same for last Sunday’s win over Washington as it was earlier in the season and prior to coach Leslie Frazier becoming interim head coach.

Bob Starkey, who helped the Twins win approval for their stadium, is working as a consultant for the Vikings.  He’s expected to help the Vikings with financial planning for a stadium, according to Lester Bagley, the team’s stadium project leader.

Bagley said a new Vikings stadium with a fixed roof could be built with openings at the ends, allowing natural light in the facility.

Gophers center Ralph Sampson III added upper body strength during the off-season, according to his dad, Ralph Sampson II.  The older Sampson helped him with his weight training and skills last summer.  One subject not discussed was whether the junior center will apply for the NBA draft next year.  “No, we never talk about that,” his dad said. “We try to be successful every day.  We don’t focus on the future. ..."

Ralph II said his son is team oriented but sometimes it would be better if he plays with self focus.  “He’s a great kid and you can’t deny that he’s got all the skills...,” his dad said.  “Sometimes you can’t show them in the system that he may be in, or the situation in the game.  He’ll be all right.  He’s fine.” 

Sampson has another son, Robert, playing at East Carolina as a freshman.    

For the first time ever the NSIC will have two teams playing each other in the Division II playoff quarterfinals when Minnesota Duluth hosts Augustana tomorrow.  Another conference school, Concordia-St. Paul, will play Pitt State tomorrow in the Mineral Water Bowl in Excelsior Springs, Mo. 

Tomorrow will be the latest home football game ever played by St. Thomas. The Tommies did play a January 1, 1949 Cigar Bowl game in Tampa, Florida.  The 12-0 Tommies host 11-1 Bethel tomorrow in a game that will be the first time that two MIAC teams have reached the Division III national quarterfinals in the same season. 

St. Thomas will tie Carleton tomorrow for second place on the list of most all-time football games played by Minnesota colleges, 907.  St. Thomas is playing its 106th varsity season, while Carleton just concluded its 116th season.  The Gophers have played 1,161 games in 126 seasons.  Hamline is fourth at 904 games in 119 seasons. 

The Fischler Report reviews the Wild this week and writer Bob Dill finds praise for off-season acquisitions John Madden, Matt Cullen and Eric Nystrom. The three have helped produce a badly needed upgrade in defense and the team has started the season better than last year.  Dill finds fault, though, with too many games when team effort isn’t consistent or even present and “the lack of five-on-five scoring.”

The Wild broke the world record for largest gathering of people with mustaches on November 26.  The unofficial count of 1,133 still needs to be verified by Guinness but the total is well beyond the previous high of 151. The “Minnesota Wild Mo Bros Team,” led by Nick Schultz, has raised over $29,000 for Movember, the charity promotion encouraging men to grow moustaches during November to raise awareness and money for prostate cancer research.

Recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Dino Ciccarelli will be honored by the Wild at the December 16 game against Ottawa.

Local author Ross Bernstein has multiple works going including upcoming books on Peter Najarian, Howard Schnellenberger and Sarah Palin.  His new book, Raising Stanley, has NHL legends talking about what it takes to win hockey’s ultimate trophy.   Bernstein will be signing copies of the book tomorrow at Goldy's Hockey Locker in the Mall of America from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.  

 

Lester Bagley

Ralph Sampson III

Ross Bernstein