Posted October 10, 2008    

• Gus Frerotte

• Kevin McHale

• Eric Decker

• Antoine Winfield

• Manny Fernandez

Healthy Frerotte Now BIG Priority 

In the brief period from late summer to early fall, circumstances have dramatically changed the importance of Gus Frerotte to the Vikings.  Since September 8, when the Vikings took the field in Green Bay for the opening game of the season, the 37-year-old quarterback has gone from afterthought to potential savior.   

He was saint-like in the closing minutes of Monday night’s game in New Orleans, leading the Vikings to a field goal that gave his team a 30-27 win and perhaps saved the season.  The Vikings were 0-2 when Frerotte replaced Tarvaris Jackson as the starting quarterback.  Since then the record has improved to 2-3 and the team’s position is once again that of a contender in the NFC North.  

How long that status continues may be determined by whether the Vikings’ old man quarterback remains healthy enough to play.  He’s been bloodied and shaken, and while he’s able to continue on, the intensity of those who pursue NFL quarterbacks won’t be lessening in the weeks ahead.  

Another quarterback in this town watched a courageous Frerotte complete 19 of 36 passes for 222 yards and one touchdown on Monday night against the Saints, and praised the performance.  Gopher quarterback Adam Weber said earlier this week he didn’t realize Frerotte had been in the pros for 15 years (seven different teams).   

“That’s unreal,” Weber said. “It’s unheard of.  The guy looks like he’s 25 years old out there.  So it’s an amazing, amazing accomplishment.  I mean, I am 21 years old and I feel it in the morning.  I can’t imagine what he feels like after playing games against some of those creatures that he’s playing against out there.”  

Whether you compare Frerotte with a 25 or 35 year old quarterback, Frerotte has a strong arm and the guts to stand in the passing pocket facing a potential beating on every snap.  What he doesn’t have is exceptional mobility to avoid the creatures, and his teammates will do themselves a favor to improve on their 19th place standing in sacks allowed by NFL teams. 

The locker-room admiration has to be growing for Frerotte who rejoined the Vikings in the off-season after a four year absence where he played with two other teams.  His courage has to inspire, even if it worries family and friends. 

Can he make it through a 16 game season?  He better.  Jackson, despite extensive playing time opportunities, has yet to show he’s a good NFL quarterback.  Third teamer John David Booty is a rookie and has to prove he’s even good enough to stay in the league.   

The Vikings have a championship defense and an all-pro runner in Adrian Peterson.  Center Matt Birk and guard Steve Hutchinson can play for any team in the league.  The other offensive linemen and the receivers need to prove themselves, and help Frerotte sustain the success he started in New Orleans. 

If only he had Weber’s legs.

 

Gus Frerotte

Tarvaris Jackson

 

McHale Not Specifying Wolves Win Total

Numbnut.  That’s a person of limited intellect. 

Who does that describe?  Me, I guess.  But the good news is I am not alone. 

Last spring this space and other media reported that we thought Kevin McHale was predicting a 20 game improvement in wins by the Timberwolves for the coming season.  That caused a stir since the team was 22-60 last season. 

Here’s what the Wolves’ vice president of basketball operations said to two reporters last week: “First of all, to clear that up, someone said, ‘How many more games can you win?’  I said, ‘I don’t know.’  You could win 10, you could win 20.  You could win 30.  You could win 40.   

“I said we could win 42 games. I didn’t predict anything.  I said in our business you see teams win 10 more than last year, lose 10 more than last year. …You numbnuts misquoted me and said I said we’re going to win 40 games.  I said we have a chance to win more games.  Who knows? …” 

McHale likes his team, believes it has more talent and the desire to improve.  He refers to the players as “nice guys” and when he describes them as “compliant,” that’s another way of saying they’re coachable.  

Coach Randy Wittman won’t say how many games he thinks the Wolves will win but for his own job security he has to hope no one, not even numbnuts, are setting the bar at a firm 42 wins.  This numbnut thinks 12 to 15 more wins. 

McHale, as we’ve heard, is not set on an exact number either. “If I knew how many we were going to win why wouldn’t I go and fix the $700 billion buyout? ...I think we could win a lot more games. …” 

The Wolves are 2-0 in pre-season games and open their regular season schedule at home on October 29 against Sacramento.

 

Kevin McHale
 
 

Randy Wittman

Worth Noting 

Tom Mulhern, a Wisconsin State Journal sportswriter, had an article earlier this week on Badgerbeat.com describing what some see as the flawed reality of the Wisconsin football program.  The complaint is with the Badgers not maintaining pre-season and early season national rankings, past and present.  Fans are upset now about two straight losses that have sent the team from a top 10 ranking to No. 24 (A.P.), or lower, depending on the poll.  And get this: two fans who posted replies to Mulhern’s article are interested in dumping third year coach Bret Bielema (24-7 record) and hiring Vikings coach and former Badger offensive coordinator Brad Childress.  

Last year after six games the Gophers’ record was 1-5 overall, 0-2 in the Big Ten Conference.  Going into tomorrow’s game at Illinois the Gophers are 5-1 and 2-0 in the conference. Junior wide receiver Eric Decker was asked about the difference in team confidence.  “Big time confidence,” he said.  “Every week you see guys come out to practice fired up.  And that’s the biggest thing from last year to this year, I think, is guys are more excited.  I feel like we’re just in there with everybody else and that gives us momentum going into every week.” 

Vikings' cornerback Antoine Winfield, named the NFL’s defensive player of the week for his performance at New Orleans, is tied with tight end Visanthe Shiancoe for the second most touchdowns on the team with two each.  Running back Adrian Peterson has three.  

The Vikings play a Detroit team on Sunday that is 0-4 and the Lions’ stats rank toward the bottom of the 32 team NFL.  The total offense per game of 263 ranks 28^th in the league and the net yards rushing average of 72.3 is 31^st.  The Lions are giving up 429 yards total offense per game, last in the league.  The 180 net yards rushing yielded per game ranks 30^th, while the net yards passing of 249 is 29^th in the NFL.  

The Wild opens its season tomorrow night (Saturday) against Boston at Xcel Energy Center.  The two franchises haven’t played in Minnesota since December 15, 2005, a 3-2 Wild loss.  The Wild is 6-1-0 in all games against Boston.  

Boston defensemen Andrew Alberts (Minneapolis) and Mark Stuart (Rochester), and forward Blake Wheeler (Robbinsdale) are Minnesota natives.  Bruins’ goalie Manny Fernandez was with the Wild from 2000-2007.  He only played in four games last season because he injured his left knee in late October.  He was 2-1-0 with a 3.29 goals against average in pre-season. 

Sports Illustrated predicts Detroit will beat Pittsburgh in the Stanley Cup finals. The magazine picks the Wild to repeat as Northwest Division champions.  The franchise’s first ever division title banner will be on display prior to tomorrow night’s game.  

Wolves’ guard Rashad McCants seems the most likely name to come up in any trade talks this fall.

    

 Brad Childress

Eric Decker

 Manny Fernandez