Posted September 19, 2011    

•Jared Allen

•Big Ten Rankings

•John Gagliardi

•Magic Johnson

•Rick Adelman

Jared Allen: Vikings Loss 'Inexcusable'

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen wasn’t trying to make excuses after Sunday’s 24-20 loss to Tampa Bay, a game that left his team 0-2 on the season. 

It was the second consecutive game the Vikings let a halftime lead get away. After holding a 10 point lead in the fourth quarter, Allen declared yesterday’s defeat worse than the opening game 24-17 loss against San Diego.  

“It’s inexcusable.  It’s unacceptable,” Allen said in a quiet and stunned locker room after the game. 

In San Diego, particularly in the second half, the Vikings offense wasn’t productive.  Yesterday it was the defense that couldn’t hold back a Bucs team that led by quarterback Josh Freeman built a reputation last season for comebacks and wins on the road. 

Allen was asked about the Bucs’ track record for rallying late in games, but focused on the Vikings with his answer.  “I don’t know.  We just didn’t finish the game, honestly.  I gotta watch the film.  I am in disbelief still we lost this game.  We were in complete control, dominating, and somehow we let it slip away.” 

The Vikings had the Bucs off balance with their offense in the first half and led 17-0.  But in the third quarter Tampa Bay began to take over the momentum with their offense while the Vikings offense ran only five plays and had just one first down.   

In the second half Tampa Bay scored on four of five possessions.  The only drive that didn’t produce points was when Freeman threw an interception in the end zone.   

The Vikings, including center John Sullivan, had no difficulty explaining the loss.  “It’s very matter of fact,” he said. “You gotta play for 60 minutes in the NFL.  We haven’t done that the last two weeks. …We’ll learn to play for 60 minutes and then we’ll be fine.  Until that happens, obviously the last two weeks are what you get.”

 

Here’s Our Big Ten Football Muscle Poll 

After three weeks Sports Headliners has seen enough to rate the Big Ten football teams from 1-12.  Here’s how they rank: 

Wisconsin: Quarterback transfer Russell Wilson elevates Badgers offense to elite national level.  

Nebraska: Remember these names: quarterback Taylor Martinez, defensive lineman Jared Crick, linebacker Lavonte David.  Remember these dates:  Huskers at Wisconsin, October 1; home against Ohio State on October 8 and Michigan State October 29. 

Ohio State: Injuries, suspensions and the departure of quarterback Terrelle Pryor put a major hit on what was once the conference’s most talented roster.  

Illinois: Illini have high impact assistants in offensive coordinator Paul Petrino and defensive coordinator Vic Koenning. 

Michigan State: Spartans have Big Ten’s best passing offense but need to play more physical football on both sides of the ball.  

Michigan: Defense is part of the Wolverines vocabulary this season, but how in the hell do you take the most exciting quarterback in the league and move him under center? 

Penn State: quarterback dilemma in Happy Valley has Joe Paterno undecided and Nittany Lions fans worried.

Iowa: Hawks gave up 71 points in last two games and are still trying to figure out how to put defense back on a pedestal in Iowa City. 

Northwestern: Super coach Pat Fitzgerald still needs to attract better players to Evanston. 

Minnesota: Keep the faith but talent this season seems better suited to competing in the MAC. 

Purdue: Boiler fans clamoring for a game against Slippery Rock after opening 2-1 against Middle Tennessee State, Rice and Southeast Missouri State.  

Indiana: Hoosiers wear uniforms and helmets like No. 1 Oklahoma, play like last place Indiana.

 

Worth Noting

Vikings coach Leslie Frazier said after yesterday's game he expects defensive tackle Kevin Williams, suspended for the team's first two games, to rejoin the club for meetings starting today.

The September 12 issue of Sporting News Magazine lists the 10 greatest college football teams of all time including the 1956 Oklahoma Sooners at No. 5. Those Sooners were coached by Minneapolis native Bud Wilkinson who played for the Gophers. The magazine identifies Wilkinson as the only man in college football history to win three national championships each as a player and coach. Sporting News chose the 1971 Nebraska team as the No. 1 all time team.   

Saint John’s football boss John Gagliardi, who has been coaching in the MIAC since 1953, saw his team forced into overtime by Concordia on Saturday but managed to win its league opener, 28-21.  

A.J. Hammons, a 7-foot center from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, is interested in the Gophers and visited campus last weekend. 

Former Gophers basketball captain Al Nuness transferred from Fort Dodge Junior College in Iowa to Minnesota in 1967.  Nuness, now retired from an executive position with Jostens, has not only enjoyed an outstanding business career, but has also been involved with volunteer community work in Minneapolis for decades.  On Saturday he will be inducted into not the sports hall of fame but the school hall of fame at Iowa Central Community College (formerly Fort Dodge).  Nuness was a first team junior college All-American, the first player to earn that honor at Fort Dodge. 

Magic Johnson comes to Minneapolis tomorrow for an event to promote Urban Ventures and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School.  Johnson will be speaking at the Colin Powell Youth Leadership Center.   

Wonder if Timberwolves-Lynx owner Glen Taylor has delayed the Rick Adelman introductory news conference so as to not draw media and public attention away from the Lynx playoff games.  

The Wild purchased 500 tickets for tomorrow night’s Lynx playoff game that were made available this morning to the first 250 callers at 612-673-8400 with a limit of two per customer.

Former North Stars, Twins and Gophers marketing leader Pat Forciea is marketing director for the Hell’s Kitchen restaurant downtown, according to a column by Jon Tevlin in the Star Tribune last week.

Minneapolis businessman Bruce Lambrecht, long ago a proponent for a Twins stadium in the Warehouse District, continues to believe in a Farmers Market site for a new Vikings stadium.   

The Wild are scheduled to practice today at Xcel Energy Center, then open the preseason schedule tomorrow night in Edmonton.  First home exhibition game is Friday night against Columbus.

 

Leslie Frazier

John Gagliardi