redwing77

Yeah, I am focused on the negative when it comes to Minnesota. Being eternally optimistic about the Vikings only to have Red McCombs and Dennis Green come to town can do that to you. After the train wreck McCombs made of the organization and the circus freakshow Green (and by extension Tice) made of the team, I can't really root for the team in its current set up. What you are saying does make sense, though I predicted an 0-3 start. I will give credit to the Vikings for taking advantage of two teams that were plagued in key positions by injuries (Carolina and Washington), but they lost to the only team they faced that wasn't missing a key component of their team to injury. I won't go as far as to say that the Vikings are the most overrated team in the NFL (Carolina and Atlanta hold that distinction) and certainly the Vikings have a long way to go to be the worst team in the NFL (Gosh, hard to displace the Packers, Lions, and Raiders in that position). But I don't see the Vikings being even as good (NFL wise) as the Twins were this year (MLB wise). They just don't have the ability to score points thus far. They've had to rely too heavily on their defense to make picks, and Ryan Longwell to make kicks (and fakes). I'll be remiss to say that they won't appear to right the ship against Detroit. Green Bay could score against the Lions so I doubt the Vikings will have any trouble whatsoever. However, when they play their next solid opponent, if they can't do anything offensively (I don't care how many 20+ yard receptions or runs the Vikings get, if they occur outside of the 20 yard line or don't result in a TD or put them in position to score, they don't matter), it will be VERY difficult for the Vikings to win. That being said, I can't wait for the Vikings to play the Packers. With Favre's ability to make "passes only Brett Favre can make" (to those not named Madden those passes are called INTs), I don't think the Vikings will even have to put their offense onto the field.

I'd like to quote the NFL sayings whatever and say... "On any given Sunday...." Never say never. Some times even the "Unbeatable" teams get beat. I think South will lose a few times this year. I just hope it isn't in the tourny.

The sniper strikes again!

And I'll be the first person to claim that I was wrong if the Vikings do make the playoffs. So, Chester's problems in getting yardage are because his O-Line.. you know, the "best O-Line in the NFL?" Can't give him enough room to make it happen? If so, then ok, I'll go with that. Chalk the O-Line up for one of the facets, therefore, that make the Vikings overrated. All I heard preseason is how good this WR core seems to be. Marcus Robinson isn't NEARLY the game breaking WR that TO or even Randy Moss is. But is what you saying that the WR position is a one horse show? If so, then depth isn't a problem at WR, the Vikings only seem to have ONE WR to begin with then (I'll buy this if you want. It will help my argument that Tice's selection of Williamson was the final flip off to the Vikings organization. Hey, Chad Johnson of the Bengals was drafted in the 2nd Round and if you think Williamson even has the POTENTIAL to be better than Johnson, you are smoking something). In any case, if Marcus is the reason why the WRs aren't performing then this team offensively is going to be a disaster. An O-Line that can't make holes in the defense, WRs who can't score TDs, an offense as a whole that can't get inside the 20 yard line.... WOW. I won't say Scooby's prediction of 4-12, but I doubt they'll break the 8-8 plane if this trend continues. And, yeah, I think they'll vie for the record of fewest offensive TDs in a season.

Pat Robertson would damn them to an eternity of Hurricane Katrinas, homosexuality (including gay marriage), and life among the Jews for such an abomination of a nickname The JImmy Stewarts would be a disasterous nickname. Here come your Jimmy Stewarts? Wow, that's bad.

I love South's chances this year, but I don't think I'm calling the championship theirs after I made that mistake last year. I honestly thought last year's team was stellar (not as good as this year's but I thought they could have won it all easy) and I was DEAD WRONG. I just hope their season thus far won't delude them so much that when they get to the tourneys they choke on their own arrogance. Go Bruins!

I don't think they are playoff material, period. If the Vikings are going to get to the playoffs they need to pray that a team that is built up like the Dilfer-led Ravens (but not quite as deep defensively) can withstand it. I don't see that happening. Uh, he's expected to be a good #1 running back. Most good running backs can occasionally get more than 5 yards a carry. His one or two 10-15 yard runs this season just doesnt cut it. Especially if the Vikings are boasting about an excellent offensive line. Maybe it is because Johnson doesn't have the tools necessary to spread the field? I don't know. Wait a minute... a GOPHER fan complaining that a CALL cost the team they root for the game? Forgive me, but I thought that was only reserved for Sioux fans? As for the fumble, again, those things happen. Every now and then the ball doesn't sit right or the player doesn't hold it right and it pops out. Do you mean that the Gamble play wasn't a screw up, but instead a good Vikings defensive play? Sorry. I don't buy that. But yeah, I think the Bears game was winnable by the Queens. Gamble's play is MUCH MUCH worse than the fumble. I can't help but think that it is totally ridiculous to think otherwise. The problem as I see it is that the Vikings are weak at WR, have a crew of career backups as their RBs, and a QB that relies too heavily upon assets that he doesn't have to get things done. Brad isn't a BAD QB, per se, but with what he's showing so far, his claim that he wants to play in the NFL for a few more years is a bit naive... Though I'm sure the Raiders would take him. Calm in the pocket is his best asset, but calmness in the pocket doesn't necessarily mean touchdowns. It means he's totally at ease while the dogs of hell come in to bumrush his horridly uniformed keister. Case in point- Julius Peppers probably wishes he could play against the Vikings all season long (even though Gamble probably doesn't want to nor does Delhomme). Sioux-cia- Question about the Bears: Do you think the offense will be able to right the ship? I mean, every time the Vikings blitzed, Grossman turtled, it seemed. Shoot, for most of the game I was saying "Gee, they'd never score if the Vikings blitzed on every down."

Every dog has his day. It would make me laugh to see O'Sullivan compete (he won't win it) for the Calder Trophy though. And if Demitra gets injured and misses significant time...

Ummm.... I agree inasmuch as that the Super Bowl is really up to whichever AFC team makes the Super Bowl, but I wouldn't discount the Bears. They are very good even though Rex Grossman isn't that great of a QB. I think the Vikings are a bit overrated, to be honest. How long has it been since Johnson threw a TD pass? Does Chester Taylor even have a TD this season (recieving or rushing or whatever)? The Vikings, to me, remind me of a lesser talented Baltimore Raven squad. All Defense and NO offense. The Bears didn't dominate the Vikings and I don't believe the Vikings will ever really be blown out this year. That being said, I highly doubt the Vikings are going to be scoring much either. Take it with a grain of salt anyhow, as the Vikings should really be 1-2 right now but, thanks to Gamble, they are 2-1. So, is the glass half empty or half full?

Most fans of DIA football and Minnesota to boot are hoping for #2, really. Getting rid of Mason means that MAYBE there will be an air of accountability when the team does poorly or stagnates. The thought of Mason getting congratulated just for making a Bowl game is simply laughable. Really, I don't think there is a way you CAN'T get a bowl bid if you finish .500 or better in your conference now that there are 25,000 Bowl games. Oh, and to whomever it was that said that the NDSU v UMN tilt will be packed is dead wrong. I think NDSU will have a good showing fan wise, but otherwise I think there will be plenty of seats open. Just because they sold the tickets doesn't mean the people will show up.

I don't know... if O'Sullivan turns out to be a superstar, wouldn't you want him to be setting up Gaborik and vice versa? I highly doubt Gaborik is another Kobe Bryant. I'm sure he realizes that this is a team effort not just a circus show with Gaborik as the headliner (ala the LA Lakers and Kobe). I don't know how well this trade is going to work out. I still think the Wild lack scoring depth and I still think that LeMaire isn't good at coaching offense. Fernandez is finally the #1 goaltender and we'll see if that's such a good idea or if platooning in Roloson really boosted Fernandez's play. IMO, the Wild aren't playoff material. But they may be closer than last year.

I particularly like this quote from the article:

I don't know if it will be Rivard's last year here. I really don't know if many of us really have the true story about what is actually going on. I really think a lot of the expectations regarding the men's team spilled over to the women's team. The men started tasting success about 5 years after turning DI. The women's team doesn't appear to be that lucky and I don't think many people are being very patient with the women's team. On the flip side of that, how patient can one afford to be when success usually directly corresponds with an increase in revenue? If Rivard isn't getting the results (which she hasn't, good coaching or not), then I'm not sure how long Buning can afford to wait until replacing her. If this is her last year of her contract, then we'll see what Buning thinks after the season, I'd surmise.

No he's not. He'll just have to find tickets to the game like everyone else and hope that he can get tickets near his girlfriend.

These pictures are fantastic. Thanks Melissa.

NDSU beating Minnesota would be an INSTANT CLASSIC! I can almost hear the guys on KFAN laughing it up at Mason's expense. Good gravy that would be sweet.

Forgot about him.

On one side of the coin.... I would expect NDSU, MSU Moorhead, and Concordia College to hold the edge in collegiate sports coverage in the Fargo Forum. They are the local teams in Fargo. McFeely and all really don't care about Grand Forks sports because Grand Forks isn't high on the Forum's reader area. It's THAT simple. It has NOTHING to do with whether or not UND or NDSU is the "better" or "more loved" collegiate institution. On the flip side.... Hockey is VERY well covered all over the region. I read nearly a page and a half spread on the Sioux in the Star Tribune last April. IT focused upon the victory over SCSU. Now, why would the Star Tribune, a Twin Cities newspaper, dedicate that much room to two teams that don't "reside" in the Star Tribune readership area? Because it is big news. The Forum has to keep in mind its reader community and, quite frankly, Fargo has more NDSU fans than UND fans. It is just how it is.

Apparently we aren't! Congrats to NDSU.

It appears (at least on paper) that 2007 is going to be great year for goaltending recruits. Off the top of my head, the committed and uncommitted goaltenders of note are: Alex Kangas (UMN) Chris Rawlings (The Salmon Arm goaltender) Bryce Christianson Beau Christian Bryan Hogan (UMich) Richard Bachman (CC) Marc Cheverie (DU) Brad Phillips? (ND) - read good things about him anyways. Others that potentially could be good ones are: Josh Unice (BGSU) Scott Orth Pat McGann Dayn Belfour WOW. Of course, some of these are just big names and may not pan out at all, as predictions are not my forte', but still...

BSU has a good program. Shawn-O has a point. BSU is starting to get the attention of players who have gotten the attention of NHL teams, like Andrew Murray and now Chris Peluso. Their coach is one heckuva coach as well. I doubt many WCHA, CCHA, ECACHL, or HEA programs would mind having BSU's head coach behind their bench. I think that, if UND is to play a team from a "non power division" like the CHA or AHA, I'd hope it would be BSU.

We should have them be "Visitor" on the scoreboard

So you are saying that, when NDSU was reclassifying, some UND fans hurt your feelings and now you're trying to get back at us? Nice to know that 5 year olds can get into college.

I was talking deeper than top 4 defensemen. Usually it is 6 defensemen and one or two guys that you can throw in if you have to. We may have 6 defensemen plus a few guys that we can throw in and NOT lose anything defensively.

How profound