Yeah, now that we've had the nice weather. I'm enjoying it. All is good.
I agree, Wolvie. He's making all the right moves. Addressing the teams' needs as a whole. Beefing up the tight end position, offensive and defensive lines, the secondary, cornerbacks, receivers, and linebackers. Hired great coordinators in Shaw and Linehan. He's done it all. Now to play the games. = )
My only concern right now is saftey. Losing Griffith was huge and now our best 2 players for the position are rookies. Unless they are really good, I think we may need to look at FA again. Although I am not sure who is available.
Agreed on Tice gentleman. It's refreshing to see a coach actually speak to the media instead of treating them like the plague. I am sure they get sick of tehm but Denny never figured out that a little honey goes a long way. Once you get on one of the media's bad side, you're done. I think coaching wise he's making the right moves, but as Bud said, now for hte games, which will be his real test. One other pro-Tice argument. Where was he working out and how focussed was Randy Moss when Denny was here ?
One thing I enjoyed reading lately was the fact the the Vikes are going back to the 2 TE, one RB set. Also they will be going back to the wide open attack. I love it.
letting griffith go really surprised me. yes, he got some pretty good coin, but the vikes would've also been paying him for his veteran leadership. griffith would've been able to direct traffic back there. that secondary is so green--hell, the entire defense is wet behind the ears. i'd hate to be doing the play-by-play.
I always said that losing Griffith was the Vikings biggest problem this year. That was huge and will be sorely missed. But I think the Vikes can over come that with shaw as the deffensive head coach. I wish the Vikes would have ponied up the ching to sign Griffith.
They can get all the raves they want. They are still rookies and unproven. Until they go up against another team during the regular season, I will just have to wait and see.
. McKinnie is the team's first top-ten draft pick since Chris Doleman in 1985. The Pioneer Press suggests that the Vikings might have trouble signing McKinnie, given the reputations of his agents, Jim Steiner and Ben Dogra. Sean Jensen of the Pioneer Press points to the 2001 holdout of Bengals defensive end Justin Smith
, a Steiner/Dogra client, in support of its position. But Jensen is comparing apples and oranges here, in our opinion. The Smith holdout resulted in large part from the inexplicable unwillingess of the Bengals to guarantee the back end of Smith's two-tiered signing bonus
. In other words, Smith sat because the Bengals were merely being the Bengals. Also, it's less important for a defensive lineman to be in camp early. Really, the job description is simple -- fight off your blocker and get to the ball. For a guy like McKinnie, though, who'll be in the key position of left tackle, he needs to get in early in order to learn the far more complex assignments than an offensive lineman has. Steiner and Dogra surely realize this, and we think that, in the end, this deal will get done before camp opens
.
Scott Studwell played linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings for 14 seasons (1977-90) and holds team records for tackles in a career (1,981), season (230 in 1981), and game (24 vs. Detroit in 1985). Originally a ninth-round selection by the Vikings in 1977 out of the University of Illinois, Studwell was selected to two Pro Bowls (1987-88) and was named to the Vikings’ 25th and 40th Anniversary All-Time Teams. He is one of only five players in team history to participate in over 200 games during his career. Studwell has worked for the Vikings since his retirement in 1990, primarily in player personnel. He is currently the team’s Director of College Scouting. Studwell stopped by vikings.com to answer selected fan email questions about his playing career.
Do you miss playing in the NFL? If so, what do you miss most about it? Bill from Nashville, TN
I did early on after I retired. The pangs were still there for probably two or three years because you are not that far removed from it, so physically you think you can still do some of the things that you could do. I played long enough that by the time I retired it was time. I knew it was time. Physically I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to perform. I was worn out emotionally. What I miss is the locker room. I miss the competitiveness. You can’t replace what you do or have done on the football field with anything else in your life. You just can’t replace it. People that don’t play it may not understand that just because they haven’t experienced it. But I miss that part of it probably. To get paid to play a game that you love and to get paid to exercise and condition, to me it was a win-win situation.
What are your fondest memories of training camp in Mankato? Michael from St. Paul, MN
I think probably the fondest memories of training camp are probably in the Jerry Burns era. We had some really good football teams with some great players. I mean great players. Joey Browner, Steve Jordan, Keith Millard, Henry Thomas, Gary Zimmerman, the list just goes on and on. We had some tremendous talent. It was at a point in my career that training camp was easy. The learning curve had minimized. Physically I always thought I was in great shape for camp so camp to me was like a playground. It was fun. It was a chance to go down and practice and work hard twice a day, to drink beer with your buddies at night, and really it was at a point in my career where the game was probably as much fun as I had ever had. It was easy from a mental standpoint. The chemistry on the football team was good. I loved camp. Early on in my career it was hard at times just because you never really knew and there was always that question mark whether you were good enough and you had to prove yourself every year. But I think eventually you get to a point where you’ve established yourself and as long as you come to camp ready to play, all you have to worry about is getting better as an individual and as a team.
Can you tell us which opposing team you liked to play against most and why? Bob from Sarasota, FL
I think there is always that tremendous rivalry we had with the Packers, obviously because of the border war. But to be honest with you I think the rivalry we had with the Bears in the mid-80’s when the Bears had come into prominence as really a tremendous football team. They had some tremendous players. You look at their roster and you look at Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, Jim McMahon, across the board they were a damn good football team. We had some great games with them. I think the rivalry with the Bears was probably my favorite because as good as both teams were in any given year, there was a tremendous amount of respect for each other and the games were as competitive as any games we played in. I think there were really some genuine friendships and a lot of respect for each other and it made it a lot of fun.
What was it like to come in as a rookie and be a teammate of guys like Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, and Fran Tarkenton? Which veteran(s) helped you the most when you came into the NFL? Andy from Sioux Falls, SD
When you come into this business or you come into this league as a young player, I think the young players today have more exposure because of all the mini-camps and all of the developmental camps. When they eventually get to training camp I think they are better prepared to come to camp and play. When I came into the league in ’77, after getting drafted that was the first contact I had with anybody on this football team was training camp. You are coming in totally blind, you don’t know any of the players. Just from that standpoint it’s just a little bit intimidating, especially coming to a veteran team like the Vikings were at that point in time with Hall of Famers, with Tarkenton, Page, Carl Eller, Mick Tingelhoff, Jim Marshall, Bobby Bryant, Paul Krause, just the list goes on. The core of that team had been together for probably 15 years. Being a ninth-round draft choice you just have no idea of where you stand. The money was never an issue and it wasn’t as important back then as it is today, or at least not as magnified. But I was lucky from the standpoint that I think the veterans kind of embraced me early on in camp and I became pretty good friends with a lot of them. Jeff Siemon was probably as instrumental in helping me through training camp as anybody and I’m competing for his job. I was very lucky in a lot of ways that way. I came to a veteran team that needed another linebacker. Roy Winston had just retired. Had he not retired I may not have made it. Who knows? But I think timing is everything in this business at times. I was in the right place at the right time. But it was certainly an eye-opening experience.
As a former Minnesota resident and lifelong Viking fan, I grew up watching you make play after play for the Vikings' defense. What was the biggest hit you ever delivered on another player? Thanks for the years of great memories! Brad from San Francisco, CA
I was on the losing end of most of them. There isn’t any one particular one that stands out. I probably made too many to remember any of them. The only one, I think there was a short yardage play here in the Dome against the Colts. I think it was fourth and a foot or so and both the running back and myself dove over the top and I hit him square and stopped him. But I can’t even remember who the back was to be honest with you so it couldn’t have been that memorable. There really isn’t one particular game and there really isn’t one particular season that stands out, although obviously there are others that were better than the ones you might want to forget. The whole experience to me was probably what stands out more. The general and overall memory is really what is important, and the friendships and the relationships that you establish. That’s what is most memorable to me.
When you are asked who was the best running back you had to defend who immediately comes to your mind and why? Douglas from Hampton, VA
Without a question, Walter Payton. When I came into the league O.J. Simpson was still playing and Earl Campbell. Fortunately I didn’t play against Earl very often. He was unbelievable. William Andrews with the Falcons who I thought was a very underrated running back. Eric Dickerson was a tremendous back. But when you play against a guy like Walter twice a year for 10 years, he was just a phenomenal player. He was a tremendous athlete. He was a tremendous person. He was just an awesome individual. He was very respectful, tremendously competitive, unbelievably talented. He was just a great, great person. He didn’t scare you like Billy Sims scared you, but Walter was a lunch pail guy that had unbelievable ability. Every time he touched the ball you knew he was going to give you 110 percent. He was one of those guys you could never let up on.
Hi Scott. I was wondering how much different the position is now from when you played? You were always one of my favorite players by the way! Aaron from Ann Arbor, MI
I don’t think it’s changed that much. The funny part about this game and the way it has involved, just physically, that position in itself is really kind of one that hasn’t changed that much from a physical stature standpoint. When I got into the league I was probably about 235 pounds and the linebackers that had preceded me, some of the great linebackers back in the day, were big guys. Like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, those guys were big guys. Matt Blair was an exceptional linebacker being as tall as he was. You don’t find many 6’6” linebackers like Matt and Ted Hendricks anymore because they make them defensive ends in college. The linebacker position has not changed that much from a position specific standpoint. Obviously there is more pressure on them to play on passing downs because they throw the ball so much more. The linebacker today has to be able to run better than they used to. Obviously speed is important at that position, but there is a difference between timed speed and competitive speed too. I don’t think that that position has evolved as much as the game has evolved. I think it’s a harder position to play now because the offensive linemen are so big. The size of the game is just mind-boggling at times. Even when I was done playing, a 300-pounder, there were some around. Today 300 pounds is small. I think that is harder for those guys because the linebackers aren’t getting that much bigger. To ask a linebacker to take on a 330-pound offensive lineman all day is unrealistic.
Scott, thanks for being such a hard-nosed player! We could use players like you right now. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a player? Greatest disappointment? Mark from Zeeland, MI
I think the greatest accomplishment is hopefully the level of consistency I played at for a number of years. I was not a great athlete and I never considered myself a great player. I considered myself a good player that the game was very important to. I worked very hard at it. So to me probably playing as long as I did and playing at a fairly high level for a long time would probably be what I would consider my greatest accomplishment.
Obviously the biggest disappointment is never winning a Super Bowl. That’s what I played for. I think a lot of people kind of lose sight of that, but that’s what it is all about is winning championships and being on winning teams. You can be the best player in the league and play on a poor football team and boy, it’s just hard. It’s no fun losing. Being in this business, Mondays are great and they are terrible if you lose. But the biggest disappointment is losing in two NFC Championships. They were heartbreaking and they were 10 years apart. It’s very hard to get there. Once you get there, if you don’t win, it’s probably as devastating or more devastating. Not being a part of a Super Bowl championship would probably be my biggest disappointment.
Scott, As a die hard Vikings fan since 1969, I have always considered the playoff defeat of Joe Montana's 49ers (1988?) the greatest game ever played by the team. You guys played a team favored by 17 points, on their home field, and no one gave you a prayer. What do you remember about that game, the teams attitude, etc. that led to your domination of the 49ers that day? Fred from Benicia, CA
That was such an odd year with the strike and everything that had gone on and the fact that we had to have some help to get into the playoffs. Then to go down to New Orleans as a big underdog and to watch AC (Anthony Carter) have the game of his life, although AC was a tremendous player for us. To go down there and win a game when it started the way it did in a hostile environment and getting behind. That whole run through New Orleans and then on to San Francisco, and even with the tremendously disappointing loss in Washington. To go to San Francisco with nobody expecting us to win, it was a tremendous football game and it was a tremendous upset. The guys that played their hearts out. I remember Issiac Holt had the game of his life covering Jerry Rice. Guys stepped up to the plate and played their hearts out. Chris Doleman and Keith Millard. That was probably the biggest win of my career. The feeling everybody got after that, I don’t ever remember experiencing a feeling like that after any victory. That was probably as close to winning a Super Bowl as we got, to be honest with you. That was a tremendous football game.
Who was the toughest lineman you ever played against? David from New Orleans, LA
There were a lot of them and a lot of them that people don’t know a lot about. I thought a very underrated lineman that I played against was Sean Farrell with Tampa. Sean Farrell was a very good football player. Dwight Stephenson from Miami, although we didn’t play him very often, was a tremendous football player. Jim Lachey probably hit me harder than anybody I’ve ever been hit by. I still remember that. He ear-holed me. He was a great football player. It’s hard to put your finger on one guy. Keith Dorney for the Lions was another underrated player. Gosh, there were a lot of guys. You play long enough and you’re going to play against a lot of great players. I played against guys like Dan Dierdorf and early on I played against Gene Upshaw. You are spanning a lot of years. To practice against Randall McDaniel every day was probably as tough a task as playing against anybody. Randall would just toy with me. Playing against a lot of the guys we had here like Randall and Zimmerman, that was as hard as playing as anybody.
What is the biggest difference between the game today from the days when you played? Jeff from Woodridge, IL
Size, speed, and athletic ability. Today’s athletes, when you’ve got a 6’4”, 260-pound quarterback. When I came into the league a guy that size was playing right tackle. It’s just unbelievable how big the players are today. Ability-wise, along with the size and the speed and the athletic ability, they are just better players. The game is bigger, it’s faster. There are players that played in every generation that could play today, but there are also a lot of players that played in a lot of generations that couldn’t play today. The game has evolved. The X’s and O’s are basically the same. Even that has changed a lot. It’s a lot more complicated than it used to be, but it’s still about having great players and today’s players are phenomenal.
Could you talk about what it was like to play for Bud Grant? Steve from Duluth, MN
I don’t think you really appreciate Bud as much as a player until you get away from him and have a chance to step back and look at what he accomplished and look at how he controlled his football teams and be around him from a different perspective. Bud is probably one of the smartest people I have been around and a lot of it is just common sense. He had such a great common sense approach to the game and he was so calm. Not even stoic. He just always put football in its proper perspective and I think his teams reflected that and his teams didn’t panic. His teams played to their abilities. His teams had a tremendous amount of confidence in their abilities, as did Bud. He emanated that kind of confidence. There was never any doubt who was in charge of this football team. There was a fear factor with Bud, which I don’t think is all that bad. His players were fearful of him but they also respected him. You knew exactly where you stood with Bud. I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to play for him.
Coming in as a late-round draft pick in ’77, what were your goals/expectations for your career? Mark from Eagan, MN
The only goal I had when I first came into the league was to make the team and play. I was very disappointed when I didn’t get drafted higher, but those things have a tendency to work themselves out. But I didn’t know. I had no idea where I was going. Today’s players are under the microscope so much more than when I came into the league. My primary goal was to make this football team, and then you had to kind of adjust your goals year in and year out from there. Once you establish yourself as a player, the most important thing was to stay on top of my game. I didn’t care if I made the Pro Bowl or I made All-This or All-That. I wanted to be the best player I could be and I wanted this team to respect my ability. That was all that was important from that point on. I honestly couldn’t say I sat down and said I wanted to play 10 years or I wanted to play 12 years. I think you have to approach it year-by-year and you have to stay on top of your game on an annual basis, because if you don’t, especially today, you don’t and you’re out or you go play somewhere else. I was lucky because I was never tempted to go somewhere else.
The Vikes are less than two weeks from opening training camp, but may not be set on the roster, as the clock ticks and the team becomes more attractive to unsigned free agents.
The talk on how the Vikings are prepared for the 2002 season is kind of like Starsky and Hutch asking Huggy Bear for the low-down.
As Huggy would say, "I don't know nothing about nothing, but word on the streets is...."
The current word on the streets is that, while the Vikings aren't in hot contention for any specific players to make a big splash, they continue to talk to O.J. Santiago about coming in to try to work into one of the tight end positions with the team.
As reported before, Santiago wants an NFL job, but realizes that anything with the Vikes -- as long as Byron Chamberlain and Jim Kleinsasser are on the ticket -- will be as a part-time player.
Other than Santiago, the Vikings aren't in the front-running chase for anyone who has more than one or two teams bidding. If someone wants to come for incentives and a minimum deal, the Vikes are interested. For guys like Sam Adams, who wants a big piece of cake up front, it ain't happening. Period.
MONDAY NOTES
Who cares about the record last season. Coming of an NFC title game appearance in 2000, the Vikes had a 92 percent renewal rate on season tickets. After last year's 5-11 season? Renewals are running at 94 percent.
VU has been hitting several e-mails from a story we ran last month about Dennis Green landing in Atlanta as its next head coach after his agent hooked on in a top front office capacity. Sunday alone, three national sources said that, when Dan Reeves retires or is fired, Green is the man for the job.
The Vikings, as expected, added O.J. Santiago, bringing another training camp battle into sharper focus.
On Monday, the Vikings began the finalization of their roster by signing veteran free agent tight end and coming to terms with two draft picks.
While the terms with sixth-round rookie linebacker Nick Rogers and defensive tackle Chad Beasley are expected to be finalized today, TE O.J. Santiago agreed to a one-year deal with the Vikings for the veteran minimum of $525,000.
Santiago isn't assured of a job, because the Vikings are stocked at tight end already and, barring injuries, only one spot remains open.
Coach Mike Tice has said he will keep four tight ends on the roster, with starters Byron Chamberlain and Jim Kleinsasser, as well as backup Hunter Goodwin being assured of roster spots. That leaves one available opening and four players -- Santiago, Johnny McWilliams, Matt Cercone and Jeff Kostrewa -- fighting for that opening.
Santiago has lost time to impress the coaches, but, seeing as the Vikings chased him for more than two months before signing him Monday, shows the teams' interest was sincere.
TUESDAY NOTES
Rogers is already entrenched as the No. 2 middle linebacker on the depth chart behind Henri Crockett and Beasley has been moved to nose tackle and has a shot at getting playing time behind Fred Robbins.
Mike Tice was serious when he said Lewis Kelly was a player he's convinced will be a starter -- sooner than later -- with the Vikings.
In the days prior to the draft, Mike Tice downplayed the need for an offensive tackle to VU, saying that Lewis Kelly was good enough to step into the left tackle position.
Bryant McKinnie fell to the Vikings in the first round, making some speculate that perhaps Tice had learned from Dennis Green how to send out disinformation about his drafting intent.
However, Tice has shown that his talking up of Kelly was legitimate, as he announced Tuesday that the Vikings will go into training camp with Kelly as a starter.
Tice said that Kelly, who was extremely impressive during a stint with NFL Europe this spring, will enter training camp as the starting right tackle, allowing Chris Liwienski to move back to his natural left guard position. Liwienski was penciled in as the team's starting LG last year until the death of Korey Stringer moved him to RT.
The move to have Kelly at RT isn't etched in stone. If Kelly should stumble, Liwienski will be returned to RT and Kelly will compete with Corbin Lacina for the starting job at LG, but Tice believes if Kelly can man the RT spot, the Vikings will have as good an offensive line as it did when it had four All-Pros back in 1998.
WEDNESDAY NOTES
The contracts signed by rookies Chad Beasley and Nick Rogers included a $74,000 signing bonus for Rogers and a $38,000 signing bonus for Beasley.
Last week, VU was told that the Vikings were one of four teams expressing an interest in released LB Levon Kirkland. Tice confirmed Tuesday that the team is interested and may schedule a visit with Kirkland. Other teams involved in talks with Kirkland are the Eagles, Jaguars and Redskins.
I've got it adult rated since we all talk loose in there. It grown fast. Started it on the night of July 10th and It's already got over 100 members and 1,000 posts. = )
I set up a league for all interested. 30 bucks per person. 14 team league. Draft is August 28th. It's a private league with a password. E-mail me for information.
I think the early season predictions are way off for hte Vikes. I think they'll do alot better than people are saying. Remember, this is essentially the same and even more improved offense than we had in 98-2000. Minus Robert SmithThose were some pretty potent offenses and adding alexander, Bates and an improved o-line should make it one of the best, not to mention Moss seems to have matured If Bennet can produce it will help. And we won't have C.C on the sidelines bitching. I saw him on the best damn sports show, man is he arrogant more than I thought. One other thing.......no more Denny :)
Remember that most picked the Patriots last in their division last year, what do they know ;)
Vikes schedule and my prediction: Sep 8 at Chicago LOSS 2 Sep 15 Buffalo WIN 3 Sep 22 Carolina WIN 4 Sep 29 at Seattle LOSS 5 BYE WEEK 6 Oct 13 Detroit WIN 7 Oct 20 at NY Jets LOSS 8 Oct 27 Chicago LOSS 9 Nov 3 at Tampa Bay LOSS 10 Nov 10 NY Giants WIN 11 Nov 17 Green Bay WIN 12 Nov 24 at New England LOSS 13 Dec 1 Atlanta WIN 14 Dec 8 at Green Bay LOSS 15 Dec 15 at New Orleans WIN 16 Dec 21 Miami LOSS 17 Dec 29 at Detroit WIN
1 Sep 8 Minnesota WIN 2 Sep 15 at Atlanta WIN 3 Sep 22 New Orleans WIN 4 Sep 29 at Buffalo WIN 5 Oct 7 Green Bay WIN 6 BYE WEEK 7 Oct 20 at Detroit WIN 8 Oct 27 at Minnesota WIN 9 Nov 3 Philadelphia LOSS 10 Nov 10 New England WIN 11 Nov 18 at St. Louis LOSS 12 Nov 24 Detroit WIN 13 Dec 1 at Green Bay LOSS 14 Dec 9 at Miami WIN 15 Dec 15 NY Jets WIN 16 Dec 22 at Carolina WIN 17 Dec 29 Tampa Bay WIN
1 Sep 8 Atlanta WIN 2 Sep 15 at New Orleans WIN 3 Sep 22 at Detroit LOSS 4 Sep 29 Carolina WIN 5 Oct 7 at Chicago LOSS 6 Oct 13 at New England LOSS 7 Oct 20 Washington WIN 8 BYE WEEK 9 Nov 4 Miami LOSS 10 Nov 10 Detroit WIN 11 Nov 17 at Minnesota LOSS 12 Nov 24 at Tampa Bay LOSS 13 Dec 1 Chicago WIN 14 Dec 8 Minnesota WIN 15 Dec 15 at San Francisco LOSS 16 Dec 22 Buffalo WIN 17 Dec 29 at NY Jets WIN
I think it is to early to make predictions yet. I read that the Vikes O moved the ball easily on the Vikes D. That may not be a good sign. Alexander may be a bust. What about Sean Dawkins? Any word on how he's doing?
Well I listened to the Viking game last night over the web. Here are some of my opinions. For one the defense is going to have to improve more. If the Browns can move the ball at will on us, we maybe screwed unless the Vikes come together better as a D unit. On offense, I like what I heard. They may be right on track. I know it is just pre-season, but it still shows where our team is right now. I think an 8-8 record at a minium is a good bet. I would say no better then 10-6. 8-8 or 9-7 seems more realistic to me at this point in time.
Hi Gents, I still say 10-6 maybe better. Preseason is a non factor. The emotion etc isn't there. the D will get better as they gel. I think it will take more time. The O looked o.k. But keep in mind the many years we were 4-0 in preseaon and didn't do diddly. I don't put much stock in them and it's hard to tell after only 2-3 series with the starters. I won't hit the panic button just yet,,,,,,,,yet :)
How did the AFC West folder get in here............did the SYSOP do some moving around or something
It's not in here. I may have a link to it in one of the sports threads but, it's not in here.
Hi Bud! Long time no see. How goes it? Enjoying the summer?
Man it is nice to have a head coach that actually tells you what is going on with the team. Denny never did that.
Sure he did. Remember, they were always "Digging their way out".
LOL
The more I see what Tice is doing and the way he is handling the media, the more I like him. I am so glad to see Denny gone.
Yeah, now that we've had the nice weather. I'm enjoying it. All is good.
I agree, Wolvie. He's making all the right moves. Addressing the teams' needs as a whole. Beefing up the tight end position, offensive and defensive lines, the secondary, cornerbacks, receivers, and linebackers. Hired great coordinators in Shaw and Linehan. He's done it all. Now to play the games. = )
Bud,
My only concern right now is saftey. Losing Griffith was huge and now our best 2 players for the position are rookies. Unless they are really good, I think we may need to look at FA again. Although I am not sure who is available.
Agreed on Tice gentleman. It's refreshing to see a coach actually speak to the media instead of treating them like the plague. I am sure they get sick of tehm but Denny never figured out that a little honey goes a long way. Once you get on one of the media's bad side, you're done. I think coaching wise he's making the right moves, but as Bud said, now for hte games, which will be his real test. One other pro-Tice argument. Where was he working out and how focussed was Randy Moss when Denny was here ?
How many days to opening game? =)
SKOL VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!
One thing I enjoyed reading lately was the fact the the Vikes are going back to the 2 TE, one RB set. Also they will be going back to the wide open attack. I love it.
LOOK OUT NFC NORRIS!
SKOL VIKINGS!!!!!!!!
wolvie,
our best 2 players for the position are rookies
we may need to look at FA again. Although I am not sure who is available.
machias,
I always said that losing Griffith was the Vikings biggest problem this year. That was huge and will be sorely missed. But I think the Vikes can over come that with shaw as the deffensive head coach. I wish the Vikes would have ponied up the ching to sign Griffith.
They can get all the raves they want. They are still rookies and unproven. Until they go up against another team during the regular season, I will just have to wait and see.
bud,
It's all a crapshoot
VIKINGS FOCUS ON MCKINNIE
Your link didn't work machias.
I see another Packer is having trouble with the law. Will they ever learn?
SKOL VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Scott Studwell played linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings for 14 seasons (1977-90) and holds team records for tackles in a career (1,981), season (230 in 1981), and game (24 vs. Detroit in 1985). Originally a ninth-round selection by the Vikings in 1977 out of the University of Illinois, Studwell was selected to two Pro Bowls (1987-88) and was named to the Vikings’ 25th and 40th Anniversary All-Time Teams. He is one of only five players in team history to participate in over 200 games during his career. Studwell has worked for the Vikings since his retirement in 1990, primarily in player personnel. He is currently the team’s Director of College Scouting. Studwell stopped by vikings.com to answer selected fan email questions about his playing career.
Do you miss playing in the NFL? If so, what do you miss most about it? Bill from Nashville, TN
I did early on after I retired. The pangs were still there for probably two or three years because you are not that far removed from it, so physically you think you can still do some of the things that you could do. I played long enough that by the time I retired it was time. I knew it was time. Physically I couldn’t perform the way I wanted to perform. I was worn out emotionally. What I miss is the locker room. I miss the competitiveness. You can’t replace what you do or have done on the football field with anything else in your life. You just can’t replace it. People that don’t play it may not understand that just because they haven’t experienced it. But I miss that part of it probably. To get paid to play a game that you love and to get paid to exercise and condition, to me it was a win-win situation.
What are your fondest memories of training camp in Mankato? Michael from St. Paul, MN
I think probably the fondest memories of training camp are probably in the Jerry Burns era. We had some really good football teams with some great players. I mean great players. Joey Browner, Steve Jordan, Keith Millard, Henry Thomas, Gary Zimmerman, the list just goes on and on. We had some tremendous talent. It was at a point in my career that training camp was easy. The learning curve had minimized. Physically I always thought I was in great shape for camp so camp to me was like a playground. It was fun. It was a chance to go down and practice and work hard twice a day, to drink beer with your buddies at night, and really it was at a point in my career where the game was probably as much fun as I had ever had. It was easy from a mental standpoint. The chemistry on the football team was good. I loved camp. Early on in my career it was hard at times just because you never really knew and there was always that question mark whether you were good enough and you had to prove yourself every year. But I think eventually you get to a point where you’ve established yourself and as long as you come to camp ready to play, all you have to worry about is getting better as an individual and as a team.
Can you tell us which opposing team you liked to play against most and why? Bob from Sarasota, FL
I think there is always that tremendous rivalry we had with the Packers, obviously because of the border war. But to be honest with you I think the rivalry we had with the Bears in the mid-80’s when the Bears had come into prominence as really a tremendous football team. They had some tremendous players. You look at their roster and you look at Dan Hampton, Steve McMichael, Walter Payton, Mike Singletary, Jim McMahon, across the board they were a damn good football team. We had some great games with them. I think the rivalry with the Bears was probably my favorite because as good as both teams were in any given year, there was a tremendous amount of respect for each other and the games were as competitive as any games we played in. I think there were really some genuine friendships and a lot of respect for each other and it made it a lot of fun.
What was it like to come in as a rookie and be a teammate of guys like Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall, and Fran Tarkenton? Which veteran(s) helped you the most when you came into the NFL? Andy from Sioux Falls, SD
When you come into this business or you come into this league as a young player, I think the young players today have more exposure because of all the mini-camps and all of the developmental camps. When they eventually get to training camp I think they are better prepared to come to camp and play. When I came into the league in ’77, after getting drafted that was the first contact I had with anybody on this football team was training camp. You are coming in totally blind, you don’t know any of the players. Just from that standpoint it’s just a little bit intimidating, especially coming to a veteran team like the Vikings were at that point in time with Hall of Famers, with Tarkenton, Page, Carl Eller, Mick Tingelhoff, Jim Marshall, Bobby Bryant, Paul Krause, just the list goes on. The core of that team had been together for probably 15 years. Being a ninth-round draft choice you just have no idea of where you stand. The money was never an issue and it wasn’t as important back then as it is today, or at least not as magnified. But I was lucky from the standpoint that I think the veterans kind of embraced me early on in camp and I became pretty good friends with a lot of them. Jeff Siemon was probably as instrumental in helping me through training camp as anybody and I’m competing for his job. I was very lucky in a lot of ways that way. I came to a veteran team that needed another linebacker. Roy Winston had just retired. Had he not retired I may not have made it. Who knows? But I think timing is everything in this business at times. I was in the right place at the right time. But it was certainly an eye-opening experience.
As a former Minnesota resident and lifelong Viking fan, I grew up watching you make play after play for the Vikings' defense. What was the biggest hit you ever delivered on another player? Thanks for the years of great memories! Brad from San Francisco, CA
I was on the losing end of most of them. There isn’t any one particular one that stands out. I probably made too many to remember any of them. The only one, I think there was a short yardage play here in the Dome against the Colts. I think it was fourth and a foot or so and both the running back and myself dove over the top and I hit him square and stopped him. But I can’t even remember who the back was to be honest with you so it couldn’t have been that memorable. There really isn’t one particular game and there really isn’t one particular season that stands out, although obviously there are others that were better than the ones you might want to forget. The whole experience to me was probably what stands out more. The general and overall memory is really what is important, and the friendships and the relationships that you establish. That’s what is most memorable to me.
When you are asked who was the best running back you had to defend who immediately comes to your mind and why? Douglas from Hampton, VA
Without a question, Walter Payton. When I came into the league O.J. Simpson was still playing and Earl Campbell. Fortunately I didn’t play against Earl very often. He was unbelievable. William Andrews with the Falcons who I thought was a very underrated running back. Eric Dickerson was a tremendous back. But when you play against a guy like Walter twice a year for 10 years, he was just a phenomenal player. He was a tremendous athlete. He was a tremendous person. He was just an awesome individual. He was very respectful, tremendously competitive, unbelievably talented. He was just a great, great person. He didn’t scare you like Billy Sims scared you, but Walter was a lunch pail guy that had unbelievable ability. Every time he touched the ball you knew he was going to give you 110 percent. He was one of those guys you could never let up on.
Hi Scott. I was wondering how much different the position is now from when you played? You were always one of my favorite players by the way! Aaron from Ann Arbor, MI
I don’t think it’s changed that much. The funny part about this game and the way it has involved, just physically, that position in itself is really kind of one that hasn’t changed that much from a physical stature standpoint. When I got into the league I was probably about 235 pounds and the linebackers that had preceded me, some of the great linebackers back in the day, were big guys. Like Dick Butkus and Ray Nitschke, those guys were big guys. Matt Blair was an exceptional linebacker being as tall as he was. You don’t find many 6’6” linebackers like Matt and Ted Hendricks anymore because they make them defensive ends in college. The linebacker position has not changed that much from a position specific standpoint. Obviously there is more pressure on them to play on passing downs because they throw the ball so much more. The linebacker today has to be able to run better than they used to. Obviously speed is important at that position, but there is a difference between timed speed and competitive speed too. I don’t think that that position has evolved as much as the game has evolved. I think it’s a harder position to play now because the offensive linemen are so big. The size of the game is just mind-boggling at times. Even when I was done playing, a 300-pounder, there were some around. Today 300 pounds is small. I think that is harder for those guys because the linebackers aren’t getting that much bigger. To ask a linebacker to take on a 330-pound offensive lineman all day is unrealistic.
Scott, thanks for being such a hard-nosed player! We could use players like you right now. What do you consider your greatest accomplishment as a player? Greatest disappointment? Mark from Zeeland, MI
I think the greatest accomplishment is hopefully the level of consistency I played at for a number of years. I was not a great athlete and I never considered myself a great player. I considered myself a good player that the game was very important to. I worked very hard at it. So to me probably playing as long as I did and playing at a fairly high level for a long time would probably be what I would consider my greatest accomplishment.
Obviously the biggest disappointment is never winning a Super Bowl. That’s what I played for. I think a lot of people kind of lose sight of that, but that’s what it is all about is winning championships and being on winning teams. You can be the best player in the league and play on a poor football team and boy, it’s just hard. It’s no fun losing. Being in this business, Mondays are great and they are terrible if you lose. But the biggest disappointment is losing in two NFC Championships. They were heartbreaking and they were 10 years apart. It’s very hard to get there. Once you get there, if you don’t win, it’s probably as devastating or more devastating. Not being a part of a Super Bowl championship would probably be my biggest disappointment.
Scott, As a die hard Vikings fan since 1969, I have always considered the playoff defeat of Joe Montana's 49ers (1988?) the greatest game ever played by the team. You guys played a team favored by 17 points, on their home field, and no one gave you a prayer. What do you remember about that game, the teams attitude, etc. that led to your domination of the 49ers that day? Fred from Benicia, CA
That was such an odd year with the strike and everything that had gone on and the fact that we had to have some help to get into the playoffs. Then to go down to New Orleans as a big underdog and to watch AC (Anthony Carter) have the game of his life, although AC was a tremendous player for us. To go down there and win a game when it started the way it did in a hostile environment and getting behind. That whole run through New Orleans and then on to San Francisco, and even with the tremendously disappointing loss in Washington. To go to San Francisco with nobody expecting us to win, it was a tremendous football game and it was a tremendous upset. The guys that played their hearts out. I remember Issiac Holt had the game of his life covering Jerry Rice. Guys stepped up to the plate and played their hearts out. Chris Doleman and Keith Millard. That was probably the biggest win of my career. The feeling everybody got after that, I don’t ever remember experiencing a feeling like that after any victory. That was probably as close to winning a Super Bowl as we got, to be honest with you. That was a tremendous football game.
Who was the toughest lineman you ever played against? David from New Orleans, LA
There were a lot of them and a lot of them that people don’t know a lot about. I thought a very underrated lineman that I played against was Sean Farrell with Tampa. Sean Farrell was a very good football player. Dwight Stephenson from Miami, although we didn’t play him very often, was a tremendous football player. Jim Lachey probably hit me harder than anybody I’ve ever been hit by. I still remember that. He ear-holed me. He was a great football player. It’s hard to put your finger on one guy. Keith Dorney for the Lions was another underrated player. Gosh, there were a lot of guys. You play long enough and you’re going to play against a lot of great players. I played against guys like Dan Dierdorf and early on I played against Gene Upshaw. You are spanning a lot of years. To practice against Randall McDaniel every day was probably as tough a task as playing against anybody. Randall would just toy with me. Playing against a lot of the guys we had here like Randall and Zimmerman, that was as hard as playing as anybody.
What is the biggest difference between the game today from the days when you played? Jeff from Woodridge, IL
Size, speed, and athletic ability. Today’s athletes, when you’ve got a 6’4”, 260-pound quarterback. When I came into the league a guy that size was playing right tackle. It’s just unbelievable how big the players are today. Ability-wise, along with the size and the speed and the athletic ability, they are just better players. The game is bigger, it’s faster. There are players that played in every generation that could play today, but there are also a lot of players that played in a lot of generations that couldn’t play today. The game has evolved. The X’s and O’s are basically the same. Even that has changed a lot. It’s a lot more complicated than it used to be, but it’s still about having great players and today’s players are phenomenal.
Could you talk about what it was like to play for Bud Grant? Steve from Duluth, MN
I don’t think you really appreciate Bud as much as a player until you get away from him and have a chance to step back and look at what he accomplished and look at how he controlled his football teams and be around him from a different perspective. Bud is probably one of the smartest people I have been around and a lot of it is just common sense. He had such a great common sense approach to the game and he was so calm. Not even stoic. He just always put football in its proper perspective and I think his teams reflected that and his teams didn’t panic. His teams played to their abilities. His teams had a tremendous amount of confidence in their abilities, as did Bud. He emanated that kind of confidence. There was never any doubt who was in charge of this football team. There was a fear factor with Bud, which I don’t think is all that bad. His players were fearful of him but they also respected him. You knew exactly where you stood with Bud. I feel very fortunate that I had the opportunity to play for him.
Coming in as a late-round draft pick in ’77, what were your goals/expectations for your career? Mark from Eagan, MN
The only goal I had when I first came into the league was to make the team and play. I was very disappointed when I didn’t get drafted higher, but those things have a tendency to work themselves out. But I didn’t know. I had no idea where I was going. Today’s players are under the microscope so much more than when I came into the league. My primary goal was to make this football team, and then you had to kind of adjust your goals year in and year out from there. Once you establish yourself as a player, the most important thing was to stay on top of my game. I didn’t care if I made the Pro Bowl or I made All-This or All-That. I wanted to be the best player I could be and I wanted this team to respect my ability. That was all that was important from that point on. I honestly couldn’t say I sat down and said I wanted to play 10 years or I wanted to play 12 years. I think you have to approach it year-by-year and you have to stay on top of your game on an annual basis, because if you don’t, especially today, you don’t and you’re out or you go play somewhere else. I was lucky because I was never tempted to go somewhere else.
The Vikes are less than two weeks from opening training camp, but may not be set on the roster, as the clock ticks and the team becomes more attractive to unsigned free agents.
The talk on how the Vikings are prepared for the 2002 season is kind of like Starsky and Hutch asking Huggy Bear for the low-down.
As Huggy would say, "I don't know nothing about nothing, but word on the streets is...."
The current word on the streets is that, while the Vikings aren't in hot contention for any specific players to make a big splash, they continue to talk to O.J. Santiago about coming in to try to work into one of the tight end positions with the team.
As reported before, Santiago wants an NFL job, but realizes that anything with the Vikes -- as long as Byron Chamberlain and Jim Kleinsasser are on the ticket -- will be as a part-time player.
Other than Santiago, the Vikings aren't in the front-running chase for anyone who has more than one or two teams bidding. If someone wants to come for incentives and a minimum deal, the Vikes are interested. For guys like Sam Adams, who wants a big piece of cake up front, it ain't happening. Period.
MONDAY NOTES
The Vikings, as expected, added O.J. Santiago, bringing another training camp battle into sharper focus.
On Monday, the Vikings began the finalization of their roster by signing veteran free agent tight end and coming to terms with two draft picks.
While the terms with sixth-round rookie linebacker Nick Rogers and defensive tackle Chad Beasley are expected to be finalized today, TE O.J. Santiago agreed to a one-year deal with the Vikings for the veteran minimum of $525,000.
Santiago isn't assured of a job, because the Vikings are stocked at tight end already and, barring injuries, only one spot remains open.
Coach Mike Tice has said he will keep four tight ends on the roster, with starters Byron Chamberlain and Jim Kleinsasser, as well as backup Hunter Goodwin being assured of roster spots. That leaves one available opening and four players -- Santiago, Johnny McWilliams, Matt Cercone and Jeff Kostrewa -- fighting for that opening.
Santiago has lost time to impress the coaches, but, seeing as the Vikings chased him for more than two months before signing him Monday, shows the teams' interest was sincere.
TUESDAY NOTES
Mike Tice was serious when he said Lewis Kelly was a player he's convinced will be a starter -- sooner than later -- with the Vikings.
In the days prior to the draft, Mike Tice downplayed the need for an offensive tackle to VU, saying that Lewis Kelly was good enough to step into the left tackle position.
Bryant McKinnie fell to the Vikings in the first round, making some speculate that perhaps Tice had learned from Dennis Green how to send out disinformation about his drafting intent.
However, Tice has shown that his talking up of Kelly was legitimate, as he announced Tuesday that the Vikings will go into training camp with Kelly as a starter.
Tice said that Kelly, who was extremely impressive during a stint with NFL Europe this spring, will enter training camp as the starting right tackle, allowing Chris Liwienski to move back to his natural left guard position. Liwienski was penciled in as the team's starting LG last year until the death of Korey Stringer moved him to RT.
The move to have Kelly at RT isn't etched in stone. If Kelly should stumble, Liwienski will be returned to RT and Kelly will compete with Corbin Lacina for the starting job at LG, but Tice believes if Kelly can man the RT spot, the Vikings will have as good an offensive line as it did when it had four All-Pros back in 1998.
WEDNESDAY NOTES
http://espn.go.com/nfl/news/2002/0718/1407338.html
A big void in the middle of the Packer defense now.
Butler was a hell of a player. I can't say that I am sorry to see him go. I got tired of seeing him break up plays on the Vikings. =)
Hey Bud!
Really? Cool. I've never done anything with the MSN thing. You'll have to give me a link sometime.
http://groups.msn.com/UntamedHeart
I've got it adult rated since we all talk loose in there. It grown fast. Started it on the night of July 10th and It's already got over 100 members and 1,000 posts. = )
I set up a league for all interested. 30 bucks per person. 14 team league. Draft is August 28th. It's a private league with a password. E-mail me for information.
I might just join that fantasy league.
I'm pretty lucky you know,,,,,,,
I think the early season predictions are way off for hte Vikes. I think they'll do alot better than people are saying. Remember, this is essentially the same and even more improved offense than we had in 98-2000. Minus Robert SmithThose were some pretty potent offenses and adding alexander, Bates and an improved o-line should make it one of the best, not to mention Moss seems to have matured If Bennet can produce it will help. And we won't have C.C on the sidelines bitching. I saw him on the best damn sports show, man is he arrogant more than I thought. One other thing.......no more Denny :)
Remember that most picked the Patriots last in their division last year, what do they know ;)
Vikes schedule and my prediction:
Sep 8 at Chicago LOSS
2 Sep 15 Buffalo WIN
3 Sep 22 Carolina WIN
4 Sep 29 at Seattle LOSS
5 BYE WEEK
6 Oct 13 Detroit WIN
7 Oct 20 at NY Jets LOSS
8 Oct 27 Chicago LOSS
9 Nov 3 at Tampa Bay LOSS
10 Nov 10 NY Giants WIN
11 Nov 17 Green Bay WIN
12 Nov 24 at New England LOSS
13 Dec 1 Atlanta WIN
14 Dec 8 at Green Bay LOSS
15 Dec 15 at New Orleans WIN
16 Dec 21 Miami LOSS
17 Dec 29 at Detroit WIN
MY GUESS 8-8
I say 10-6 with either a wild card for the play-offs or if very lucky, a division title depending on how Chicago and G.B do.
Chicago's schedule and my predictions:
1 Sep 8 Minnesota WIN
2 Sep 15 at Atlanta WIN
3 Sep 22 New Orleans WIN
4 Sep 29 at Buffalo WIN
5 Oct 7 Green Bay WIN
6 BYE WEEK
7 Oct 20 at Detroit WIN
8 Oct 27 at Minnesota WIN
9 Nov 3 Philadelphia LOSS
10 Nov 10 New England WIN
11 Nov 18 at St. Louis LOSS
12 Nov 24 Detroit WIN
13 Dec 1 at Green Bay LOSS
14 Dec 9 at Miami WIN
15 Dec 15 NY Jets WIN
16 Dec 22 at Carolina WIN
17 Dec 29 Tampa Bay WIN
MY GUESS 13-3
Green Bay's schedule and my predictions:
1 Sep 8 Atlanta WIN
2 Sep 15 at New Orleans WIN
3 Sep 22 at Detroit LOSS
4 Sep 29 Carolina WIN
5 Oct 7 at Chicago LOSS
6 Oct 13 at New England LOSS
7 Oct 20 Washington WIN
8 BYE WEEK
9 Nov 4 Miami LOSS
10 Nov 10 Detroit WIN
11 Nov 17 at Minnesota LOSS
12 Nov 24 at Tampa Bay LOSS
13 Dec 1 Chicago WIN
14 Dec 8 Minnesota WIN
15 Dec 15 at San Francisco LOSS
16 Dec 22 Buffalo WIN
17 Dec 29 at NY Jets WIN
MY GUEES 9-7.
SKOL VIKINGS!
I think it is to early to make predictions yet. I read that the Vikes O moved the ball easily on the Vikes D. That may not be a good sign. Alexander may be a bust. What about Sean Dawkins? Any word on how he's doing?
JOE!!!
Does anyone know if the Viking game is going to be web cast this weekend?
Well I listened to the Viking game last night over the web. Here are some of my opinions. For one the defense is going to have to improve more.
If the Browns can move the ball at will on us, we maybe screwed unless the Vikes come together better as a D unit. On offense, I like what I heard. They may be right on track. I know it is just pre-season, but it still shows where our team is right now. I think an 8-8 record at a minium is a good bet. I would say no better then 10-6. 8-8 or 9-7 seems more realistic to me at this point in time.
Hi Gents, I still say 10-6 maybe better. Preseason is a non factor. The emotion etc isn't there. the D will get better as they gel. I think it will take more time. The O looked o.k. But keep in mind the many years we were 4-0 in preseaon and didn't do diddly. I don't put much stock in them and it's hard to tell after only 2-3 series with the starters. I won't hit the panic button just yet,,,,,,,,yet :)