Tuesday, April 17, 2012

The best first round draft picks in Minnesota Vikings history

No matter what so-called "draft experts" say, selecting football players out of college is always a roll of the dice. Still, the Minnesota Vikings have landed a number of outstanding players who became the cornerstones of the franchise for years. Here are the top twenty first round picks in Vikings history, based on length of career, statistics, awards, and contribution to the team's success.

20) Doug Martin, DE, 1980: Martin started and ended his career with the team on controversial notes, but was a pretty good player on the field during the early and mid-1980's. He played in 126 games, starting 94, and his 60.5 sacks rank seventh in team history.

19) Steve Riley, OT, 1974: Riley started 121 games at left tackle during his 11 year career, protecting the blind side of quarterbacks Fran Tarkenton and Tommy Kramer.

18) Ted Brown, RB, 1979: Brown played in 106 games during his eight year career with Minnesota, ranking fifth on the team's rushing list with 4,546 yards and seventh in scoring with 53 touchdowns.

17) Gene Washington, WR, 1967: Playing in 81 games in his six seasons with the Vikings, Washington was named to the Pro Bowl in 1969 and 1970 and was the team's top receiver during those dominant years.

16) Robert Smith, RB, 1993: A two time Pro Bowl selection, Smith played in 98 games during his eight seasons with the team. Currently the Vikes all-time leader in rushing yards with 6,818.

15) Chad Greenway, LB, 2006: A two time Pro Bowl selection, Greenway played in 156 games, starting 144, in a ten year career with Minnesota from 2007-2016. He recorded 18 quarterback sacks, forced 8 fumbles and recovered 11, and intercepted 11 passes, returning two for touchdowns.

14) Keith Millard, DT, 1984: Selected All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl twice, Millard was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 1989 when he recorded 18 sacks. Millard was a key piece of the team's outstanding defenses in the late '80's, appearing in 75 games during his six years with the Vikes.

13) Fred McNeil, OLB, 1974: Playing in 167 games and starting 122 at outside linebacker during his 12 years with the team, McNeil recovered 16 fumbles, intercepted 7 passes, and recorded 13 quarterback sacks.

12) Tommy Kramer, QB, 1977: While injured often during his 13 years with the Vikes, Kramer did start 110 games at quarterback and ranks second in most passing categories, including yards and touchdowns.

11) Kevin Williams, DT, 2003: A six time Pro Bowl selection, Williams started all 171 games he  appeared in over 11 seasons. He ranks eighth with 60 QB sacks, knocked down 66 passes, forced 8 fumbles, and recovered 13, returning two for touchdowns. Williams also intercepted 5 passes, bring back two for scores.

10) Randy Moss, WR, 1998: A five time Pro Bowl selection during his seven seasons with Minnesota, Moss is second in team history in a number of receiving categories, including 587 receptions, 9,316 yards, and 92 touchdowns.

9) Jeff Siemon, MLB, 1972: A key player as the middle linebacker on the team's top defenses in the mid-1970's, Siemon played in 156 games, starting 123, and was selected to four Pro Bowls. He forced 14 fumbles, recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions.

8) Joey Browner, S, 1983: Selected to the Pro Bowl as a safety six times in his nine seasons, Browner played in 145 games, starting 117. He is fourth in interceptions with 37, third in passes defensed with 76, fifth in forced fumbles with 18, and fifth in fumble recoveries in 17. He also recorded 9.5 QB sacks, first among Viking defensive backs, and scored 4 touchdowns.

7) Adrian Peterson, RB, 2007: After ten seasons and 123 games, Peterson holds the Viking record in rushing yards with 11,747 and is first in rushing touchdowns with 97. A seven time Pro Bowl selection.

6) Chuck Foreman, RB, 1973: An exceptional runner and receiver who could turn around a game, Foreman was selected to the Pro Bowl five times in his seven seasons in Minnesota. He rushed for 5,887 yards and 52 touchdowns, and caught 336 passes for another 23 scores.

5) Chris Doleman, DE, 1985: A six time Pro Bowl selection, Doleman played in 154 games, starting 142, in 10 seasons with the Vikings. He leads the team with 33 forced fumbles, is sixth in fumble recoveries with 16, seventh in tackles-for-loss with 60, and fifth in sacks with 96.5. He also intercepted five passes, scored two touchdowns, and recorded two safeties.

4) Ron Yary, OT, 1968: Selected to the Pro Bowl seven times in his 14 years with the Vikings, Yary played in 199 games and started 180 at right offensive tackle. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2001.

3) Randall McDaniel, G, 1988: Selected to the Pro Bowl a record 12 times in his 12 years with the Vikings, he played in 190 games, starting 188 at left guard. McDaniel was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009.

2) Carl Eller, DE, 1964: The team's all-time leader in QB sacks with 130, Eller was selected to six Pro Bowls. He ranks second in tackles-for-loss with 87, second in fumble recoveries with 23, and seventh in forced fumbles with 15. He also blocked 15 kicks. Eller played in 209 games, fourth in team history, and started 201. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004, an honor that was long overdue.

1) Alan Page, DT, 1967: A defensive tackle who changed the game in the late 1960's and early 1970's, Page was named the NFL Most Valuable Player in 1971. Selected to the Pro Bowl nine times in his 12 years with the Vikings, he played in 160 games and started 157. He is fourth in team history with 108.5 sacks, fourth with 18 fumble recoveries, third with 77 tackles-for-loss, and second with 28 forced fumbles. Page was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1988.

Monday, April 16, 2012

The best late-round draft picks in Minnesota Viking history

The Vikings have selected some great players in later rounds of the NFL Draft during their 51 years in the league. You don't have to be a first round draft pick to have a great career in the NFL, and these Viking players, some of whom played their entire careers with Minnesota, prove that talent can be found anywhere.

10) Terry Allen, RB, round 9, 1991: Allen rushed for over one thousand yards twice in his three years with the Vikings, and totaled 8,614 yards on the ground in a ten year career with five teams.

9) Brad Johnson, QB, round 9, 1992: Johnson played seven seasons with the Vikes; he made the Pro Bowl with the Redskins and the Buccaneers, also winning the Super Bowl with Tampa in 2002. Dumb Dennis Green and ya-hoo owner Red McCombs made the mistake of trading Johnson for draft picks after the 1998 season and instead held on to washed-up choke artist QB Randall Cunningham (who played in a mere six games the following season before being unceremoniously dumped onto the scrap heap).

8) Jeff Wright, S, round 15, 1971: Wright was a solid safety on the Vikings great defenses and Super Bowl teams from 1973-1977.

7) Milt Sunde, G, round 20, 1964: Sunde played in 147 games, starting 106, in his 11 year Viking career, contributing to the top Viking offenses in several championship years.

6) Stu Voight, TE, round 10, 1970: Voight was a steady tight end during his 11 years and 131 games with the team, contributing during the team's Super Bowl seasons in the mid-'70's.

5) Dave Osborn, RB, round 13, 1965: A tough runner and reliable receiver out of the backfield, Osborn's 4,320 rushing yards rank sixth in team history. He was named to one Pro Bowl during his 11 years with the team.

4) Matt Birk, C, round 6, 1998: Birk played in 146 games and started 123 from 1998-2008, earning six Pro Bowl nods while snapping the ball at center.

3) Carl Lee, CB, round 7, 1983: Selected three times to the Pro Bowl, Lee played in 169 games, starting 144, during 11 seasons with the team. A key player at cornerback on the team's great defenses in the late 1980's, he is the all-time leader in passes defensed with 128, recovered 6 fumbles, and is sixth with 29 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

2) Steve Jordan, TE, round 7, 1982: A six time Pro Bowl selection, Jordan was a consistent and durable tight end, appearing in 176 games and starting 149 in 13 seasons. He had 498 receptions and scored 28 touchdowns.

1) Scott Studwell, MLB, round 9, 1977: Fifth in team history with 201 games played, Studwell started 161 at middle linebacker and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice. He forced 12 fumbles, recovered 16, intercepted 11 passes, had 9 QB sacks, and ranks ninth with 46 tackles-for-loss. Studwell is the best late round draft pick in Vikings history.

The worst first round draft picks in Minnesota Viking history

The Minnesota Vikings have wasted a number of first round draft picks in their 51 year history on players who never lived up expectations or contributed next to nothing to the team. Here are the ten most wasted picks that, in some cases, set the franchise back years. It's hard to believe that scouts and coaches spend so much time and energy on the draft, yet can make such bad decisions when selecting players.

10) Mark Mullaney, DE, 1975: Although he played in 151 games and started 97 in his 12 years with the team, Mullaney didn't seem to learn much from playing behind great ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. He never came close to being even an average pass rusher, let alone one that was worth a first round selection. A symbol of the Vikes' mediocrity from 1979 through the mid-1980's.

9) James White, DT, 1976: Didn't exactly turn out to be the next Alan Page. Started 61 games for Bud Grant during his eight years with the team. Not sure why Grant cut Page, thus making White the regular RDT; Bud must have been an optimist. White didn't even make Les Steckel's 1984 mess of team, being waived at the end of training camp.

8) Randy Holloway, DE, 1978: Another end, like Mullaney, who never amounted to much as a pass rusher or even as an average defensive lineman. Started only 31 games in his 7 years with the team and was unceremoniously dumped by Les Steckel (which isn't saying much) in the middle of the 3-13 fiasco that was the 1984 season.

7) Derrick Alexander, DE, 1995: Dennis Green was never much of a talent evaluator, and Alexander was one of his mistakes. Played only four seasons and made zero impact. Hardly worth being the 14th selection in the draft overall.

6) Gerald Robinson, DE, 1986: One of those hybrid DE/OLB types that rarely seem to pan out, Robinson, like Alexander, was the 14th overall pick in the first round. He didn't even make it through two years with the team, dumped by the Vikings after the fourth game in his second season in 1987. Not one the Vikes' scouting staff can be proud of.

5) D.J. Dozier, RB, 1987: The team hasn't had a lot of luck picking 14th in the first round. Dozier barely played in his four years with the team. His career high in rushing yardage was 257 yards in his first season, which apparently didn't impress Jerry Burns and the front office...the Vikes thought so highly of Dozier that they went out and traded away a ton of draft picks in 1989 - for RB Herschel Walker.

4) Erasmus James, DE, 2004: James started 12 games in his three seasons with the team, contributing nothing. An example of how so-called draft experts can build up a player based solely on potential - James didn't produce much in college and was often injured. Way too much of a risk to be taken in the first round. Whoever wanted to pick James should have been fired.

3) Troy Williamson, WR, 2005: Another player picked because of potential, Williamson sums up the mediocrity of the mid-2000's Vikings teams. Didn't do much in college, but was a player scouts thought could be "coached up," which almost never works. Was on the team for only three seasons, but dropped so many easy passes when he did play it's a wonder how he was drafted at all, let alone in the first round.

2) Leo Hayden, RB, 1971: Hayden's career with the team lasted one season. He appeared in seven games, with zero rushing attempts. Yikes. Was on the Cardinals' roster the next two years but barely played. Hard to believe there's a worse first round pick than this one.

1) Dimitrius Underwood, DE, 2000: Didn't even make it out of training camp. Left the team after one day and then was cut before the season started due to psychological issues. Since the Vikings had two first round picks that year, Dennis Green tried to sweep his mistake under the rug, saying it was just a "bonus pick." Uh-huh. Typical doubletalk by Green, who was a lousy evaluator of talent. Underwood had red flags coming out of college, but Green chose to ignore them. Let's hope the Vikings don't have any more misses as big as this one.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Why are employers asking for workers' Facebook passwords?

Why are employers asking for workers' Facebook passwords? Why does anyone care? If people spent as much time on marriage as they do when going through the process of hiring an employee, the divorce rate in the United States would be zero.

First off, I have no sympathy for people who post revealing pictures online, join controversial causes, or write controversial material and sign their name to it, and then get upset when it's used against them in some way. I don't think there's anything wrong with doing it - but why not just mark the pictures as private or friends-only on sites like Facebook, or use an anonymous name when writing a controversial blog? That is, if you're looking for a real job.  If you want to become a well-known pundit like Bill O'Reilly, then by all means publicize your views.  Or if you want attention like entertainers get, then make those pictures available for the world to see.  Just don't expect to get a regular job if you do.

That being said, I have no idea what looking at pictures on someone's Facebook page can tell you about how a potential employee will perform in a job. Will the people who do please come forward and explain this concept to me?  I'm willing to change my opinion, if you tell me what your reasons are, and they make sense.

Am I supposed to believe that the people making hiring decisions are perfect? They've never made mistakes, gotten drunk, or done something stupid or silly? Come on. It makes no difference if you don't have a picture of it - you still did it, so how can you judge someone else? Why not find out what someone can actually do on a job, instead of just guessing as to how they would perform based on their Facebook page?  What if you think their Facebook page is too boring? Does that knock them out as a candidate as well?

Funny how people get all flustered when it comes to hiring a new employee....but then, lots of people just jump into marriage or a relationship. If people spent as much time on relationships or potential relationships as they did when hiring a worker, the divorce rate in this country would be zero.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Who are the best second basemen in New York Yankees history?

One of the keys to championship baseball in the major leagues is the double play. Since the second baseman is involved in more double plays than anyone else, this is a pretty important position.

A second baseman who can play great defense as well as hit for power and/or average can make a good team great, since the best hitters tend to play other positions. The Yankees have had their share of second basemen who were excellent hitters as well as top-notch fielders.

Based on factors such as longevity with the team, contributions to championships, offensive statistics, and defensive statistics, here are the top five in franchise history:

5) Robinson Cano: He may be at the top of this list by the time his career is over, if he stays in pinstripes. Cano has proven to be a durable player, appearing in 1,018 games since his 2005 debut, and never in less than 159 in a season for the past five years. A .308 lifetime batter, he has also hit for power, averaging 22 homers and 96 RBI's a year. A three time all star and Gold Glove winner in 2010, his .985 career fielding average is on par with the league average of .985 and his range factor of 5.05 is higher than the league average of 4.88 for second basemen.

4) Bobby Richardson: Winner of five Gold Gloves and named to seven all star teams, Richardson played in 1,412 games during his 12 seasons with the team, contributing to Yankee championship teams in the early 1960's. His .266 lifetime batting average is respectable, but his real value was as a consistent defender (.979 fielding average, slightly higher than the league average of .978) who rarely missed a game.

3) Joe Gordon: Selected to the Hall of Fame in 2009 by the Veterans Committee, Gordon played 1,000 games at second base during his seven seasons with the Yanks, from 1938-1946 (missing two seasons while serving in the military during World War II). Named an all star for six consecutive years, Gordon won the MVP award in 1942 when he batted .322 with 18 home runs and 103 runs batted in. Gordon's fielding average was .970, about the same as the league average at the time of .971.

2) Willie Randolph: Appearing in 1,694 games during his 13 seasons with the team, Randolph's batting average was .275 and his on-base percentage was an excellent .374. He ranks fifth in team history with 1,005 walks and third in stolen bases with 251. Contributing to the team's championship years in the late 1970's and early 1980's and a five time All Star, Randolph was a steady defender, with his .980 fielding percentage and range factor of 5.40 comparing favorably with the league averages of the time, which were .980 and 5.31.

1) Tony Lazzeri: Inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Veterans Committee in 1991, Lazzeri appeared in 1,659 games during his 12 seasons with the Yanks. From 1926-1937 he averaged .293 with an on base percentage of .379, and had more than 100 RBI's in seven seasons. His fielding percentage of .967 is close to the league average of .968 - a time period when gloves weren't as sophisticated as today. Lazzeri was a key player on five World Championship teams and the best second baseman in Yankees' history.


source for statistics: www.baseball-reference.com