Friday, October 26, 2012

The best linebackers in Minnesota Vikings history

The Vikings have had some outstanding linebackers who played important roles in the team's dominant defenses through the years; here are the ten best.

10) Jack Del Rio: Selected to one Pro Bowl in four seasons, Del Rio started all 57 games he played in from 1992-95. He intercepted 10 passes, returning one for a touchdown; recorded 7.5 QB sacks; forced three fumbles, and recovered five.

9) Mike Merriweather: Starting each of the 63 games he appeared in from 1989-92, Merriweather registered 10 sacks and intercepted 7 passes, returning two for touchdowns. He also recovered 7 fumbles, taking one back for a score. Remembered for blocking a punt in an overtime game against the Rams that bounced out of the end zone for a safety, winning the game for the Vikes.

8) Lonnie Warwick:
Warwick played in 92 games and started 75. The middle linebacker in a defense that dominated opponents' offenses in 1968, 1969, and 1970, he intercepted 12 passes, recorded 7.5 sacks and recovered 6 fumbles in his eight year career with the Vikes.

7) Fred McNeil: 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.

6) Ed McDaniel: The team leader in tackles for loss with 90.5, he ranks second among Viking linebackers with 20.5 sacks. McDaniel is also sixth on the team with 17 forced fumbles. He has 5 fumble recoveries, intercepted 4 passes and was named to the Pro Bowl once during his nine seasons and 125 games, 109 starts, with the Vikings.

5) Wally Hilgenberg: A tough outside linebacker on the Vikings' great defenses of the late 60's and throughout the 70's, Hilgenberg played in 158 games, starting 118, in 12 seasons. He recovered 13 fumbles, recorded 8 sacks, picked off 8 passes and scored two touchdowns.

4) Roy Winston: In 15 seasons Winston played in 191 games, starting 158 at outside linebacker on dominant Viking defenses in the late '60's and early '70's. A playmaker, he had 16 sacks and 14 fumble recoveries, both third among linebackers, and 12 interceptions, second among linebackers, and scored 3 touchdowns. He also is fifth all-time with 68 tackles-for-loss.

3) Jeff Siemon: 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 during his eleven year career with the Vikings. He forced 14 fumbles, recovered 11, had 6 QB sacks, and 11 interceptions.

2) Scott Studwell: Fifth in team history with 201 games played, Studwell started 161 at middle linebacker and was selected to the Pro Bowl twice in his 14 year career. He forced 12 fumbles, recovered 16, intercepted 11 passes, and had 9 QB sacks. He ranks ninth with 46 tackles-for-loss.

1) Matt Blair: Selected to six Pro Bowls in his 12 seasons, Blair played in 160 games, starting 130. He is fourth in forced fumbles with 19, third in fumble recoveries with 20, and tenth in tackles-for-loss with 44. His 23 sacks and 16 interceptions are first among Vikings linebackers. He also blocked 20 kicks in his career. Blair is the best linebacker in Minnesota's history.


source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Thursday, October 25, 2012

The best cornerbacks in Minnesota Viking history

With rules regarding the passing game changing through the years in the NFL, favoring offensive players to a great degree, the position of cornerback may have become the most difficult position to play in pro football. Cornerbacks have to cover wide receivers, who are often the best athletes on the field. They also have to be sure tacklers. The Vikings have had some good corners who were important parts of dominant defenses; here are the top eight in franchise history.

8) Wille Teal: A second round draft pick in 1980, Teal played in 80 games and started 61 in seven years with Minnesota. He intercepted 15 passes, returning one for a touchdown, and recovered 5 fumbles.

7) Earsell Mackbee: In five years with the Vikings in the late 1960's Mackbee played in 66 games, starting 56, including the team's dominant 1969 season. He picked off 15 passes, taking one back for a touchdown, and recovered 4 fumbles.

6) Audray McMillian: In five years with the team in the late '80's and early '90's, McMillian played in 79 games, starting 43, and was selected to one Pro Bowl. He intercepted 19 passes and returned three for scores.

5) Antoine Winfield: Selected to three Pro Bowls during his eight years with the Vikings, Winfield has played in 103 games through 2011, starting 100. Prior to the start of the 2012 season his numbers included 18 interceptions, returning two for touchdowns; 61 passes defensed; 6 QB sacks; 11 forced fumbles; and 8 fumble recoveries, two of which he returned for scores.

4) Nate Wright: A steady cornerback during the mid-1970's when the team led the league each year in many defensive categories, Wright played in 129 games in his 10 years with the team and ranks fifth in Viking history with 31 interceptions.

3) Ed Sharockman: A consistent defensive back on Minnesota's great defenses of the late '60's and early '70's, Sharockman played in 142 games, starting 121, during his 12 years with Minnesota. He ranks third with 40 interceptions, returning four for touchdowns, and also recovered 9 fumbles.

2) Carl Lee: 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 Minnesota's great defenses in the late 1980's, he is the Vikings all-time leader in passes defensed with 128, recovered 6 fumbles, and is sixth with 29 interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns.

1) Bobby Bryant: A playmaker at cornerback, Bryant was selected to two Pro Bowls in 13 seasons, playing in 161 games and starting 121. He is second in team history with 51 interceptions and second in passes defensed with 77. He also recovered 14 fumbles and scored four touchdowns, in addition to coming up with a number of big plays in playoff games during the 1970's.



source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Chevy Chase the most over-rated actor on television

Chevy Chase disparages TV sitcoms but keeps working on one...why would anyone care if taxes go up for this guy?

So many actors looking for work, and Chevy Chase is complaining about his nice easy gig at NBC? This guy needs to get a grip on reality. There's a lot of 69 year old actors out there who could have played the part of Pierce on Community. He needs to stop flattering himself, because having movie stars on TV shows hasn't proved to automatically make that show a ratings powerhouse.

Chase was quoted as saying, "I just sort of hung around because I have three daughters and a wife, and I figured out I might as well make some bread, every week, so I can take care of them in the way they want."

Community hasn't scored in the ratings for the past three years but it is a funny sitcom and has a strong following of loyal fans. Even without creator Dan Harmon in the fold, since most of the writers are staying on the show probably won't be much different this season.

Actors like Chase ought to stop complaining and instead be thankful that they have a job. Someone with his star power can just walk away, but his greed for money isn't allowing him to do that.

Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Yankees were swinging the bats like slow pitch softball players during the playoffs

Yankee manager Joe Girardi said during the playoffs that his hitters had to make "adjustments." Unfortunately none of them did. All they did do was stand at the plate and hack away like they were playing slow pitch softball.

None of the Yankee batters tried stay back in the box, drive the ball where it was pitched and into the opposite field, or not hit lazy fly balls. It should be obvious that the Yankee hitters had success during the regular season because they were smacking around fastballs from mediocre pitchers.

But when a pitcher would throw a changeup or curveball in a fastball count, the Yankees appeared helpless. They were way too aggressive and chased bad pitches. Even in hitters' counts, the Yankees flailed at pitches out of the strike zone.

Some so-called baseball experts believe that a strikeout is no worse that grounding out, but with men on base it's always better to put the ball in play, since it can move runners around the bases, or maybe a fielder makes an error which can keep an inning going.

Curtis Granderson had a couple of good all-around seasons while playing with the Tigers, so next year  instead of just to hit a home run every time he's up, why not just wait on some pitches and try to make contact. Singles, doubles, and triples are good to hit, too.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Yankees' lazy Cano one of MLB's most over-rated players

There was plenty of blame to go around in the Yankees' losses in the 2012 American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers. No one really hit well so it's unfair to get on any one guy such as Alex Rodriguez. Of course, we must recognize that the Yankees did win 95 games in the regular season and 26 other teams in baseball wish they were in the Yanks' shoes. Plus, the Tigers are hardly slouches.

Still, Robinson Cano is one player who gets a lot of accolades from some members of the media (well maybe just the Yanks' TV and radio announcers) but doesn't really deserve them. Yes he's a good hitter most of the time and provides solid defense in the field.  But he's not the kind of player who can carry a team and doesn't always hit in the clutch during the regular season. He hasn't done much in any of the Yankees' post-seasons, batting .222 with a .267 on-base percentage in 203 at-bats. The 2009 world series was won without any help from Cano, as he went 3 for 22 with one RBI.

He's been defended as appearing lazy when he's really just making plays look easy; that may be true, but it’s also true he doesn't always run out ground balls.

Cano can be included among the fifty greatest Yankees of all time because of his numbers, but let's not get his plaque ready for Cooperstown just yet. He still has a ways to go to be included among the game's greatest second basemen of all time.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

The most over-rated Minnesota Vikings of all time

Sometimes coaches and general managers draft or trade for players who they think will put their team "over the top" and lead them to a Super Bowl. It doesn't always work out that way though. Here are some of the Vikings who were not worth the high draft pick or the trade that brought them to Minnesota.


10) Warren Moon, QB: Another one of Dennis Green's silly decisions, bringing in a washed up quarterback and the end of his career, in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. Didn't work out, as Moon's three years in Minnesota resulted in a big nothing.

9) E.J Henderson, LB: Started a lot of games for the Vikings but never really lived up to the hype that accompanied him coming out of college. Was basically an average linebacker, and never dominated opponents.

8) Randall Cunningham, QB: Only had a great year in 1998 because he was surrounded by other outstanding players on offense, and had coach Brian Billick calling the plays. Choked in the team's NFC championship game, and there's no way he should have been kept on for the 1999 season over QB Brad Johnson.

7) Darrin Nelson, RB: A much heralded first round pick in 1982, Nelson did not become a standout running back the team had envisioned. He never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and wasn't very explosive, averaging only 8.8 yards per reception, 8.0 yards per punt return, and 22.4 yards on kick returns. The Vikings passed up Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen to take Nelson. Big mistake.

6) Mark Mullaney, DE: 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.
5) James White, DT: Although a first round draft pick, White 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.

4) David Palmer, WR: Before the start of each season coach Dennis Green would rave about "his" 1994 second round pick Palmer. What did Palmer produce in his seven year career? A mere 9.9 yard average on punt returns, only 22.6 yards on kickoffs, and no more than 26 receptions in a season, with a career average of 8.6 yards per catch. Whee!

3) Duante Culpepper, QB: Culpepper only had two good years (2000 & 2004) but was still named to many "50 Greatest Vikings of All Time" lists. Why? He was mediocre most of the time and hardly worthy of a first round draft pick. He's just another one of Denny Green's "guys" who never panned out.

2) Bryant McKinnie, OT: Why was this guy named to some Greatest Vikings of All-Time lists? McKinnie was reliable but was never a standout. The team has had other offensive tackles who were much better players.

1) Herschel Walker, RB: Obviously wasn't worth what the Vikings gave up for him. Never even rushed for a thousand yards once in his three years with the team. What a disaster.



source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Yankees' Swisher Never Would Have Lasted with George Steinbrenner

Yanks' Nick Swisher Can't Take the Heat of New York City

Funny how current Yankee players who never met George Steinbrenner have praised him; guys like Swisher would have been the object of the owner's ire.

How can a baseball player who makes $10.25 million a year and has a career batting average of .167 in 45 postseason games be upset about being booed?

Last week the New York Yankees Nick Swisher expressed his disappointment at being booed by fans at Yankee Stadium as the Yankees fell behind two games to none in the American League Championship series against the Detroit Tigers.

Swisher was quoted as saying, "The last thing I ever thought in this ballpark was that people would get on me that bad. It hurts. Sometimes I'm a sensitive guy and some of the things people say get under your skin."

Yikes. Get under your skin? How would he have handled George Steinbrenner's wrath at his 4 hits in 30 at-bats performance in the 2012 playoffs so far?

Swisher has been a consistently good hitter for the Yankees in four regular seasons with the team, but his bat has been silent in each postseason series with the team. Even while he was with Chicago and Oakland, he was 5 for 24, a .208 average, in playoff games.

I'm not sure what Swisher expects fans to do. Why would anyone cheer if you're not getting it done? Especially when tickets to a game cost $300-$400 each.

Get over it, Nick.  You're just lucky old man Steinbrenner isn't alive. He's the one who would have run you out of town, not the fans.