- The Frazier Situation
- Fines
- Spider Webb
- Walking Wounded
- Roster Moves
- Jauquin Iglesias
- Brett Favre Gets His Groove On
- Happy Birthday
The Star Tribune‘s Judd Zulgad reported yesterday that the Vikings are in talks with interim head coach Leslie Frazier in an effort to make him head coach Leslie Frazier.
The Wilf’s are in a bit of a bind when it comes to Frazier. It is really difficult to assess his performance.
First, the defense of which he was in charge has underperformed nearly the entire season. Maybe that was a result of Brad Childress‘ dictates but the Wilf’s would likely know better than anyone if Frazier was hamstrung.
Second, Frazier’s record as interim head coach is decidedly mixed. He begins by winning two against two bad teams in Washington and Buffalo. He drops the following two against playoff teams by a combined 61-17 score. It appeared the team had packed it in for the year.
He follows that up with a brilliantly-coached victory over the playoff bound Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles. But how much of that was a result of his knowledge of the Eagles from his former tenure there?
Third, his players clearly like him but that goes just so far.
Fourth, he’s definitely proven he can keep his head about him and navigate crises, having dealt with the postponement of one game due to the Metrodome collapse, having to “host” a game in Detroit, hosting another in the elements of TCF Bank Stadium, and the postponement of another game due to wimpy Philadelphians.
That’s a mixed record.
Complicating matters is the likelihood that Frazier will be pursued by other teams as one of the top coaching prospects after the season ends, so they risk losing him if they don’t act now. With the uncertainty of the collective bargaining agreement looming on the horizon, Frazier will likely be an inexpensive coach to whom you’ll neither have to give a ton of money nor a lengthy contract nor too much power.
He does have one thing that Childress did not: Experience, however short-lived it may be. Oh yea, he also has two other things Childress did not: Frazier actually played football in the NFL and he has a Super Bowl ring.
At this point, I don’t think there’s enough evidence to fairly judge whether or not Frazier will be a good head coach over the long term.
I do have a good feeling about him, though.
FINES
While Vikings quarterback Joe Webb was fined $5000 by the league for a face mask penalty but Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel was not fined for knocking out Sidney Rice, Tom Pelissero of 1500ESPN.com reports.
So launching yourself and leading with your helmet at a defenseless receiver will not incur a fine? I thought that was precisely the type of act that the league was cracking down so hard upon, for the sake of player safety?
Either the NFL is not really serious about enforcing rules meant to reduce the risk of concussion (which Rice received from that hit) or they practice favoritism.
Ray Edwards certainly thinks the league hates the Vikings, and he said so back in October.
SPIDER WEBB
Well, lookie here. Your presumptive starting quarterback Joe Webb is on Twitter, @SpiderWebb14.
He’s been tweeting since May, in fact, and it must’ve been a result of boredom.
Don’t know how this slipped under the radar, but regardless, you ought to check it out. It’s an interesting look at a rookie quarterback’s first season.
It’s kinda what you’d expect from a young kid: Flirting with the girls, banter about his Xbox, a touch of homophobia, misspellings galore. Here’s a sampling:
- Early on, Webb experiences some culture shock when the kid from Alabama walks into a Minnesota grocery store to find not one black person in the place.
- He expresses relief at getting switched back to quarterback early in camp.
- He’s a bit amazed at how a family of geese can own the road.
- He likes Minneapolis.
- He wonders how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Pop. THAT I know the answer to: It’s one. One lick. The reason I know the answer is that when I was a wee bity kid, I won a trip to Disney World in a coloring contest for Tootsie Roll Pop featuring that very same owl they used in their commercials asking the very same question Joe Webb posed.
- He enjoys the VIP treatment professional athletes get.
- He’s apparently a Yankees fan, which, you know, is going to have to change. Right away.
- He pulls a Good Samaritan and helps push someone’s car during the blizzard.
- So maybe he’s not our quarterback of the future: He doesn’t like playing in cold weather.
- Somebody must’ve told him he needs to stop hating on the Minnesota weather.
WALKING WOUNDED
Vikings: Wide receiver Bernard Berrian has been added to the questionable list.
Lions: Monster wide receiver Calvin Johnson will be a game-time decision on whether or not he can go on his bum ankle but it looks unlikely cornerback Chris Houston (shoulder) will play.
ROSTER MOVES
Safety Madieu Williams was put on the Injured Reserve list so that the team could promote cornerback Marcus Sherels from the practice squad.
With both Berrian and Sidney Rice unlikely to play on Sunday, the Vikings signed second-year wide receiver Juaquin Iglesias off the Chicago Bears practice squad to bolster their thin receiving corps. The team put safety Tyrell Johnson on injured reserve to make room for Inglesias.
JUAQUIN IGLESIAS HIGHLIGHTS
Juaquin Iglesias was taken by the Bears out of Oklahoma with the 35th pick of the third round (99th overall) of the 2009 draft. He stands 6’1″ and weighs 210 lbs. Combine numbers: 4.54 40 yard dash, 34.5″ vertical jump, 116″ broad jump, and 4.4 second 20 yard shuttle. He appeared in one game last year for the Bears but has not appeared in a game this season.
It looks like he’s comfortable going over the middle and is said to be an excellent kick returner. [WATCH Juaquin Iglesias Highlights.]
BRETT GETS HIS GROVE ON
Someone caught Brett Favre dancing to Ice Ice Baby by Vanilla Ice at practice. [WATCH Brett Favre Dancing.]
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Happy Birthday today to defensive end Ray Edwards (26)!