Dungy expects Vikings to be formidable foe

With the Indianapolis Colts having to play the Vikings at the Metrodome in the second regular-season game this year, Tony Dungy and his staff no doubt have a scouting report on Brad Childress' team. Dungy has a lot of respect for the Vikings.

Dungy, in the Twins Cities this week for book signings promoting his new book for children ("You Can Do It"), said the Vikings have some players who can make a difference.

"That's going to be a fun game," Dungy said. "I think they've got some dynamic players. Adrian Peterson? I just got a little bit of a chance to watch him last year, and he looks like he's a special, special back. We played against [new defensive end] Jared Allen a lot, and I think in [Leslie Frazier's] defense, he's going to be vital because he gives them that pass rush and that ability to chase the quarterback down without blitzing that you need in this system.

"The Vikings are going to be tough. I think they've got the elements you need to win. All the question mark is with their quarterback, and if [Tarvaris] Jackson gives them solid quarterback play, they're really going to be tough. They've got a running game that's difficult to stop.

"I think defensively they're going to be better, and if they're in a game where they can just continue to run the ball and create those turnovers, they're going to be tough to beat.

"When you play them, and you look at last year's tape, we say, 'We can't let Peterson dominate the game and just win the game by himself.' If they beat us with the throwing game, then so be it, but we're going to make sure that he doesn't have that big game.

"So getting those guys like [wide receiver Bernard] Berrian, they're going to have some opportunities to make big plays, especially early in the year when I think people are still going to be loading the line of scrimmage and trying to put the pressure on Jackson to win the games.

Dungy looks for the Colts to be improved because key players are healthy again.

"We missed [wide receiver] Marvin Harrison for a big part of the season," Dungy said. "Dwight Freeney, our Pro Bowl defensive end, for about half the year. We had other guys that were really kind of nicked up. [Defensive back] Bob Sanders missed some games. They've all had surgery in the offseason. I think they're going to be ready to go when we open up the regular season this year, and if they are, I think we'll be a pretty formidable team."

Nathan on Liriano Twins closer Joe Nathan had shoulder surgery while pitching in the San Francisco system in 2000. So, despite all the talk about Francisco Liriano not being called up after pitching so well at Class AAA Rochester, Nathan knows it takes time to recover.

Liriano had Tommy John elbow surgery in 2006.

"It took my arm about, I'd say, upwards around a year and a half to get the strength fully back," said Nathan, one of the best closers in the game.

"They usually say to rest at least three months before you even touch a ball, and I was trying to get my arm ready to throw a baseball in a game in three months. So, probably for me it was just a little too early to start everything.

"But I think he's coming out of the woods, it looks like from the numbers that he's putting up down there. It looks like he's on the tail end of it."

Gomez struggles Twins outfielder Carlos Gomez is in a 7-for-63 slump that has dropped his batting average to .248.

"It's baseball, sometimes you do it, sometimes you hit, sometimes not," Gomez said. "I feel great at home plate, and that happens.

"I know I'm working. This is the second half of the season. I feel very good, and it's a difficult game, but you come back tomorrow and play the game again. I come here early, 1:30, 1:40, and I work every day with [hitting coach Joe Vavra] in the cage."

"We talk to the guys that they can't worry about what is going on offensively. All you can take care of is yourself," Anderson said. "He has done a good job at that. He has given us a chance every time out to win a game. He has so much confidence going right now. He keeps throwing the ball well."

Jottings The appearance of Nathan, Justin Morneau and Joe Mauer had to have something to do with the 19.4 Nielsen rating the All-Star Game received in the Twins Cities, which was second only to the 20.3 rating received in St. Louis.

Ex-Gophers basketball player Spencer Tollackson has signed with the Digibu Baskets Paderborn team in Paderborn, Germany, and will begin play Sept. 20. Look for former Gophers Dan Coleman and Lawrence McKenzie to also play in Europe this year. ... Former Gophers basketball player Ben Johnson was named an assistant coach at Northern Iowa after spending two seasons on the Texas-Pan American staff. ... Another college wrestling website, intermatwrestle.com, has ranked the Gophers' 2008 recruiting class No. 1 in the country. Wisconsin was ranked second and Iowa fifth.

Robert Bell of Pierz, Minn., who recently won the Class 2A golf tournament, has signed a tender to play golf for the Gophers. Bell, who also recently won the Minnesota PGA and MGA junior titles, will join Timmy Peterzen of Elk River, Chris Meyer of Edina, David Haley of Ohio and Derek Chang of Georgia on this year's freshman team. ... The Gophers will host the 2009 NCAA gymnastics meet on April 16-18 at the Sports Pavilion. ... Mary Ann Kaat, the wife of former Twins pitcher Jim Kaat, died Monday of bladder cancer at the age of 64. The family will hold a private service in Ripon, Wis. Jim Kaat retired from a long broadcasting career with the Yankees following the 2007 season.