While many media experts believe that the wide receiver position will be one of the Vikings' weaknesses, coach Brad Childress disagrees.

"I feel about the wide receivers like I felt about our linebackers last year," Childress said. "Last year at this time, the linebackers were the concern of everybody except us. Everybody wanted to know about Napoleon Harris, how he was going to be. Who's Ben Leber? E.J. Henderson was considered to be, not a bust -- but nobody spoke in high remarks. I didn't feel that way after coming in and watching those guys work. I feel much the same with the wide receivers."

The Vikings offense really had its troubles last year, ranking 23rd overall in the NFL at 308.9 yards per game and 26th in scoring at 17.6 points per game, and many people are looking at the inexperienced group of receivers the team has and wondering how it will be any better in 2007.

"I [believe] with Stew [wide receiver coach George Stewart] coaching those guys that those guys will continue to evolve and I think it will be a very good, very competitive wide receiver group," Childress said. "You can't put a premium on the 19 years Stew's spent in this business, and a very good teacher, a very good motivator, a very good person, and that's the way he coaches those guys. To do the right things both on the field, that's important with assignments and techniques, as well as off the field."

Stewart coached the Atlanta Falcons receivers the past four seasons before joining the Vikings in January. Having watched Stewart coach for two years with the Gophers under Lou Holtz, following Holtz to Notre Dame, and recalling how highly Holtz regarded him, I agree with Childress' assessment that Stewart is a premier assistant coach.

Jackson hasn't met fellow alum Starr

Bart Starr, the great Hall of Fame quarterback of the Green Bay Packers, went to the same high school -- Sidney Lanier in Montgomery, Ala. -- as young Vikings quarterback Tarvaris Jackson. But Jackson has never met Starr.

"Actually, when I came to school there, when I first came to the basketball gym, I saw Bart Starr's picture on the wall," Jackson said. "I didn't know a whole bunch about him. Then as I got older, I started watching more and more football, watching TV, I learned much more about him and what he meant to the NFL and to football, period. ... [It] motivated me more to want to do better."

Former NFL MVP Rich Gannon, who has been around the Vikings this spring as he is helping coach their quarterbacks, said he is excited about his former team's future.

"I'm excited about the draft. I think they made a good move in picking up Adrian Peterson, the running back out of Oklahoma," Gannon said. "I think you can never have enough quality running backs, and I think that especially with the young quarterback, there's going to be a real premium on running the football next year. I think the offensive line will be a year better, and I think they have a chance."

Defense, pitching important

While many people, including me, believe the Twins need to improve their power with a home run hitter at third base or designated hitter, General Manager Terry Ryan doesn't agree.

"Everybody would say you could use that power," Ryan said. "Power isn't everything; pitching and defense are more important, there's a tradeoff there. But there are clubs out there that are leading the league in home runs that are in last place. You've got to be careful about exactly what you're trying to accomplish. But yes, a power-hitting DH would be a nice asset and something to add."

Scott Ullger, a Twins coach since 1994 after working as a minor league manager, said that Justin Morneau reminds him a lot of former first baseman Kent Hrbek.

"A solid defender, power to all fields, a good guy in the clubhouse. That kind of player," Ullger said. "Oh, he's pretty special, he really is."

After Morneau beat the Brewers on June 17 with a walk-off home run, Ullger said: "I think he lives for that moment right there, to be up in that situation and win the game like that, I think he really does."

Morneau was hurt Friday night against the Marlins, but the team hopes the 2006 AL MVP won't have to go on the disabled list.

Gophers short on linebackers