Does a Tom Emanski-like offensive football video exist? If so, the Gophers football team should watch it on their bus ride home from Iowa City. Tim Brewster/Jedd Fisch's offense ended the regular season having gone 30 straight possessions without scoring a touchdown. To not score an offensive touchdown against South Dakota State, one division below, was one thing. To then show no improvement after a week of practice (and really none all year), is a downright fireable offense. More…

This is how many Vikings fans feel: They will rip our hearts out just like they did during the 1998 season. While possibly true, and I am not here to make any playoff guarantees, I will tell you this: The Vikings are the best team in football. People magazine has Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in its "Sexiest Man Alive" edition. We all have to take chances. The pieces are in place for the Vikings to have no players taking part in the Pro Bowl in Miami. That's because it's the week before the Super Bowl. The Vikings are that good. More…

Those who suggest that it's time for school president Bob Bruininks (is very involved with the football team) and athletic director Joel Maturi to cut the chord with head football coach Tim Brewster have a good amount of ammunition. He is 0-8 in trophy games; 0-7 in games against ranked opponents. They were No. 1 in the Big Ten last year in penalties committed, and are atop the conference again this year. Worse, the team has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. All that being said, I think Brewster should get a 4th year. More…

Twins general manager Bill Smith's No. 1 offseason goal: Sign soon-to-be MVP Joe Mauer to a long-term deal. Mauer, undoubtedly, will not do so until seeing what other moves Smith makes over the next three-to-four months. So far, so good with Friday's acquisition of former All-Star J.J. Hardy. The shortstop, who is under team control for two more years, is a plus-defender, with a good bat. To get Hardy, Smith gave up a tantalizer, but seemingly a career backup -- center fielder Carlos Gomez. More…

Brad Childress, even with a 14-3 record in his last 17 regular season games, can be questioned for his in-game decisions (the 3rd-and-9 play in the Baltimore game comes to mind). Where he can't be questioned: His personnel moves. Childress, the quasi-general manager, has been right far more than he's been wrong, and for that he deserves to be lauded. More…

This is getting old: the Gophers football team has a 12-game losing streak against ranked opponents and has lost 18 of their last 19 versus the top-25. Current coach Tim Brewster is responsible for six of those losses and unless a miracle occurs and they win at Ohio State or Iowa, his record vs. ranked opponents come late November will be 0-8. Speaking of 0-8, that right now is his record in trophy games after the loss at Penn State. Eventually, this nonsense has to stop. More…

Possibly caught up in the moment of another double-digit win, this time over St. Louis, Vikings QB Brett Favre declared, “I think physically and from a talent level, this is the best team I’ve ever been on." Is he on something or onto something? At first blush, it doesn't seem possible considering the guys he played with on the SUPER BOWL WINNING '96 Packers team. The Vikings are good, in fact they are borderline great, but they don't compare to that Green Bay team. More…

The Vikings' best downfield WR: Bernard Berrian. The Vikings' most dangerous WR: rookie Percy Harvin. Arguably, the Vikings' best overall WR -- red-zone threat, blocking, route running, and Wildcat throwing option -- Sidney Rice. The third year -- for reasons hard to quantify -- is often a breakout season for WRs. Examples this year include New York's Steve Smith and Jacksonville's Mike Sims-Walker. Rice is now in year No. 3. Is it just a coincidence that he's showing signs of brilliance? More…

Start with this: Gophers coach Tim Brewster deserves more time. However, the numbers don't lie. He is now 1-8 in HOME Big Ten games, 0-7 in trophy games, and has only one win over a bowl team -- Northern Illinois last year. That could change this year if Air Force and/or Northwestern get to play an extra game. The second half performance against Wisconsin was troubling. Brew's crew was a bruised crew. They got physically ... destroyed! More…

Not even tasers can stop one Gophers football player -- RB Kevin Whaley. Another player, LB Gary Tinsley, thought he was Hacksaw Jim Duggan last weekend, utilizing a 2x4 as a weapon at a house party. Two more players, DE Cedric McKinley and S Tim Dandridge, were suspended on Monday for two games each for reasons unknown. Are the Gophers turning into Penn State, Iowa, and Florida minus the big-time winning? More…