C.J.: Kalil, rhymes with chill, was not cool while making contact with a heckling Vikings fan's hat

By way of explaining the decline in Matt Kalil's game, KFAN's Paul Allen said Monday that the Vikings offensive tackle is not as "mean" as he used to be.

Tell that to the heckler whose furry hat was knocked off by Kalil as he left the stadium Sunday after the Vikings' 24-21 loss to the Packers. Deadspin.com has the video: http://tinyurl.com/pwgemvq.

Not the most mature response from a multimillionaire NFLer. Even less grown-up was somebody launching something — a game day program? — at the football player in response.

In a series of tweets to @GoesslingESPN, a Twitter user by the name of Rhett Wade took credit for getting under Kalil's skin. Wade punched all of Kalil's buttons. Trade talk taunt? Check. A your-brother — Ryan Kalil, center for the Panthers — plays-better-than-you-do insult? Check.

Kalil will probably get a love letter from the offices of @nflcommish, perhaps seeking a contribution.

I understand Kalil's frustration with all the speculation about his diminished play, but I can't excuse his knocking off Wade's hat. However, if I had to side with one wrongdoer in this exchange, I'm Team Kalil. That's because you can tell a lot about a person from their Twitter handle, and Wade's is a profane twist on Kirby Puckett's name. Twitter should outlaw vulgar nicknames.

Give a hand to Frazier

Here's something you might not notice about NBA Hall of Famer Walt "Clyde" Frazier unless you pay attention to orthopedic issues: His fingers are perfectly straight.

"And they were. His fingers weren't mangled," said Mark Siewert, a physical therapist at the Minneapolis office of OrthoRehab Specialists who pays a lot of attention to my sore feet. Siewert met Frazier last week at a Timberwolves game when the analyst for MSG Networks was here following the Knicks.

"I went to the game early with my co-worker Brett Johnson to sit courtside for the shoot-around, and while we were sitting there Walt Frazier came over and sat down right next to me and began talking about the great New York Knicks teams of the '60s and '70s. What a great guy! We went on to talk for over 45 minutes, including his great Game 7 performance at Madison Square Garden against the Lakers and Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West. He scored 36 points. And remember there was no three-point shot back then, he told us. He had 19 assists, 9 rebounds and 4 steals. … He also talked about how great it was to play in New York City and pal around with Joe Namath.

"I mentioned to Frazier what great shape he was in, and how perfectly straight all his fingers were for playing all of those years. He said they were straight so he could keep wearing his two championship rings, which he so proudly showed us," said Siewert. "He also was quite envious of the player salaries now compared to when he played at $100,000 — his best year. He was very happy to take this picture with me. When Brett and I got up to leave [Frazier] said, Hey, Brett, don't you want your picture taken with the greatest New York Knick of all time? Get over here and get one. What a great, classy guy. It was a breath of fresh air compared to all of the AP and Ray Rice crap."

I am surprised Siewert could hear anything Frazier had to say over the noise from his blazer. Just kidding, Clyde. I know the busy haberdashery is as much a part of your look as Just for Men. "His hair was black as could be," Siewert added, when I inquired. "Before he went on air, he pulled out his little makeup bag and put on powder. It was hilarious. But he treated us like we were the only people in the arena. He also signed everybody's autograph."

The AP cover story

Just as we always suspected, one thing gets said inside the locker room and another outside it, reportedly.

FOX Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer said Sunday the Vikings were taken aback by Commissioner Roger Goodell's suspension of Adrian Peterson. "[Coach] Mike Zimmer addressed the team and said, Guys, I'm going to say one thing publicly, but privately we all feel the same way. However, we have no choice now but to move on; our only glimmer of hope is the appeals officer" may lift Peterson's suspension.

FOX Sports NFL analyst Terry Bradshaw went off on Goodell for his "double standard" in AP's case.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on FOX 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.