Yeah, that's Chris Hovan and Brock Lesnar in 2004

Yeah, that's Chris Hovan and Brock Lesnar in 2004

Each week, commenter RandBallsStu (branding!) tracks down a former Minnesota sports figure about whom you might have forgotten. This week, he came through again despite being sidetracked by all things Judge Reinhold. Stu?

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The Hunt Down
 
Name: Chris Hovan
 
Claim to Fame, Minnesota: a 2000 first-round pick for your Minnesota Vikings, Hovan was a defensive tackle for the Purple for five terrifically red-headed years.  His best seasons were probably 2001, when he tallied six sacks and two forced fumbles, and 2002, when he named to the All-Pro Team.  He is best remembered for his rivalry with former Vikings quarterback Brett Favre, when the latter played for the Green Bay Packers.  The Vikings’ brutal 26-22 loss at Lambeau at the end of the 2002 season, back when that stadium still had a legitimate aura about it, produced some memorable quotes from both parties.
 
Claim to Fame, Everywhere Else: the Boston College product left the Vikings for Tampa Bay in free agency, where he spent another five years. He would finish his career with a short stint in St. Louis.
 
Where He Is Now: after two years on the University of South Florida staff, Hovan is now the defensive line coach for your Tampa Bay Storm of the Arena Football League. As the linked press release notes, Hovan, his wife Jaimi and their three children still live in the Tampa area. Just be careful in Ybor City, Chris.
 
Is He on Twitter: yes.
 
Has He Been in a Twitter Feud with Patrick Reusse: no.
 
Glorious Randomness: Hovan hails from Rocky River, Ohio, suburb of Cleveland and home of Nina Blackwood one of the five original MTV VJs.  She still works at Sirius XM, and her voice currently sounds like a carton of Winstons gained the power of speech in order to back announce “Shadows Of The Night.”

Glorious Randomness II: Yeah, that’s Judge Reinhold and Bill Paxton in the video.