Each week, Commenter @RandBallsStu (branding!) tracks down a former Minnesota sports figure about whom you might have forgotten. This usually works out well. We would also like to take this time to remind you that, as always, #hirestu. Stu?
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The Hunt Down
Name: Steve Loney
Claim to Fame, Minnesota: the offensive coordinator for your Minnesota Vikings in 2005. Loney coached the offensive line from 2002-2004, but when Scott Linehan bolted for the Dolphins, Loney was given the OC position. Replacing Loney as line coach was ... nobody! He held both jobs in 2005, because Red McCombs did not become crazy rich by spending money on things like coaches or Winter Park amenities. That said, they finished 19th in overall offense that year, so it could've been worse. (This was also the season of the Love Boat, ticket scalping, the Whizzinator, Daunte Culpepper's career effectively ending. and Mike Tice getting fired about three minutes after winning the season finale over Chicago. Loney's double duty hardly ranks as the weirdest thing that happened.)
Claim to Fame, Everywhere Else: Gopher diehards might remember that Loney also held dual O-line/OC role for the U of M in 1998 and 1999. After leaving the Vikings, Loney caught on with Arizona as an o-line coach in 2006 before becoming a one-year stint as Drake's head coach in 2007. He immediately went back to the NFL in the familiar role of offensive line guru for the Rams and then the Buccaneers.
Where He Is Now: Appears to have been caught up in the wash of Tampa Bay firing Greg Schiano and Mark Dominik.
Is He on Twitter: no.
