tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post110063881056830866..comments2023-10-30T09:37:03.456-05:00Comments on Vikes Geek: Critic's Choicevikes geekhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06530336385552424416noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post-1100761144638595232004-11-18T00:59:00.000-06:002004-11-18T00:59:00.000-06:00It became clear very early in Tice's tenure as hea...It became clear very early in Tice's tenure as head coach of the Vikings that he and Red had sat down and had a heart to heart regarding how Tice should handle media and the fans. The message that Red sent was that Tice should make every effort not to alienate either group. Red made this a point with Tice knowing that Denny Green's "us against the world" mentality was wearing thin among those that matter in making money for the Vikings.<br /><br />Tice has tried hard to live up to this mandate. For two years, he swallowed his pride and made self-effacing comments about his coaching and personality. And we bought it, in part, until the seams fell apart at the end of last season and Tice had so much pent up frustration that he had to vent.<br /><br />That venting has carried over into this season and has led Tice to evidence an ever shorter fuse. One can sense when he is trying to refrain from attacking his critics by his resort to joking around with the media. One of his favorite "jokes" is that the fans can do what they want on playstation. OK, it's not really a joke as far as the listener is concerned, but Tice thinks it is, or at least he thinks fans think it is. <br /><br />But what many fans perceive is a coach who is having difficulty dealing with his situation. And it is a difficult situation. Head coaches are paid to produce in the NFL and, given the high expectations of most fans, rightly or wrongly, most coaches are on the proverbial hot seat every year.<br /><br />Tice could approach this in a different manner, however. He could, for example, acknowledge that his team is flawed (something he does in odd ways, such as by saying that "the players are put in the proper position but fail to make plays....but the talent is there"), without hurrying to mask the flaws by challenging phantom critics of the Vikings' offense (there are valid criticisms of the offense but most fans agree that this team is losing because the defense remains pitiful). And it would help matters if Tice did not lead off the season in Glen Mason-like fashion by proclaiming this the year that the Vikings challenge for a Super Bowl Championship. I mean, come on, if you sell yourself long and don't produce you deserve the heat.<br /><br />Tice has tried to be amiable and has succeeded at times. His downfall has been his inability to understand human nature more fully, however. That carries over into personnel decisions, such as believing that one can will a punter/placekicker/kick returner/punt returner/middle linebacker/outside linebacker/nose tackle to be of NFL caliber. That clearly has not worked, but it is also clear that Tice believes that it still might work. Should he have a downfall, that will be it.vikes geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06530336385552424416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post-1100749340102438672004-11-17T21:42:00.000-06:002004-11-17T21:42:00.000-06:00I work evenings after classes, and I was listening...I work evenings after classes, and I was listening the radio while working. I don't remember what station it was but it was during Tice's weekly radio show during a night when there was no playoff baseball. The host was trying to pin Tice down on exactly what your wrote about today. Since I am a hard-core Twins fan and use the Vikings as comic relief, I found it hillarious how Tice was trying to defend or duck or dodge the very thing you wrote about.<br /><br />It was on that day that I realized the Vikings needed a different coach. Because Tice was clearly an ego-driven man in WAY over his head.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post-1100703653647968392004-11-17T09:00:00.000-06:002004-11-17T09:00:00.000-06:00That's a valid point. And one that the head coach...That's a valid point. And one that the head coach consistently dodges.<br /><br />What troubles me is the suspicion, confirmed by yesterday's revelation by offensive coordinator Scott Linehan that the Vikings "dumbed down" the playbook when Moss went out with an injury, that the Vikings still feel the need to micromanage the offensive playcalling. Either Daunte is a $10 million/year QB or he is not. If he is, he should have the latitude to call his own plays and determining how conservative the playcalling will be under a given set of circumstances. If not, well, time to move on to plan B.vikes geekhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06530336385552424416noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8268346.post-1100700858802161212004-11-17T08:14:00.000-06:002004-11-17T08:14:00.000-06:00I view the defense as pretty much a lost cause aga...I view the defense as pretty much a lost cause again this season and think the Vikes' best defense is a great offense, in the hope that they can simply outscore other teams. And so my question for coach Tice (I haven't played the game beyond the high school level and so what?)is if Daunte Culpepper is an MVP candidate playing at an ultra-high level, why not let him call his own plays? He is probably more aware of his fellow offensive players strengths and limitations than anyone. And he has played the game in the 21st Century, which, by Tice's own standard should make him more qualified than those (the head coach included) who have not.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com