Substance abuse charges put
Vikes’ playoff hopes at risk
By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota
Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 10/28/2008
Two players could face four-game suspensions
Vikings Pro Bowl tackles Pat and Kevin Williams have
been accused of violating the NFL’s substance abuse
policy. Because the information is confidential, the
league and the Vikings players will not and cannot talk
about it; they are subject to a $500,000 fine by the
commissioner if they do so. So, it’s wait and see how
this plays out.
Both players will likely play this Sunday against the
Houston Texans.
First-time violators of the NFL’s anabolic steroid
or substance abuse policy are subject to four-game
suspensions. The players can also appeal the decisions.
Pat and Kevin have been accused, according to a FOX
Sports report having unnamed sources within the league,
of using a weight-loss diuretic that can be used as a
masking agent for steroid use. These water pills are on
the NFL’s banned substance list.
All players are aware of what can and cannot be used
and what is on the banned substance list. If the Vikings
were to lose Pat and Kevin for the expected four games,
it would be devastating to their playoff chances.
Fitz Notes & Quotes
Vikings star Adrian Peterson is well on his way to
becoming the first Vikings running back since Robert
Smith to rush for 1,000 yards or more in consecutive
seasons. After seven games, Peterson has run for 684
yards on 151 carries, averaging 4.5 yards per rush with
five touchdowns.
He has run for 100 yards or more four times so far;
however, the Vikings are just 1-3 in those games. NFL
teams with 100-yard rushers in 2007 won
73 percent of the time.
The bottom line is that the Vikings are playing one
of the toughest schedules in the league and are 0-3 vs.
2007 playoff teams, 1-2 vs.
Green Bay-Chicago- Detroit, and are 1-3 on the road.
The Vikings are not getting the job done on special
teams. Chris Kluwe has struggled punting. The Vikings
are getting beat and have allowed a league-high five
touchdowns on special teams in seven games. They are -4
in the turnover ratio — ball security, as Coach
Childress calls it.
The Vikings are a power running football team, having
out-rushed their opponents 899 to 495. In the passing
game, the Vikings have thrown for
1,606 yards while their opponents have thrown for
1,642 yards.
When the Vikings come back from the bye, they have
five of their remaining nine games at home. With seven
Pro Bowl players, the Vikings are optimistic they can
catch Green Bay and Chicago in the NFC North.
“We will make the corrections,” said Jared Allen.
“It’s got to be obvious stuff. It’s going to be
detailed stuff, [such as] if a guy’s not playing
proper technique or a guy’s not making a tackle. We
are only one game out. The season’s still young. We’re
one game out of first, and by the end of it, it’s not
where you start, it’s where you end up.”
“We keep killing ourselves,” said Peterson. “We
can take a lot from this game. We put 400-some yards on
a pretty good defense in their house, and
41 points. I really feel like the offense is starting
to reach that stride.”
“I guess the bye comes at the right time,” said
Bernard Berrian, who’s on fire with 28 receptions for
517 yards, averaging a whopping 18.5 yards per catch.
“People are banged up, get some rest, heal up, get
away from the game but still stay into the game, keep
your body in shape and come back.”
“The bye comes at a good time,” said Darren
Sharper, “because it’s pretty much the middle of our
season. Guys can look at the first half and see what
they need to improve on. And [they can] look at this
last nine-game stretch as us coming out and getting some
momentum, getting on a winning streak, and we’ll
definitely be in there at the end.”
• I was surprised to fine out that Trent Kirchner,
an NFL scout for the Carolina Panthers, is the most
famous name from Fulda, Minnesota.
Kirchner, a graduate of St. John’s University, is a
hard worker and willed his way into the NFL. He was
advance-scouting the Arizona vs.
Dallas game in Arizona to help prepare his team.
Fulda, Minnesota, is also the birthplace of Star
Tribune-KSTP Radio columnist/personality Pat Ruesse.
Fulda is the place that, in late January, hosts the
annual Fish O-Rama dating back to the 1950s. People come
from many miles away during that week to feast on 2,000
pounds of smoked carp.
• Former DeLaSalle star and Michigan State graduate
Alan Anderson is playing basketball professionally
overseas in Russia. Anderson was recently named the team’s
MVP for Triumph Lyubertsy.
• Daunte Farmer has officially turned pro. The
young former Minneapolis Technical Community College
golfer who was coached by Tony Morrow at MCTC played in
his first pro tournament this week on the Pepsi Tour in
Tempe, Arizona.
Farmer has been working hard the last couple of years
under the watchful eye of Master Teaching Professional
Rod Lidenberg, and while in Arizona with teaching pro
Mark Polich. NPN Managing Partner Larry Fitzgerald,
author Tom Tuttle, and Passionate Golfer Inc. have
supported Farmer’s career development.
• A couple of national sportswriters made a point
that they are not fans of Vikings Head Coach Brad
Childress. They have issues with his interview style,
saying, “Every time you ask a question during an
interview, it’s like a gunfight.”
• Ex-Vikings fullback Rick Fenney has overcome some
tough times. He served jail time recently for wire
fraud. He currently lives in Phoenix, Arizona.
Larry Fitzgerald can be heard weekday mornings on
KMOJ Radio 89.9 FM at
8:25 am, and on WDGY-AM 740 Monday & Saturday
mornings at 7:50 am and Fridays at 3:50 pm; he also
commentates on sports 7-8 pm on Almanac (TPT channel 2).
Larry welcomes reader responses to lfitzgerald@spokesman-re
corder.com, or visit www.Lar
ry-Fitzgerald.com.
