Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - December 6, 1998, Winnipeg, Manitoba Vikes thankful Mitchell therb that got away Eden Prairie Minn. A sometimes the things a football team fails to accomplish turn out to be the Best things that could possibly happen. Just ask Dennis Green head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. Heading into tonight s game with the Chicago bears ten 7 20 Vikings have the Best offence in the pfc. No other team has scored As Many Points and no team is close to averaging the 32.8 Points per game the vikes score every time they take the Field. The term juggernaut might not be Good enough for this team. However yesterday afternoon at the Vikings compound in Eden Prairie As Green talked about tonight a game with the 3-9 bears he was asked if his failure to acquire free agent quarterback Scott Mitchell in 1994 was the Best thing that Ever happened to this franchise. Green chuckled. Sheepishly. A you Guys know we wanted Mitchell bad a Green said. A i still think he has All the tools to be a Good quarterback in this league. He a big he can throw. He just panics or something. Against us he a had trouble with reads. But with a Good offensive coordinator who knows Scott Taylor a but you know we did everything we could to sign him. Detroit just blew us away with that offer they made. That a when we had to go in another at the time Green was going into his third year As head coach of the Vikings and it appeared As if his quarterbacks were going to be Sean Salisbury Gino Torretta and Jim Mcmahon. When the team failed to get Mitchell it looked As if disaster was looming around the Corner. But a month later the Vikings made a Deal with Houston to acquire Warren Moon. Mcmahon retired Torretta was released and the Vikings finished the 1994 season at 10-6. More importantly there was a Veteran quarterback around to teach a kid named Brad Johnson How to play the game. Then in the Spring of 1997, Green talked his old Friend Randall Cunningham out of retirement and As a result the Vikings now have one of the two Best offences in All of football. Meanwhile most people Here in Minnesota shudder to think that Mitchell was very close to signing with the Vikings. They know they could be the ones booing him today not the Detroit fans. The Lions you see gave Mitchell a six year Deal Worth $24.8 million. It was like buying the first Edsel off the line. Mitchell is now handling a clipboard the no. 3 quarterback behind Charlie Batch and Frank Reich. A yeah it is amazing How these things work sometimes a Green said. A who knows if we had Mitchell working under offensive coordinator Brian Billick maybe things would have been different for him. A was you know we made the playoffs five tildes from 1992-1997 with five different quarterbacks 1992, Salisbury 1993, Mcmahon 1994, Moon 1996, Johnson 1997, Cunningham. I think that says a lot about no wonder Billicks name is moving quickly to the top of the list now that a number of coaches Are getting ready to receive their Golden handshakes. Any Day Dennis Erickson in Seattle 6-6dave Wannstedt in Chicago 3-9ray Rhodes in Philadelphia 3-10dick Vermeil in St. Louis 3-10june Jones in san Diego 5-7jim Mora in Indianapolis 2-10jim Fassel of the giants 4-8 and Bruce Coslet in Cincinnati 2-10 could All be looking for assistants jobs in the Arena league. A becoming a head coach is something i Only think about in my private moments Quot Billick said yesterday. A still it is what you work for All your so Why have teams suddenly become interested in Billick Well first of All offensive assistants such As Jon Golden Oakland Chan Gailey Dallas Steve Mariucci san Francisco and Mike Holmgren Green Bay have already become successful head coaches. Right now Billicks counterpart in Denver Gary Kubiak is the Only other nil assistant being Ritchie arrives in town thinking about football Blue bombers close to hiring assistant pm by Ashley Prest sports reporter remember when former Winnipeg Blue bombers head coach Jeff Reinebold came in Here two years ago and cleaned House shipping veterans out of town like there was a seat Sale out of Winnipeg Well forget about it. There a a new Boss in town. Dave Ritchie arrived in Winnipeg yesterday to officially begin his duties As the bombers head coach and director of football operations. A people May ask some questions but i May not give Many answers about what the past was. I done to look Back i look Forward. And my Glass is always half full not half empty. I could care less what happened before a Ritchie said. A a that a probably the biggest thing when i see the players. It does no to matter what they were last year. Its what they will be this year. That a what we re going Ritchie who will move into his office today said wholesale changes simply Arentt his style. A i done to think that a Wise. You might show panic. And i never show panic. Sometimes a person just needs a new direction and that a Why in a so excited about the Opportunity Here a Ritchie said. A a it san Opportunity to build from the ground floor building something Back up to what it was when i was Here in 1990.�?� that was the last time bombers team won the Grey cup and Ritchie a defensive coach had a loud Brash High performance defence that is the stuff of legends. A with Good people the Cream really comes to the top. You can still be talkative and be a Good person. Its not the Way i would do sometimes but that Sall right a Ritchie said laughing. Ritchie arrived with his wife Sharon who will look for a place for them to live while he gets Down to football business. He said stay about to Days before heading off to visit family for Christmas. Then Ritchie will be off to scout various bowl games. A but the first thing is to get the assistant pm in place so Well get that wrapped up this week and get the assistant coaches wrapped up this week so we can concentrate on football matters a Ritchie said. Brendan Taman player personnel director of the . Lions with whom Ritchie has worked when he coached in . And won a Grey cup there in 1994, is a possible candidate for a similar position with the bombers. However Ritchie would Only say Taman is a a Good Ritchie did say he has one name on his Short list of candidates and is simply waiting for an answer. Fans can expect changes in the coaching staff. Ritchie intends to bring in his own people but he confirmed he is talking to one member of the bombers staff from last season. A a in be been in several places in my lifetime and i tend to try to surround myself with people that i know and that in be worked with. Football seasons Joe Bryksa Winnipeg free press Dave Ritchie leaves the Airport As wife Sharon keeps warm. Are very Long seasons and sometimes there a some dark areas and sometimes there a some Light and you want to know where your Guys Are coming from a Ritchie said. Ritchie already has targeted areas on the bombers that need improving. A just general observations we be got to get our secondary better and we have to get our receivers better. When i say better i mean we have to go out and do a Good Job in Canadian free Agency and get some outstanding canadians. In this league you re Only As Good As How Good your canadians Day at figure skating championships had Downs for Manitoba team go figure / continued from Page cd by Laurie Nealin for the free press Brandon a Day 2 at the Central Canadian figure skating championships was one of and Downs for the Manitoba team As seven Young athletes qualified for National championships. Sixteen did not. In the pre Novice category singles competitors Cadfan Edwards Nicholas Onischuk and Tamara Palaniuk and pair skaters Ashley Dyck and Patrick Enns All claimed a top four spot and entry to the tomorrows champions event in Fredericton next March. Edwards from the Brandon Csc summed up his Gold medal finish in one word a awesome a a it was really close to my Best a said the current provincial Champ who also qualified for tomorrows champions last season and finished 10th. A this time ill be looking for a medal a said the 14-year-old native of Wales. Eleven year old Palaniuk of Morris took Home a Bronze medal while Onischuk and the pair team ranked fourth. It was a less successful Day however for the Novice level competitors. Winnipeg ice dancers Lauren Flynn 14, and Leif Gislason 15, were the Only skaters among the nine Manitoba novices competing to qualify for the 1999 Canadian figure skating championships. Flynn and Gislason a freelance a polynesian Ballet earned them a Silver medal and the right to Advance to their first canadians next january in Ottawa. The event was won by brother and sister duo Sherry and Danny Moir from Southern Ontario. A we could have skated better could have cleaned some Steps up a bit a said Gislason. The Young couple the Best in Manitoba said they will take the Opportunity at canadians to watch and study the country a elite ice dancers. Flynn and Gislason have also been named to the provinces Canada Winter games team which travels to Corne Brook fld. In late february As have Edwards Palaniuk Dyck and Enns. But for Enns the Novice singles skater it was a Case of close but no Cigar As he finished a frustrating fifth just one place away from a coveted Canadian championship berth. Crystal City a Sarah Beavis who lives and trains in Winnipeg found herself in the same unfortunate position in the ladies event. Matthew King 16, of Watford ont. Took the Novice menus Crown while Jill Young 14, of till Sonburg claimed the women a prize. The Junior menus and women a finals go today giving Manitoba two More shots at qualifying additional skaters for the canadians. Manitoban in Contention include Brandon a Robin Forsyth currently sitting in fourth and Winni Eggers Jessica Fontaine and David Schultz both in sixth spot after fridays Short program. To i a to j Essica certainly has the potential to be a senior woman and a Good senior woman. She a doing equal if not More triples than some of the senior women at canadians today. If she wants to do it she has the Talent to do it a Kem Karan Antymniuk says of her student who competes Here today in the Junior women a qualifier. Although Manitoba a female competitors outnumber their male counterparts three to one in recent years the provinces most successful skaters have worn Black skates. National ice dance Champion Jacquie Petr was the exception. Ted Jones executive director of the Manitoba figure skating association believes Manitoba girls need More training time both on and off the ice. A you have to be an athlete As Well As a skater. In a not sure we be achieved that yet a says Jones. A some skaters elsewhere train five to six hours a Day to be a top athlete. Look at the american and russian women. They re doing so Many More elements pushing the Partrick agrees that a Lack of mileage Early in a skaters career can have a negative Impact later on. A ifs a horrible thing to say but when you get into your teens you re getting on in this game. So much time has to be put in at a Young age and nowadays parents want their children to try out everything. Unfortunately in our sport there a Only a few that Are so super talented they can come through this a says Partrick. Manitoba association president Hillary Baker is hopeful the National strategy to expose skaters to More intense Competition at an earlier age will help Manitoba girls become steely nerved competitors who can deliver the goods under pressure. A a it a not that our ladies can to do the stuff. You watch them in practice and they do wonderful things. I done to know if its just that they re not Tough competitors or what a Baker says. A Lack of toughness and Confidence however is not Only a Manitoba problem. Nor is the absence of female role models or an All consuming drive to win. All these factors have been cited As contributing to Canadas Post Chouinard dilemma. Could one of the women competing at the Keystone Centre this weekend prove to be the Light at the end of the female figure skating Tunnel perhaps. But for now Canadas International fortunes rest with figure skaters named Elvis Jeff and Emanuel. And Manitoba a National ones with two Guys named Ryan and Jason. Mentioned for any soon to be vacant head coaching jobs. Secondly Billicks numbers Are stunning. With 394 Points a 40 More than the 49ers, the no. 2 offensive team a the Vikings could become the fourth team since the Al nil merger in 1970 to score at least 20 Points in every one of their regular season games. The Vikings Are on a Pace to score an incredible 525 Points this season. With 19 Points tonight the vikes will break their own team record of 412 Points. And there will still be three games remaining not Only that with a win tonight the Vikings will Clinch the pfc Central division title and can win their 12th game in a season for the first time since 1975. They would also finish 7-1 within their division. Of course have to do it without starting a a Johnson starting or Jake Reed starting re Robert Smith and backup the Hunter Goodwin. A we still have people on this roster who can do the Job a Green said. A your offence will be no kidding. With Brian Billick running the show even Scott Mitchell could be successful in this offence. Sports Parade Potym announces hell leave the Leafs Felix Potvin has left the Maple Leafs. The Toronto goaltender awaiting a Trade since july released a statement last night announcing his departure from the nil club. Potvin in a fax sent by his agent Jay fee says he made the decision on thursday but delayed making the announcement after the Leafs told him they were close to trading him. A unfortunately at this time those talks have not As yet resulted in a Trade a Potvin said. Homeboy leads aussie open australian golfer Stuart Appleby fought the Royal Adelaide wind and rough yesterday to shoot an even Par 72 and take a one stroke Lead into the final round of the australian open. Appleby the first round Leader has a one stroke Lead Over England a Nick Faldo and australian Greg Chalmers 74. Faldo and Appleby played in the same pairing yesterday with Faldo also shooting 72 after starting off with three consecutive birdies. The australian has a three round total of one Over 217. Westwood up by two Lee Westwood shot a six under Par 66 to overtake Leader Nick Price and grab a two stroke Lead at 203 yesterday after the third round of the million Dollar Challenge at Sun City South Africa. After an even Par first round the european tour sensation has gained 13 strokes in the past two rounds. Justin Leonard pulled himself into second place with a 68 for a 205. Lindros fined for slashing Philadelphia flyers Centre Erie Lindros was fined $1,000 yesterday for a slashing incident in fridays game against the Buffalo sabres. Lindros received a major penalty and a game misconduct in the first period Friday after swinging his stick near the head of Buffalo defence Man Jay Mckee. A even though or. Lindros did not make Contact this Type of reckless use of the stick is not acceptable a league vice president Colin Campbell said. Fall injures fans nine . Army cadets and prep school students were injured As they fell out of the stands during the game against Navy yesterday when a railing collapsed at Philadelphia a veterans stadium sending them tumbling about 42 metres to the artificial turf. The Accident caused a 31-minute delay in the game which army went on to win 34-30. Linebacker cleared to play Buffalo Bills linebacker Mario Perry was examined by team doctors yesterday following a car Accident that left one person dead. Team Ortho Peist John Marzo examined Perry before the teams walk through yesterday and cleared him to play in today a game against Cincinnati. The Accident occurred Friday afternoon when Perry struck a car driven by Valentine Sta Chowski of Buffalo when Stachowski allegedly failed to yield while making a left turn. A passenger in Stachowski a car 70-year-old Alfreda Dannheim of the Buffalo suburb of Cheektowaga was ejected and killed. Canadian tops in Squash Toronto a Jonathon Power Defeated top seeded Peter Nicol of Scotland yesterday to become the first North american to win the world open Squash tournament in Doha Qatar. A i always thought i had a Good Chance if i played Well to win a said the second seeded Power. He downed Nicol 15-17,15-7,15-9,15-10 to take the $28,000 us $43,000 can first prize in the last event of the Squash season. Tickets $5.25 / $8 / $10 / $16 plus a a a service charge. Available at All select a seat outlets or Call 780-seat ;