From: jag@unislc.uucp (John Ganske)
Subject: Minnesota Vikings News 8/26/92
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Distribution: us
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 17:07:48 GMT
Keywords: cuts vikings anderson fenney injuries


Minnesota Vikings news from the Minneapolis StarTribune for Wednesday August
26, 1992.  The following is from an article by staff writer Jim Souhan
titled "Vikings cut Anderson, Fenney; make minor deal with Redskins".

    If Vikings coach Dennis Green has proven anything since taking
    over in Janurary, it is that he sheds few tears when making
    difficult decisions on established veterans, and that he enjoys
    the art of the deal.

    Green and the Vikings released veteran running backs Rick Fenney
    and Alfred Anderson on Tuesday, the deadline for reducing their     
    roster to 60, and later consummated a deal they began discussing
    in early August when they traded a draft choice to the Washington
    Redskins for defensive end George Hinkle and receiver Joe Johnson.

    One source with knowledge of the deal said the draft pick was a
    sixth rounder in '93 that would improve to a fifth-rounder if 
    either player plays 50 percent of the Vikings' offensive or defensive
    plays.

    Hinkle can play any position on the line, and Johnson could become
    the Vikings' fourth receiver and is a good kickoff returner.  
    Hinkle started 13 games for the Redskins last season before being
    sidelined because of an injury.  Johnson has only 31 catches in three
    seasons for a 9.6 yards-per catch average, but was the Redskins
    special-teams MVP in '89.

    In all, the Vikings waived 16 players and placed three others - 
    defensive tackle Lorenzo Freeman, tight end Luke Fisher and running
    back Mike Gaddis - on injured reserve, meaning they will remain with 
    the team but will not be eligible to play this season.

    The final cutdown to 47 players occurs Monday, two days after the
    Vikings play their final preseason game, at Washington.

    Of all the players released, Fenney's case offered the most intrigue.
    The five-year veteran out of the University of Washington did not play
    in any preseason games because of a severe hip injury.  He practiced
    the first three days of training camp, then complained of hip pain,
    which doctors told him was due to a congenital condition that could
    necessitate hip replacement surgery.

    Fenney said Green told him that the team's medical staff had said
    that he was able to play, and therefore eligible to be released
    without any liability to the team.

    "I said that's not true," Fenney said.  "He said, 'You'll have to 
    talk to them about that.' ...As far as I'm concerned I'm hurt and 
    they had no right cutting me.  If I need to pursue it (in court),
    I will."

    "I would like to continue playing, if I can get my hip right.  I
    feel I've been treated a little unfairly."

    The Vikings' four backs figure to be Terry Allen, Roger Craig,
    Darrin Nelson, and Ronnie West, a standout in the Vikings' 56-3
    victory at Cleveland on Monday.  West's emergence - and the
    potential availability of other talented backs on the wavier
    wire - led to the release of Anderson, a hard-working, eight-year 
    veteran who was the Vikings' third-round pick in 1984, when he 
    was the NFC's leading rookie rusher with 773 yards.  But Anderson
    never again gained more than 347 yards and became a role player
    who didn't have a role with the new Vikings.

    The case of linebacker Ivan Caesar also was interesting.  When 
    Ray Berry missed two weeks of camp while unsigned, Caesar started
    in his place.  But Caesar played poorly in the first preseason
    game and was demoted when Carlos Jenkins became a starter at 
    strong-side linebacker and Mike Merriweather moved to Caesar's 
    spot on the weak side.  Caesar also overslept and missed team
    meetings one day late in training camp, which probably did not
    sit well with the new coaching staff's businesslike approach.

    "We drafted an outstanding young player in Eddie McDaniel who
    plays extremely well," Green said.  "Carlos Jenkins deserves to
    start and he has, and Mike Merriweather deserves to start and
    he is doing well.  Ray Berry came back (from being unsigned).
    Competition can do that, and it's unfortunate because Ivan's 
    a good, hard-working guy."

    The other players waived by the Vikings: receiver Kendal Smith,
    defensive end Brian Smith, running back Lydell Carr, quarterback
    Chris Cochrane, cornerbacks Irvin Smith and Curtis Banks, offensive
    tackle and Minnesota-Duluth product Brent Griffith, running back
    Lorenzo Graham, punter John Jett, kicker Roman Anderson, offensive
    lineman Eric Wenzel and linebackers Ed Sutter and Brian Dahl, who 
    was paid an injury settlement.

    With Irvin Smith being waived, it appears Mike Mayes will be the
    team's fourth cornerback, since starter Najee Mustafaa (Reggie 
    Rutland) has a back problem that could keep him from playing this
    season.  Besides Mustafaa, players who eventually could wind up
    on injured reserve are running back Chuck Evans, defensive lineman
    Roy Barker and linebacker Mark Dusbabek.

    Notes/ Green did not rule out trying to pick up a player off the
    wavier wire in the next week. ...He said defensive tackle John
    Randle (sternum) should be back to practice today, and that he hopes
    Randle will play Saturday.  Randale probably will have to make a
    dramatic reentrance into the lineup to win back the starting job from
    rookie Brad Culpepper, who has 4.5 sacks in three (me: PRESEASON
    FOR HEAVANS SAKE!) games.
    
John Ganske      -------------------------
a readheaded dad, vegetarian, cyclist, runner, volleyball player,
programmer, and all-around good guy, glad to be back in Minnesota
and soon to become small-time (very small-time) farmer 
     -----------------------------------------------------  
Unisys Corp.                            jag@unislc.slc.unisys.com 
Roseville, Minnesota                    612 635-7545  
----------------------------------------------------------------- 

Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro