From: jag@unislc.uucp (John Ganske)
Subject: Minnesota Vikings News 11/13/92
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Fri, 13 Nov 1992 18:45:24 GMT


The following is from the Minneapolis StarTribune for Friday, Nov. 13,
1992.  It is from an artivle by staff writer Jim Souhan called
"Attitude adjustment pays off for Vikings"

Die hard Vikes fans might enjoy this little piece of sports fluff -
its all I have to post.  I eagerly anticipate my chance to see the
Vikes play every week now that I have returned from exile, but I'm
not "tuning-in" to sources of news besides the StarTrib so I can't
tell you much more (if there is more to tell that is).

  article subtitle: "On field and in locker room, players stick together"

    Rich Gannon stalked through the Vikings' locker room during a recent
    lunch break and glowered at the general hilarity.

    Two coaches practiced golf swings and joked with their charges.
    A few players sat by their lockers, discussing their favorite kind
    of athletic wear - free.  A dozen teammates - black and white, offensive
    and defensive, tall and small - engaged in a raucous card game.

    "There's entirely too much card-playing going on around here," Gannon
    yelled as he backed into the player's lounge.  Then he cracked a grin.
    "Anyone want to play cards?"  

    The Vikings (7-2) have improved more than their play this season.
    They also have improved their morale.  This presents a chicken-and-egg
    conundrum: Did winning improve the dynamics of this team, or did 
    improved dynamics lead to winning?

    That is the most pleasant of questions that have been asked about 
    what in recent years was one of the most fractious locker rooms in the
    NFL.  Even when the Vikings were 1-1 after a blowout loss at Detroit,
    the difference in their attitude was palpable.

    An aura of tension had been replaced by calm confidence.  Where once 
    the focus was on winning honors and earnings, now it it on winning 
    games.  "There's a real difference in here this year," said center
    Kirk Lowdermilk.  "When we used to play cards, it was just a few of
    us.  Now everybody plays, and I think that means something.  Denny
    wnated everyone to stick together, and it starts in here." 

    One of the first moves Vikings coach Dennis Green made after taking    
    the job was changing the locker room alignment.  That also was one
    of the first moves Cowboy coach Jimmy Johnson made after his team
    finished 1-15 his first year.  (The Vikings and Cowboys are a combined
    34-18 since making those dramatic moves.)

    Green changed the locker ordering from positional to numerical, and 
    delivered a team-meeting message that he would not stand for 
    divisiveness.  Suddenly, veterans were dressing next to different
    people and card games that once included a handful of offensive lineman
    began spilling over into the middle of the locker room.  One player
    - tight end Mike Tice - even bought the team lunch on a recent Friday.

    "This is very similar to the Pittsburgh locker rooms I saw," said 
    Vikings defensive coordinator Tony Dungy, who played for the 1978
    Steelers, which won the Super Bowl.  "The guys get here early, they 
    hang around afterward, they play cards.  You can tell how things are
    going on a team by looking in the locker room 20 minutes after practice."

    The Vikings, however, have yet to hold a fashion show in which players
    sport wildly colored jeans and platform shoes with goldfish swimming
    in transparent heels.  "When I first got there (Pittsburgh), Fridays 
    used to be dress-up day,"  Dungy said.  "The guys would have a fashion
    show, and Frenchy Fuqua and L.C. Greenwood would wear some incredible
    outfits.  Fanco Harris wold get some Italian stuff, and sausage, and
    have it brought in for lunch, and that was our day to hang around."

    So, the other day, Tice bought pizza for the Vikings, and about 55 
    players sat in a cramped locker room on small stools, talking, playing
    cards, and munching contentedly.  "I think this team had blended
    together real well," said linebacker Jack Del Rio.  "Maybe it's been
    divisive in the past, but I don't see that now.  I don't see a lot of
    cliques developing, like you see in other places."

    Gannon drew fire from coach Jerry Burns and some of his teammates at
    the end of the 1990 season for questioning the team's work ethic and
    focus.  Would he do that again?  He doesn't think he'll have to.

    I had told myself if I was ever the starting quarterback on a team
    that wasn't doing the things it needed to do to win, I would say 
    something, and I did," Gannon said.  "But now I wouldn't have to.
    If something's wrong, the coaches take care of it."

    One way to avoid internal problems is to put selfless players in key
    roles.  In recent years, the most noticeable players in the locker
    room were Joey Browner, who once accused general manager Mike Lynn
    of racism; Keith Millard, whose mood swings and off-field problems
    were lengendary; and Herschel Walker, a willing enigma and unwilling
    leader.

    Among the most noticeable players in this locker room are Roger Craig,
    whose work ethic helped him win three Super Bowl rings; Tice, who 
    probably will become an NFL assistant coach when he's done playing;
    Del Rio, who became the leader of the defense the first time he 
    stepped  into the huddle in training camp; and receiver Cris Carter,
    a waiver-wire pickup who has become a team leader.

    In Plan B free agency, the Vikings signed Del Rio, Craig and Tice - 
    three willing leaders.  In training camp, they promoted Carlos Jenkins
    and Todd Scott, two young players who are as enthusiastic as they are
    talented, to starting roles.  "There's already a certain personality
    type here, and you want to make sure anybody you draft or bring in is
    going to fit in,"  Green said.  "The new guys have blended real well 
    with the older guys, and the older guys who didn't quite fit in aren't 
    here."

    Most of the Vikings' new faces have worn winning smiles before.
    Green, Dungy, offensive coordinator Jack Burns and Craig all have 
    drawn paychecks from Super Bowl winners, and Del Rio was the leading
    tackler on an 11-5 Cowboy team last year.  "They're playing much
    better football, and part of it is reflected in their attitude,"
    said Buccaneers coach Sam Wyche.  "You can see on the field in their
    body language.  You can spot it from a television screen - the 
    confidence that comes from winning and knowing you're on a roll."

    Dungy has seen that look before.  "In Pittsburgh, it was always upbeat,"
    he said.  "You always heard guys needling each other and talking and
    laughing and it was always loud.  That's the way it is here - it's a
    loose, confident, happy atmosphere.

    Notes/ The Vikings placed linebacker Ray Berry (thigh bruise) on injured
    reserve and moved defensive end Robert Harris, their second-round draft
    pick in '92 to the active roster.  Green said Harris probably will 
    play Sunday against Houston.

    Steve Jordan (calf), Cris Carter (knee), and Brad Culpepper (hip) are
    listed as "probable" for Sunday.

    My thoughts:  Winning makes for a lot of happiness, but I do think that
    the Vikes are getting some excellent leadership from various players
    this season.  By leadership I mean setting a good work ethic example,
    playing extremely hard, showing poise, and setting the tone for inter-
    personal relationships on the team.  I guess the leadership really 
    stands out to me this season, because it is such a contrast to the
    complete lack of leadership that this team has suffered from.
    How about comments from anybody out there who can really remember -
    who were the real character leaders for the Vikings in their past
    glory years?  Tarkenton, Joe Kapp(?), Page, Eller, Bill Brown?
    I was too young to pay attention to that stuff; I just worshipped 
    them all.  

    John Ganske
Newsgroups: rec.sport.football.pro