From: jag@unislc.uucp (John Ganske)
Subject: Minnesota Vikings News 8/19/92
Organization: Unisys Corporation SLC
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 17:40:32 GMT
Keywords: mike tice vikings offense passing blocking


Vikes news for Wednesday August 19, 1992

  from a Minneapolis StarTribune article, by Staff Writer Jim     
  Souhan, titled "Vikings' Tice fits just nice":

    It takes about three seconds to figure out where Mike Tice,
    the Vikings' new-yet-old tight end, grew up.

    New Yawk.  Godda probm wid dat?

    It takes a little longer to figure out what he's doing in
    Minnesota, at 33, in an offense that emphasizes the downfield
    pass.  "Downfield," said tight ends couach Brian Billick, 
    "is foreign territory to Mike".

    But if you're looking for the most influential new starter
    in the new offense, it's Tice, the 11-year veteran who went   
    from college quarterback to NFL project to veteran guru on a
    team he hopes to help get to the Super Bowl.

    Tice was left unprotected in Plan B free agency by Seattle    
    after leading the Seaharks with four touchdown catches last   
    season.  New coach Tom Flores told Tice he could stick around
    and "compete" for a job - meaning provide injury insurance.
    New Los Angeles Rams coach Chuck Knox, who had been one of 
    Tice's biggest backers in Seattle, offered Tice a chance to 
    "compete" for a job - meaning he might get the chance to coach
    by the end of the year.

    "That's when the phone rang and it was Jack Burns," Tice said 
    of the Vikings' new offensive coordinator, who was with the
    Washington Redskins in 1989 when Tice played for them in a
    similar offense.  "He offered me the chance to come in here
    and 'compete.'  I flew in and looked at a lot of film, looked
    at the level of the players who were here, and I felt that the
    players here, compared with L.A. and Seattle, had the best
    chance of doing what I need to do - win a Super Bowl.  And I
    felt wanted here."

    It might seem more dramatic when Roger Craig or Anthony Carter
    talks about getting a ring, but Tice could play as important
    a role.

    "I know this offense, and it will be incredible if everyone
    understands their role," Tice said. "I know my role.  I love  
    it."

    This is: Using his angular 6-7, 257-pound frame, and his     
    remarkable knack for getting that power-forward frame under
    someone's chin stap, to become a dominant blocker.  Tice's
    job on running plays is to act as an extra offensive tackle
    and bury linebackers.  Often Often his job is the same on
    passing plays.  

    Tice plays the true tight end, or Y-back, role.  Steve Jordan
    plays the H-back role, meaning Tice's presence allows Jordan
    to play pure receiver more than in the old offense.

    Strangely, Jordan with his 235-pound, sculpted body, looks    
    bigger than Tice.  "You look at me, you'd probably say I'm
    230," Tice said.  "I actually weight about 257.  I probably
    outweigh every linebacker in the league by 20 pounds....How
    do you handle defensive ends and linebackers?  User your 
    leverage to your advantage."

    "It's called hitting on the rise," Tice said.  "A lot of big
    guys around the league are bench pressers.  What they tend to
    do is try to muscle their opponents, so what happens is you 
    see enormous guys getting thrown around like dolls.  It's all
    leverage and angles."

    You can look at Tice form a number of angles.  He's capable of
    being the camp cut-up, a loose-talking New Yorker who can sound
    remarkably like bawdy comedian Andrew Dice Clay.  "We call    
    Mike, Andrew 'Tice' Clay,'" Billick said.  "He can be     
    hilarious."

    But Tice has kept his comedy low-key, perferring to take the 
    role of leader.  Before playing the Kansas City Chiefs on 
    Saturday, according to Billick, Tice paced the locker room
    firing up his teammates - which would be considered unusual
    for most new, Plan B signees.

    "I like to talk in the locker room about the war we're about
    to enter," Tice said.  "Talk about not helping your opponents
    up off the ground.  Talk about all the things that we can't
    do in practice that are legal that we can do in a game."

    In Tice's 12 years in the league, he said he rarely has 
    encountered a player who works harder than Jordan.  In that,
    they are similar.  Otherwise, their juxtaposition is almost
    funny.

    One is Ivy League (Jordan), one is State U.  One is black
    jeans and T-shirts, the other is pastels and polos (Jordan?).
    One uses words like "ameliorate"; the other uses words that
    come in handy when someone cuts your off on the highway.

  "Training camp report"

    Tuesday's action/ The Vikings held a crisp, hard-hitting      
    practice in the morning, and a short walk-through in the
    afternoon.  The morning practice was one of the team's
    best of training camp - which is amazing, considering the
    players could have been thinking about breaking camp 
    tonight or having a day off Thursday.  The team will practice
    Friday in Eden Prairie

    Injury report/ Coach Dennis Green said he expects safeties 
    Felix Wright (knee) and Tripp Welborne (hamstring) to be back
    later this week and play Monday against Cleveland.  Defensive
    tackle John Randle (sternum) remains questionable....Cornerback
    Najee Mustafaa (back) could know more about his injury by the
    end for the week.

    Michels to return/ Green said he thinks offensive line coach
    John Michels, who is recovering from surgery for prostate     
    cancer, could return to work part time by the middle of next
    week.  Receivers coach Tom Moore has handled the offensive
    line during Michels' absence, and is expected to remain in 
    that role until Michels is at full strength.  
  

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  
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