It Wasn’t a Sorry Moment by Tice

Minnesota Viking owner Red McCombs was a guest on James Brown’s Sporting News radio network show Tuesday, two days after his team had been deprived of a playoff berth by the Arizona Cardinals.

“First off,� McCombs told Brown, “did you notice [Coach] Mike Tice apologized to everybody -- the players, the fans, the beat writers -- but not the owner?�

Fortunately for Tice, he was laughing when he said it.

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Trivia time: What was the Vikings’ postseason record against the Los Angeles Rams in the 1970s?

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Mixed emotions: Of Sunday’s last-play, 18-17, loss to Arizona, McCombs said, “I’ve been dividing my time between my crying towel and my cussing rag.�

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Weak vs. the weak: The Vikings (9-7) started the season with six consecutive victories. Four of their losses were to the NFL’s 4-12 teams -- the New York Giants, San Diego, Oakland and Arizona.

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Golf’s fast starter: Ernie Els had a Viking-type year on the PGA Tour. He won four times in his first six tournaments, and finished second by one shot in the two others. Then he didn’t win another PGA tournament.

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Name game: Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times points out that the boys’ teams at Waverly High in Nebraska are known as the Vikings, but not the girls’ teams. They’re known as the Viqueens.

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Pucker up: Regarding Joe Namath’s telling Suzy Kolber, “I want to kiss you,� Mike Downey of the Chicago Tribune asks, “How come nobody ever says anything like that to Jim Gray?�

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One positive: Downey was glad ESPN didn’t do one of those espn.com polls: “Should Suzy kiss Joe? Cast your vote.�

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Downey also suggested some possible comebacks for Kolber: “I’d rather kiss a Goodyear blimp,� or, “What the heck TV show is this, NFL football or ‘Blind Date’?�

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And then this: From Scott Ostler of the San Francisco Chronicle: “Watching Namath, I’m thinking, ‘Isn’t this a situation where a cold Gatorade shower would really be useful?’ �

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Clean line: Reader Chuck Thomas e-mailed to say a line about racetracks in Tuesday’s Morning Briefing was originated by Joe E. Brown, who had a song in his nightclub act titled, “Racetracks Are Where Windows Clean People.� And Thomas notes Brown also used to say, “I follow the horses -- and the horses I follow, follow the horses.�

Looking back: On this day in 1974, Catfish Hunter, baseball’s first free agent, signed with the New York Yankees.

Trivia answer: The Vikings had three playoff victories over the Rams in four years (1974-77) before losing to them in the 1978 playoffs, 34-10.

And finally: Syndicated columnist Norman Chad, on the difference between coaches Dick Vermeil and Bill Parcells: “Vermeil loves you to death, Parcells scares you to death.�

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Larry Stewart can be reached at [email protected].