Brez signed to extension, Heckert for Viking GM?

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/5210434

 

 

Tice could be just one of several coaches fired

Jay Glazer / FOXSports.com

Posted: 16 minutes ago

 

 

 

While new Vikings owner Zigi Wilf is still wavering on his decision regarding Mike Tice's future with the team, he is leaning toward firing the embattled Vikings coach when he meets with him Monday morning.

 

Unless Wilf loses his nerve in the 11th hour — and his decision is complicated by the fact that he likes Tice personally — Tice will be out as Vikings coach.

The ownership group has also decided to restructure the way they run their football operations and has already begun to interview for a new general manager type of head of personnel position. The team interviewed their current personnel man Scott Studwell for the job on Sunday and, FOX NFL Sunday has learned that the Vikings will ask the Eagles for permission to interview Philly's personnel director Tom Heckert Jr. for the role on either Sunday evening or Monday morning.

 

In addition, the team on Saturday also re-signed executive VP Rob Brezinski to a multi-year deal. Thus, it's pretty apparent that the team is trying to put together a new three-pronged team of Brezinski, a personnel executive, or GM in Heckert's case, and coach.

 

If Tice isn't back, Minnesota may be the most attractive opening in the league as they have an owner willing to spend whatever it takes to win a title, a solid guy running the business side of football in Brezinski, about $25 million in cap room and already-in-place personnel.

 

Wilf is strongly leaning toward firing Tice but hasn't told him or his assistants of his decision. If Wilf follows through on his decision to fire Tice, the hottest names to replace him are the Redskins' Gregg Williams, the Eagles' Brad Childress and the Giants' Tim Lewis. Pete Carroll of USC has also been linked but that seems like a very, very long reach.

 

Tice nearly saved his job after the team ripped off several winning weeks in a row. However, Tice, it seems, has blown his chance after two tough losses to the Steelers and Ravens and once again talked about fans scalping tickets.

 

NO TICE-ING TICKETS! Speaking about Tice, with the NFL playoff picture heating up, NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue wants to make sure that the coaches have learned from the coach's ticket-scalping scandal.

 

FOXSports.com has learned that last week the NFL brass sent a memo to all teams warning them that with Super Bowl tickets soon allocated, any coach or team employee caught scalping tickets would be subject to a fine up to a whopping $250,000. In addition to the personal fine, the league also warned that they would also fine the team of that employee up to a quarter of a million dollars as well.

 

The warning comes as somewhat of a surprise as Tice was fined $100,000 for his ticket scalping escapade but the NFL apparently wants to ensure that no such embarrassing fiascos takes place.

[MikesVikes]

Of all the Vikings' personnel, I would've hated to see Brezinski leave. He understands the cap game as good as anyone.

[CaP'N GRuNGe]

Of all the Vikings' personnel, I would've hated to see Brezinski leave.  He understands the cap game as good as anyone.

 

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Agreed.

[Outshined]

One thing I give Tice credit for is the fact he never had all options given to him like every other coach. For the last three years:

 

Tice has never had full use of the salary cap, which resulted in a shucksty defense, never been able to pay the top coordinators, never had a full coaching staff, never had a owner who supported him and an owner who traded his marquee player when he could have kept him plus signed key free agents. I really think he will do well in the right situation. Maybe going back to line coach to start, or a O-coord.

 

For having one hand tied behind his back, his record is above .500 the last three years.