Thread: Birk speaks up

By Sid Hartman, Star Tribune
Last update: March 28, 2007 – 10:23 PM
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Sid Hartman
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Matt Birk -- ready for a big season after perhaps being a little rusty in 2006 -- doesn't agree with the pessimism a lot of people seem to have over the 2007 edition of the Vikings.
"You know, every year the so-called experts try to predict who's going to be good and who isn't and they rarely are right. You'd have better luck probably just throwing darts," Birk said.

The former Cretin-Derham Hall athlete looks at last year and said he believes it was one of transition for the Vikings, with a new coaching staff and a group of new players.

"There's definitely an adjustment process; you get a bunch of new people working together for the first time, you know, you've got to iron out the kinks," he said.

Birk is convinced the Vikings will be an improved team in 2007 and win more games. "I'm an eternal optimist," he said.

"I mean the difference between success and failure, winning and losing, it's a very slim margin in the NFL."

The Vikings were 6-10 last year. But they lost six games by a total of 26 points: 19-16 to the Bears, 17-12 to the Bills, 9-3 to the 49ers, 23-17 and 9-7 to the Packers and 24-20 to the Dolphins.

Coach Brad Childress looks back on his first season and says with a break or two here and there, they could have reversed the record and been 10-6.

As for Birk, he still made his fifth Pro Bowl following the 2006 season even after he sat out 2005 because of hip surgery. Asked about his performance this year, Birk said: "I'll definitely be more comfortable. I mean that's my goal every offseason, to work harder and work better and to improve."

link-vikingupdate.com

"You know, every year the so-called experts try to predict who's going to be good and who isn't and they rarely are right. You'd have better luck probably just throwing darts," Birk said.

Can't argue with that....I like Birk and we should get an extension done to keep him around.

I agree! He's a team leader and a big part of that O-line. I hope they work something out with him.

Birk is no doubt a team player and team leader....

This article was already posted this morning.

I am back you know.


http://www.purplepride.org/index.php?option=com_smf&Itemid=88888912&topic=327 95.msg557445#msg557445

I have no problem waiting to see this years performance before extending his contract.
He had a year off with pay, then he underperformed the first half of last year.
If he doesn't perform well this year he will likely get cut next year!
I like Birk and hope he kicks ass this year.
I don't think the Vikings will make contract decisions based on sentiment. (eg. I want to finish my career a Viking)
Birk can get one final big paying contract in his career.But this is the year he has to perform to accomplish that.(and yes ,I know his contract isn't up after this year)
I know this isn't going to be a popular post!
It's just the way I see it.

sorry singer, you hid it in another thread though.

"Schleppy" wrote:

sorry singer, you hid it in another thread though.

That's ok.
Hard to find it.

"Schleppy" wrote:

sorry singer, you hid it in another thread though.

Don't worry about it. It's one of those articles that could have went in a few different threads that already existed. I just felt I should put it in one of those rather than start a new one.

But I always post the article title verbatim, so if you do an "advanced search", you can use some keywords from the article ttle

Theres and advanced search!!!!
Well ain't that something.
I have been struggling with the standard search for quite some while now.