Robert Blanton

If you were hoping this weekend's draft would help the Vikings fill all their needs and settle the depth chart at every position, here's the obligatory reminder that there's still a long road between now and the Sept. 8 season opener in Detroit. Despite...

For the second straight year, the Vikings drafted three pairs of college teammates. Linebackers Gerald Hodges (fourth round) and Michael Mauti (seventh round) played together at Penn State. Punter Jeff Locke (fifth round) and guard Jeff Baca (sixth...

Vikings General Manager Rick Spielman was feeling good enough about the defensive puzzle he's assembling to share a lighter moment from the morning after the first round of the NFL draft saw him select a penetrating defensive tackle, a shutdown...

Nobody has ever had Scott Smith shout “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” into a telephone — yet. But the 1989 Riley High School grad’s career path doesn’t differ greatly from the portrayal by actor Tom Cruise in the movie “Jerry...

|TV SPORTS| |SATURDAY| Soccer--Premier League, Manchester City at Newcastle, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2); Women’s National Teams, Exhibition, United States vs. China, 6 p.m. (NBCSN) Men’s College Basketball--East Carolina at North Carolina, 11 a....

MINNEAPOLIS — An hour after his team had slid into the playoffs — and eliminated the Bears — with a 37-34 triumph over the Packers on Sunday, Vikings coach Leslie Frazier offered his support of Lovie Smith. "Lovie's a great coach in our...

|TV SPORTS| NBA Basketball--Los Angeles Lakers at New York Knicks, 7 p.m. (TNT); San Antonio Spurs at Portland Trail Blazers, 9:30 p.m. (TNT) NFL Football--Cincinnati Bengals at Philadelphia Eagles, 7 p.m. (NFL Network) High School Basketball--Teams...

|TV SPORTS| Major League Baseball--World Series, Detroit Tigers at San Francisco Giants, 6:30 p.m. (FOX) College Football--Clemson at Wake Forest, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN); Delaware State at Morgan State, 6:30 p.m. (ESPNU) NFL Football--Tampa Bay Buccaneers at...

|TV SPORTS| |SUNDAY| Tennis--U.S. Open, Men’s Semifinal Match, 11 a.m. (ESPN2); Women’s Championship Match, 3:30 p.m. (CBS) NFL Football--Jacksonville Jaguars at Minnesota Vikings, Noon (CBS); Washington Redskins at New Orleans Saints, Noon...

Minnesota Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway of Mount Vernon and wife Jenni will host the sixth annual Greenway's Gridiron Gallop 5K fun run/walk at 7:30 a.m. (registration) Sunday at Lake Nokomis, Minn. Vikings expected to appear include players John...