Tice's job is safe for now

[Guest Moose Knuckle Ball Four]

Lately, when Vikings coach Mike Tice comes up in conversation or in e-mails, I usually get a question or an exclamatory statement.

 

The question: When will Mike Tice be fired?

 

The exclamatory statement: Mike Tice should be fired!

 

Tice's job status came up again Friday. I brought it up... to Tice.

 

"I'll be dead honest with you,'' Tice said. "I think Mr. Wilf is a man of his word. I knew before the season I would be the coach for the season. I'm not worried about it, quite honestly."

 

Nor should he be. It's unlikely Tice will be fired during the season, and not just because Zygi Wilf said so. Owners are notorious for giving coaches votes of confidence one day and introducing new coaches a day later.

 

Tice's job is safe because there are no practical options to replace him.

 

Ordinarily, when a coach is fired during a season, the owner promotes an interim coach from within the organization. That's not likely to happen here, mainly because none of Tice's top assistants has given a reason to believe he would do even a slightly better job.

 

Defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell's defense has been unimpressive. Offensive coordinator Steve Loney needs help calling plays. Offensive consultant Jerry Rhome's input mustered a mere three points in Sunday's game.

 

Nobody in the organization is viable, unless Wilf wants to turn the team over to a 78-year-old Hall of Fame coach with a fondness for duck hunting — Bud Grant. Red McCombs liked making media splashes, so he would have tried doing something like that. But I don't see Wilf doing that.

 

I see Wilf letting Tice finish the season, no matter how much worse things get.