Neues/Ankündigungen/Anregungen » level they were at five years ago,

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Vikings fired coach Leslie Frazier on Monday morning, one year after they made the playoffs and one day after they finished a 5-10-1 season. After going 10-6 in 2012, the Vikings regressed this year, done in by a leaky defence and an ongoing inability to find stability at quarterback. Frazier finished 21-33-1 in three-plus seasons. The 54-year-old Frazier had one season remaining on his contract. "We have tremendous respect and appreciation for Leslie and what he has done for the Minnesota Vikings," owner Zygi Wilf said in a statement distributed by the team. "He stepped in and established a strong positive culture here, and he has been the consummate professional as our head coach and in this community. Making this change is difficult but what we determined is best for the organization." The Vikings planned an afternoon news conference at Winter Park. Quarterback Christian Ponder sputtered and produced three straight turnover-plagued performances to start the season. The Vikings lost all three, on last-minute touchdowns to Chicago and Cleveland. They lost two other games and tied one in similar fashion, squandering leads inside the 52-second mark in all five of those. Though veteran cornerback Antoine Winfield was cut before the season to save space under the salary cap, the defence that has been Fraziers expertise faltered badly. Drafting Ponder 12th overall in 2011 was the primary responsibility of general manager Rick Spielman, but the shaky quarterback situation was far from the only problem for this team. Hired by Brad Childress to be the defensive co-ordinator in 2007, Frazier interviewed for seven head coach openings over a three-year span: Atlanta and Miami in 2008, Denver, Detroit and St. Louis in 2009, and Buffalo and Seattle in 2010. Finally, his opportunity came with the Vikings when Childress was fired in the middle of a messy 2010 season. Credited with keeping the team on an even keel while attention swirled around Brett Favre and the Metrodome roof collapsed the night before a scheduled game, Frazier went 3-3 as the interim, including an improbable win at playoff-bound Philadelphia after the NFL postponed that contest by two days because of a forecast snowstorm. Frazier got the job for good in 2011, but after a lockout-shortened off-season, the Vikings went 3-13 behind an ineffective Donovan McNabb and then rookie Ponder at quarterback. In 2012, they staged a remarkable turnaround, riding Adrian Peterson to a spot in the playoffs. Childress had his contract extended in 2009 while the Vikings were on their way to the NFC championship game, but the team came unglued the following fall. Wary of a similarly expensive over-commitment, Wilf and the front office merely picked up a fourth-year option on Fraziers deal last January, putting him in a prove-it situation for 2013. Right away, his future here turned grim. And as widely liked as Frazier has been throughout the organization, the ultra-competitive landscape of the NFL rarely allows coaches with two double-digit-defeat records in three years to keep their jobs. His playing career as a cornerback for Chicago cut short by a knee injury in the Super Bowl, Frazier soon ventured into coaching, building the program at Trinity College from scratch in 1988. Fifteen years later, he became the defensive co-ordinator for Cincinnati. With two years as an assistant in Indianapolis, Frazier came from the Tony Dungy mould of coaches, a soft-spoken man of deep Christian faith who has excelled at creating a culture of harmony and respect around the locker room. After the Vikings beat Detroit on Sunday to wrap up the season, Frazier stumped to stay. He said he was proud of the job he has done here. "I just have a lot of belief in my abilities as a coach and have a lot of belief in the guys on our team, a lot of belief in our staff, and for that reason you dont have to walk in fear," Frazier said at the Metrodome. "You just know that things are going to work out." Evan Longoria Rays Jersey . MacLean clocked 8:24.91 seconds, eclipsing the previous mark of 8:27.59 set by Brittany Reimer of Victoria at the 2005 FINA World Championships in Montreal. MacLean and Tabitha Baumann of Ottawa -- second in 8:32.37 -- both went under the qualifying standard to be nominated to the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific teams. Rays Jerseys 2019 . The Tinkoff-Saxo rider was still dealing with the right shin he broke in a crash which ended his Tour de France on Stage 10. He hoped to defy his doctors and race in the home Grand Tour he won in 2008 and 2012, but he says there have been complications in his recovery. https://www.cheapraysonline.com/1836i-mike-zunino-jersey-rays.html . But last years runner-up Jarkko Nieminen crashed out despite winning the first set against Denis Istomin. Istomin fired 10 aces and won 6-7 (5), 6-3, 6-2 to even his career record against Nieminen at 3-3. Jesus Aguilar Rays Jersey . The 90-plus minutes of play are about trends and approach. Michael Perez Rays Jersey . Iwakuma pitched seven strong innings to stay unbeaten in road games since last July, leading the Seattle Mariners to a 5-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night.Former Rangers manager Walter Smith believes the Ibrox board must find the money in order to compete with Old Firm rivals Celtic next season. The Gers earned their place back in the top flight after a four-year journey ended last week and now the club are preparing for the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against the Hoops.And Smith remains adamant that Sundays clash will offer little indication of what will happen next season and he urged the Rangers board help strengthen the current squad. Rangers will have to support Mark Warburton in the manner I was supported as manager, to give him the opportunity to challenge, said the 68-year-old, who won 21 trophies in two spells as Rangers boss.The board want the club to be up there and they have to find a way of doing so. Smith has urged the Gers board to strengthen in the summer The economics of Scottish football are fairly straightforward for Rangers and Celtic. If you invest in your team and get to the Champions League, you make money. If you dont, you lose money.Thats the biggest gamble. Rangers are in a totally different circumstance from Celtic, but they have to find a way.It can be done. We werent in a great circumstance when I came back a second time. We werent in a great circumstance when Graeme Souness took over 30 years ago.The club showed a reaction at that time and Im fairly sure they will show a reaction now. Smith won 21 trophies in two spells as Rangers boss Smith also feels Celtic have lacked the motivation playing in the top flight without the Ibrox club to push them and have suffered as a result.ddddddddddddberdeen put up a great fight over the last couple of years but its very difficult for provincial teams to match Celtic, or Rangers when they were at the level they were at five years ago, said Smith.Celtic have had a problem with their own motivation going into games. They have not had Rangers on their coat-tails. I dont think their spending has been what it was, and quite rightly: why spend the money when they dont need to?It doesnt matter what anyone says. When I was Rangers manager, you were motivated by Celtic. Your first look after each game was to look to see what their result was.Thats a massive motivation to take away and I think Celtic have suffered a bit from that in their performances.Watch the Glasgow derby on Sky Sports 2 HD from 11am this Sunday.By purchasing a Sky Sports Day Pass for £6.99 or Sky Sports Week Pass for £10.99, you can enjoy access to all seven Sky Sports channels and watch on a TV with a NOW TV Box or on a range of devices. Also See: Lustig: Pressure is on Celtic Walker: Celtic big favourites Larsson: Glasgow derby unique Deila: This game is special ' ' '