Vikes' LB to fans: Get hammered

VIKINGS LINEBACKER Chad Greenway wants Minnesota fans to be loud, boisterous and "super-duper drunk" at Sunday's NFC North clash against the visiting Bears.

The Vikings (6-6), third place in the division behind the Bears and Packers (both 8-4), need to win to keep their playoff hopes alive.

"We have to play accordingly and our fans have to show up accordingly, which we know they will," Greenway told Minneapolis Star Tribune recently. "Hopefully, they're super-duper drunk. So drink liquor, not beer."

The game begins at noon Central Time, which is a bit early for most to start slugging Patrón. But not too early, according to Greenway, for die-hard Viking fans, who - he said - should consider drinking their breakfast.

"Yeah, I would say morning drinking," Greenway said. "Why not? You could pull an all-nighter. Then you'd have the drunk, tired guys who will really be obnoxious."

On Thursday, Greenway tried to temper his comments, telling ESPN 1000 in Chicago that he "went a little far."

You think?

Here's a story for the ages, or is that aged?

Brian Rice, a 43-year-old retired Navy veteran, is playing basketball as a freshman walk-on at Division II Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pa.

"I have to ice my knees now and again and sometimes I'll go over to the 'Y' and get in the Jacuzzi, but I've been able to handle the physical part of this," Rice told the Beaver County Times. "I'm 43 but I don't feel 43. I feel a lot younger than that."

Rice is averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds. But hey, he's got 3 more years to improve.