The "Unofficial" Chris Walsh Fan Club

Said Walsh, who is also probable this week: ``There is sort of an unspoken code among players, because you don't want to let your teammates down or your coaches down. You try to play every game like it's your last game, and get out there every opportunity you can. I've pulled my share of all-nighters.''

Walsh and Harlod Marrow appeared together.

Rosen commented "This is a special teams special - so hold onto your helmet!"

Walsh talked about the bond the special teams have - they even hold player only meetings each week. Walsh said it was something "we take great pride in."

Rosen showed the special teams stats for this year, showing Marrow in a commanding lead for tackles. Then they showed a graphic of all time tackles with Walsh in the lead to which Walsh responded "Yeah, now we're talking!"

Rosen talked about the level of play of his two guests, Walsh said, "I know if Harlod could vote for the pro bowl, he'd vote for me and if I could vote for the pro bowl, I'd vote for me too." He laughed and said he couldn't resist, "I had to get that in there".

Rosen then talked about Walsh punting a Cowboy's helmet during the last game. Walsh acknowledged he was very lucky not to get a penalty.

Walsh also talked about the bond he has with endzone fans, something I've seen every home game.

For his last laugh, Rosen talked about one of his all-time favorite momments. He showed Walsh catching a game winning touchdown pass against the Bears, and afterwards nobody showed up to celebrate with him. Appearently, this just cracks Rosen up each time he sees it.

Joe gave Walsh a little ribbing for his crowd antics.

Walsh talked about Moss' catch in the Denver game, also commenting that Carter's magnificent catch by saying,"That was alright" with a big grin.

He talked about the different throwing styles between Jeff George, Randle Cunningham and Daunte Culpepper.

One audience member got to ask Walsh why Walsh isn't in the game more often. Schmidt responded, "Thanks Mr. Walsh."

In the "Demo Area" Walsh taught the basics of catching the football.

Walsh didn't seem to into some odd dance a Ventura impersonator was trying to get him to do.

After a search engine turned up over 33,000 mentions of the Vikings on the Internet, we decided we couldn't list them all. Here's a sampling of 10 Vikings-related web sites that are unique by their passion, humor and/or presentation, and many of those sites provide multiple links if you wish to undertake your own surfing excursion.

Chris Walsh

http://www.walsh81.com

How does one become a Walsh fan? For the Webmaster, his mom bought him an Anthony Carter jersey (No. 81). When Carter left and Walsh inherited the number, he went with the flow.

For at least two Vikings players, the frustration of Sunday's home-opening loss to Oakland apparently spilled over into Sunday night.

According to a team source, veteran receiver Chris Walsh and second-year fullback Obafemi Ayanbadejo got into a fight with each other Sunday night at Refuge, a downtown Minneapolis restaurant and bar. Walsh suffered a cut to his lower forehead, above his nose, and was seen wearing a bandage over the gash Monday at the team's Winter Park complex. He declined comment. It is believed Vikings defensive tackle John Randle broke up the fight.

There were no charges filed, and the Vikings are not known to have taken any disciplinary action.

Up to the 'Tasker'

Minnesota's deep receiving corps grabs as many headlines as passes.

But another key member of that group has caught 25 passes over his seven-year NFL career. He is special-teams standout Chris Walsh, who played for Vikings Coach Dennis Green at Stanford in 1989-91.

Walsh, a Concord native who began his career with the Buffalo Bills, is in his fifth season with the Vikings. He maintains a roster spot because of his kick-coverage skills -- he leads all active Vikings in special-teams career tackles (83).

"He's our ace, No. 1 special-teams player," Green said. "He's a very steady and reliable receiver. Whenever called upon, he can go and make key, clutch catches." Green said Walsh picked up his special-teams skills from former Bills star Steve Tasker, whose coverage talents earned him seven Pro Bowl appearances. Tasker played for Green at Northwestern, where Green was coach in 1981-85.

Excerpt from "Vikings-Falcons rematch bigger than the average NFL game" in the Pioneer Press
Published: Sunday, September 12, 1999
by Bob Sansevere

No Vikings put it in those exact words, but they're not expecting a big falloff, either. They're also resisting any temptation to make too big a deal out of who their first opponent is.

"They're all big games. There are only 16 of them," wide receiver Chris Walsh said. "It's not like baseball, where there are 162 games. Basketball has 80-some games. We have to go out like every game is our last. We'll try to win 'em all."

Someone asked Green if reserve receiver Chris Walsh, one of the Vikings' few standouts Friday, could coach someday.

"I hope so," Green said. "He had good college coaching."

Green paused, waiting for laughter. None came.

"That was a joke, guys," Green said, looking at the assembled media. "He played for me."

Green coached Walsh at Stanford.

[..]

The Vikings' Ugly Man Contest began Monday, with players required to pay $1 to vote on a long list of contestants.

The most creative choice of contestants? Walsh, who shaved his head for training camp, is on the poster advertising the contest -- with his hair whited out.

Excerpt from Sid Hartman's column in the Star Tribune
Published: Sunday, August 15, 1999

Praises Walsh

One player Green was pleased with Friday was veteran receiver Chris Walsh, who caught five passes for 68 yards and a touchdown.

"Chris is really a steady player," Green said. "He has been a good player for us when Jake Reed and other players have been injured in the past. He did a good job for us again [Friday]."

The second quarter touchdown pass to Walsh was thrown by new backup quarterback Jeff George, who signed a one-year deal during the offseason. George looked sharp in his Vikings debut, completing eight of eight passes for 99 yards and two touchdowns.

Excerpt from "Giants trounce Vikings" in the Star Tribune
Published: Saturday, August 14, 1999
by Jim Souhan

"We didn't have maybe the intensity and enthusiasm we usually have," receiver Chris Walsh said. "I don't know -- I wouldn't say we were careless, but we weren't as focused as we normally are."

The Metrodome didn't erupt, intriguingly enough, until George threw his first pass.

It was a beauty. After Hoard and Moe Williams required only four handoffs to move the ball 60 yards, George feathered a perfect pass to Walsh for a 20-yard touchdown.

[..]

"He's picked up the offense rapidly, which is great," Walsh said. "It's great to have a guy back there in case something happens to Randall."

Excerpt from "George looks sharp in debut with Vikings" in the Star Tribune
Published: August 14, 1999
by Kent Youngblood

His first pass was nearly perfect. Not thrown too hard, so it could be caught on the fingertips. Coming in on a perfect angle, where only Chris Walsh could catch it.

[..]

Walsh, who was seeing extensive action, as is the norm in the preseason, put up big numbers. He finished with five catches for 68 yards and that one, diving touchdown catch.

Excerpt from "One step back" in the Pioneer Press
Published: Saturday, August 14, 1999

Scoring it was the Vikings' Mr. August himself, receiver Chris Walsh, who has made a nice little career out of preseason exploits and great special teams play. George connected with Walsh on a pretty 20-yard scoring pass, with Walsh beating cornerback Jeremy Lincoln to the inside to put the score at 17-7 with 11:54 to go in the half.

"Yep, Reggie Jackson's Mr. October and I'm Mr. August," quipped Walsh.

Excerpt from "Culpepper the student impresses in first lessons" in the Pioneer Press

Published: Wednesday, August 4, 1999
by Greg Johnson, Staff Writer

Culpepper's ability hasn't gone unnoticed by the veteran receiving corps. "It's amazing," said Chris Walsh, who backs up Cris Carter at slot receiver. "We're so talented at quarterback. Randall is Randall coming off the great year he had. Then you've got a guy like Jeff George who can make any throw there is. The young guys are also very talented and very athletic. We're loaded. There is about as much depth as we've had in a long time."

Excerpt from "Thomas at camp despite impending battery trial" in the Pioneer Press

Published: Tuesday, August 3, 1999
by Greg Johnson, Staff Writer

New look for Walsh: Veteran receiver Chris Walsh opened training camp with a new look. Walsh, in his seventh season with the team, is sporting a shaved head. He has taken some barbs from teammates since going with the bald look.

"I've heard everything about it," Walsh said. "Did you lose a bet? Are you trying to be Jesse Ventura? Or Jeff Christy? I just did it for myself. It's just a reminder of every time I look in the mirror - I can't get a date now, and there is no reason to go out and do anything - it's all about football this year. It's fun. Every one likes to tease and I have a blatantly obvious reason for them to tease me." Starting center Christy believes Walsh wants to look like him and has dubbed the receiver "Mini me" after the character in "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me." "I've heard that one," Walsh said. "I did it by choice. (Christy) doesn't have much choice. His (hair) is pretty much gone."

[..]

Walsh also is undergoing other changes this training camp. His roommate of the past five years, quarterback Brad Johnson, was traded in the offseason to the Washington Redskins.

"Brad and I talk a couple of times a week in the offseason," Walsh said. "We've been keeping in contact, and I want to see how his progress is going. I want to know what's going on with his surgeries. We joke around a lot. He was also my roommate on the road. I miss him. I miss my buddy. But this is part of the business. You move and you change. He's doing well and it's going to be great out in Washington for him.''

Excerpt from Mr. Cheer Or Die's column at Viking Update http://www.vikingupdate.com/cod/

"Training Camp '98 Report"
July 27, 1998
by Brian K. Maas (Mr. Cheer Or Die)

"Chris Walsh is going to have a complex by the end of the season because the coaches count his 40-yard dash by a calendar compared to all the new-found speed in camp, but he will be running the slot behind Carter."

From 'Old' Reliable in the Pioneer Press

Published: Saturday, December 12, 1998
by Greg Johnson, Staff Writer

Whether at wide receiver or on special teams, the Vikings can count on Chris Walsh doing his job

Chris Walsh is a receiver who rarely sees the ball come his way because a future hall of famer, Cris Carter, is above him on the depth chart.

He also is a receiver whom no Vikings quarterback will hesitate to throw to in a pinch.

When Carter sat out most of Sunday's 48-22 victory over the Chicago Bears, Randall Cunningham said he knew he could rely on "the old vet."

It's a great compliment, considering Walsh turns 30 today.

In five seasons with the Vikings, he has caught only 24 passes, but his teammates believe in his skills.

"(Walsh) is a tremendous leader," said coach Dennis Green, who also coached Walsh at Stanford University. "The players will respect him because he works hard. He's always been that way."

"At Stanford he played behind Ed McCaffery (now with the Denver Broncos) for a couple of years and had to wait his turn to start. When he got his chance he did a great job. Every day he works hard and every day everybody knows they can count on him."

That was apparent late in the first quarter against the Bears when Cunningham hit Walsh for a 25-yard gain on a second-and-22 play. It was the longest reception of Walsh's career.

"I just look at it as another way to help the team," said Walsh, who has two receptions this season. "My role is to know all the positions and to be a backup. I have to be ready to move in if someone needs a spell or if someone goes down. We can't miss a beat, and I still have to be ready to be our special teams captain. Whatever my role is, I'm going to go out there and perfect it."

The Vikings can turn to Walsh because he knows where to go on every play.

"The more you can do, the better," said Walsh, who had 141 receptions for 1,451 yards at Stanford. "Flexibility and being in good heath is what helps you out to have a long career in this league. I'm able to play all three positions as well as the special teams."

He can't foresee any call that surprise him.

"Not unless we make some game-time changes," said Walsh, who has a degree in quantitative economics.

Walsh can play all three receiver positions, but he has a preference.

"I think I'm a better slot receiver than an outside receiver. A lot of things that Cris does well, I do well. I like it in there."

It's not shocking that Walsh would enjoy the position closest to the action. He plays a rough-and-tumble game on special teams, his main role with the Vikings.

While coaching Walsh at Stanford, Green could envision him becoming a special teams ace.

Walsh learned the trade by watching former Buffalo Bill Steve Tasker, who made the Pro Bowl seven times for his all-outplay on special teams.

"I'm like most everyone else in this league," said Walsh, who was drafted by the Bills in the ninth round in 1992. "I was an All-Pac-10, All-American receiver. I was fifth on Stanford's all-time receiving list. Like everybody else, you're kind of a superstar in college. When you come to the pros, everyone wants to be that, but not everyone is going to get that opportunity.

"I had never really played special teams before. I went to Buffalo, and I watched Steve Tasker. I followed his career an watched everything he did. I realized that maybe this is a role that I can play as well as receiver. The more you can do, the better it is for the team and the better is for you individually. I really just watched how he approached the game. I just followed suit."

Tasker also played for Green, at Northwestern.

"I coached special teams in the National Football League before, and I new that (Walsh) could fir that role, if he could get on a team," Green said. "He broke into the game with Steve Tasker, who was the original special teams player. We had him back at Northwestern in 1982 and '83. We didn't have a lot of things we could do. We did have a gem of a tackle in Chris Hinton, a hell of a punter in John Kidd and hell of a special teams player in Steve Tasker.

"When Steve went into the National Football League, he was already playing thing types of things. When Chris went to Buffalo on the practice squad, he could have gone to a better situation or picked a better guy to emulate."

Walsh tries to set the tone for the Vikings special teams.

"I've always looked at myself as a leader, " said Walsh, who has 78 career tackles covering puns and kickoffs. "I've never been someone who's been a follower. I think you lead more by example than anything else. I guys see me flying around, making plays and showing enthusiasm, hopefully that carries over to the other guys."

"I like kickoff coverage the most of the four major special teams. The thing I like the most about special teams ins the relentless kamikaze attitude. It's all about heart. I like that because there are schemes, but it's not so structured where you can't freelance a little bit. Whoever wants it more is going to get it."

All of it adds up to Walsh being the Viking most likely to knock someone silly and make a catch to keep the drive alive.

From Star Tribune

12/7/98

"We have a system here," wide receiver Chris Walsh said. "We've got more depth now than we've ever had. We never miss a beat; guys go right in and they fill the void. The train keeps moving."

So get out of the way.

On the Vikings' next possession, on second-and-22, Cunningham dropped back and hit Walsh for 25 yards to the Chicago 31. It was the longest reception in Walsh's six-year career.

"It's unfortunate guys get hurt," Walsh said. "In the same sense, guys have to step up and do just as well or better than the guy who got hurt."