Yardbarker: Anthony Herrera

Minnesota Vikings Player Power Rankings, Mid-Season Edition

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 14:44:23 -0500

I really meant to do one of these back during the pre-season so that we'd have something to compare it to at this point, but I forgot to. I apologize for that. But, as usual, we'll have our mid-season version. . .conveniently designed to go along with the Vikings' bye week. . .and our post-season version to compare. I've done these for the past couple of seasons, after originally getting the idea from our friends over at Dawgs by Nature. (See the 2007 mi...

Artis Hicks Fined; Percy Back at Practice

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 14:04:16 -0500

Artis Hicks has been slapped with a $5000 fine for unnecessary roughness against Rams defensive tackle Gary Gibson. The transgression happened on that big 47-yard pass to Sidney Rice, and was not flagged (obviously, or the Rice play would’ve been brought back). Gibson was engaged with Anthony Herrera when Hicks shoved him, causing him to fall [...]

Hicks fined

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:35:15 -0500

Vikings offensive lineman Artis Hicks was fined $5,000 by the NFL for unnecessary roughness, when he shoved St. Louis Rams defensive tackle Gary Gibson on a play in the third quarter. Gibson, who started all five games for the Rams, was lost for the season with a broken ankle. "I don't go out there thinking I'm going to hurt anyone," said Hicks, who started in place of injured right tackle Phil Loadholt. "But, people get hurt. It's a part of this game. "It&#...

Farwell listed as questionable

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:28:12 -0500

Vikings special teams ace Heath Farwell (hamstring) is listed as questionable on the injury report released this afternoon. Farwell was limited in practice all week. Starting right guard Anthony Herrera (back) is listed as probable, along with tight end Jim Kleinsasser (left hand). Herrera and Kleinsasser practiced fully today. Linebacker Erin Henderson (calf) is out. If Farwell is sidelined at Detroit, that would mean the Vikings would be missing two important players on their special teams...

Today's injury report

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:52:13 -0500

Vikings linebacker Heath Farwell and guard Anthony Herrera were again limited in practice

Herrera & Hicks at 100%

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:54:39 -0500

Brad Childress created quite a buzz when he did a radio interview yesterday in which he finally acknowledged the Vikings pursuit of Brett Favre. However, there were some non-Favre related tid bits to come out of that interview as well. One important comment made by the head coach was that offensive linemen Anthony Herrera and Artis [...]

Approaching The Draft: Guards and Centers

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 21:33:42 -0500

I decided to put these two positions into one category because, well, that

Jason Brown Will Hit the Market

Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:00:14 -0500

The man believed to be A-numero-uno on the Vikings? free agency wish list, Ravens center/guard Jason Brown, has been informed by his old team that they will not seek to re-sign him, meaning he will hit the market starting tonight at 11 PM central.? Several teams are believed to covet Brown, ...

Vikings OG Anthony Herrera Undergoes Shoulder Injury

Fri, 09 Jan 2009 04:45:43 -0500

Vikings Right guard Anthony Herrera had surgery on his shoulder on Wednesday. Tackle Artis Hicks will have surgery to repair his triceps on Friday....

Sound Bites: Anthony Herrera Doesn’t Miss Tennessee

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:51:08 -0500

Well, it

Herrera May Miss Lions Game; Sullivan May Get First Career Start

Fri, 05 Dec 2008 12:15:44 -0500

Lost in all the Williams confusion has been Anthony Herrera's absence from practice this week while he dealt with the death of his older brother.A Showing a tad more compassion than he did to Troy Williamson during Grandmagate last year, Brad Childress said he wants to see where Herrera's head ...

No Tarvaris

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 20:22:45 -0500

Tarvaris Jackson is officially out for preaseason game #3 (he isn't even dressed).

Are the NFL Disability Plan's "Neutral Physicians" Truly Neutral?

Sun, 16 Dec 2007 05:28:24 -0500

The NFL and NFLPA announced changes to the disability plan that they claim will streamline the process for players seeking disability benefits. In a December 12, 2007, article in The New York Times, Gene Upshaw outlined six changes to the disability plan as a result of a review conducted by an outside company. The union and league claim the intent of the changes is to speed up both the application and appeal process of the NFL's disability plan. None of the six changes address the fact that only two percent of former players currently receive any type of NFL disability benefit even though the NFL is widely considered the most brutal major American professional sports league. Once a player has submitted an application for disability benefits, he is sent for an "Initial Medical Examination". The player is then examined by a "neutral physician" who provides a written report on the players condition. According to page 10 of the NFLPA "White Paper", "These physicians are called neutral physicians because they are appointed jointly by the Retirement Board members appointed by the Players Association and the NFL." The "neutral physician's" report is then reviewed by a two person Disability Initial Claims Committee who then make a decision on the applicant's claim. If an applicant is dissatisified with the decision of the Disability Initial Claims Committee, he can then appeal the decision to the six member Retirement Board. Upon appeal, the applicant is sent to at least one more doctor for examination before the appeal is presented for a vote by the Retirement Board. If there is a deadlock vote of three Retirement Board members voting to award a disability benefit and three voting against awarding the benefit, the decision is "almost always" decided by the review of a Medical Advisory Physician. According to pages 11 and 12 of the NFLPA "White Paper", "If the dispute is over a medical issue, such as whether a player medically is substantially unable to work, either side (the player-appointed trustees or the management-appointed trustees) can send the player to one of the Plan's top, pre-approved, neutral three doctors. These doctors are called "Medical Advisory Physicians("MAPs"), and their medical decisions are binding on the Retirement Board. This final review will almost always resolve any deadlock between voting trustees." Are these physicians truly neutral toward the applicant merely because the members of the Retirement Board have appointed a doctor to be a "neutral physician"? Dr. Bernard Bach is one of three "Medical Advisory Physicians" for the NFL disability plan. According to page 12 of Dr. Bach's curriculum vitae, he once worked as a team physician for the New York Giants. Team physicians are employees of team owners. Why would the three union trustees appointed by Gene Upshaw allow a doctor, who was once employed by an NFL team owner, to make a "binding" decision on a player's application for disability benefits? Can this doctor truly be considered "neutral" toward a player applicant if he was once employed by a team owner? Wouldn't it be prudent to appoint a doctor without this potential conflict of interest to serve as a "Medical Advisory Physician"? Page 39 of Dr. Bach's r