A national TV network’s idea that could be advantageous to an upcoming Vikings opponent was protested by the Vikings on Saturday.

Fox Sports has had the audacity — or ignorance — to allow a current NFL player to be a game analyst during a bye week for an opponent his team is still to play this season.

Tight end Greg Olsen, whose Carolina Panthers have next Sunday as their bye week, is to be a Fox analyst for the Vikings-Rams telecast on Sunday in Minneapolis. Olsen, the Panthers star tight end who had more than 1,000 yards in catches each of the previous three seasons, has been out with a foot injury but should be activated in time for the Vikings game Dec. 10 in Charlotte.

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman was on the phone to Fox Sports during halftime of Saturday’s Gophers-Nebraska game at TCF Bank Stadium. He wasn’t thrilled about Fox’s decision to allow Olsen an inside look at the Vikings before his team plays them.

Spielman’s son J.D. Spielman, who had 141 yards in receptions and 150 yards in kickoff returns for Nebraska in Saturday’s 54-21 Minnesota victory, is a redshirt freshman. J.D., the former Eden Prairie star who was Minnesota’s speediest player as a prep, chose the Cornhuskers over Minnesota because the system coach Mike Riley uses better fit his game.

It still looks like Central Florida’s Scott Frost could end up replacing Riley at the latest soon after Nebraska’s season.

It’s not inconceivable that the Vikings’ 2018 starting quarterback might not be on the current team that’s gotten off to a 6-2 start.

Case Keenum, a perennial backup who has filled in admirably as starter, can become a free agent after the season. So can Sam Bradford, the season’s starter now disabled, and Teddy Bridgewater, precariously returning after being disabled.

The big question, though, if none of the trio returns, is from where next season’s starter will come: A veteran now playing elsewhere, or the draft?

If Bridgewater, roster-activated for Sunday’s game in Washington, shows he’s capable of starting again, he could end up with a two-year contract, maybe totaling $40 million with about $20 million guaranteed.

But if during the next eight weeks Bridgewater shows that he can’t return to his former status before his horrific knee injury 14 months ago, he simply could be jettisoned as a free agent.

If the latter occurs, the Vikings could try to sign Keenum to a one-year deal for a lot more than he’s making this season ($2 million), then draft a quarterback in the first or second round next spring.

If Keenum starts the rest of the season, and the Vikings win 10 games and their division, he conceivably could get a one-year deal worth about $8 million from Minnesota.

Keenum was asked last week if he had to give himself a letter grade — A, B, C or D — on his performance the first half of the season, what would it be. He declined.

“I really don’t have to; that’s not my job, so I’m not going to give myself a grade,” he said. “My grade is on winning and losing, and (winning) is solely my purpose and ultimate goal.”

Objectively, Keenum probably deserves a B grade for the first half.

“Can I always do things better? Yes,” he said. “I’m trying to pursue excellence, but I’m always going to think I can do better, no matter what.”

Under the conditions, Keenum has played as well as could be expected. In his first appearance, though, he didn’t play well in a 26-9 loss in Pittsburgh.

In his first start against Tampa Bay, which at the time was considered a good team, Keenum played his best game of the season in a 34-17 victory.

Then against Detroit at home, the Vikings scored just seven points in a 14-7 loss, leaving the team with a 2-2 record.

Since then, with Keenum starting, the Vikings have won four straight against Chicago (20-17), Green Bay (23-10), Baltimore (24-16) and Cleveland (3-16). No one can complain about winning.

This week the Vikings play at Washington, then against the Rams, then at Detroit in a short-week Thursday night game. Then the Vikings play two more road games in a row at Atlanta and Carolina.

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Bradford, 30, isn’t expected to receive any worthwhile offers, including from the Vikings, as a free agent. Coupled with his recurring knee problem, and that he’s made nearly $115 million during his seven seasons in the NFL, it’ll be surprising if he doesn’t retire and head for the golf course, where he’s a scratch player.

In four games since his NFL suspension ended, Vikings wideout Michael Floyd has been targeted just five times and made three catches.

Most requested player for public appearances from the Vikings is wideout Adam Thielen. Next are wideout Stefon Diggs and tight end Kyle Rudolph.

Caledonia’s 6-foot-2, 190-pound Owen King, who probably is the state’s best quarterback and on Friday passed for three TDs while scoring another in a 38-0 Class 2A playoff victory over reigning Class A state champion Minneapolis North, last week committed to South Dakota State to play basketball.

Fastest high school hockey team in Minnesota this season undoubtedly is Edina.

It looks like St. Paul’s Jack Morris — the American League’s best pitcher in the 1980s — is the best bet to be elected among 10 candidates on the Modern Baseball Era (1970-1987) Hall of Fame ballot that will be determined Dec. 10.

On the ballot, Steve Garvey (as my baseball expert friend Eddie Epstein said, “Is the Hall of Fame for Ferraris or durable Chevys?”); Tommy John (longevity, but not dominant); Don Mattingly (loved in New York, but a tad overrated); Dale Murphy (two-time MVP, but sharp career decline); Dave Parker (power, hit for average, great throwing arm, has 50-50 chance); Ted Simmons (longevity, but subpar as a catcher); Luis Tiant (no chance, but had an interesting career); Alan Trammell (has an interesting case — not flashy, but a terrific player); Marvin Miller (very few people have had as much impact on baseball as the late labor leader, but a lot of the game’s owners probably wish he had never been born).

The 16-member voting committee has yet to be announced.

The Providence men’s basketball team that hosts the Gophers on Monday won 20 games last season and this season is projected to finish in the middle of the 10-school Big East Conference.

Providence is Minnesota coach Richard Pitino’s alma mater. Pitino, who grew up in Boston, said he had four great years at Providence and that it “was always my dream school growing up. My dad (Rick) had coached there in ’87 and went to a Final Four. It’s got a special place in my heart; it means a lot to me. I have a brother who was buried there.”

Brother Daniel Pitino died in 1987 at six months of congenital heart failure.

Saturday’s attendance of 39,933 for the Gophers-Nebraska game leaves Minnesota with a per-game average attendance of 43,863. That’s an average of 49 more spectators than the Gophers had in 2016.

It’s been a nice few weeks for Deephaven’s Tim Herron, the four-time PGA Tour winner who was elected to the Minnesota Golf Hall of Fame as well as the University of New Mexico Athletic Hall of Fame. Herron, who turns 48 in February, continues to eye the Champions Tour (age 50) with plans to play in some PGA Tour and Web.com events next year.

Mahtomedi’s Olivia Paradise, the “A” student who committed to play tennis at Valparaiso last week, is the granddaughter of late hockey icon Herb Brooks.

Speaking of Brooks, who was greatly instrumental in St. Cloud State becoming a Division I hockey program, the Huskies men’s team last week was voted No. 1 in the nation. The Gophers, who Brooks previously coached to three NCAA championships, are No. 2-ranked.

“Herbie would be very proud,” Brooks’ widow, Patti, said of St. Cloud State’s ranking.

St. Cloud State’s arena is named after Brooks.

Butch Wynegar, 61, the two-time former Twins all-star catcher, next year begins his 40th season in professional baseball, 15 as a player and 25 as a coach.

Last season, Wynegar was the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A hitting coach at Indianapolis. He plans to remain in the Pirates system.

“As long as somebody wants me and as long as I still enjoy it,” he said last week.

Wynegar resides in Orlando, Fla.

Hunter Greene, 18, the California prep the Twins passed on with their No. 1 pick in June’s amateur draft to take California prep shortstop Royce Lewis, 18, is projected as a starting pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds in 2021 by Baseball America.

A college basketball Coaches vs. Cancer fundraiser last week at Interlachen Country Club brought $5,000 paid for a seat by a fan on the bench for the highly anticipated Gophers-Michigan State game at Williams Arena on Feb. 13.

And a spinal and paralysis research fundraiser featuring Jack Jablonski at the Xcel Energy Center for a round of golf next summer with Jeremy Roenick and Dennis Hull fetched $4,000.

The Minnesota Blue Ox junior hockey team owned by Wild coach Bruce Boudreau is off to a 13-1 start and in first place in the Premier Midwest Division.

What hurt Joe Mauer’s bid for a Gold Glove at first base was that he played in just 119 games at that position for the Twins this year. Kansas City’s Eric Hosmer, who won the award, played 147 games at first base.

Don’t print that

Pssst: Had the Twins not retained Paul Molitor, 61, who this week should be named the American League manager of the year, it’s a good bet they would have pursued Cleveland Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway, 42, who got the Mets managing job.

The Twins, Yankees and Rangers have the most allowed international money — more than $3 million — by baseball rules to bid on free agent Japanese two-way fireballer Shohei Otani, 23, and the Twins are interested.

But Twins fans shouldn’t get too excited. Otani, also a fine-hitting outfielder, is expected to cost whichever team signs the right-hander with the 100-mph fastball from the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters a contract that could approach $300 million.

Major League Baseball has been negotiating a protocol agreement with Japan to determine signing rules.

If the Twins don’t trade Brian Dozier this winter, the 30-year-old Gold Glove second baseman who has hit 76 home runs the past two seasons and can become a free agent after next season can expect a contract extension approaching $15 million per year. Dozier, the Twins’ MVP this year, is signed for $9 million next year.

It looks like the Twins will try to bring back free-agent closer Brandon Kintzler, 33, who they dispatched to Washington at this year’s trade deadline. But the right-hander who finished with 29 saves and was paid $2.9 million probably would cost a two-year deal in the $16 million range.

Dalvin Cook, who underwent ACL surgery last month, was walking without crutches last week, albeit with a pronounced limp. Unknown as to how Cook’s left knee will recover, look for the Vikings to draft a running back next spring as insurance.

A little birdie says new Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens manager Doug Mientkiewicz wasn’t the easiest to work with before his firing by the Twins in September after managing Class A Fort Myers.

With a week to go, a national sports memorabilia auction has Steve Christoff’s Feb. 24, 1980, USA Olympic game-worn hockey jersey from the victory over Finland in Lake Placid that won the gold medal for the “Miracle On Ice” team on market for a minimum bid of $25,000, which has been made.

Christoff’s gold medal also is available for a minimum bid of $250,000, which as of Saturday hadn’t been made.

Reigning Big Ten men’s basketball coach of the year Richard Pitino of the Gophers projects that Cretin-Derham Hall senior center Daniel Oturo, who has signed with Minnesota, will play right away as a freshman. Oturo, 6-10, has put on 10 pounds since last season and is up to 225. He is expected to play at 235 at Minnesota.

Gophers QB Demry Croft’s best attribute, along with his speed that accounted for a school QB record of 183 rushing yards on Saturday, might be his deceptive sleight of hand ability on fake handoffs.

Jac Sperling, the man behind the deal that landed St. Paul the NHL expansion Wild 17 years ago, has moved from Minneapolis to Denver and divested his interest in the Wild.

A lot has been said by the media what a fine person Rick Stelmaszek was. That’s true. But I was luckier than most media — I got to have Stelly as a teammate, too.

Rick was a catcher, me a pitcher. We roomed together — with a couple of other guys — in the Florida Instructional League years ago, when we were young and fervent prospects dreaming about making it to the major leagues.

Stelly’s dream came true — he made it to the big leagues by sheer guts and determination, then went on to a memorable 32-year bullpen coaching career with the Twins.

Pancreatic cancer brought down Stelly at age 69 last week in his hometown of south Chicago. Nobody was a tougher guy, both on the field and off the field, or a better teammate and roommate. Related Articles Charley Walters: MLB wants the Saints to be a Twins’ affiliate

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Heading into Saturday’s game against Nebraska, the Gophers were the 85th-best college football team in the country, according to athlonsports.com rankings. Nebraska was No. 67.

The hiring last week of Derek Shelton as bench coach would seem to indicate the Twins won’t be going internal for further staff additions.

Overheard

Adam Kelly, 54, who was a punter for the 1983 Gophers team that lost 84-13 to Nebraska in Minneapolis, on Saturday’s 54-21 victory over Nebraska in Minneapolis: “They’ve come a long way since 1983.”