If A Coach Laughs and VU Hears It...

When Smokey sings, we hear violins. When Mike Tice laughs, we have to ponder.

It was inevitable that the question of Daunte Culpepper's job security would come up when Mike Tice faced the media Wednesday.

The fact that he laughed at the question was interesting.

Media Interpretation 101 -- When a coach laughs at a question it means one of three things. 1. The person asking the question is an idiot. 2. The coach doesn't want to answer that particular question. 3. Both.

While Tice dismissed the question of benching Culpepper Sunday, he didn't go as far as to say he would stick with Daunte if he struggles. As reported earlier by VU, entering the Chicago game, if Culpepper had two costly turnovers in the first half, he would have been benched. Sunday's loss at Tampa saw Todd Bouman warming up on the sidelines.

Draw your own conclusions. The last time Daunte's job was in question he came through. If he has a bad first half Sunday, expect to see Bouman in the third quarter. Granted, it will be a one-half basis only, but Tice needs to send a message. His job is on the line the second half of the year and he needs every win he can get -- with or without Culpepper.

THURSDAY NOTES
* As expected, Derrick Alexander was placed on I.R. Wednesday and the Vikings put WR Kelly Campbell on the active roster from the practice squad.
* The coaches have been giving raves to the early work from OT Bryant McKinnie. While he is still expected to play part-time Sunday, he has passed all of his early tests.
* The current plan is to have McKinnie split time with Everett Lindsay at LT and have Cory Withrow start at guard. However, VU is told that Lindsay may shift to left guard on the series that McKinnie plays at LT.
* Henri Crockett wasn't listed on the injury report but will be added today after sustaining a hip pointer in practice. He will be listed as probable.
* Of the Vikings already on the injury list, safety Ronnie Bradford (concussion) and Corbin Lacina (knee) are listed as questionable and WR D'Wayne Bates (back) and OT Lewis Kelly (ankle) are listed as probable.
* On the Giants side, center Dusty Ziegler (knee) is listed as doubtful, LB Mike Barrow (hamstring) is listed as questionable and RB Tiki Barber (leg) and DE Kenny Holmes (knee) are listed as probable.