GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) — Authorities in the Grand Forks area searched about 3 ½ hours for a person in the Red River before calling off the operation.

Police say some anglers reported about 1:15 a.m. Friday that they had seen a male enter the river near a bridge and be swept away by the current.

A regional water rescue team and a regional drone team were among the groups who looked for the person.

The search was called off about 4:45 a.m. Police asked anyone with information to contact them. They also issued a reminder that swimming in the river is prohibited.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A brawl in St. Paul this week led to the arrest of 21 teenagers and 5 officers injured.

The incident happened just after 7 p.m. on Wednesday at the intersection of Rose Avenue and Greenbrier Street.

Police said more than 50 teens had gathered in the roadway to watch a fight. When officers arrived, many of the teens fled the scene.

At least five officers were hit with what was later determined to be bear pepper spray.

Twenty-one teens were taken into custody and face possible charges of third-degree riot and fleeing police.

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — The most popular trophy in sports won’t be the only historical artifact on display next week when Pittsburgh Penguins center Matt Cullen shows it off in the Fargo-Moorhead area.

The Stanley Cup will be next to a Stanley car.

A West Fargo antique car museum is tuning up a 1936 Rolls-Royce that belonged to Edward Stanley, son of the man who founded the cup that goes to the NHL champion. The car has been at the Bonanzaville museum since the early 1970s.

Cullen grew up in Moorhead and lives in the area with his family. He’ll pose for pictures with the cup and the car on July 30.

All players on the cup-winning team get the trophy for 24 hours. It’s the oldest professional team sports trophy in North America.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

By Jason Keidel

As a shameless shill, who freely bleeds black & gold, I admit I broke a few fingernails scratching my head over the hiring of an obscure coordinator from the NFL armpit of Tampa Bay. Mike Tomlin? Who’s that, a coach, coordinator, a commentator? He was the neophyte coach of my Pittsburgh Steelers, just their third sideline boss since they hired Chuck Noll in 1969 — the year I was born.

Here we are, nine years later, and Mike Tomlin is the one of the most tenured and most respected head coaches in the NFL, perhaps the most highly regarded of any west of Bill Belichick. His Super Bowl ring branded the Steelers’ hometown, ‘Sixburgh.’

That hiring may not have happened if not for the Rooney Rule, named after the Steelers’ eternal patriarch, Art Rooney. The Rooney Rule, in place since 2003, requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for head coach openings.

The Rooneys are NFL royalty, like the Mara family in New York City. They even spawned a wildly gifted actress whose name bears an amalgam of the two football empires (Rooney Mara). But there’s nothing royal or regal about the diversity in the NFL, especially when it comes to head coaches.

Tomlin’s hiring feels less like a positive preamble and more like a eulogy. If the numbers are to be believed, then there’s nothing to suggest that football — which brands itself a progressive, enlightened entity that leaps well beyond other sports in the realm of ideas — has breached the 20th century, much less the 21st.

Based on the data, it looks like NFL owners view the Rooney Rule as little more than a formality, an implicit box to check on their path to real (see: white) candidates. According to CBSSports.com, out of the NFL’s 22 head-coaching vacancies between 2012 and 2015, only one was given to a minority candidate — when the Jets hired Todd Bowles. Herm Edwards was the only minority candidate to get a first-time head-coaching gig among 22 vacancies between 1997 and 2001.

So essentially nothing has changed over two decades.

Get more commentary from other CBS Local Sports Voices.

Between 2012 and 2016 the NFL took a chance on 21 first-time white coaches, yet just one black coach.It spawns a chicken/egg argument. What are the roots of the problem, prejudiced owners or just poor placement of minorities?

An article from ESPN.com unearthed some haunting numbers. The road to the head-coaching headset leads directly from coordinators and former head coaches. Indeed, 94 percent of head coaches hired over the last 20 years (133 of 141) had been NFL coordinators, pro head coaches or college head coaches.

Since minorities rarely get second chances, the most fertile soil for minority talent is found in coordinator positions. Yet 80 of the 85 offensive coordinators, quarterback coaches and offensive quality-control coaches are white. Considering the latest head-coaching hiring frenzy targeted offensive minds, it left little room for minorities. And once the trends turn back to the other side of the ball, consider that 23 of 32 defensive coordinators are white.

Over the last 20 years, white coaches were given second, third and fourth chances to be a head coach 41 times, while there were just 20 total minority hirings.

Add it all up and you’ve got 120 whites hired for 141 positions over the last two decades, revealing a clear chasm on the bridge to management. It’s hard to pave the path to head coaching for minorities when two-thirds of NFL players are black, while just one-third of NFL coaches are black.

You can’t force owners to hire minority coaches, nor can you read their minds. What we do know is that all owners are white, tend to be older, and fly in Learjets around the world that the rest of us live in.

So the struggle must seem abstract, at best, to these billionaires, all of whom hop between high social clouds, and many of whom inherited their empires. Lost on the born rich is the notion of farming your soul for the strength to endure. How do you ask them to relate to the blue-collar stiff, much less those stuck under the hard fist of bigotry when they don’t even shop for their own groceries, pump their own gas or walk their own dogs?

Art Rooney built the Steelers from the absolute bottom. Likewise, Al Davis erected the Raiders into an iconic brand, and was eons ahead of the curve, hiring Tom Flores and Art Shell as head coaches long before the legislative beak peeked into the league.

If hiring people of color as head coaches were a priority among NFL owners, it would have happened.

We also know that the NFL, for all its platitudes about mining science and society for their avant-garde policies, responds only to pressure, and largely works from the outside-in.

They only cared about concussions once players started killing themselves. They only cared about domestic violence after Ray Rice flattened his soon-to-be wife in an elevator. And they will only jam the panic button over the Rooney Rule once there’s some scalding evidence that owners overtly avoid minority candidates. Circumstantial evidence, however damning, won’t be enough.

Jason writes a weekly column for CBS Local Sports. He is a native New Yorker, sans the elitist sensibilities, and believes there’s a world west of the Hudson River. A Yankees devotee and Steelers groupie, he has been scouring the forest of fertile NYC sports sections since the 1970s. He has written over 500 columns for WFAN/CBS NY, and also worked as a freelance writer for Sports Illustrated and Newsday subsidiary amNew York. He made his bones as a boxing writer, occasionally covering fights in Las Vegas, Atlantic City, but mostly inside Madison Square Garden. Follow him on Twitter @JasonKeidel.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — He’s won 11 Monster Jam World Finals and currently drives Maximum Destruction on the circuit. The most successful competitor and popular driver Tom Meents will be in Minneapolis this weekend.

If you’d like to meet him, he’ll be part of the U.S. Bank Stadium Open House Saturday  and Sunday. Hours are 9 to 6 and 10 to 5.

The event is free, but you have to get tickets. ” target=”_blank”>Click here for more information.

By Ryan Mayer

The Minnesota Vikings family lost a member of its coaching fraternity today as former head coach Dennis Green passed away at age 67. According to his former agent Ray Anderson, the cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Green spent 13 years as the head coach for the Vikings, compiling a 97-62 record that included two separate trips to the NFC Championship Game. His best season came in 1998 when the team went 15-1 en route to being the number one seed in the NFC before falling to the Falcons in overtime 30-27 in the conference title game.

Following his stint in Minnesota, Green took the head coaching job for the Arizona Cardinals where he spent three seasons and is perhaps most remembered for his “They are who we thought they were” rant.

Several former and current NFL players took to Twitter to express their condolences and memories of Green.

Current Dallas Cowboys fullback Tyler Clutts expressed his thanks to Green for giving him a shot during Green’s time in the UFL with the California Redwoods and Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Former Vikings running back Robert Smith said Green was essentially a father figure to him.

The NFL released a statement on Green’s passing on its website. NFL Vice president of football operations Troy Vincent wrote the following:

“We are saddened to hear the news of Dennis Green’s passing. Denny was a terrific head coach and inspired his players on and off the field. He helped pave the way for minority coaches and recently served as a key advisor on the NFL’s Career Development Advisory Panel. On behalf of the NFL, our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Green family.”

The Vikings also released a statement Friday morning.

“We are incredibly saddened by the sudden passing of former Vikings Head Coach Dennis Green. Denny made his mark in ways far beyond being an outstanding football coach. He mentored countless players and served as a father figure for the men he coached. Denny founded the Vikings Community Tuesday Program, a critical initiative that is now implemented across the entire NFL. He took great pride in helping assistant coaches advance their careers. His tenure as one of the first African American head coaches in both college and the NFL was also transformative. Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Green family.”

Green’s 113 total NFL victories put him in 33rd place all-time on the NFL’s wins list. Prior to the NFL, he spent four years as the head coach at Northwestern (1981-1985) and Stanford (1989-1991).

MINNNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A man is dead after being shot by his father in Blaine Friday morning.

Police believe the father shot his 37-year-old son after an argument in a trailer, which police believe both men lived in. The 37-year-old collapsed in the street.

The son was transported to a hospital, but later died there, police said. The father has been taken into custody and is cooperating with police.

Police also said they recovered the weapon.

MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) — A Minnesota District Court judge from Moorhead is suing the state over the mandatory retirement age for his position.

Full-time judges and Supreme Court justices in Minnesota must retire when they reach the age of 70. Judge Galen Vaa tells KFGO radio the mandate is unconstitutional.

Vaa is suing Gov. Mark Dayton and the executive director of the Minnesota State Retirement System, David Bergstrom. Vaa’s lawsuit says the judicial retirement law “is not absolutely necessary for the accomplishment of any legitimate public purpose.”

The 68-year-old Seventh District judge says he’s prepared to take his case to the Supreme Court if necessary.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The financial secretary of a Minnesota labor union has been charged with embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, U.S. Attorney Andrew Luger announced Friday.

Scot McNamara, 56, is a member of the International Association of Heat ad Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, Local 34, a union representing 458 Minnesota members. McNamara served as the financial secretary of the union from December 2007 until December 2012, when he failed in his bid for re-election.

According to the indictment, McNamara used reward points earned on a Visa rewards credit card he had for use on behalf of the union for personal items, including $1,900 in gas cards. He also used the card to pay personal expenses, including more than $2,800 in plane tickets for a family vacation to the Grand Cayman Islands.

The indictment and documents filed in court show that in 2011, McNamara attended a training for his union role in 2011. Local 34 paid $3,054.84 for McNamara’s attendant at the training, but he requested and received $3,087.84 in reimbursement. Nearly all the expenses he claimed had already been paid by the union, the attorney’s office said. Instead of turning over the reimbursement funds, McNamara used the money for personal expenses, including the previously mentioned family vacation.

Keith Christopherson, 53, has also been charged with embezzlement and theft of labor union assets, the attorney’s office said.

This week’s pet guest is a 5-year-old American bulldog mix named Tigger!

Tigger was transferred to the Northwoods Humane Society from a Texas rescue shelter. This friendly, well-trained dog was already adopted once, but the other dog in the household was too stressed by the new housemate and Tigger was returned to NHS.

(credit: Northwoods Humane Society)

Tigger loves to play and is very well-behaved. He is curious, gentle and in need of a good home. For adoption information, click here.

INDEPENDENCE, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller says his office has reached an agreement with a northwest Iowa couple that requires them to pay a $15,000 fine for allowing hog manure to end up in a creek killing thousands of fish.

James and Sue Frye of Independence also agreed Thursday to abide by state water pollution and manure control regulations in court documents outlining their settlement of an environmental lawsuit Miller filed.

The Fryes admitted to improperly applying 96,000 gallons of manure to fields around their swine operation southeast of Hazelton in September and failing to notify the state when it flowed through field drainage tiles into Pine Creek and killed more than 5,000 fish.

The Fryes didn’t immediately return a message left at a phone number listed for them.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Bryan Altman

The advent of NFL training camps is almost upon us as rookies begin to report at the end of this week. With the return of football comes the return of our favorite form of legal sports betting, fantasy football. As you scour the internet for the latest news and rankings getting ready for your league’s draft, we’ll be providing you lists of the top fantasy prospects by position for this season. Today, we take a look at the guys with the best hands in the league. 

Football fans and fantasy football fanatics in particular have had every reason to be bearish regarding the running back position for the better part of this century. Volatility among starters at the position is always high, quarterbacks and high-flying, aerial attack-minded offenses are in, and injury risk – as with any position but particularly your RB 1 – is always a concern. 

Still, this year’s crop of potential RB 1s is a deep and potentially draft-changing one if you choose wisely. With that said, let’s dive right in and break down some of the positives, negatives and unknowns surrounding each of our projected Top 10 running backs for the upcoming NFL season. 

All of last year’s point totals from CBSSports.com – Standard Format

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

1. Adrian Peterson

Last Year – 2nd, 230 Pts

I completely understand Peterson falling behind young and exciting backs like Le’Veon Bell and Todd Gurley on some draft boards, but in my mind Peterson is still the cream of the RB 1 crop for a few different reasons. 

First of all, with Peterson – barring injury, of course – you know exactly what you’re going to get. You’re going to get a workhorse of a back who’s guaranteed to be the No. 1 guy in Minnesota. You know he’ll get 300-plus carries at least, tons of red zone opportunities and if you’re in a PPR (points per reception) league, you know he’ll haul in a fair amount of receptions and will be on the field in many passing situations even when you take into account the emergence of Jerrick McKinnon as a real threat out of the backfield. 

On top of that, Teddy Bridgewater is anything but a sure thing at quarterback for the Vikings, meaning the passing attack is still unlikely to take away carries and touchdowns from AP, which should put him in double-digits in that category as he has been every year since he entered the league when injury or legal absences haven’t slowed him down. 

Sure, taking a 31-year-old back with your first pick, which don’t be fooled, you’ll have to do if you want Peterson unless you’re in a QB-heavy league, is disconcerting. But Peterson showed no signs of slowing down last year and this year he should be in impeccable shape yet again and ready to lead the Vikings offense along with your fantasy squad should you put your faith in him. 

(Left) Todd Gurley - Credit: John Grieshop/Getty Images (Right) Le'Veon Bell - Credit: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

2/3. Todd Gurley/Le’Veon Bell

Bell – Last Year – 47th, 86 Pts

Gurley – Last Year – 5th, 186 Pts

This one’s a true toss up between Gurley and Bell because they’re equal in so many ways and their major difference should prove to be a negligible one. By that I mean their receiving capabilities. Le’Veon Bell has proved himself to be a fantastic option out of the backfield for the potent Steelers passing attack, which adds a ton of value to Bell in a PPR format. 

While Gurley showed he can be a solid option out of the backfield as well, he hasn’t proved it in the NFL just yet and will be dealing with the inexperienced Jared Goff at the helm of last year’s worst passing team in the league, as opposed to Ben Roethlisberger leading one of the best. 

But where Gurley makes up ground on Bell is in the non-PPR format. Gurley will be a workhorse for the Rams this year especially as Jared Goff cuts his teeth at the NFL level. He and Jeff Fisher will lean heavily on Gurley and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him get between 350 and 400 carries by the time it’s all said and done. 

Dissenters of this school of thought will be quick to point out that Bell still had 834 yards receiving and well over 2,000 total in 2014, which still counts even if his 83 receptions don’t. 

That’s true, but in 2015 in only three games of work, Bell’s average yards per catch were way down and defenses will now be prepared for Bell out of the backfield. Not to mention that Gurley will surely make up the difference between the two with a full 16-game season. 

Of course, the biggest cause for concern right now with Bell is his possible four-game suspension, which would definitely drop him down the list strictly because he’ll be guaranteed to play in a maximum of 12 games. 

On the injury front, both of these guys have a less-than-stellar injury history of late, especially Bell because he’s yet to return to regular season action from his season-ending torn MCL injury. 

But as we’ve seen with Adrian Peterson, Jamaal Charles and countless other young running backs, coming back from knee injuries isn’t what it used to be for running backs and both of these guys should be primed for stellar years. You really can’t go wrong here. 

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

4. David Johnson

Last Year – 7th, 173 Pts

Hear that sound? That’s the sound of the David Johnson hype train preparing to leave the station and it’s time to get on board. Now, let me reiterate – these are the Top 5 fantasy football running backs heading into 2016. There’s a difference between that and being the best pure running back. Ezekiel Elliott and Doug Martin (both of whom you’ll read about shortly) are likely better pure running backs for a multitude of reasons (pass blocking, pure rushing ability, short yardage situations, ETC…) but that doesn’t make them better fantasy options. 

Johnson’s proved in a very short period of time that he has an elite combination of speed, size and vision to thrive at the NFL level in limited action last year and that he has the hands and the wear-withal to thrive in the passing game, so there’s no reason to think that he won’t fit perfectly into offensive guru, Bruce Arians’ plans for the 2016 season. 

Last year he had over 500 yards rushing and nearly the same receiving in only five starts. Now that he’s the No. 1 guy heading into training camp, there’s no reason to think he can’t at least double both of those numbers with a full 16-game slate. 

Jon Durr/Getty Images

5. Ezekiel Elliott

Rookie Year

On Friday a woman identified in reports as Elliott’s girlfriend accused the Cowboys’ running back of domestic abuse and posted pictures on Instagram of various bruises on her body along with a statement regarding domestic abuse.

Elliott has since vehemently denied the charges and has not been charged or arrested, but needless to say, these are serious allegations that would certainly keep Elliott off the field if they are indeed true – as they well should. So take the following with a grain of salt until more information regarding the charges is revealed.     

From a pure football sense, Elliott has it all. He has a nose for the end zone (23 rushing TDs last year at Ohio State), great awareness, agility, speed, power… everything you could possibly want from a running back, Elliott has it. 

On top of that he’ll be running behind one of the best offensive lines in all of football with the Dallas Cowboys and will likely be counted on to help relieve pressure that Tony Romo is sure to face throughout the year by way of the running game.

Romo will also be glad to know he’s an above average pass protector as well, but that won’t win you your fantasy league, now will it. 

What will win it, will be the fact that Elliott will likely carry the ball over 300 times, can be a three-down back since he’s highly capable as a receiver and could eclipse 2,000 yards from scrimmage and double-digit touchdowns his first year in the league. 

Cliff McBride/Getty Images

6. Doug Martin

Last Year – 3rd, 199 Pts

Everyone slept on Doug Martin, aka ‘The Muscle Hamster’, aka ‘The Dougernaut’, last season, but that’s not happening again this year. Martin proved to all doubters that he’s back and ready to be a consistent top 10 running back in the NFL once more after a 1,402 yard season rushing and as a full 16-game starter for the Buccaneers after missing most of 2015 due to injury.

If Martin can stay healthy in 2016, there’s no reason he won’t rush for close to 1,500 yards and catch between 30-40 balls out of the backfield. Touchdowns haven’t been easy for Martin to come by in his two healthy seasons, which is a slight concern, but assuming the Bucs are willing to ramp up his number of carries this year after a completely healthy season, he should be able to find pay dirt more than just six times like last year.  

Ben Hoskins/Getty Images

7. Lamar Miller

Last Year – 6th, 184 Pts

After four years being largely underappreciated in Miami, Lamar Miller has found a new home in Houston and could be poised for the breakout campaign we’ve all been waiting for since he entered the league in 2012. Don’t believe Miller has what it takes to be a true RB 1? Here’s why you’re wrong.

First of all, Miller’s best season came in 2014 when he got the most work of his career and that still wasn’t a whole lot for a starting running back. He had just 214 carries, which ranked him 15th among all running backs that year. He even averaged 5.1 yards per carry that season, which was second best of all running backs with 100 carries minimum to Justin Forsett. 

Need more proof? Miller’s TD total has increased every year he’s been in the league as has his number of targets in the passing game as he continues to improve as a receiver. With Jonathan Grimes (118 career carries) as the projected No. 2 back behind him, a solid offensive line and an unproven commodity at quarterback in Brock Osweiler at the helm, you can pretty much guarantee this will be Miller’s busiest season as a running back and I’m expecting his best results as a byproduct of that. 

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

8. Jamaal Charles

Last Year – 50th, 79 Pts

Charles has already proven that he can return from a devastating ACL injury once in his career and now as he nears the age of 30 he’ll be forced to do it again in 2016. It’s hard not to be slightly skeptical regarding Charles here and that’s the only reason he’s not in the top 5 as he has been every year that he’s been healthy since he emerged as the Chiefs’ starting back full time in 2009.

Every year of Charles’ career he’s averaged over five yards per carry and has been a consistent threat as a receiver out of the backfield for Alex Smith. Charles also has a knack for finding the end zone and was continuing the touchdown per game pace he set in 2013 and 2014 last year before he went down with an injury. 

Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware are threats to steal some of Charles’ carries, especially with both coming off of 500-yard seasons last year, but look for Charles to return to form and thrive for the Chiefs yet again in 2016. 

Peter Aiken/Getty Images

9. LeSean McCoy

Last Year – 16th, 146 Pts

It’s been anything but a great offseason for ‘Shady’ McCoy, but he avoided any major suspensions and should be ready to roll for the Bills when Week 1 of the NFL season kicks off. 

McCoy, as with Peterson, regardless of his off the field issues, is one of the NFL’s top talents at running back when he’s healthy. Last year was a down year by his standards in terms of rushing attempts and yards on the ground (203 attempts, 895 yards), but his yards per carry average was actually up from his 2014 campaign with the Eagles to 4.4 from 4.2. 

While his touchdowns were down as well with Karlos Williams punching in seven compared to McCoy’s four, that won’t likely continue this year, especially considering Williams will be suspended the first four games of the year while McCoy, miraculously considering the circumstances, won’t.

That gives McCoy a real chance to thrive in the early going and rack up some big numbers and momentum, which I think he’ll do in a bounce back season. Rex Ryan loves to run the ball and McCoy will be his only/best option early and often so look for a hot start and a big year for ‘Shady.’

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

10. Latavius Murray

Last Year – 10th, 163 Pts

Big things are happening in Oakland, both on and off the field for the Raiders. Free agent moves and a few strong draft classes in a row have the Raiders on the precipice of relevance for the first time since the Rich Gannon era and it couldn’t come soon enough for Raiders faithful. 

Leading the charge on offense will be the power trio of youngsters: star QB Derek Carr, WR Amari Cooper, and last, but certainly not least, RB Latavius Murray. While Murray is probably the least sexy of the three names, he’ll arguably be the most important of them when it comes to the Raiders offense this season. 

Murray stands alone in the Raiders’ backfield as far as viable options go and Year 3 should be his busiest year to date. Besides receiving more carries and an increasingly balanced offensive line, defenses will be paying lots of attention to the Carr-Cooper connection that emerged as one of the most prominent in the NFL last year. 

Defenses’ preoccupation with Cooper should free up Murray as a pass-catching option out of the backfield as well as in the running game, so expect a strong 2016 from Murray and look to him as a solid RB 1 option/excellent RB 2. 

Snubs/Others To Watch For

The unfortunate nature of the Top 10 list is its obvious limitation of only letting you select 10 people. Here are some other running backs to watch for that I like, but not as much as the aforementioned backs. 

Devonta Freeman

Last Year – 1st, 242 Pts

The only reason I snubbed Freeman after an incredible 2015 campaign is because Tevin Coleman is already expected to take on more work in the backfield in 2016. Remember, it was his injury that paved the way for Freeman’s breakout year, so don’t be surprised to see this as more of a 50-50 situation than a Freeman repeat of 2015. Still, he was a menace as a receiver out of the backfield with 73 receptions and three TDs, so count on him being used in passing packages and situations early and often. 

Eddie Lacy

Last Year – 25th, 119 Pts

Yes, he’s slimmed down, and yes, he has game-changing potential if the bruising back from 2013 and 2014 can return, but count me among the skeptics. The Packers are a pass-first team and always will be with Aaron Rodgers at the helm, which means that Lacy’s chances will always be somewhat limited. I just don’t see him getting more than 200 carries or doing as much with them as he did those years. Still, a great RB 2 option and he could of course prove me to be very, very wrong by year’s end. 

Mark Ingram

Last Year – 15th, 152 Pts

Lots of people are high on Ingram coming off of last year’s productive campaign and think he’s turned a corner, but I think he’s maxed out. The problem isn’t even necessarily him, it’s the team he plays for. Like the Packers, the Saints are a pass-first team under Drew Brees. In fact, Ingram’s 226-carry campaign in 2014 was the highest by a Saints running back since Deuce McAllister carried the ball 244 times in the first year of the Brees era back in 2006. Point being, don’t count on Ingram getting as much work as you’d like your RB 1 to get, even with Brees aging. 

Thomas Rawls

Last Year – T-27th, 118 Pts

If you’re looking to put your faith in Thomas Rawls, just remember the names Robert Turbin and Christine Michael. Those were the two heir apparents to Marshawn Lynch before Rawls came along. Even though Rawls thrived when he got work last year, the Seahawks still drafted three – yes, three – running backs in this year’s draft, which could put Rawls in position to go the way of Turbin and Michael sooner than later. It also speaks volumes about the Seahawks’ confidence in Rawls to carry the load coming off of his season-ending injury in Week 14 last year. Rawls could still be a great RB 2 option, but I’m not putting him in the top 10 like some others are just yet. 

Bryan Altman is, for some reason, an unabashed fan of the Rangers, Jets and Mets. If he absolutely had to pick a basketball team it would be the Knicks, but he’d gladly trade them for just one championship for any of his other three teams.

Questions or comments? Feel free to follow Bryan on Twitter or send him an email.

ATLANTA (AP) — Prosecutors say a Minnesota man accused of advertising the sale of stolen bank information on a hidden services marketplace has been indicted.

U.S. Attorney John Horn said Friday that 35-year-old Aaron James Glende of Winona, Minnesota, has been arraigned on federal charges of bank fraud, access device fraud and aggravated identity theft. Horn says Glende used the nickname “IcyEagle” on the AlphaBay Market website.

AlphaBay is a website designed to assist prospective buyers who wished to purchase criminal goods and services. The sales listings on the website included categories from “Fraud” and “Drugs & Chemicals.”

A review of the information purchased from Glende belonged to five different Sun Trust Bank customers. It contained usernames, passwords, physical and email addresses, telephone numbers and bank account numbers.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – One year after a prominent Minneapolis artist was murdered in her home, police are asking for the public’s help in the investigation.

The Minneapolis Police Department posted a video to YouTube Friday updating the public on the ongoing investigation of the homicide of 68-year-old Susan Spiller, which occurred just over a year ago on July 16, 2015.

Police found Spiller dead in her home with the door forced open.

Spiller was a well-known artist and activist in the Twin Cities, serving on the board of the Lind-Bohanon Neighborhood Association and Northside Arts Collective. She was primarily a glass artist.

Shortly after her death, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner said she died of “complex homicidal violence.”

In the MPD’s video, homicide detective Sgt. Darcy Klund says the police are looking for the community’s help in finding Spiller’s killer.

“It’s still very active,” Klund said. “What we need to,I guess, bring it more to the forefront is we need some fresh information, as far as a suspect, and we’re looking for the community to help us with that.”

Klund says police have interviewed numerous people and canvassed Spiller’s neighborhood. He also said the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is assisting with the investigation.

Klund asked for people to start conversations about Spiller’s death to see if any new details emerge.

“She was a very vibrant person in the community,” he said. “A lot of people knew her. A lot of people are upset at her passing.”

If you have any information about Spiller’s death, please contact MPD. Police said you could be eligible for a cash reward.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A jury convicted a man of murder Wednesday for fatally shooting his girlfriend in the head last year, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

Ahmed Abdi, who was 17 at the time of the shooting, was convicted of second degree murder for fatally shooting his girlfriend, 21-year-old Ayan Abdulahi, on April 11, 2015.

Abdi shot Abdulahi in the head while she was lying on his bed in a residence on the 2400 block of Portland Avenue South, the attorney’s office said. He was seen running out the back door and fled to Kansas City, Missouri, where he was later arrested.

The trial took just over a week. The jury deliberated for five hours before reaching its decision Wednesday. A sentencing date has not been set.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A 63-year-old man has pleaded guilty to killing his 89-year-old mother because he was upset by all the bedbugs in her apartment.

Hennepin County Attorney Mike Freeman announced Friday that Michael Gallagher pleaded guilty to second-degree murder early in the week.

Police found Patricia Gallagher dead last December in her downtown Minneapolis apartment after Michael Gallagher called them, admitting to the murder.

She had died as a result of blows to the head with a sculpture as well as strangulation.

This week, a court-appointed psychologist said Michael Gallagher was suffering from mental illness and didn’t know that he was doing anything wrong at the time of the murder.

A review of the psychologist’s report will precede an order expected next week.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The survivors of a Texas Boy Scout troop’s adventure trip to the pristine canoe country along the Minnesota-Canadian border were grieving Friday over the deaths of a 13-year-old boy and a 39-year-old woman volunteer, a Scouting spokeswoman said.

Related: BWCA Storm Claims Lives Of Two Campers

The group from Troop 121 from Carrollton, Texas, paddled into the wilderness from the Northern Tier High Adventure Base near the northern Minnesota town of Ely. They were camped on the Canadian side of Basswood Lake in Quetico Provincial Park when strong winds blew through early Thursday, knocking down trees that killed the two campers. Two others were flown out with non-life-threatening injuries.

The Ontario Provincial Police identified the two who died as 13-year-old Christian James Sanchez of Lewisville, Texas, and 39-year-old Rorth Lac of Carrollton, Texas. They were part of a group of nine people, including three adults and six boys.

The survivors were taken back to the base camp and Scouting officials were helping Friday to arrange travel home, said Effie Delimarkos, communications director for the Boy Scouts of America. She said none were available Friday to speak about their ordeal.

“The priority really is to help them grieve and support them through this difficult time. … It’s really about a time for grief and remembrance right now,” Delimarkos said.

Troop 121 meets at First United Methodist Church in Carrolton, but Sanchez and several fellow Scouts are members at St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas, where the student ministry organized a prayer vigil Thursday evening.

“Over 200 parents and students gathered to pray, share memories of Christian and comfort each other, and to express our love and support for the Sanchez family,” the church said in a statement Friday. “The death of Christian Sanchez is a loss for our church, the Sanchez family, and all who knew him.”

Christian participated in the student ministry and youth choir at St. Andrew. He went on a mission trip this summer to repair homes in Los Angeles, and toured New York with the choir, the church said.

Lac was a former Marine and assistant scoutmaster who left behind four children and a husband, KDFW-TV in Dallas reported.

Troop 121’s website says the troop was founded in 1950 and that it takes a high adventure trip every year.

Police wrapped up their investigation Friday and found nothing suspicious, Constable Jim Davis said. The results were turned over to the regional coroner’s office, he said. Officials with the coroner’s office declined to comment, citing Canadian confidentiality rules.

“For lack of a better term, we’d call it an act of God,” Davis said.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A South St. Paul man faces criminal charges after two women say he threatened to hurt them because one of them was black.

Daniel Mark Koppes, 57, was charged Tuesday with one count each of threatening violence, fourth-degree assault and disorderly conduct for what happened last Tuesday night.

The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office says two women, one who is black and one who is white, called 911 to report that their neighbor was firing Roman candle fireworks at their garage and vehicle.

Officers arrived to hear Koppes yelling, “You c**ns don’t belong in this neighborhood!” while hosing down firework remnants in the alley. Officers say they could still smell gun powder.

Koppes, who is white, kept yelling racially-abusive remarks at the women in the presence of officers, who say the women where calmly telling him to stop.

Officers say when they told Koppes to stop, he said, “I have a gun, but I didn’t shoot at them.”

The women told investigators that when they first confronted Koppes about firing the Roman candles, he told them that he was sick of “the c**n” coming into his neighborhood,” and that he could easily kill them. They say he also sprayed both of them with his hose.

Koppes could face up to five years in prison if convicted of the felony charge of threatening violence.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — The opening of the new home of the Minnesota Vikings began with a moment of silence Friday.

Fans took a moment to remember Denny Green.

“Everyone in Minnesota loved him. He’s a big part of our history here,” said fan Aaron Oberman.

Green died from a heart attack Thursday. He was surrounded by his family.

His era in Vikings history, for many fans, was full of ups and downs. He led the team to the playoffs eight times in 10 seasons, making two trips to the NFC Championship.

He also led the 1998 Vikings to a 15-1 record, setting a franchise record for the most wins in a season.

And his offenses in the late 90s — with Randy Moss, Cris Carter and company — could light up the Metrodome.

Related: Football Insiders Remember Denny Green

“Super shocked, super sad,” said fan Sarah Westbrook. “He was a big figure here in Minnesota. I grew up watching the Vikings and cheering for him while he was our coach, so I was really sad to hear about that.”

Denny Green (credit: CBS)

Green was only the second black head coach in the NFL’s modern era, but he will be remembered for so much more.

“I don’t think anybody considers me a black coach,” Green said. “I think they consider me a football coach, and it’s always been that way.”

Vikings faithful will not forget that Green gave chances to undrafted players who turned into fan favorites, like John Randle and Robert Griffith. And he drafted Randy Moss after 20 other teams passed on him.

Fan Anthony Jennings says people have been remembering Green all day at his barbershop, and how the giant of a coach approached the game.

“He was an institution. A legend,” Jennings said. “He cared about football, he cared about people and I think a lot of people know he cared about the players.”

Jennings says he has mixed feelings about Green’s passing.

“It brought back some feelings of exuberance of when they went 15 and 1,” he said. “When Randy was catching the long ball from Dante, you know. It brought back all of those memories also. So it was sadness but also joy.”

Joy that Minnesota was lucky enough to have had a coach who put everything he had into a team, and fans that will always consider him family.

We are also learning of some of the causes Green supported right here in the Twin Cities, but did not want anyone to know about.

He loved children and would often donate his time and money to make sure they had uniforms to play the game, and opportunities to learn and grow as individuals.

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — St. Paul police are looking into incidents of vandalism involving the private vehicles of officers.

Police say two personal cars were tampered with between 7 a.m. and noon on Thursday. The cars were parked on the street near the Ramsey County Law Enforcement Center.

Someone loosened or removed the lug nuts from the cars’ tires.

The department is taking the matter seriously and has added extra patrols to the area.

They are also asking officers to check their vehicles — both personal and squad cars — to make sure they are safe.