Tice says he scalped this year

Friday, March 11, 2005 | 11:52 a.m.

SUN WIRE SERVICE

Breaking his 27-hour silence on an issue that now threatens to end his Vikings career, Minnesota coach Mike Tice now admits he scalped Super Bowl tickets earlier this year and is awaiting a potentially severe penalty from the NFL.

In an interview posted Thursday night on Sports Illustrated's Web site, Tice said he sold some of his 12 Super Bowl tickets in January to a broker for more than face value. Tice previously has acknowledged collecting tickets from players and reselling in bulk while an assistant coach, but said he discontinued that practice when he became the Vikings head coach in Jan. 2002.

Scalping tickets is a violation of NFL policy.

"I probably shouldn't have sold my tickets," Tice told SI. "I made a mistake. I regret it. I'll never do it again. I'm going to be in trouble. I'll probably get slapped with a big fine."

Tice and many others around the league maintain that reselling Super Bowl tickets is a common, if illegal, practice.

Fiedler spent the past five seasons with the Miami Dolphins, where he took considerable criticism. Last season, he started just seven games for the Dolphins, going 1-6 while throwing for 1,186 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions.

After an overnight visit that included dinner at a Manhattan steak house and a contract offer that would have made him the deep threat the Giants so desperately need, the team abruptly announced Thursday that it had ended negotiations with Burress' representatives.

He hasn't kicked in a game since the 2003 season opener with Tennessee, when he was injured while making a tackle against Oakland. Nedney missed the rest of that season with a torn knee ligament -- and days before last season, he tore his left hamstring.