SPORTSQUOTES

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Vikings coach Mike Tice blamed his team's 18-3 loss to Pittsburgh on its sputtering offense and frazzled special teams. But make no mistake: Tice wasn't happy with video workers at the Metrodome, nor the fans that filled it Sunday.

Tice said Monday he was really bothered by the number of Steelers fans that procured tickets and attended the game. He also suggested the Dome's JumboTron operators could do a better job favoring the home team.

First things first: Tice estimated 15,000 to 20,000 Steelers fans were at the game, curtailing the Metrodome's home-field advantage. If Tice's figures are accurate, that means at least 10,000 of the Vikings' season-ticket base sold their tickets.

It confuses me, I guess," Tice said. "Maybe they're not really diehard season-ticket holders or maybe they needed the money for Christmas presents. I don't know. One of the two."

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BECAUSE, AFTER ALL, WHO KNOWS MORE ABOUT TICKET SALES THAN COACH MIKE:

Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice acknowledged to NFL security investigators on Tuesday that he scalped part of his personal allotment of 12 tickets to last month's Super Bowl, a violation of league rules that could result in him being fined or otherwise punished by NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.

"I probably shouldn't have sold my tickets,'' Tice told SI.com on Thursday. "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."

"I sold some of my tickets this year,'' Tice said.

"I did. I told the league that and I told [team owner] Red McCombs that. I'm not going to lie. But if I'm going to be thrown out this year for selling tickets, then I'm a scapegoat.

"If I'm guilty of anything, I'm guilty of selling some of my tickets. I am not guilty of buying any player tickets since I've been made the head coach [in January 2002].''

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