Mike Tice, right, had to convince Vikings owner Red McCombs of his new hire's trustworthiness.

What was new Minnesota Vikings coach Mike Tice thinking when he hired George O'Leary to coach the defensive line and serve as assistant head coach?

A. O'Leary's résumé claimed he had attended several seminars offered by motivational speaker Matt Foley, so Tice figured O'Leary would be a natural to light a fire under Randy Moss.

B. He was extremely impressed with O'Leary's undefeated record at Notre Dame.

C. Tice played for O'Leary in high school, making him one of the few people who could vouch for anything on the coach's record.

D. If you saw the Vikings play last season, you know they need all the comic relief they can get.

E. A good coach always identifies an easy scapegoat during his first week on the job.

F. Tim Johnson was unavailable.