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MINNEAPOLIS -- Former Minnesota punter Chris Kluwe says his special teams co-ordinator made anti-gay comments while Kluwe was with the Vikings, an allegation the coach "vehemently denies." In an article posted Thursday on the website Deadspin, Kluwe wrote that coach Mike Priefer made several anti-gay comments in objection to Kluwes outspoken opposition of an anti-gay marriage amendment in Minnesota. Kluwe also says former Vikings coach Leslie Frazier and current general manager Rick Spielman encouraged him to tone down his rhetoric in an effort to reduce distractions to the team. At the same time, Kluwe said, Vikings owner Zygi Wilf expressed support for Kluwes championing of gay rights. Hours later, Priefer issued a statement disputing Kluwes portrayal of the events. "I want to be clear that I do not tolerate discrimination of any type and am respectful of all individuals," Priefer said. "I personally have gay family members who I love and support just as I do any family member." The Vikings said in a statement that they take the allegations "very seriously and will thoroughly review this matter." "As an organization, the Vikings consistently strive to create a supportive, respectful and accepting environment for all of our players, coaches and front office personnel," the team said. "We do not tolerate discrimination at any level. "The team has long respected our players and associates individual rights, and, as Chris specifically stated, Vikings ownership supports and promotes tolerance, including on the subject of marriage equality. Because he was identified with the Vikings, Chris was asked to be respectful while expressing his opinions. Team ownership and management also repeatedly emphasized to Chris that the Vikings would not impinge on his right to express his views." Kluwe called Priefer "a bigot" and Spielman and Frazier "two cowards" for releasing him in May after eight seasons with the Vikings. He was due to make $1.45 million, which was more than the cap-strapped Vikings wanted to spend on a punter. So they drafted Jeff Locke in the fifth round and parted ways with Kluwe, bringing to an end his colorful and outspoken stay in Minnesota. "Any notion that Chris was released from our football team due to his stance on marriage equality is entirely inaccurate and inconsistent with team policy," the Vikings said Thursday. "Chris was released strictly based on his football performance." In his article, Kluwe alleged that Priefer grew more and more impatient with the various causes Kluwe supported and several times made anti-gay remarks during team meetings. Kluwe said wanted to post his article now in hopes of discouraging the Vikings, or any other team, from employing Priefer, who is widely respected at Vikings headquarters and is viewed by some as a potential head coach one day. Priefer was hired by the Vikings in 2011. He served previously as the special teams coach in Denver and Kansas City. "If theres one thing I hope to achieve from sharing this story," Kluwe wrote, "its to make sure that Mike Priefer never holds a coaching position again in the NFL, and ideally never coaches at any level." The Vikings did not respond directly to allegations against Priefer in their statement, but did say they "will have further comment at the appropriate time." "The primary reason I entered coaching was to affect people in a positive way, Priefer said. "As a coach, I have always created an accepting environment for my players, including Chris, and have looked to support them both on and off the field. "The comments today have not only attacked my character and insulted my professionalism, but they have also impacted my family. While my career focus is to be a great professional football coach, my number one priority has always been to be a protective husband and father to my wife and children." Kluwe averaged 44.4 yards per punt over his career in Minnesota, including a career-high 39.7 yard net average in 2012. But he ranked just 17th in the NFL in punting that season before he was cut and he lost a competition for the punting job with the Oakland Raiders in the preseason in 2013. He had several tryouts during the season, but was never signed. Kluwe said he wanted to wait to air his grievances until after the season so as not to provide a distraction to his friends on the team during the season. The Vikings finished this year 5-10-1 and Frazier was fired Monday. Several Vikings players took to Twitter to defend Priefer. "Coach Mike Preifer has always been professional and one of the best special teams coaches I have been around!" fullback Jerome Felton tweeted. "In any meeting I have been in, I have never witnessed him say anything close to whats been alleged. Thats just my experience!" Tweeted safety Harrison Smith: "Since Ive had the privilege of playing for Mike Preifer he has been nothing but a class act coach and a respectful human being." Balenciaga Outlet Italia . Mission accomplished. Now the Royals will take the field on Saturday with a World Series lead for the first time in team history when they play Game 4 of the Fall Classic against the Giants at AT&T Park. Scarpe Balenciaga Offerta .ca presents its latest weekly power rankings for the 2013-14 Barclays Premier League season. http://www.balenciagaoutlet.it/ . There, I saw a teenaged boy with tears in his eyes, being consoled by strength and conditioning coach Randy Lee. Scarpe Balenciaga a Poco Prezzo . The whole deflation of New England Patriots footballs is like a murder mystery without the violence or significance. On one side, this is a ridiculous issue. Scarpe Balenciaga Outlet Online . Kyle Shanahan was hired as offensive co-ordinator Monday after spending the previous four years in the same role with the Washington Redskins. Canadian skip Cheryl Bernard feels she could still compete at an elite level for the next year or two. Shes just unsure whether she could still do it for a four-year Olympic cycle. That was one of the reasons why she announced her retirement from competitive curling on Tuesday, ending a career highlighted by four appearances at the national championships and an Olympic silver medal at the Vancouver Games in 2010. "When youve been there, thats really all you want is to get back," she said from her hometown of Calgary. "Its a funny thing, so I realize that." Bernard, 47, said she started to seriously consider retirement after losing the Alberta provincial final to Val Sweeting last January. "I really had to sit down and think," she said. "We came so close and that was a heartbreaker. Funny, Ive lost a few of them. And that one was without a doubt the worst because it would have just been a really neat way to maybe end the year and at least have a couple more years to look forward to." Bernard skipped Team Alberta at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts in 1992, 1996, 2007 and 2009. The best result for the Grande Prairie native was a runner-up finish in 1996 at Thunder Bay, Ont. One of her most memorable victories came over a decade later as she defeated Shannon Kleibrink in the final of the Olympic Trials in 2009 at Edmonton. At the Games, Bernard and her team of third Susan OConnor, second Carolyn Darbyshire (now McRorie), lead Cori Bartel (now Morris) and alternate Kristie Moore took top spot in the round robin at 8-1. They defeated Switzerland in the semifinal before dropping a 7-6 decision to defending champion Anette Norberg of Sweden in the final. Bernard had the final throw in the extra end but couldnt knock the two Swedish rocks out of the house and settled for second place. "I tried to really look at the positive that came out of that," Bernard said. "I really wanted to go through my life looking at it like our team won a silver and we didnt lose a gold." Both competitions provided lasting memories. "(The Trials) are kind of the pinnacle for Canada because its all the Canadian teams and its all your peers," she said. "Theyre both so up there in my memory and in my mind. Being able tto stand on the (Olympic) podium in your own country.dddddddddddd Ill never forget that, that was pretty neat." Now that shes retired, Bernard plans to spend more time with her family and continue her charity work and public speaking endeavours. She usually brings her silver medal along during her talks and the gold-medal game is a frequent discussion subject. "I relive it a lot," she said. "I talk about that and I have realized that sometimes youre lucky enough to win and sometimes youre lucky enough not to win. Because I think the things you get from a loss can sometimes be more educational, they can be more life-changing than the things when you win. "I think you look at a lot of different things after a loss and I think you can actually do a lot of good with that knowledge and see some really great life lessons. I really try to look at that as some great lessons I learned. I learned some amazing things about my teammates and about my family. You learn a lot when something doesnt maybe go exactly like you hoped." Bernard is excited to tackle some new challenges. She recently completed her first marathon and plans to work with World Vision and climb Mount Kilimanjaro to help children in Third World countries. "The marathon was something I really wanted to do and I trained the last five months for it," she said. "I absolutely loved focusing on a different sport. It felt so amazing to win a (participation) medal at a marathon. It was a nothing medal -- it was a completion medal, and it just felt so good. "I just thought, You know, Im missing trying to push myself at other things. So thats the next step." After a run of over two decades in the sport, Bernard is also quite proud of the friends she made along the way. "I always look back so much at the players," she said. "I look at the accomplishments of course and the highlights of winning the Trials and winning a silver medal and playing in an Olympics in Canada. I dont know if you can ever beat playing in an Olympics in your home country. "But I really look back at the people and the relationships that youve developed and the people youve influenced. I think those things maybe more make my career than the hardware." Wholesale Hoodies NFL Shirts Outlet Jerseys NFL Wholesale Cheap NFL Jerseys Free Shipping Wholesale Jerseys Cheap Cheap NFL Jerseys China Wholesale Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Cheap NFL Jerseys China Cheap NFL Jerseys ' ' '