The decision by the Minnesota Vikings to place Percy Harvin on season-ending injured reserve, coach Leslie Frazier said, was based ''purely'' on his slow-healing sprained left ankle and not any issue with a uniquely valuable player who has had clashes with the team. Frazier declined to be more specific about the injury, which occurred in the third quarter of the Nov. 4 game at Seattle. Even severe sprains don't normally require two months to recover from, but by shelving him now the Vikings declared they wouldn't get Harvin back at full strength in time to warrant keeping him on the active roster. ''For him as well as our team, this is the best thing to do as opposed to continuing to try to make something happen that's not going to happen,'' Frazier said after practice Thursday. ''He's such a valuable commodity. You don't want to do anything that's going to create some long-term ill effects.'' Harvin hasn't been available to reporters for two weeks. ''It certainly is disappointing that I was not able to finish out this season with my teammates. As a competitor I definitely wanted to get back out on the field, but my injury has just not allowed me to progress to the point where I can help our team,'' Harvin said in a statement distributed by the Vikings. ''I appreciate the efforts of our medical staff and the support of our fans in helping me through this process and look forward to coming back stronger and better than ever.'' Source: Associated Press
