As you’ve surely already noticed, unless you read the Braille version of the site, The Viking Age has undergone a radical redesign.  The purpose of this Jerry Jones-level face lift is to make the site more user-friendly and professional-looking.  Unfortunately for you, the writing will still be the same old cranky, ill-informed crap I’ve been dishing out for years.  Can’t have everything.  Hope you enjoy the new look and feel, anyway.

Some hopeful fans took stories of That Guy’s involvement in the failed recruitment of LaDainian Tomlinson as proof that their hero will be returning for a second shot at glory in 2010.
“Not so fast” says That Guy’s chief spokesman Ed Werder.
According to Werder, who spends the majority of his pitiful existence jammed further up That Guy’s butt than I would’ve thought physically possible, The Old Gunslinger played only a minor role in the Tomlinson push.
Far from providing assurances about his future, That Guy reportedly texted Tomlinson that he has “no clue” if he will play for the Vikings again.  The [...]

The LaDainian Tomlinson watch can now end.  Adam Schefter of ESPN reports that the free agent running back has spurned the Vikings and signed a contract with the New York Jets.
The Vikes courted Tomlinson late last week, hoping he could step into the third-down back role vacated by Chester Taylor.  Tomlinson left Minnesota without a deal, and flew to New York to meet with crazy Rex Ryan and the gang.
Whatever Rex Ryan said, and whatever money the Jets offered, it was all more to L.T.’s liking than the Vikings’ efforts.
And this leaves the Vikes still searching for someone to replace [...]

LaDainian Tomlinson has visited Minnesota, heard what Brad Childress and Zygi Wilf and Rick Spielman had to say…and gone on to New York to sit down with Rex Ryan and the Jets.
If Tomlinson is looking for touches, New York would probably be the better destination.  If he’s looking for a chance to win a championship?
The conventional wisdom is that Minnesota would afford him the better opportunity to taste Super Bowl glory.  On the assumption that That Guy and not Tarvaris Jackson, Sage Rosenfels or Tim Tebow would be starting at quarterback.
It would be interesting to know what Chilly told Tomlinson [...]

The big Vikings news this week is their pursuit of LaDainian Tomlinson, who was recently released by the San Diego Charges, the team for which he once won NFL MVP.
Tomlinson will reportedly be in Winter Park to meet with Brad Childress and the gang on Thursday.  Chilly said in an interview at University of Minnesota Pro Day that he has already spoken to LT, and made sure the future Hall-of-Famer understands that, if he does sign with the Vikings, he will be a back-up to Adrian Peterson.
The Vikes’ interest in Tomlinson has seemingly signaled that they are not interested in [...]

The Vikings are not making the good kind of waves so far in free agency.  As of now, the only news is the loss of top back-ups Chester Taylor and Artis Hicks, a report that the Vikes are mulling adding a kick-off specialist, and another report that they are interested in an old cornerback last seen chasing Adrian Peterson down from behind.
Artis Hicks left over the weekend, signing with the Redskins, who will give him a shot to start.  This leaves the Vikings without their top back-up guard and tackle.
The prospective kick-off guy, Rhys Lloyd, a former Gopher, was scheduled [...]

I think everyone was pretty much resigned to the idea that Chester Taylor would be leaving the Vikings as a UFA and signing with a team that would give him a shot to get more touches.
What might be a little harder to come to grips with is the fact that the Chicago Bears are the team that has nabbed Chester, giving him two annual shots at the Vikings for the next four years.
There’s nothing really to say here except, thank you Chester for four great years.  The offense was always better when it involved you, but with Adrian Peterson on [...]