Archive for August, 2011

Not long ago Cardinals wide receiver and former Vikings ball boy Larry Fitzgerald was quoted as saying it would be a “dream come true” for him to jump from Arizona to his home town team in Minnesota. But you know what’s an ever better dream? Signing an 8-year deal worth $120 million including $50 million guaranteed. According to Adam Schefter, Fitzgerald has opted for the better dream. The ESPN insider and possible leprechaun says Fitzgerald will take the huge money to stay in the desert, dashing Viking fans’ hopes of a Ponder/Fitzgerald/Peterson/Harvin super-combo in 2012 and beyond. Fitzgerald always said the [...]

Cedric Griffin will suit up for the Vikings and play tonight, his first action since tearing his ACL against the Jets on October 11, 2010. If Griffin is able to make it all the way back, he will have the distinction of returning from not one but two ACL tears, his first having come in the latter stages of the nightmarish NFC title game against the Saints. The Vikings are banking on Griffin returning to the form he showed in 2009 when he developed into one of the better cornerbacks in the league, and helped the Vikes to a 12-4 [...]

Here are a few things I’ll be paying special attention to in tonight’s second preseason game: 1. Wide Receiver Battle Percy Harvin is out (no biggie) and so is Greg Camarillo (sort of a biggie for Greg as he still hasn’t made this team). I’m convinced Jaymar Johnson has already made the receiver rotation as a result of his potential deep threat ability and his punt return skills, the latter of which he displayed last week. And then there’s Bernard Berrian. Many are still convinced Berrian is in danger of being cut, citing a vague statement by Leslie Frazier about not knowing [...]

Welcome to Fantasy Football Friday. I’m dedicating Fridays to America’s favorite pastime in the hobby, part-time job, never fun, always a headache, second-guessing, hatred that is fantasy friggin’ football. So you’re in an archaic league that still does snake drafts eh? Sad. Regardless, you are pleased as punch that you have the first pick and Moses (yeah the part the Red Sea Moses) has the second pick. So the first pick. Nice. Whoyagot? In three words…   Adrian Flippin Peterson. That’s who ya got.   Every year I go into my $100 bankroll auction style draft and I already have [...]

Let’s take a stab at projecting the 53-man roster for the Vikings, keeping in mind that some of these guesses might look very bad after tomorrow night’s game – or very good depending on how things shake out. The Locks Quarterback: Donovan McNabb, Christian Ponder, Joe Webb Running Back: Adrian Peterson, Toby Gerhart, Lorenzo Booker Tight End: Visanthe Shiancoe, Kyle Rudolph, Jim Kleinsasser Wide Receiver: Percy Harvin, Michael Jenkins, Bernard Berrian, Jaymar Johnson Tackle: Charlie Johnson, Phil Loadholt, Ryan Cook Center: John Sullivan, Jon Cooper Guard: Steve Hutchinson, Chris DeGeare Defensive End: Jared Allen, Brian Robison, Everson Griffen Defensive Tackle: [...]

Adrian Peterson has always been one to show a strong level of confidence without sounding cocky. He’s one of few NFL players capable of doing so. As a rookie his goal was to run for 1800 yards and the following year he had a goal of 2000. Whenever asked on team goals it has never been anything less than winning a Super Bowl. So today when he was “The Jungle” today with radio host Jim Rome the following was exchanged that should come as no surprise. Jim Rome: As we stand right now do you feel like you’re the best [...]

Welcome to Over/Under. Sometimes we will talk lines, sometimes we will talk overrated and underrated, or even over achieving and under achieving, or under the radar, well you see what the story is. Let’s talk NFL futures. Most books have the Vikes at 7 wins. 7 wins? For reals playa? I’m digging all the coffee cans out of my back yard and calling Clark W. Griswold and headin’ to Sin City to put some jack down on the Purple. I gotta hit the Rock, Paper, Scissors table when I’m up in that mess. The Purple have the 4th easiest schedule [...]

Donovan McNabb will reportedly play at least a quarter Saturday night against the Seahawks, and may even get a quarter-and-a-half depending on how things go. This will be our first extended look at McNabb with the first team, though with Percy Harvin and Visanthe Shiancoe both probably on the bench, he still won’t have all his primary weapons. Hopefully McNabb and the offense will show something more vs. Seattle than the plodding efficiency they demonstrated last Saturday against Tennessee. In that game McNabb went 6-for-11 for only 40 yards, demonstrating accuracy on short-range passes, a little mobility on one bootleg [...]

It’s not hard to understand why Sidney Rice is now a member of the Seattle Seahawks and not the Minnesota Vikings. It’s the money. $41 million over five years with $18.5 million guaranteed. No way in hell were the Vikings going to match that kind of offer, not on a player with an injury history like Rice’s, not with their cap situation, not with Adrian Peterson in line for a contract extension. And – let’s be honest – Rice didn’t exactly put up the kind of overall numbers that would normally warrant such a huge deal. He had one great [...]

All the right things were said in (I’m a) Man-kato. Would you expect anything different? I’m not expecting the Love Number Jared Allen to come out and say “this defense sucks and we are going to struggle.” I’m going to be straight with you, I like this team. I know the professional pundits are picking the Purple to be last in the division but I don’t see it. This team has talent period. I personally believe this team goes Eminem on the North and starts “kickin’ ass in the mornin’ and takin’ names in the evenin’.” 6-10? No chance. 9-7? [...]