Note:  Before I begin this post, I’d like to introduce myself.  My name is Luke Sims and I am the editor/Lead Writer for Black and Teal.  I grew up in Minnesota watching Packers and Vikings games for years and years.  My parents are from Wisconsin, my older brother roots for the Lions, and my younger brother roots for the Bears.  While it has been difficult to watch the Vikings struggle to rebuild since the early Denny Green days, I still take a peek at the games from my current home in Montana.

Stumbling across the interwebs today, I noticed Sports Illustrated threw out a round table discussion between the Jags’ Maurice Jones-Drew, Adrian Peterson, and the Falcons’ Michael Turner.  As much as I am a big MJD fan and Michael Turner fan, it is so tough to not love Adrian Peterson.  I cringed at his early career fumbles as much as the next guy, but as he has developed he has cemented himself as one of (if not, the) best backs in the league.  And with his development he has matured immensely.

That maturity was very well displayed when contrasted with MJD and Turner.

October 5, 2009; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome. Source: Bruce Kluckhohn-US PRESSWIRE

While both MJD and Turner are responsible adults and are widely regarded as mature both on the field and off, the devotion and focus that AP had was beyond anything the other running backs talked about.  When asked about most prized possessions, AP talked about his deep respect and love he has for his brother who passed at age eight.  The picture of his brother is kept safe, a memento and cherished piece of his life.  His pre-game ritual revolves around becoming focused yet being flexible (“going with the flow” actually) and praying – I won’t pretend to know whether it’s to crush the Packers or just not to blow out his knee.

While he talked about his life and let SI really get to know who he is, the quirks and less depth in the responses of the other running backs really set Peterson apart.  He doesn’t prize a ’69 Camaro or a rolex watch, there’s no wacky pre-game order of things that has to be done just right, and according to the article he was the only one laughing and (apparently) relaxing during this interview.

AP has gotten a bit of a bad rap lately due to the arrest, but when looking at the guy it is so tough to be hard on him.  He’s a class act through and through, lives up to his potential, walks the walk and talks the talk, and above all else he is down to earth.  AP isn’t some superstar that lets it all go to his head, he’s the kind of guy who breaks his back to make sure that the team comes first.

It has been apparent for a long time, but every time I get a glimpse at the deeper AP he continues to amaze.

- Luke N. Sims

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Up till now I’ve resisted the notion of starting Joe Webb, on the premise that Webb is too raw to be thrown into the meat grinder of the NFL, but after what T-Jack did last night I say, if Brett Favre is unable to recover, then Webb should get his chance.  Yes I realize the unfairness of tossing the green Webb out there against a defense the likes of the Bears, then sending him out against a Philly team that can hang five touchdowns on you in no time flat, but the season is lost anyway and you might as well get a look at what you have in Webb.  If Webb gets totally destroyed you can always go back to Jackson.  You have no hope of winning those games with Jackson in, but at least you won’t have to worry about Webb’s confidence being completely shattered.  With Jackson…well, who gives a damn if his confidence gets shattered?  He’s gone after this year anyway.

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Then Green’s insanity – not to mention his failure to win the big one – got him run out of town. A few years later, Culpepper himself suffered a catastrophic knee injury, and tumbled from the ranks of the NFL’s elite.

Daunte’s own ticket out of Minnesota was punched some time after when he made it clear to then-new coach Brad Childress that he had no desire to remain on the team. Since then, Culpepper has bounced from the Dolphins to the Raiders to the Lions – and now the former near-MVP is on the verge of another move.

One that would reunite him with the coach who drafted him into the NFL, the aforementioned Dennis Green.

Needless to say, this reunion will not be taking place with an NFL franchise. Instead, Culpepper and Green will be joining forces in the UFL, as quarterback and coach of the Sacramento Mountain Lions.

Green is already a veteran of the UFL, having coached the Mountain Lions, in their former incarnation as the California Redwoods, to a 2-4 record in 2009.

Culpepper won’t have much competition at the QB position when he arrives in Sacramento. A quick check of the current team roster lists no one at the position.

There are some Lions fans who might argue that “no one” would be better than Culpepper. I suspect, however, that the Mountain Lion faithful will come to love the Daunte-and-Denny combo as much as Vikings fans did.

And who knows – if Randy Moss‘s career continues in the direction it seemed to be headed last year, there could be a full Culpepper-Green-Moss reunion tour in the offing for UFL fans in the near future. Now that would be worth the price of admission.