General News

Ayodele: “I Don’t Know Anything About That”

March 3, 2012, by 1 comment

For those of you that are still fired up (I’m not, but I do understand) about the New Orleans Saints “Bountygate” scandal” I think you will find a recent article by John Holler at Viking Update quite interesting.

Remi Ayodele was a member of the Saints when they beat the Vikings in the 2009 NFC Championship game, and then went on to win the Super Bowl.  In fact, Ayodele was in on one of the dirty hits on Brett Favre that has been called into question.

Since then, Ayodele has joined the Vikings and has been quoted numerous times saying that he enjoys showing of his Super Bowl ring and jabbing at other players from time to time for the outcome of that championship game.

Holler thought the hits in that game were so “pervasive” that he jumped at the opportunity to ask Ayodele about them once he had joined the team.  He even asked him specifically about the existence of an incentive program that rewarded injuries being dealt to the opposing team.  Here is Holler’s account:

Ayodele seemed momentarily surprised by the question with his facial reaction, but what he did next was more interesting. As with most reporters, I carry a recording device with me to make sure I get quotes right. Ayodele smiled and shrugged and, as he started to give his answer, he leaned into my recorder and said, “I don’t know anything about that.” I took from his reaction and response that he believed a real answer wasn’t really any of my business. When players don’t want to answer questions, each one reacts differently. When they look directly into a camera or, in this case lean into the microphone, they’re making a point. His smile and “I don’t know” shrug spoke more than his words and reminded me of a Mafia-style code of silence and vendetta. I got the distinct impression that he wasn’t going to lie, but he gave a classic “non-denial denial.” He didn’t say, “No. That never happened.” He said he knew nothing – the Sergeant Schultz defense.

Ayodele may have instantly become one of the least respected players on the Vikings roster, at least amongst fans, and after a very unproductive season with the team many of us wouldn’t mind seeing him (and his $2.2 million salary) be shown the door.

According to PFT, the Saints will be punished for their actions prior to March 25th.  Free agency begins on March 13th.

For One Viking, It Is Baseball Season

March 3, 2012, by No comments yet

Strong safety Jarrad Page is a Vikings for at least about another week.

After bouncing around (and then bouncing around some more) the NFL over the last few years, it appears that Page may be executing Plan B for his career as a professional athlete.  On Thursday, Page reportedly attended an open tryout for Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers.

Page played one year of baseball in college, and was drafted straight out of high school by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fifth round.  He was drafted twice more after that.

While no reports have surfaced stating the Vikings will not attempt to re-sign Page, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent, this news makes it pretty clear that he knows something that we don’t.

Links Of The Week: Bounty Hunter Edition

March 2, 2012, by No comments yet

Normally I try to do this feature on Wednesdays.  On Wednesday there wasn’t enough news floating around to make it worth.

Something changed.

I can’t remember what exactly that was.

But if you give me $10,000 I might suddenly be able to recall.

Twelve Grand In The Huddle

March 2, 2012, by 14 comments

Well, shoot, here I thought the post below this one was me taking an unpopular and unique stance on the whole “bountygate” brouhaha.

Guess not.

In the hours since I penned that plenty of others have suggested the practice of bounty hunting in the NFL is no surprise, that the Saints simply got caught, and I have even seen suggestions elsewhere that the NFL should punish them by taking away their rights to a 2012 franchise tag.

Now, I know the Vikings aren’t the only team affected over the last two or three years by Gregg Williams and his unacceptable bounty program, but it is clear they are among the most affected.

Reports have emerged that prior to the 2009 NFC Championship game linebacker Jonathan Vilma threw ten grand on a table and said it would go the player that knocked quarterback Brett Favre out of the game.

As us Vikings fans remember well, that game featured plenty of cheap shots to Favre and it was quite a feat that he was able to finish the game (badly).  This scandal also brings up memories of Adrian Peterson indicating Jabari Greer excessively twisted his ankle on the bottom of a pile in 2011, which nearly caused him to lose his cool.

We know the Saints are going to get punished and I still think there is a case to be made that the team should have their franchise tag revoked this offseason, but is this a case in which the NFL’s punishment should include payment to the team(s) affected by the broken rules?

It wouldn’t be the first time the league did something like that.

In 2008, the NFL found that the 49ers had been tampering with Chicago linebacker Lance Briggs, talking contract with him before they had the right to do so, and San Francisco had to forfeit their fifth round draft pick as a result.  The two teams were also forced to swap third round picks, increasing Chicago’s draft position in that round.

Now, I’m not going to sit here and pretend that plenty of other factors didn’t play into the Vikings loss to the Saints that postseason (ahem, twelve men in the huddle), but there could be a slight chance that the team is in line to receive compensation of some sort for being on the receiving end of Williams’ tactics.

Let’s hear it Vikings Territory, do you think the Vikings should get something out of this?  If so, what should they get?

Hurry Up And Punish Them

March 2, 2012, by 5 comments

New Orleans is the center of the latest, greatest controversy in the NFL as it has been uncovered by an NFL investigation that the Saints, led by defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, paid bounties out to players on defense for injuring opponents.  Brett Favre, not to anyone’s surprise, was obviously a target during the 2009 NFC Championship game.

Now, I’m really not that surprised, shocked, and quite honestly not all that upset.

Bounties have long been rumored to be a part of the NFL, and the Saints were just dumb enough to get caught.  I think bounties are likely an unspoken truth similar to taping opponents signals (spygate) and tampering just prior to free agency.

Still, being dumb enough to get caught partaking in such a barbaric practice means you must be punished.  Rumor has it that punishments could include cash fines, suspensions, and the loss of draft picks.

I have a better idea, but the league needs to act fast.

Take away their right to use a franchise tag this year.  If you do that, then Drew Brees might just hit the open market, which would surely doom the franchise to years of awful play at the quarterback position.

There, I said it.

Branch And Jackson Slapped With The Tag

March 1, 2012, by 2 comments

Yesterday, I scribbled a list of my “Top 25” free agency targets for the Vikings.

DeSean Jackson didn’t make the list, but that was only because we all knew he would get hit with the franchise tag.  Today, he got hit with the franchise tag.

Rumors suggest the Eagles intend to trade Jackson, but I highly doubt the Vikings would be a willing trade partner.  With a somewhat saturated market at the receiver position, it doesn’t make much sense to give up a high pick to obtain a player that wants to get paid like a superstar.  Besides, he’s a headache.

One player who did make my list, Raiders safety Tyvon Branch, is no longer on the market.  It has been reported that Branch will be tagged by the Raiders.  In an already depleted safety market, one more option is off the table for the Vikings.

DAYTON: “Now The Real Work Begins”

March 1, 2012, by 2 comments

As expected, an announcement was made this morning at the Minnesota Capitol that formally introduces a Vikings stadium bill to Legislature, which marks the farthest point the Wilf’s have reached in this process since they bought the franchise in 2005.

The bill’s main talking points are pretty much exactly what I had laid out last night: 

  • A total price tag of $975 million.
  • The Vikings (and NFL) would pay $427 million.
  • The State would pay $398 million.
  • The State would primarily raise funds using electronic pull tabs.
  • Minneapolis would pay $150 million using an existing sales tax.
  • The stadium would have a fixed, covered roof.
  • A three to four year construction process would be expected.
  • The final year of construction would have the Vikings playing at TCF Bank Stadium

Governor Mark Dayton cautioned enthusiasts that “now the real work begins” as the plan must be approved by the State Legislature and the Minneapolis City Council.  There is sure to be some opposition at those levels, but what the strength of that opposition is remains to be seen.