Opinion

Once Again, Cris Carter Talks While Vikings Fans Cringe

May 9, 2012, by 13 comments

With the Saints player suspension less than a week old, former Vikings receiver Cris Carter re-confirmed what many of us already knew, or at least believed, about the sport of football:  “bounties” have long been a part of the game.

“I’m guilty of it,” Carter said of using bounties. “It’s the first time I’ve ever admitted it. But I put a bounty on guys before. I put bounties on guys. And the guys tried to take me out, a guy tried to take a cheap shot on me, I put a bounty on him, right now.”

Carter insisted that he used bounties strictly as a defense mechanism, but also witnessed times when bounties were use to target specific players on opposing teams.

“Protect me. . . . Protect me from him. . . . Especially if he’s playing a different position where I can’t protect myself,” Carter said. “I’d tell one of them guards, ‘Hey man, this dude is after me, man. Bill Romanowski.’ He told me he’s gonna me out before the game, in warmups. No problem. ‘I’m gonna end your career, Carter.’ No problem. I put a little change on his head before the game. Protect myself, protect my family. That’s the league that I grew up in.”

Since the day the news of “Bounty Gate” first broke I have maintained a pretty uninspired stance on the matter, despite some very emotional reactions from other Vikings faithful, but part of my measured response to this story has to do with the assumption that this troubling practice was not isolated within the City of New Orleans, with a Gregg Williams defense, or even just within the NFL.

Instead, it is becoming clear that this was a widespread problem that Roger Goodell has decided there is no room for in a league run by him.

The Saints will take the fall, but bounties have been around for a long time and have infiltrated many locker rooms.

Including, apparently, the Vikings locker room.

Longwell’s Release Leaves A Spielman-Shaped Mark

May 8, 2012, by 2 comments

After a long day of work, I was expecting to settle into my laptop and try to motivate myself to write about my two least favorite subjects to cover:  Stadiums & Politics.

Of course, that is all big and important news, but luckily there is some actual football activity to discuss, as well, albeit bitter-sweet.

As Brett mentioned earlier, Ryan Longwell was released by the Vikings and he made a very gracious statement to fans about his time in Minnesota.

Now, on the surface, the move can make little sense.  He has been a special teams captain.  He has been a leader.  He has been one of the most reliable field goal kickers in the NFL.  He has been classy.  He is charitable.

He has been a very well liked Viking for six seasons.

Plus, last offseason, the Vikings gave Longwell a four year deal worth $12 million, with $3.5 million in guarantees.

However, as I eluded to back in February (I even mention Blair Walsh by name), the writing has been on the wall for a while now.

Longwell is a 38 year old kicker on a team that is rebuilding.  His kickoffs averaged 64.8 yards (21st in the NFL), his 19 touchbacks (23rd in the NFL) were a career high but mainly the result of a rule change, and his 79% field goal accuracy (26th in the NFL) were all stats that suggested that not only was Longwell’s leg strength beginning to greatly lack but that his skills were also degrading in general.

There is an old adage in NFL front offices that goes something like this: “It is better to give up on a player one year too early than one year too late.”

The Vikings had the chance, last offseason, to part ways with Longwell at exactly the right time but instead will be parting with him one year too late.

Judd Zulgad of 1500ESPN, suggests that the move to extend Longwell last offseason was possibly a result of Leslie Frazier still having a say in the final roster and now that Rick Spielman has full control he was able to impose his will on the kicker position.

Zulgad calls it a reminder that Spielman will not hesitate to “retool” this roster regardless of what it means for the win column in 2012.

I would argue that the move makes sense for not only the future, but for 2012, too.  The Vikings may not be able to rely on the young Blair Walsh on clutch kicks until he proves otherwise, but they should put their defense in a much better position on a regular basis via Walsh’s strong leg pinning opponents deeper into their own territory.  The stronger leg will help the field position battle on a regular basis, which will help both the offense and the defense, and the hope will be he can eventually also develop into a trustworthy field goal kicker.

The Vikings should probably sign another kicker to provide Walsh with some competition, and to have another leg for special teams reps in training camp, but it is clear that the Vikings feel confident in his abilities to replace Longwell not only in the future, but right now.

WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW: Rhett Ellison

May 5, 2012, by 4 comments

Welcome to part four of our ten part series entitled “Welcome to the Big Show” where we attempt to bring you a comprehensive, in-depth look at each of the Vikings ten Draft selections of 2012.  In case you missed them, here are links to the first three:  Matt Kalil, Harrison Smith, and Josh Robinson.

Now, we move on to USC’s Rhett Ellison who was a surprise pick by the Vikings near the end of the fourth round.

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The Inseparable Pair: Vikings Newest Receivers

May 1, 2012, by 4 comments

Almost everyone has that childhood friend that they’ve known all the way back to elementary school. You grew up down the block from each other and played every day together until the porch lights came on. Because of your close proximity, you also went to elementary school, middle school and then eventually high school together. You had the same teachers and the same friends. You even graduated together. Typically, though, that’s where it ends. Not many childhood friends, especially ones you went to grade school with, end up attending the same universities. At some point, you part ways for various reasons and go on without that childhood friend by your side every step of the way.

That is what makes the story of wide receivers Jarius Wright and Greg Childs so incredibly fascinating.

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WELCOME TO THE BIG SHOW: Harrison Smith

May 1, 2012, by 13 comments

Welcome to part two of our ten part series called “Welcome to the Big Show” where we give you an in-depth look into each of the Vikings ten Draft selections of 2012.  Brett did a fine job handling Part One, a look at Matt Kalil, and now we move onto our other first round pick, Harrison Smith.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Born on Groundhog’s Day in 1989, Harrison Smith grew up as an extremely gifted athlete.

From a young age, adults took notice of Smith’s leadership abilities and willingness to include everyone.  His mother received calls from summer camp counselors telling stories of Smith comforting kids through the night as they cried from being homesick, and often including other kids in activities even when other children considered them outcasts.

Smith went to high school at Knoxville Catholic where he was a do-it-all player.  Heck, he was even a solid basketball player.  He ran wild as a running back, was a gifted receiver, and showed prowess on defense, and even averaged 14 yards per punt return as a senior.  In 2006, he was selected as Tennessee’s Gatorade Football Player of the Year.

Having grown up at a Catholic school with a strict dress code, Smith got to Notre Dame and let his hair grow out.  While drawing comparisons by some to Justin Bieber, he preferred the Scooby Doo comparisons and embraced the “Shaggy” role when Halloween rolled around.

He was a four star athlete coming out high school, with some schools envisioning him on offense and some wanting him to play defense.  With offers on the table from a number of schools that included Tennessee, Auburn, and Alabama, Smith ended up choosing Notre Dame.  His decision not to play for Tennessee ended up seeing his family be semi-spurned in their hometown.

At Notre Dame, he graduated from Mendoza College of Business with a management-entrepreneurship degree and enrolled in a graduate studies program.

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Can The Roster Continue To Improve?

April 29, 2012, by 18 comments

No fan or analyst is going to agree 100% with every move made in the NFL Draft in any given year, but this year has certainly left Vikings fans feeling better than they have in recent years.

The Vikings theoretically took big strides in improving their secondary, added a key piece to the offensive line, and should have an interesting competition amongst their receivers.  Still, it is tough to believe that the Draft, combined with the few free agent moves made earlier this offseason, will be enough to turn a 3-13 roster into a playoff contender.

Rick Spielman’s patience in the initial stages of free agency, however, could pay off in the months between now and September.  The team is believed to have $12.5 million in cap space after the Jerome Simpson signing, which is a considerable sum and gives them some firepower if a player that intrigues them becomes available as a result of being a cap casualty.

It is quite possible that this was Rick Spielman’s plan all along, to leave enough space to be major free agency players later on in the offseason when there is a great potential for steals.

Increasing the potential for success in this area is the fact that the Vikings will have third priority for players that are released from their current teams and subject to the waiver process.  Only the Colts and the Rams will have higher priority, and neither of them have the cap space available that the Vikings do.  In fact, the Rams may only have enough space left to sign their rookie class and that is it.

Names like Jacoby Jones, Mike Jenkins, and Josh Brown have already been mentioned in regards to potentially hitting the open market and many more are sure to follow.

The Vikings may be in an ideal situation to scoop up one or two players of value in an attempt to further rebuild this roster from top to bottom.

Vikings Day Three Haul – Quick Reactions

April 28, 2012, by 14 comments

Here is the rundown so far:

FOURTH ROUND

#118 Jarius Wright, WR, Arkansas: Often compared to Percy Harvin from a skill set standpoint, Wright offers some much needed speed to this offense and could end up being quite the playmaker.  Expect to see him contribute most on special teams as a return man through his rookie season.

#128  Rhett Ellison, FB/TE, USC:  Matt Kalil’s teammate at USC could end up trying to fill Jim Kleinsasser’s shoes as a versatile blocker, rounding out the depth chart at tight end.  This could spell trouble for the many various fullbacks on this roster already.

#134  Greg Childs, WR, Arkansas:  Apparently Rick Spielman was impressed with Arkansas’ receivers this year.  Childs represents a very solid value here and could look to compete for a starting gig from the get-go.  A real Height-Weight-Speed prospect that could end up dominating.

FIFTH ROUND

#139  Robert Blanton, CB/S, Notre Dame:  Probably off the roster right away unless he transitions successfully to safety.  Blanton, a teammate of Harrison Smith, is not going to blow anyone away physically but he has some experience and leadership abilities.  I think this was a reach and he will struggle to find a roster spot as a special teams guy.

SIXTH ROUND

#175  Blair Walsh, K, Georgia:  With Greg Zuerlin going just a few picks ahead of them, this pick smells like panic to me.  Walsh had a horrible senior campaign and while I was a fan of finding a replacement for Ryan Longwell, I don’t have any confidence that Walsh can be that guy.  A huge reach.

SEVENTH ROUND

#210:  Audie Cole, LB, North Carolina Sate:  The Vikings got a lot of value here, as Cole could have gone much higher than this.  He is a talented linebacker that, even from the seventh round, could provide competition with Jasper Brinkley.  He has better range.

#219:  Trevor Guyton, DE, Cal:  It doesn’t seem like Guyton has a super high ceiling, but he could prove to be a solid depth player.  A sure tackler with some burst off the line.