Opinion

OFFSEASON PREVIEW: The Corners

February 19, 2012, by 8 comments
Calvin Johnson, Chris Cook

[NOTE FROM ADAM:  This is another installation of my position-by-position breakdown of the Vikings offseason.  You can click the links to view previous installments:  The Passers, The Runners, The Wide Outs, The Tight Ends, The Offensive Line, The Defensive Tackles, The Defensive Ends, and The Linebackers.]

Injuries.  Legal troubles.  Age.  Confidence.  Salary Cap numbers.  Talent.

These are all issues facing the various members of this Vikings secondary, which is why fans would just assume the team clean the slate, fire them all, and start over.

While the changes might be drastic, they probably won’t be that drastic, but things could get very interesting, especially within this group of cornerbacks that each come with their own dramatic storylines.

Let’s take a closer look.

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Pre-Lim Stadium Deal Agreed Upon

February 17, 2012, by No comments yet

6,521.

That is my roughly estimated number of eggs counted over the last decade by Vikings stadium supporters before they hatched.

So, take the latest momentum towards a stadium deal in Minneapolis with a grain of salt or two.

Still, it is encouraging to hear that a preliminary deal has been struck that would place a new Vikings home near the existing site of the Metrodome, and thus keep the purple in gold where they belong.

A preliminary agreement has supposedly been reached that would have the Vikings and the NFL pay $427 million of the costs of the new stadium.  The State of Minnesota would be responsible for $398 million while the City of Minneapolis would pay $150 million.  Minneapolis would also be responsible for paying the $180 million in operating expenses expected over the next 30 years.

This agreement is not a guarantee, however, as the State Legislature and Minneapolis’ City Council, in addition to the NFL, would have to agree in full to the deal and make it official.

Minnesota’s White Earth Tribe has proposed a casino be placed in the Twin Cities to help pay for the public portion of the financing. 

That proposal is similar to the one backed by then-Governor Tim Pawlenty back in 2005 and was shot down by a Senate Committee that faced heavy opposition from anti-gambling groups and competing tribes that already owned casinos in the area.

Nothing is a done deal, and this progress may just be superficial, but superficial progress is still better than none at all.

I hope.

Stadium Talk With Grant’s Tomb

February 16, 2012, by 1 comment

Darren Campbell of the incredibly informative Vikings blog Grant’s Tomb volunteered to write an article for me updating us on the latest news surrounding the stadium battle.

Naturally, my laziness and loathing of the topic had me ecstatic to receive his offer.  Darren is a great writer, with a great site, and I hope you will all help me thank him for the post by visiting Grant’s Tomb today.  Besides, his ability to use the word “bafflegab” in the following article officially makes him a better blogger than me by immeasurable amounts.

To view the word “bafflegab” (and the rest of Darren’s article) click the button and make the jump.

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The Freak Wants To Play

February 13, 2012, by 5 comments

He’ll play when he wants to play, and apparently he again wants to play.

Randy Moss took advantage of a slow news week, and the name power he still possesses with NFL fans, to make a splash and announce his desire to unretire from football and make a return to the NFL.

“I just wanna go to a team and play some football,” Moss announced in a Monday webcast that marked his 35th birthday.  “Faith, family, and football, that’s my M.O., bro.  Your boy be back for the upcoming season.”

“I’m coming to tear somebody’s heads off, man,” Moss said via another webcast in the evening.  “I got something on my shoulder and it’s a chip that I need to get it off.”

A Randy Moss with a chip on the shoulder has proven to be the best kind of Randy Moss over the years, but he has a personality that seems to always be forgetting the lessons he had to learn along the way.  Specifically, Moss sounded as if he genuinely would have liked things to end differently when he got his second chance in Minnesota.

“I got regrets of how I left New England, I got regrets of how I left Minnesota, and I got regrets of how I retired,” Moss said.

I’ll admit that I have a soft spot for Randy Moss, as he will always be one of the top receivers to ever play for the Vikings, but if I am willing to put aside sentiment and hope for E.J. Henderson to be replaced then I am certainly able to ignore my desire to see #84 suit up once again in purple.  This team needs to get younger talent on both sides of the ball, and Moss doesn’t fit that description.

The good news for the Vikings is that the already deep free agent class at wide receiver just gained one more name.  Of course, this comes on the heels of a report that the Eagles will franchise DeSean Jackson, so the free agent pickings will continue to get slimmer between now and March.

Still, I will enjoy seeing Moss play again if a team is willing to give him yet another chance… as long as that team isn’t the Chicago Bears.

OFFSEASON PREVIEW: The Second Level

February 12, 2012, by 2 comments
Greenway

[NOTE FROM ADAM:  This is another installation of my position-by-position breakdown of the Vikings offseason.  You can click the links to view previous installments:  The Passers, The Runners, The Wide Outs, The Tight Ends, The Offensive Line, The Defensive Tackles, and The Defensive Ends.]

Last offseason, the Vikings faced a crossroads with former first round pick Chad Greenway, and they decided to invest heavily in the outside linebacker by placing the franchise tag on him and then giving him a huge contract extension.

This year, the Vikings face similar decisions with the other two linebackers slots, and the position could be headed for major transition this offseason.

Let’s take a closer look.

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OFFSEASON PREVIEW: The Pass Rushers

February 10, 2012, by 6 comments
Minnesota Vikings v New York Jets

[NOTE FROM ADAM:  This is another installation of my position-by-position breakdown of the Vikings offseason.  You can click the links to view previous installments:  The Passers, The Runners, The Wide Outs, The Tight Ends, The Offensive Line, and The Defensive Tackles.]

Perhaps the most exciting thing about the Minnesota Vikings in 2011 was their ability to get to opposing quarterbacks.  The team was tied with the Eagles for the most sacks with an even 50, and Jared Allen came within mere inches of breaking the all time sack record.

There is no doubt that the Vikings defense needs some serious work, but the defensive end position is fairly solidified.  Still, there are options the Vikings have, and evaluations to take place.

Let’s take a closer look.

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Viking Update Is On A Roll

February 9, 2012, by 1 comment

At a time when Vikings news is incredibly slow, I have been impressed with Viking Update and their ability to come up with some interesting articles that I want to point you all towards:

  •  John Holler reminisces about Rick Spielman’s inability to contain his glee when he struck a Draft Day trade with the Vikings (he was Miami’s G.M. at the time) to move up one spot and nab offensive lineman Vernon Carey.  Even years after the move, Spielman gushed about Carey and how badly he wanted to draft him.  Now that Spielman is the Vikings G.M., and Carey is expected to become an unrestricted free agent, Holler makes a very solid argument that Carey will be added to the Vikings offensive line during the upcoming free agency period.  Read the whole story here.
  • Quarterback Christian Ponder took some time off and was “lazy” for the first few weeks of the offseason.  Now, however, he is back at Winter Park and plans to be working out there for most of the offseason.  Ponder is working through some new things, including what he describes as “hot yoga,” and says he has recovered from his various injuries experienced at the end of the season.  Here’s hoping that “hot yoga” has a more positive impact on Ponder than playing tennis had on Bryant McKinnie.  Read the whole story here.
  • The City of Duluth has officially thrown their hat into the ring as a suitor to house the Vikings.  Senator Roger Reinert introduced the latest Vikings bill that would see a stadium built in his town of Duluth.  The Vikings said they applaud Duluth’s efforts to finding a stadium solution, but with the current legislative session already underway, the team is going to continue to focus their efforts on Minneapolis and Arden Hills.  Read the whole story here.
  • In wondering if the Vikings can turn things around as quickly as many hope, Brian Hall looks at what happened the last time the Vikings posted a 3-13 record, which is the worst they have ever finished.  In 1984, the Vikings went 3-13 just like in 2011, and the following year they were able to manage a record of 7-9.  After that, the Vikings had four straight winning seasons and earned a trip to the NFC Championship.  Read the whole story here.