Vikings Off Season Predictions

Below are a few of my off season predictions for the Minnesota Vikings. This could probably be labeled version 1.0 because my predictions are likely to change as the off season unfolds.

The Vikings, first and foremost, need to get the GPS out and right the ship back on course.

I look for Leslie Frazier to have a successful offseason by firing certain coaches and hiring sold NFL-caliber coachers. Coaches like Bill Musgrave will most likely stay, which he should.

The Vikings need to look at free agency and the draft to fit the roster better to the 'Vikings standard'. The Vikings need to figure out whether or not they want to be an offensive or a defensive team. In the past, I would categorize the Vikings as a defensive team. Right now and in the upcoming offseason, I don't think the team can afford to be both.

Whether or not Joe Webb or Christian Ponder is at the helm, the Vikings need to bring some new tools to help the quarterback win. Both quarterbacks appear to be intelligent and possessing the desire to win. Though Joe Webb has performed well in the absence and injury of Ponder, I think Ponder will take on the fulltime quarterback position.

More predictions to come...

Vikings Playoffs... Bummer

I certainly wish the Vikings were in the playoffs. It has been two years now, which is considered a severe drought when it comes to Vikings football - we used to be a dominating team in the NFC North.

I remember being in Hawaii watching the Vikings Saints game two years ago at a local bar. There are tons of Vikings fans in Hawaii - which seems slightly counterintuitive because of the extreme weather differences.

It was such a bummer, seeing Favre and the Packers lose. Remembering Hawaii and the great memories I made almost off-sets that though...

I still wish the Vikings were in the playoffs.

Jared Allen Hits New Orleans on the Nose

"There's two cities like I don't go out to eat or don't do anything. It's Detroit and New Orleans. New Orleans looks like I'm driving through a third-world country every time I get off the plane, I'm like, 'Oh, flak jacket.' I'm trying to get down. I'm like, 'Ah, crap, I can't carry my gun here. This sucks," said Allen of New Orleans.

I found a forum thread discussing Allen's comments from the point of view of New Orleans fans.

"Have you ever visited North Minneapolis, midtown or the Phillips neighborhoods?"
- This guy has a good point. North Minneapolis is like Bucharest at 4am.

"Hey Jared Allen ! How does it feel to play for a Third World Team?"
- Sad.

"Why doesn't he just say, ""I try to avoid black towns"?"
- Ok. Too far.

Jared Allen Not Giving Up

Jared Allen was given a late rest against the Saints on Sunday... and he wasn't happy about it.

"What are we resting me for? The playoffs? Come on. That's not my decision. I guess they want the young guys to play. I don't know," said Allen according to Sports Illustrated.

Allen is currently in pursuit of the single-season sack record for the NFL. Though the Vikings are clearly going to end with a losing record, they are trying to avoid setting a record for the franchise-worst record, set at 3-13. The Vikings are 2-12.

The Vikings play at Washington on Saturday and host the Bears on January 1.

Ragnar, the Minnesota Viking

With another Vikings loss, I thought this blog post should be dedicated to where the Vikings organization went wrong.

Do you remember Ragnar, the mascot Viking that is the first to emerge from the tunnel before every home game? Yes, he is still part of the organization and he still drums up Vikings fans at every home game.

Something has changed though. During every halftime, Ragnar used to 'mock' the cheerleaders by copying their provocative dances with his less-than-eloquent dance moves. This no longer happens. It hasn't happened all year.

Why?

Did the cheerleaders get upset that Vikings fans enjoyed his performance more than theirs? Did the Vikings have to cut his performance because his star-like dance moves were no longer in the budget? Or... what?

All I know is if the Vikings plan on winning a game here and there instead of never, we need to get back to the basics. Bring back Ragnar's performance. Who knows... maybe the Vikings will win a game.

Did You Know? Christian Ponder Edition

Only hours after being drafted by the Vikings in April, Ponder arrived at Winter Park to meet his new coaches. To celebrate the successes Ponder has experienced this year as a Vikings, I've brought together some interesting Ponder facts.

Ponder is only the sixth Vikings rookie quarterback to start a game in team history!

Ponder set a franchise record for rookies with a pair of touchdown passes in his first outing!

Ponder's 72-yard completion to wide receiver Michael Jenkins on 10/23 set a Vikings record for the longest pass play by a rookie, breaking the mark of 71 yards held by Fran Tarkenton.

I can't wait to see what Ponder brings the Vikings next year!

New Vikings Stadium: Funding

Officials will be meeting again today to discuss the new Minnesota Vikings Stadium, this time focussing on funding.

Minneapolis city leaders on Tuesday put their weight behind a proposal to rebuild a new Vikings stadium at the current site of the Metrodome. The site would be $215 million cheaper than the Vikings' preferred plan of $1.1 billion in Arden Hills.

Stay tuned for more.

Christian Ponder Hates Turnovers

Bah. Well that was a hard game to watch for any Vikings fans. When the Vikings were ahead then behind then ahead and ended up behind 35-32 for the final, it is tough to watch. Even harder to watch? Christian Ponder throw two picks for 10 points and a fumble that ended a short field goal attempt.

Christian Ponder agrees. He hates the rollercoaster ride that is being a rookie. He was recently quoted, "It's hard to look Jared Allen in the eyes and tell him I had two picks and a fumble and I cost us the game."

No matter what the circumstance, I would bet its hard to look Allen in the eyes - he is one intimidating guy. However, Allen was actually one of the players to support Ponder saying he would learn from his mistakes and learn to get better.

Right on. We have the rest of the season for that to happen, because next season is Skol Season.

Vikings Stadium Site

The Vikings, without sure means of funding a stadium, will be meeting with Minneapolis city leaders in the next couple of days to narrow their list of potential stadium sites. This happens even though the Vikings continue to assert its preference for Arden Hills.

Until now, the Vikings have religiously avoided talks with Minneapolis policy-makers because of their Arden Hills preference.

This meeting sounds like it will largely accomplish nothing. The likeliness of the two sides narrowing down the list to one or two sites seems very unlikely, especially with the lack of sure-funding collected.

Nonetheless, I'll keep you updated regarding any developments. In the meantime, enjoy the weekend and some Vikings football! SKOL!

Minnesota Vikings Host Tim Tebow

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33 is the verse and Tim Tebow is the messenger... after Jesus, of course. This verse, or perhaps another, will be in Minneapolis this weekend as the Minnesota Vikings host the Denver Broncos.

Tim Tebow has swept the nation similar to Twilight and reality cooking shows featuring cupcake bake-offs and restaurant hunters in search of that diamond in the rough. Some hate him. Some love him. One thing is for sure though - Tim Tebow loves Jesus.

It isn't new for athletes to be faithful or to find good luck charms in inanimate objects, but it seems that Tebow's faith is as exceptional as turning water into wine. The Broncos, now 5-1 under Tebow and 6-5 overall, seem to take comfort in Tebow's sermons.

Do you?

No Hurry, Adrian Peterson

Running back Adrian Peterson will be walking around in a boot, and not a snow boot, through this Thursday. Coach Leslie Frazier said Peterson will try to do some work in practice on Friday to determine his playing status for Sunday's game in Atlanta.

My opinion, and likely everyone else's as well, no hurry, AP. Minnesota's record of 2-8 puts the pressure off of a quick return.

An MRI test on Monday revealed a "Grade 1-type" of sprain and "a little bit of ligament damage," according to Frazier. The injury isn't serious, but like I said, there is no hurry.

Toby Gerhart and WR Percy Harvin should take this opportunity to step up their involvement and effectiveness on the field. Harvin has already shown he can be a dangerous threat out of the backfield, but should really take this time to utilize his powerful running and deceptive moves.

Sunday's game held other disappointing news as well. Jared Allen's franchise-record streak of 11 consecutive games with a sack ended Sunday.

Vikings Stadium Update: Lawmakers Listen

The State lawmakers have decided to take testimony from the public on the Minnesota Vikings stadium issue at two all-day hearing. The information gathered will be compiled and used to finalize a bill.

Stay tuned, I will have all the details! Right now I am trying to picture the kinds of bars offered in a new Vikings stadium... It is Thursday after all.

Vikings May Need Total Rebuild

It appears as though the Vikings are in need of a rebuild instead of the current remodel. Our transition from the Brett Favre era to the Christian Ponder era has been full of speed bumps, specifically 7 of them thus far.

We haven't turned the ball over. We've committed penalties, but not so many that they shouldn't be overcome. The Vikings aren't giving away games, yet they are losing them. What does that mean for Skol Nation?

It means that the Vikings aren't as good, from the upper management to the 53-man roster, as they originally thought they were going to be. There is room to change this perception, but it looks as though the Vikings are going to have to shake things down and build them back up for an effective team to emerge.

Pro Bowl Votes: Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson

Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson should, without a doubt, be voted into the Pro Bowl this year.

In 2010, Allen failed to make the Pro Bowl after three consecutive appearances. He had led the team in 11 sacks that was good for 10th in the league.

Allen has received a lot of flak for his year off from the Bowl, resulting in a new vengeance in 2011. He is currently leading the league with 11.5 sacks and is on pace for a record-setting season. Allen needs 11 more sacks in nine games to tie Michael Strahan's 22.5 single-season record.

Allen also has an interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.

Adrian Peterson has made the Pro Bowl every year since he has been in the league (since 2007). There is no reason that Peterson isn't going to continue his run of consecutive Pro Bowls.

Support the Vikings as they pursue Pro Bowl bids - vote Vikings and vote often.

Minnesota Vikings IPO

The new Minnesota Vikings stadium has been a hot issue for a while now - we all know this. Something new has been brought to the stable regarding potential financing for the stadium: Public Ownership.

Just across the border the Green Bay Packers use a business model that could serve as a guidance for the Minnesota Vikings as they continue to grapple over funding streams. Benefits of a publicly held team could provide lasting solutions to numerous obstacles the team faces.

The Vikings would remain in Minnesota, which is great for the state's economy, but the state wouldn't have to foot the bill for a shiny new stadium. There are citizens who are willing, however, and those fans would make this solution viable along with the current owners.

The stock options would generate revenue for the new stadium as well as free up capital for the Wilf family, while the family would enjoy almost all of the control they currently have.

What do you think?

Minnesota Vikings Stadium UPDATE

This post is kind of ironic given my last post...

This is what I would have written yesterday:

It appears that fans are not alone when it comes to being tired of just HEARING about a potential stadium agreement - lawmakers and the media are as well.

Govenor Dayton met with Representative Morrie Lanning and Senator Julie Rosen to further discuss where any Vikings plans will go from here. It appears that a special session is in the works and that the issue will be pushed into regular session where it would be politically difficult to push through to approval.

However, Rosen did say she wants a stadium bill wrapped up before the regular session in 2012 and that the stadium bill authors are working hard to make that reality. Lanning went on to say that there are three sources of gambling revenue on the (poker) table: Electronic pull tabs, racino and a Block E casino.

A Block E casino would essentially rule out an Arden Hills casino because only a Minneapolis site would work. The other two options leave both locations viable when it came to the funding source.

Below is a press release by the Minnesota Vikings as reported by Fox Twins Cities:

The Vikings are concerned about the turn of events surrounding a stadium solution in Minnesota. While we have been encouraged by the efforts of Governor Dayton and the four caucus leaders to seriously discuss this issue, these recent developments are very disappointing. The Vikings stadium issue has been heavily debated in the public for over 10 years. With less than 90 days left on the team's lease, the urgency to act is on us.

The Vikings continue to stand ready to work with State leaders on a stadium solution that works for Minnesota and the team.

This is what I am writing now:

Less than 24 hours after it appeared a Vikings stadium deal had fallen apart, a new push seems to be on. Gov. Mark Dayton met this morning with lawmakers who support a subsidy. The lawmakers say they plan to introduce a detailed proposal soon and air it in the public hearings.

Though a special session before Thanksgiving is still out of the question, no one ruled out a callback in December or early January before the regular convening.

The team is still backing a $1.1 billion stadium in Arden Hills, but three sites in downtown remain possibilities- all of which carry a lower price tag.

"Stadium plans for NFL's Minnesota Twins hit new delay" - Reuters

Go to this link: http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/03112011/2/stadium-plans-nfl-minnesota-twins-hit-new-delay.html for a better view.

The Minnesota Vikings have no shot of getting a new stadium if people think we're voting on another new Twins Stadium.

Lang Accepts Robison Apology for Groin Shot

For all you who watched the Green Bay Packers / Vikings game on Sunday and witnessed our own Robison try to maim Lang, here are some tweet updates from pair.

Brian Robison: My apologies to @tjlang70, my team, my fans and the @nfl. I am not a dirty player and did not maliciously aim for the groin, just happened to be where it landed.

TJ Lang: Glad to report my genitalia are in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery!

TJ Lang: All joking aside I think @ Brian Robison is a heck of a player.. just caught up in the emotion of the game.. apology accepted.

Robison is expected to be fined an amount more than $10,000 and could even face a suspension.

Yikes.

Bernard Berrian Placed on Waivers

The Vikings have cut ties with WR Bernard Berrian, placing him on the waiver wire.

There was a time when I thought Berrian would bring back the 'Moss' to Minnesota, which became slightly confusing when Moss actually did come back, but that is beside the point. I thought Berrian had it all.

The move with Berrian is coming after the trading deadline, which means any team that picks him up will be hit with the remaining $1.1 million on his base salary. If Berrian clears waivers, he would be free to sign with any team.

What happened?

The thing is no one outside the Vikings organization knows or just refuses to say. This move has been brewing for at least a few weeks after he was inactive for two of the last three games (including the border battle with Wisconsin this past Sunday).

Berrian met with Leslie Frazier yesterday and it was expected that he would meet with Frazier again today to decide his future. Berrian said he wanted to remain with the team, citing his willingness to cut $2 million of his scheduled $2.9 million for 2011.

Berrian's stats have gone downhill after a productive 2008 season where he has a 48-catch, 964-yard, seven-touchdown season. Last year he only had 247 yards, despite being active for 14 games. In Week 6 Berrian seemed to get back on track against his former team, the Chicago Bears, as he had a 54-yard performance.

Then, on Sunday Berrian found out he would be inactive against the Packers after something (?) happened with him and the coaching staff over the weekend.

Well... you know what I know. #disappointment.

Donovan McNabb Loves Women in Lingerie

From this point on, no one can say McNabb isn't putting in his time studying plays, routes, offenses and defenses. He is. It just so happens that he is paying more attention to the players than the plays.

McNabb was spotted at a recent LFL game between the Minnesota Valkyrie and Los Angeles Temptation at the Target Center. Was this time better spent in preparation for the Bears last Sunday? I'll let you formulate your own opinion.

I wonder what Christian Ponder would say. WWCPD?

Christian Ponder to Start

This season has been awful. 1-5 and so far out of playoff contention I don't even remember what the playoffs look like.

Since 1977, the year the Minnesota Vikings drafted Tommy Kramer, the Vikes have only used two first-round picks on a quarterback (Daunte Culpepper and Christian Ponder). Instead, our standard protocol has been to go with the guy with experience; the re-tread quarterback.

Wade Wilson... Rich Gannon... Jim McMahon... Warren Moon... Brad Johnson... Randall Cunningham... Jeff George... Brad Johnson (2.0)... Gus Ferotte... Brett Favre. And now? Donovan McNabb.

During those years, roughly 35, the Vikings haven't made one Super Bowl appearance.

With Brett finally out of the picture, it seemed as though the Vikings were going to use Christian Ponder (a first-round pick) to break the streak of the re-tread quarterback. Not so fast fans... We couldn't pass up Donovan McNabb.

What... a great idea. McNabb has looked washed up, uninspired, slow and just terrible on third downs and important situations (for example, the whole game).

WE WANT PONDER!

Come on, it's a confidence thing. Let the guy have at it, build some confidence as well as allowing him some necessary experience. Good luck, Ponder!

Let the Pondera begin.

New LA Stadium Possible Vikings Home

A little teaser: Sure it is ugly, but it is 600 acres.

Here is that 'new stadium' talk again, this time the stadium in the limelight is located in sunny Los Angeles.

I read on the Pioneer Press website this morning that a proposal in LA was just made more attractive. Ed Roski, whose bid for a stadium has been in the mix for months, among a rival proposal next to Staples Center, has bettered his offer by dropping his demand for a no-cash minority share. He is now offering to hand over the 600 acres to any team that relocates there. According to the Pioneer Press, the team would then finance the stadium Roski has proposed and sell him a share of the franchise at market rate.

All I want to know is what is Roski's worth? Of course Google knows: $2.3-2.5 billion.

I'm a Minnesotan at heart, which essentially means I am genetically predisposed to hate everywhere that is sunny all 12 months of the year. Sure, I like a nice hot vacation, but living in LA? You're kidding. However, I may be a rare breed. When it comes to Wilf, I'm guessing he would rather wear a speedo than a snow suit, though I can't really picture him in either. And the idea of him in a snow suit is disturbing...

Now, it is no secret the Vikings are the worst in the division this year and have weeks to go before they can even be at .500, so should fans even want to help pay for a Minnesota-based new stadium? Depends on your fandom. I do know it would be easier to convince tax payers if you weren't one of the worst second-half teams in the game.

Marinate on that.

Chicago Bears are a Perfect Match for the Minnesota Vikings

Though it is disappointing to say because we could have such a better record, it is possible for the Vikings to be sitting at .500 in time for their bye week.

With the Chicago Bears huge loss against the Kitty Cats turn Saber Tooth Tigers of Detroit, the Vikings have a chance to play on the Bears weaknesses. The Bears have actually struggled more than the Vikings overall this season, to the surprise of many Vikings fans who are seeing pure red.

The Bears definitely weren't known for their offense before they acquired Jay Cutler and after his questionable disappearance in the playoff game last year, the Bears are back to throwing the heat on Cutler. He has a good arm, there is no question there, I just think he has lost some fan support.

Bottom line, the Bears offensive line looks like a tasty dinner for the Vikings defense. It is in shambles, Cutler being sacked 18 times. The Vikings are tied for second in the league with 16 sacks. Wo mama.

In summary, the Vikings strengths right now (not including our ability to outscore every opponent in the first half) are running the ball on offense and pressuring the passer on defense strategically align with the Bears weaknesses.

Let's see what we can bring to the field against the Bears.

Vikings Cardinals Preview

The Minnesota Vikings are hosting Kevin Kolb and the Arizona Cardinals this Sunday. Donovan McNabb and Kolb have a history: McNabb was traded from Philadelphia to make way for Kolb. Now both quarterbacks are with different teams are have been struggling this year.

The two will meet on Sunday.

The pressure is on for both teams right now. Kolb is probably feeling the pressure a bit more after signing a five-year, $63 million contract with the Cardinals (1-3).

Leslie Frazier has maintained the McNabb will remain the starter even though the veteran is ranked 18th-best in QB rating at 80.9 with only four touchdowns. Minnesota ranks 31st in the league in passing offense. Fans at every game I've been at have started a 'we want Ponder' cheer at one point or another; fans want to see Ponder.

Minnesota heads into Sunday trying to avoid matching the franchise's worst start set in 1962.

The cardinals fell to 0-6 all-time at the Metrodome after blowing a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead in last year's 27-24 overtime loss.

Vikings Chiefs Preview

The Minnesota Vikings have held double-digit leads going into the second half of every game this year. The Kansas City Chiefs haven't held a lead at any point.

However, the teams have more in common than you would think: both sit at 0-3 and at the bottom of their respective division.

The Vikings are looking to pick up a win and avoid their first 0-4 start since 2002. This 0-4 team is the best first half team in the game so far this year, outscoring their opponents 54-7 in the first half while losing 6-67 in the second half.

The Chiefs who started 3-0 last year are staring an 0-4 start in the face for the first time in three years. They have given up an NFL-leading 109 points and have scored a league-low 27.

Both these teams look pathetic on paper and desperate on the field. I was at both the Vikings-Buccaneers and the Vikings-Lions games and trust me, the crowd turned ugly at the sight of our Vikings throwing away double-digit leads.

Minnesota has lost all three of its visits to Kansas City since winning its first one in 1974... at least they'll be on the road. Vikings fans shouldn't have to put up with anymore opposition cheering in the ugly Dome.

Minnesota Vikings Make No Progress on New Stadium

Here are some things that haven't changed regarding the potentially-new Minnesota Vikings stadium:

-The Vikings still want it.

-A new stadium still costs at least a billion dollars.

-People still don't want to pay for it.

-The current Vikings lease runs out at the end of the current season.


Here are some updates on the potentially-new Minnesota Vikings stadium:

-The new tax proposes a .5% sales tax hike

-The new tax proposal was shot down, throwing a wrench in the Vikings' dreams.

-Several citizens are disgruntled at the idea of just Ramsey County paying for the whole portion, because they assert the Vikings call the whole state 'home'.-According to the Washington Post, a resident of St. Paul, Bob Thayer, was quoted, "Ramsey County is having trouble filling potholes and keeping their libraries open. The people who have the smallest chance of attending a Vikings game are going to give the biggest percent of their income to pay this tax."


Soooo... basically we've gotten no where in the new developments. Stay tuned for more not-news.

Vikings Lions Game Preview

How the times have changed.

Two years ago the Vikings were on their way to their 6-0 start that led to a NFC North Title. Two years ago it wasn't rare to see Vikings tees everywhere, to have your best friend regularly paint his face purple or to actually have fans like our quarterback. The Lions were scrambling for a win. The Lions were the only team to go winless during a 16-game season in 2008.

Today the Vikings are heading into week three attempting to avoid a 0-3 start and are among 7 winless teams. The Lions are looking to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 1980! They are just coming off a 48-3 win over Kansas City.

Tyrell Johnson must be thinking the situation is pretty dire. He was arrested on suspicion of driving while impaired this week. Johnson's blood alcohol limit was .12, well over the state legal limit of .08. Things are falling apart.

Come on Vikes, I can't handle anymore of this Minnesota sports slump.

Vikings Coaching Staff Loses Second Half

Thanks to a friend, I was at the Vikings game on Sunday. No thanks to the coaching staff, the Vikings lost that game.

Heading into halftime, the Vikings held a great lead. The Vikings were then outscored 24-3 in the second-half.

I firmly believe that the second half is controlled more so by the coaching staff than it is by the offense and defense. In the first half, you have a game plan already firmly established and the talent is in the position where it is their responsibility to carry the team towards a win. If you have an effective game plan that is poorly executed, the talent is at fault. When the plan is executed, the team should be competitive if not ahead. The Vikings were the latter.

During halftime, the coaches quickly review film to see what happened in the first half - what worked and what didn't, what we did and what they did. From there, the coaches should be determining what will work in the next half. This is where a bit of game theory comes into play. Because our coaches review film, they should assume the rival staff is as well and take that into consideration when creating a second-half game plan. The Buccaneers did that. The Vikings did not.

The Bucs figured out what the Vikings were doing in the first half and formulated a plan to counteract and stop the Vikings in the second. The Vikings didn't change one thing and it cost them the 'W'.

I'm disappointed in Leslie Frazier. We need to have a better plan if there is any hope at salvaging our 0-2 start. I think he is a strong coach that has the blessing of good talent, no matter how young (or old) that talent is, but that's where the coach-player contact has to strengthen during halftime.

Talent runs the first half. Coaches run the second.

Adrian Peterson Deserves His Contract

All Day.

I'm very happy to see Adrian Peterson decided to accept a deal with the Minnesota Vikings. Rumor has it, he wanted to stay in the city where his super-successful NFL career began, but that never means anything is for sure.

Now we have him inked. While it is rare to pay a running back like a premier player, AP certainly deserves his $100 million contract. AP is in a position that already takes a big toll on a player's body, but with the way the Vikings' offense is constructed, AP plays that already-demanding decision with a huge target on his back for the defense. It's tough to put up the big numbers he does.

All Day is one of the best players at his position as well as being one of the best players in the league overall.

Congratulations to AP!

Minnesota Vikings Could Dump Over $500 M on Stadium

If you've been in Minnesota at all during the last year and pay even a nod to sports, you know the Vikings are in negotiations with the State to build a new stadium. Currently the Vikings are in the cave of a Dome, but are looking to move out to the 'burbs, in particular Arden Hills. This move has been dubbed 'Plan A'. Clever.

As of the last public figure released, the Vikings were set to pour in $407 million in addition to any project overrun costs. The state would pick up the remainder, however the divying up of road improvement costs has remained up in the air.

Recently, however, the price tag for the Vikings has been raised to half a billion dollars. That's right; $500 million.

Another figure I heard the other day... 25% of U.S. jobs have disappeared for good, permanently. That means the job market is only 80% of what it used to be.

The bright side of spending so much to build a new stadium? An influx of the supply of jobs for local Minnesotans. Let's just hope the Vikings hire locally for as much of the work as possible. Minnesota has been a sort of 'safe spot' for the recession and it would be in society's best interest to keep it that way.

As for the money, I would look in the couch cushions...

Minnesota Vikings Final Roster Cuts

INJURED RESERVE

Player POS. EXP. COLLEGE

Jasper Brinkley................ LB....................... 3........... South Carolina

TERMINATION – VESTED VETERAN

Player POS. EXP. COLLEGE

Ryan Cook...................... OL....................... 6............... New Mexico

Jeff Dugan....................... TE....................... 8.................... Maryland

Heath Farwell................... LB....................... 7......... San Diego State

Stylez G White................ DE....................... 5.................. Minnesota

WAIVED

Player POS. EXP. COLLEGE

David Akinniyi................. DE...................... R................... N.C.State

Emmanuel Arceneaux... WR...................... R............... Alcorn State

Matt Asiata....................... FB...................... R........................... Utah

Stephen Burton.............. WR...................... R....... West Texas A&M

Tony Carter..................... DB....................... 2............... Florida State

Tristan Davis................... RB....................... 1....................... Auburn

Ryan D’Imperio............... FB....................... 1...................... Rutgers

Chris DeGeare................ OL....................... 2.............. Wake Forest

David Herron................... LB....................... 3........... Michigan State

Ryan Hill.......................... DB...................... R......................... Miami

Ross Homan.................... LB...................... R.................. Ohio State

Juaquin Iglesias.............. WR....................... 1.................. Oklahoma

Bryon Isom...................... OL...................... R....................... Auburn

Jaymar Johnson............ WR....................... 2............ Jackson State

Tremaine Johnson.......... DT....................... 1.......... Louisiana State

Caleb King....................... RB...................... R...................... Georgia

Cedric McKinley............. DE....................... 1.................. Minnesota

Cord Parks (Injured)....... DB....................... 1.............. Northeastern

Alexander Robinson........ RB...................... R.................. Iowa State

Devon Torrence.............. DB...................... R.................. Ohio State

Thomas Welch................ OL....................... 1................... Vanderbilt

Minnesota Vikings Depth Chart Update

Wondering who won training camp battles for the Minnesota Vikings? Here's an update of who won what battles at the end of the preseason.

Strong Safety - Jamarca Sanford will start over Tyrell Johnson. Johnson will still play some

Backup QB - Christian Ponder over Joe Webb.

Offensive Line - Patrick Brown is the first tackle off the bench, Seth Olsen is the first guard off the bench.

Vikings Give Chad Greenway 5 Year Extension

The Minnesota Vikings have awarded linebacker Chad Greenway with a 5 year, 40 million dollar extension. Greenway will now be a Viking through the 2015 season. Greenway, only 28 years old, has led the Vikings in tackles each of the last three seasons.

The Vikings plan on focusing on a contract extension for Adrian Peterson now that the extension for Greenway is done.

Anthony Herrera Practices for First Time Tuesday

Anthony Herrera practiced with the Minnesota Vikings for the first time since he injured his knee in November against the Green Bay Packers. The Vikings took him off the physically unable to perform list on Tuesday and he began taking part in a 11-11 installation. New Vikings offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave said he hasn't decided whether he will play on Saturday against the Seattle Seahawks.

Herrera is way ahead of schedule with his recovery and should be more than ready for the Vikings season opener against the San Diego Chargers.

Percy Harvin Leaves Practice Tuesday With Injury

Percy Harvin left practice on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury. He got injured on August 8th with a rib injury, so his ribs could be bothering him again. Before leaving the field after practice, Harvin told reporters he'd be okay repeatedly and gave a thumbs up as he walked off the field.

Harvin's first two seasons have been plagued by migraines that he has always been getting.

Visanthe Shiancoe continues to not practice with an irritated hamstring.

Vikings Look Rusty in Preseason Opener

The Vikings didn't look very good in their preseason opener Saturday night against the Tennessee Titans. The Vikings lost 14-3 in Nashville, but a lot of that can be attributed to the lack of stars who saw significant playing time for the Vikes.

Players who were out or saw very limited action because there is no reason to play them in the preseason were Kevin Williams, Donovan McNabb, Adrian Peterson, Visanthe Shiancoe, and Percy Harvin.

Rookie quarterback Christian Ponder looked pretty good. He completed 8 of 13 passes for 84 yards. Kyle Rudolph caught a pass for 10 yards as well.

The Vikings next preseason game is this Saturday night against the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle.

Visanthe Shiancoe Out for Preseason Opener

Visanthe Shiancoe will not play in Saturday night's preseason game against the Tennessee Titans. Shiancoe has been nursing an injured hamstring and Leslie Frazier sounds like he doesn't think Shiancoe doesn't need to play.

"I don't see any reason with the window that we have to put him out there," Frazier said. "We've got plenty of time to see Visanthe. We want to see some of those other guys that we want to evaluate."

Jeff Dugan and Jim Kleinsasser will start as tight ends Saturday night and Kyle Rudolph will see extended playing time as a result of Shiancoe's absence.

Kyle Rudolph at Viking's Training Camp

Kyle Rudolph missed most of his senior season at Notre Dame because of an injured hamstring that had him out as early as October. With Visanthe Shiancoe out with an injured hamstring, it's been Rudolph getting all the snaps with the first team during training camp. Kyle Rudolph loves the practice he's getting.

"These are great reps for me because, personally, I'm a little rusty," Rudolph said. "It's been since October."

Rudolph is the only Viking who is playing with the first team in practice thus far. 1st round draft pick Christian Ponder has been working with the 2nd and 3rd teams because he has been told he is not competing for the starting job, he's only competing to be a back up.

Vikings Coaches Want Joe Webb to Quarterback

Joe Webb lined up at wide receiver for one play on Monday at the Minnesota Viking's traning camp. There were a lot of cheers in the crowd when they saw Webb line up at wide receiver. The Vikings are insisting that he won't be doing that much more and that they are focused on developing him into a NFL quarterback.

"No, we really want to see Joe as a quarterback," Frazier said. "He's a tremendous athlete, and he can do some other things, but to be fair to Joe and our team, we need to let him concentrate on quarterback, not having it in the back of his mind, 'Am I going to be moved to receiver?'

I really love the way Frazier is handling this situation. To side track a little bit, I just want to say I love the way Leslie Frazier is handling this team and I think I'll write a piece about it later. Secondly, he couldn't be more right about this. Here's a guy who was drafted in the 6th round of the draft who played at a small school. He is just trying to grasp the knowledge of one position, why confuse him with two? Let him try to develop into a quarterback and he might turn out to be good. If we try to teach him receiver and quarterback at the same time he will likely be below average at both. Good job Leslie, keep up the good work.

Remember Vikings fans, Webb showed a ton of potential as a QUARTERBACK against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday night. Let's give him some time to see if he can figure it out.

Donovan McNabb, No. 5 Vikings

Chris Kluwe, the punter for the Minnesota Vikings, has until this point sported the No. 5 jersey in purple and gold. Newcomer Donovan McNabb has traditionally also worn the 5 spot.

In a good faith effort, Kluwe is willing to hand McNabb the shirt off his back on three conditions:
1) McNabb must mention Tripping Icarus (Kluwe's rock band of which he plays the bass),
2) donate $5,000 to a charity and
3) give Kluwe an ice cream cone (I hope he chose Izzy's Ice Cream on Marshall - it is always nice to support the local businesses)

Now that Donovan is officially a Viking, McNabb signed a contract to promote the band, has agreed to donate the money and, I assume, will be buying Kluwe a double-dipped cone here any minute. Keep your eyes peeled Mankato.

Randy Moss Retires

Randy Moss, former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver and future Hall of Famer, has decided to retire after 13 NFL seasons.

Moss, 34, caught 954 passes for 14,858 yards with 153 touchdowns.

Moss finished his 2010 season with 28 receptions along with 393 receiving yards and five touchdowns in a season that was mediocre by Moss-standards.

There has been widespread speculation that Moss will sit out this year and return from his retirement hiatus in due time. There has been no confirmation of this from Moss or Moss' agent.

Minnesota Vikings Fail to Sign Sidney Rice, Rice Signs with Seattle

Sidney Rice agreed to a five year 41 million dollar deal with 18 million dollars in guarantee with the Seattle Seahawks. We don't know how much the Vikings offered him, but we know that it had a lot less guaranteed money for Rice.

I don't blame the Vikings here. The Seattle Seahawks threw a ton of money at Rice, but he has never played a full season aside from the magical 2009-2010 with Brett Favre. I would have loved to keep Rice, but paying him that much money would have meant not being able to sign Adrian Peterson to an extension. We had no choice but to not sign him.

This signing makes sense in other ways for Rice as well. He is reunited with Darell Bevell, who is the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks and was the offensive coordinator for the Vikings during Rice's tenure with the team. Rice is also reunited with Tarvaris Jackson, who started for Vikings for two seasons.

Look for the Vikings to sign a wide receiver either today or tomorrow. There are rumors that they are in hot pursuit of Packers receiver James Jones and they could target Braylon Edwards. It will be interesting to see who they sign because they are in desperate need of signing someone.

Donovan McNabb, Practically the New Quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings

I don't want to jinx it, but it looks like Donovan McNabb is on the verge of becoming the next quarterback of the Minnesota Vikings. The Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins have come to a preliminary agreement that will send Donovan McNabb to the Minnesota Vikings in exchange for two 6th round picks.

All I have to say is wow. Talk about a huge swing for the fences move by the Vikings. Don't get me wrong, I love the move, but I thought I was about to watch a 5-11 season, but am now possibly going to watch a playoff team. This changes everything for the Vikings in terms of hope for next season. Watching Ponder as a rookie would have been fun, but I would much rather have McNabb.

I like this move a lot for Ponder. Ponder would have been able to run a conservatively styled offense this next season, but why not let him learn from McNabb? McNabb has much more experience and Ponder won't be under as much pressure to succeed early.

The next course of action for the Vikings? They must sign Sidney Rice. I know they are competing with the Seattle Seahawks for his services, but they absolutely have to sign him. Without him, I don't like the Donovan McNabb trade nearly as much. If we want to win with McNabb, he's got to have all the weapons at his disposal.

NFL Lockout is Over, Vikings Set to Begin Training Camp

The NFL Lockout is finally over everyone and there is plenty of things to talk about when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings. There is going to be plenty of activity before the Vikings check in for training camp on Sunday. It should be a whirlwind of five days.

As many as 15 Vikings were seen checking into the Vikings facility, Winter Park this morning. Players who checked in include Percy Harvin, Cedric Griffen, and Rhett Bomar.

This free agency period is going to be absolutely nuts for the Vikings. They have 16 unrestricted free agents. Sidney Rice figures to be a hot commodity in free agency and the Vikings will have a lot of competition to sign him. I'm worried about their chances because the Vikings have so many needs and I'm not sure they will be to throw the top dollars at Sidney Rice that other teams will be able to.

Can this Lockout End Already

Alright so the lockout almost ended on Thursday. This is really starting to get on my nerves. The players and owners have decided on all of the key issues already, they are just trying to win the little things that don't really matter. My question is this, why can't they just start training camps? They are clearly going to finish this deal, it's only a matter of time. Let's get this show on the road so we can get Christian Ponder ready for the season opener. We definitely have no better options, unless we sign someone during the free agency period or make a trade. I would be fine going into this season with Ponder, only if he has enough time in training camp to be ready for NFL games.

Lockout Not Over Yet

Yesterday around 3 30 eastern time, the owners agreed to a proposal that would end the NFL Lockout 31-0, the Raiders didn't count. The players were supposed to vote on it last night around 11 pm eastern time, but decided not to. The players have until Wednesday to vote on this deal and get it passed. The fact that they haven't already signed off on the deal means that the players likely won't sign this deal.

One thing about this that I find interesting is that it was a real interesting move by the owners. They pretty much chose a deal that had a lot of the right pieces of deal that the players wanted, but put a couple of different things in the deal that the players didn't like. They then quickly passed the proposal that they liked just to put pressure on the players.

I've got a feeling that this proposal won't go through without modifications. I'm guessing the lockout will end sometime next week. It doesn't seem like the players like this deal at all.

Mark Dayton Discusses New Vikings Stadium Briefly

Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton labeled the bill for a new Vikings Stadium in Arden Hills was "incomplete and unsatisfactory". Members of the Vikings organization are getting extremely upset that the State has done little to act on this bill since it was created. The state has been busy with budgeting and trying to figure out it's financial crisis before it worries about a new stadium for the Vikings. Dayton also said that he is worried that it will be hard for the state to fund a new stadium because it is having trouble paying off bonds.

A lot of that was bad news, but here's some good news: Dayton did say he would call for a special session with legislation if there is a Vikings proposal that he feels can help the state and is worth agreeing to.

Adrian Peterson Backs Off on Owners

Early in the lockout, Adrian Peterson compared the NFL's use of players to "modern day slavery". Since then, he has backed off on those comments. When asked if there would be hard feelings towards the owners once the lock out ends Peterson had this to say:

“Not at all, it’s business as usual," he said. "You never get what you want, but you can get close to it. So I’m sure that’s what it’s going to end up being.”

Peterson also predicted that the lockout would end within the next couple of weeks, which is great news for the fans. He says that the owners really want some football.

Joe Webb has Been Working Out with Favre

Joe Webb has been working out with Brett Favre according to an interview on the University of Alabama- Birmingham website. Webb had this to say about working out with Favre:

"It's great to have a person like that as my contact," Webb said.

This is awesome. I like that Webb is working out with Favre because he really does understand the game. There is something about this that I worry about though. Favre has that natural feel for the position that I just don't think can be taught, either you have it or you don't. I'm pretty sure Webb doesn't have it but we'll just have to see. Either way, I think this is still good that Webb is doing this and he has a lot to learn from Favre.

Roof of Metrodome Finally Raised Again

They finally got the roof of the Metrodome back up on the Metrodome today. It's pretty funny looking back to think that they thought that they would be able to get it up in one week when ended up taking well over six months to fix. The roof cost 18 million dollars.

They had four guys hooked up to cables floating around the roof to make sure that the inflation was going smoothly. The inflation went very smoothly, in fact, it went much smoother than expected. The whole roof was inflated within 45 minutes when it was expected to take much longer than that. Stadium officials said that it was a very good day and that everything went perfectly as planned.

The Metrodome is now ready for the Vikings season opener and the officials of the dome said they are ready for the Vikings if they are will to play there.