Back on June 17, I had written that new Owner Zygi Wilf wants to fix the old Vikings ship that fronts Winter Park, home of the soon-to-be-Super-Bowl-Champion Minnesota Vikings.

I had written that Zygi was probably unawares that the ship is supposed to look shipwrecked. A look that suggests the Vikes wrecked on that spot and decided to set-up camp. And from afar it really doesn't look too bad.

But, this past weekend, I received an e-mail from Rob asking that I post some photos since he had never heard of the ship until reading about it. So, with family in tow off we went for a little jaunt to Winter Park to check it out.

Ugh! I wish I hadn't! The ship has not aged with time. The condition of this Viking longboat is so bad that yellow caution tape now lines one side of it in an effort to keep people off of it.

It does need a fix, don't you think? Something more representative of this classy organization.

So, after second thought, Zygi is spot on with his assessment that the ship needs a makeover. I'll keep you informed of the developments on this front as they happen.

Podcasting Coming

Ten years ago I got my first home computer. I discovered a Vikings related e-mail distribution list. No, not a message board as there were no such things as message boards back then. An e-mail distribution list. Look it up.

Then I met up with Dan Hildreth, the creative genuis behind the original Viking Underground site. Dan allowed me to write and take photos for that web site for a number of years before we both just got burned out. A person can only do this for so long before one tires of the non-paid work we do 24/7 for the love of a football team.

Charge ahead to the fall of 2004. I see an article in the STrib about blogging. The urge to write had been nagging at me for some time. I take it up. Mr. Cheer Or Die's Viking Underground is now the most visited blog on the UThink University of Minnesota server. Number one out of about a thousand blogs. I've got another monster on my hands.

So I've decided to raise the bar one step higher. Podcasting. Maybe you've heard of it. Podcasting enables independent producers to create self-published, syndicated "radio shows," and gives broadcast radio programs a new distribution channel.

This past holiday weekend I jumped in. The second test can be accessed off to the upper left under the Podcast link. I just deleted the first test.

If you have iTunes on your computer, and if you haven't already, download iTunes 4.9 which has the Podcast upgrade on it. Then you just double click on the Podcast folder, click on Advance, plug my XML address into the Subscribe to Podcast and away you go. Simple as that.

If you don't have a iPod or a MP3 portable device, simply download the MP3 file and listen via Windows Media Player or other suitable sound program.

This 21-minute podcast was a very weak effort to just feel my way through. Each of the coming test podcasts will show improvement as I learn the ropes. My hope is to post a new podcast each Monday to help you start off your week.

What does the future then hold? I hope to have sounds from mini-camp, player interviews, coach interviews, and sounds from the regular season games.

At least, that is the plan for now. Until the next great 'Net improvement comes along. Or I burn out again. Whichever comes first.

Posted by maasx003 at July 3, 2005 04:33 PM | TrackBack