I am planning to attend the morning OTA session this coming Tuesday, May 20. If it all works out, I will post photos at some point thereafter. I have a triathlon to prepare for this weekend, the craziness of soccer practices has now begun, and end of school year activities is in full swing. So the VU will probably be quiet until next week.

I was notified of a real beautiful print that still has some copies available. This print was commissioned and printed by the marketing department of the Minnesota Vikings in 2001. The players on this All-Anniversary team print were voted on by the Minnesota media, past and current coaches, and the front office.

The Vikings printed the image as a set of limited edition lithographs. Currently, there are two variations of the print still available:

1. 18" x 24" unframed Open Edition Prints (no numbering or artist signature)
2. 18" x 24" unframed Artist's Proof Prints (numbered out of 100 with artist's signature)

I was expecting to see camps earlier in May but I just heard from the Vikes. Organized team activities (OTA's) will be May 20-22, 27-28 and mini camp will be June 6-8. Practice times have not yet been established.

The Vikes landed Jared Allen, the player I targeted as the #1 priority before the season even ended. Since I literally have no time to write any lengthy, let me do a cut-and-paste from my friends over at PFT:

"The report that the Minnesota Vikings surrendered a first-round pick and two third-round picks to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for defensive end Jared Allen elicited the response of “holy crap.”

But it turns out that the Vikings actually gave the Chiefs a little bit more than that.

A league source tells PFT that the trade also involved a swap of sixth-round picks in the Chiefs’ favor. The Chiefs get the Vikings’ sixth-round pick, No. 182 overall, in exchange for a sixth-round pick that the Chiefs had previously acquired from the Buccaneers, No. 187 overall.

Granted, a swap of five places in the sixth round isn’t a particularly big deal, but it’s yet another demonstration of how badly the Vikings wanted Allen, and how much the Chiefs were able to extract from the Vikings for him. Between those draft picks they traded and the enormous contract they gave him, Allen will be a disappointment in Minnesota if he’s anything less than the best defensive lineman in the NFL."

Personally, I have no issue with the draft picks given. It's a steal compared to the Herschel Walker deal. And it gives the Vikes a bonafide DE instead of going through the crap-shoot of a draft selection. A position (DE) the Vikes do not have great history with I may add.

I have a slight issue with making Allen the highest paid defensive player EVER. But only time will decide that for us. Good for Allen, good for Zygi, good for Chilly. I'm thrilled for all. As I'm sure the Williams Wrecking Crew is.

So, let's briefly talk about the defensive line. The starters would be Allen at RDE, K-Will and P-Will in the middle, which begs my question to you: Who gets the nod at LDE? The team site currently has the depth chart for LDE as:

Kenechi Udeze #95
Jayme Mitchell #92

At what becomes of the boys currently slated at RDE?

Brian Robison #96
Ray Edwards #91
Erasmus James #99

So, we will have 5 (really 4 as Udeze continues his courageous health battle) coming into camp. Which do you see being the leading candidate for the LDE position? I like Robison, but I'm not sure he's ever lined up on the left and I don't think he is a every-down player. Mitchell showed improvement last year, but not enough to warrant a starting job. James is coming off knee work. Edwards ended the season suspended four games for violating the NFL's policy on steroid use.

For me, there is onloy one answer. Zygi needs to get back on the team jet, fly to Miami and pick-up Jason Taylor. Forty-eight hours later we'll have our question at LDE answered.

It is now Day 6 of the Jared Allen watch. You know, the DE from Kansas City who had issues with being responsible....which is par for the course for people that age.

After much discussion with my internal Think Tank of all things Purple, I've come to the conclusion the Vikes should either A) give up this year's 1st Rd pick and their top 3rd Rd pick, or B) give up this year's 1st Rd pick and a current player TBD such as Bryant McKinnie or Ray Edwards. I think giving up this year's 1st and 2nd Rd picks would be a might high. Certainly, KC can go spit into the wind if they are waiting for this AND next year's 1st Rd picks.

Should the deal fall through, then I would hope my choice of Derrick Harvey, would fall into the Vikings laps. Not ideal, but those draft picks are valuable and I don't want to mortgage the farm for a proven DE in Allen. Not to say the thought of Allen playing alongside P-Will and K-Will doesn't excite me in the way Pamela Anderson excites those young boys just hitting puberty.

The VU will be suprisingly silent the remainder of this week despite this being draft week. My first duathlon of the season is this Sunday and I will be out-of-town. As for what I expect, I do think the Allen deal will get done and the excitement of the 1st Rd selection will be a non-factor for Vikes fans.

I still hope to attend a upcoming Vikings mini-camp session. Right now, it appears that camp will occur two-weeks after the draft. As long as my schedule is free, two weeks from now I should have photos of the newest Vikings for you.

Have a great remainder of the week!

Just got the following in the mail today (4/19) from the Vikes. Guess which player the team is making as its selling point?

Some video from the STrib boys.

This is a great move by the Vikings. Consider that they have upgraded at DE...TE...and WR all at the same time. Need proof. Check out this TD catch by....you guessed it...Allen.

We might have to work on his music choices, though.

On Decemeber 22, 2007 I wrote:

Jared Allen, DE (Kansas City Chiefs) This is the FA that some people are already saying is the coveted name at the top of the Vikings FA wish list. There is a good chance that he’ll try the market out come next offseason. He’s just 25 years of age, and has shown that he is among the league’s best at his position. He’ll be a high priority for several teams once the signing period opens.

On January 2, 2008 I wrote:

I've got my moles out working again and I have heard a couple of things: One, the Vikes are going shopping at DE and have their eye on Jared Allen. Now, my moles state further that rumor started at KFAN radio so I'm not sure how much street-cred it has but then those boys have better connections at Winter Park than I do.

On February 27, 2008 I wrote:

I really wanted the Vikes to be able to pursue Jared Allen. But then along came the nasty viral tag and it could be closed...or is it?

Allen was given the Franchise Tag by the Kansas City Chiefs. But more importantly, the Chiefs used the "non-exclusive tag", meaning that Allen could still be in play. Dumb, methinks, on the part of the Chiefs. Clearly they are not serious about keeping Allen. Why is the non-exclusive part of the equation so important?

Had the Chiefs used the "exclusive" tag, it would have paid Allen more money (for one season) but makes it impossible for other teams to even try and get him. With the "non-exclusive", other teams can sign him, in return for two first round picks. Tempting, but perhaps too much of a gamble. Still worth a consideration.

Thursday, Allen finally paid his overdue visit. Per the STrib:

Turns out the Vikings’ attention has been on more than the upcoming NFL draft of late. The team also has been in talks with Kansas City about a trade that could fill a glaring need by putting Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen in a Minnesota uniform.

The off-season is about to take another huge step forward. Stand by.

The Whole L.A. Thing

Billionaire developer Edward P. Roski Jr. has made a commitment to build the kind of stadium an NFL team needs to thrive in Los Angeles. Now, he’s hoping one will commit to play there.

Roski, a part owner of the Kings and Lakers who has spent years trying to lure the NFL back to this area, unveiled plans Thursday for a 75,000-seat facility in the City of Industry he said could be finished in time for the 2011 season.

“I intend to develop our stadium project that meets all of the NFL requirements, and more,” Roski said at a Staples Center news conference, where stadium models and artist renditions were displayed. “Always the most important thing has been the certainty of doing this. A team is not going to commit to coming to Los Angeles without a stadium. We’ve taken this one point of uncertainty and made it a certainty. The stadium is a certainty and it will be built.”

And, Roski added, without public money.

“Absolutely no taxpayer dollars,” he said. “There’s no taxpayer dollars to get.”

I have one question: Why are all the seats purple? Future planning?

The Vikes will go 12 - 4 this season. That's my personal assessment based on my review on the schedule released earlier today (4/15).

Preseason

Week 1 – vs. Seattle – August 8 – Metrodome – KSTP – 7 p.m.

Week 2 – at Baltimore – August 16 – M&T Bank Stadium – KSTP – 6:30 p.m.

Week 3 – vs. Pittsburgh – August 23 – Metrodome – CBS – 7 p.m.

Week 4 – at Dallas – August 28 – Texas Stadium – KSTP – 7 p.m.

Regular Season

Week 1 – at Green Bay (Monday) – September 8 – Lambeau Field – ESPN – 6 p.m.

Week 2 – vs. Indianapolis – September 14 – Metrodome – CBS – 12 p.m.

Week 3 – vs. Carolina – September 21 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 4 – at Tennessee – September 28 – LP Field – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 5 – at New Orleans (Monday) – October 6 – Superdome – ESPN – 7:30 p.m.

Week 6 – vs. Detroit – October 12 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 7 – at Chicago – October 19 – Soldier Field – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 8 – BYE

Week 9 – vs. Houston – November 2 – Metrodome – CBS – 12 p.m.

Week 10 – vs. Green Bay – November 9 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 11 – at Tampa Bay – November 16 – Raymond James Stadium – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 12 – at Jacksonville – November 23 – Jacksonville Municipal Stadium – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 13 – vs. Chicago – November 30 – Metrodome – NBC – 7:30 p.m.

Week 14 – at Detroit – December 7 – Ford Field – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 15 – at Arizona – December 14 – University of Phoenix Stadium – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 16 – vs. Atlanta – December 21 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Week 17 – vs. New York Giants – December 28 – Metrodome – FOX – 12 p.m.

Some of my buddies have already weighed in as well predicting anywhere from 7-9 to 11-5. So, why the rosy glow on my part. Oh, it's just intuition. Nothing more than that. I can tell you this: The season could be viewed as a lost if the Vikes don't at least win the North Division.

Now, that is saying something considering the Vikes have the fifth toughest schedule this coming season.

1 Pittsburgh Steelers 0.598
2 Indianapolis Colts 0.594
3 Jacksonville Jaguars 0.559
4 Baltimore Ravens 0.551
5 Minnesota Vikings 0.551
6 Cincinnati Bengals 0.547
7 Cleveland Browns 0.547
8 Houston Texans 0.547
9 Detroit Lions 0.543
10 Tennessee Titans 0.543
11 Chicago Bears 0.532
12 Green Bay Packers 0.532
13 Dallas Cowboys 0.524
14 Washington Redskins 0.524
15 New York Giants 0.520
16 Philadelphia Eagles 0.520
17 St Louis Rams 0.489
18 San Francisco 49ers 0.485
19 Seattle Seahawks 0.477
20 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0.469
21 Arizona Cardinals 0.465
22 Carolina Panthers 0.465
23 Miami Dolphins 0.465
24 Atlanta Falcons 0.461
25 New York Jets 0.457
26 Kansas City Chiefs 0.453
27 New Orleans Saints 0.450
28 Buffalo Bills 0.449
29 Denver Broncos 0.446
30 Oakland Raiders 0.438
31 San Diego Chargers 0.422
32 New England Patriots 0.387

I look for the first four games to really hold the key for success during the season. The team certainly will not go 4-0 but there is a chance they could start 0-4, which would then lead to my 12-4 prediction of being completely and utterly without merit. I look for a 2-2 start with loses to Indy and Carolina.

The next four games could then catapult the Vikes into a firm North Division lead where I see them running the table. The crucial test here will be the MNF game against the Saints. Still, 4-0 is not unthinkable.

The remainder of November then finds the Vikes also going 3-1. The back-to-back Florida games could wear on the players.

So the Vikes are 9-3 heading into the last four games of the season. The Super Bowl champs come to the Dome in week 17 and I see the Vikes going 3-1 in this stretch as well. 12-4. Piece of cake, right?

A very nice story in the STrib Sunday. In case you missed it, you should know that we have a head-coach that is just as proud of his player's off-the-field accomomplishments as the ones performed on. In this case, the player is Anthony Herrera. My favorite part of the story:

"He [Herrera] popped his head in the doorway and asked, 'Coach, can we do this now? I have to be somewhere at 12:30,' " Childress said. "I said, 'Oh yeah, where?' He said, 'I have to be in St. Paul for a ceremony. I'm becoming a U.S. citizen today.' "

Childress congratulated Herrera and asked who was accompanying him to the big event. Herrera said, "No one but me." His wife and young daughter were in Mississippi. His mother was in Florida. And Herrera hadn't even thought to bother his teammates by asking them to join him.

"I said, 'Anthony, you can't get sworn in as a U.S. citizen and not have anyone with you,' " Childress said. "I said, 'Shoot, give me a minute. I'm going with you.' "

At least for one day, I'm warm and fuzzy all over.

I turned on local talk radio station 100.3 (KLTK) this morning to learn what I could about the next snow storm to hit the state. Yes, snow storm. In April. Over a foot expected. I'm so thrilled.

But the first thing I heard was host Chris Baker asking, "Should the cops have shot Carl Eller?" I was floored. Shoot Eller? Are you serious? Baker referenced a poll on his site along with a question "since the Vikings desperately need help at defensive end, should the Vikings consider signing Carl Eller to a contract?"

I went to the site and sure enough, there were the questions.

Are you kidding me? How could anyone talk about shooting Carl Eller? Baker stated he was not saying he wished the cops had shot Eller, but rather that it was an option and he felt the cops should have considered it. The sad fact is, most of the listeners think Eller should have been shot.

All I can say is, the world is turning sick. And I am so thankful the the policemen showed the restraint they did and were able to avoid using a bullet on Eller.

Thoughts?

Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Carl Eller was arrested and jailed on multiple charges. He was charged with DUI, resisting arrest, and assaulting a police officer. It would also appear that Moose was, well, being a moose.

According to the Star Tribune, officers attempting to arrest Eller on Wednesday morning attempted to use a Taser gun on him. And Moose kept on coming.

Eller reportedly hit the officers in the face “several times” and threatened to kill them. Eller threw one of them onto the hood of his SUV, and the officers “feared for their lives.”

“They were in the fight of their lives,” police inspector Mike Martin said at a press conference. “They were in distress . . . you could hear them screaming on the tape, ‘We need another car here. We need help here.’”

Eller was subdued only after three more officers arrived, and one put him in a neck hold. Sgt. Jessie Garcia demonstrated a restraint hold on Inspector Mike Martin during a news conference where they talked about the arrest of Eller.

Man, I hope this doesn't somehow show up on YouTube. I mean, who can forget Eller's appearance in The Black Six? Note: See the 1:00 mark.

The last time I wrote extensively about Moose was January of 2006. Carl Eller's had opened a new fine dining eatry called the Purple People Eatery in Woodbury which got mixed reviews by the Star Tribune.

At that time, I hadn't been there yet, but intended to get over. Only the restaurant abruptly closed soon after. Which was soon followed by a big ol' lawsuit. I found the following to be an interesting nugget from that story:

"Vikings players have a long history of association with allegedly dubious financial practices (see "Purple Stain," City Pages, 4/5/2000). Fran Tarkenton, the storied Minnesota quarterback, once started a fast-food breakfast chain called Scramblers that went belly-up. More significantly, as the top executive of a software company called Shareware, he was party to an enterprise accused of perpetrating a "financial fraud scheme" in chasing after investors. (The matter was settled in 1999 with an agreement under which Tarkenton made no formal admission of wrongdoing but agreed to cough up a $100,000 fine and $54,000 in bonuses.) Chuck Foreman, the team's five-time Pro Bowl running back, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud in 2000 for his purported connection to a series of bogus real-estate transactions."

Hey now! The Vikes greats also have had success as well. Benchwarmer Bob's and Joe Sensers places both do great.

Back to Eller. He's been in trouble before and may very well be again. On February 27, 2006, he was arrested for DUI. Eller has acknowledged his history as a substance abuser. But he has also become a treatment counselor and has spoken publicly to groups about the problems of chemical dependency. He just needs to realize DUI is serious. People get hurt. People get killed. I find nothing funny about this and I hope Eller can rebound and again become a person the Vikings can place front-and-center at fan related events.

I wish Moose the best.

The Vikes are close to signing Mr. Gus Frerotte to be a backup(?) QB once again for the Purple. I guess that should ensure the lowest season ticket renewal rate of all-time.

For those who were watching Transformers on Saturday mornings during the late 90's and had no idea that football even existed, I bring you a history lesson. The time when Gus Frerotte head-butted a concrete wall in celebration, with the wall winning. At one time in his career, Gus Frerotte was an up-and-coming quarterback in the National Football League. Well, he was a starting QB anyway, starting 30 games for the Redskins from 1995 through late 1997. In a game against the N.Y. Giants, he celebrated a touchdown by slamming his head into a concrete wall. At least he was smart enough to leave his helmet on. Still, he was left woozy and headed to the hospital after suffering spasms at halftime. And, really, his career went downhill from the head-butt; he's started for seven different teams since.

One of those teams was the Vikings. In 2003 and 2004, Frerotte backed up Daunte Culpepper for the Minnesota Vikings. He was actually a stabilizing force for 'Pepper who leaned on Frerotte for mentorship. One could argue that when Frerotte left for Miami in 2005, Culpepper's career began to spiral downward.

What the aquisition does ensure is that the Vikes will take a QB in the 2008 draft. I do not believe the team would use a early draft pick to select Matt Ryan (Boston College Eagles). But if you'll recall, I did 'interview' Mr. Joe Flacco (Delaware) and I certainly think he could be drafted by the team.

For Those Keeping Score At Home

No one can say the Vikes have been quiet this off-season and have certainly strengthened several key positions. But what about the draft? Can they take it a step further and repeat the successful draft of 2007? It will certainly come down to the first pick. And other than Peterson, history has not been kind to the Vikes lately.

I still see the Vikes using the pick on a pass rushing DE. And my pick remains Mr. Derrick Harvey.

The Viking Underground will be on a little hiatus during my son's spring break from school. I expect to have new blog entries up sometime the week of April 6.

Now then, if we can just get it to stop snowing here!

So, Matt Birk is not going to participate on the voluntary off-season programs with the team? Am I concerned? No. Especially since he'll be working out with the Superstar Mike Morris. This is just another NFL management type "issue" that you and I could never get away with at our jobs in the real world.

There are some important issues to discuss, though.

Do I think Birk is at risk of jumping teams come 2009? I don't think so. I truly believe he would like to finish out his career here. He's a hometown lad afterall. Birk attended Cretin-Derham Hall High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and was an excellent student-athlete and a letterman and a standout in football, basketball, and track & field. He was an All-St. Paul Conference honoree, an Academic All-State honoree, and an All-State honoree in both, football and basketball. Matt Birk graduated from Cretin-Derham High School in 1994.

Just as important, Birk co-owns two restaurants, Matty B's Supper Club in St Paul, and Matty B's Urban Bar & Restaurant in Minneapolis.

So, Birk has roots in this area and he has financial ties. Are there concerns? Oh, yes. First up, do we want to proudly state that Birk is our chosen center when the man dresses up like this?

Please do't let that photo get out!

Secondly, Birk's estate (no such thing as a 12,000+ SQ FT home...that's an estate!) is up for sale. It is yours for a cool $3,995,000. Summer home, anyone?

So, Birk is not going to play nicey-nice with the Vikes management this off-season. His house is for sale. Maybe we should be worried afterall? Nah, the man probably is tired of the chosen decor and wants to move to a "man house" and not some sort of foo-foo-frilly-my-wife-dominates-me abode. I love Birk, and I have no business to knock the man....but really. This bedroom?

This entry?

A ballet room?

There are hints of manliness...

...but if you look closely there are kids toys all over the BB court, and a cartoon is on the Big Screen. I dunno. Maybe we have to let him go. Thoughts?

Earlier in March, I made a case on YouTube for the Vikes to offer whatever draft day picks they can muster and wave them in front of Miami Dolphin's Czar Bill Parcells in order to obtain discouraged DE Jason Taylor. It i starting to look like the Vikes might be looking to obtain even more draft day picks (or players) in dumping Bryant McKinnie from the team after his last brush with the law.

Let's face it, McKinnie has never quite reached his full potential with the team. McKinnie was once looked at as a Pro Bowl caliber offensive tackle. Could the Vikes be in a addition by subtraction situation? Let's review.

In 2001, McKinnie was the winner of the Outland Trophy, finished 8th overall in voting for the 2001 Heisman Trophy, was the CNN Sports Illustrated "Player of the Year" and a key part of the Hurricanes' 2001 National Championship. Also at UM, he was a roommate with current NFL tight end Jeremy Shockey. Maybe that's where the bad boy stuff started? Curse you Jeremy Shockey!

McKinnie was the seventh overall pick in the 2002 NFL Draft, and he replaced Todd "Offsides" Steussie at left tackle. McKinnie has been the starting left tackle for the Vikings ever since. At 6'8" and 335 lbs with size 18 EEE feet, McKinnie is the largest offensive lineman on the Vikings roster.

In October 2005, McKinnie was charged with a misdemeanor for his involvement in the 2005 Minnesota Vikings boat cruise scandal. McKinnie had been accused of performing oral sex on a dancer and receiving oral sex, along with three other men, from a dancer in a public area of the boat.

On May 26, 2006, McKinnie pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct and being a public nuisance on a watercraft in connection with the Love Boat scandal. He agreed to pay a $1,000 fine and perform 48 hours of community service. McKinnie was not suspended.

On September 9, 2006, the NFL announced it would fine McKinnie and fellow Viking Fred Smoot one game check for the incident. For McKinnie, the fine amounted to approximately $41,000 and brought the matter to complete resolution. A day after the fine was levied, McKinnie was given a raise and a seven year extension of his contract worth $48 million. Ouch!

Then there was the Channel 5 blow-up. Channel 5 is the Twin Cities ABC affiliate KSTP that touted a discovery from “a tip” that was called into the station claiming that McKinnie and Mewelde Moore dumped trash bags at a construction dumpsite. The eight bags that the station reports were discovered during a dumpster dive produced what was touted as “explosive new evidence” that was voluntarily turned over the Hennepin County investigators after being sifted through by Channel 5 personnel – and claim to provide a link between Vikings players and the infamous boat trip on Lake Minnetonka.

Among the discoveries were fireworks, disposal cameras, pizza boxes (if, from the boat, were clearly delivered ahead of time), empty beer cans, a single champagne bottle, as well as more salacious items like an empty box of KY Jelly, empty boxes of the feminine hygiene products and a discarded pair of Victoria’s Secret underwear.

The story focused on different items found – namely a piece of paper with female names and flight arrival times and a twig that, for all appearances, looked like a large stem of a marijuana plant. The station identified the stick as a “marijuana bud,” but it also displayed a hollowed-out Swisher Sweet cigar – often used as a “blunt” to conceal marijuana inside a cigar wrapper. From what was seen on TV, the “marijuana bud” in question wasn’t visible, but discarded cigar tobacco and cigar leaves were shown.

McKinnie has always been very vocal to the point of disruption. In February 2006, the Vikings were considering trading quarterback Daunte Culpepper and McKinnie told the St. Paul Pioneer Press: "We already made one mistake (trading former Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss). Don't do it twice (by trading Culpepper). If that's the case, let me go." Culpepper was traded shortly afterwards to the Miami Dolphins but McKinnie re-signed with the Vikings regardless.

Most recently, McKinnie was arrested in Miami in the early morning of February 24, 2008, on aggravated battery charges, in connection with a nightclub fight. He was also charged on disorderly conduct and resisting arrest without violence. Authorities were called to Club Space after a fight broke out. McKinnie had been thrown out by a nightclub security guard and was arguing and spit on Eric Otero, according to a police report.

Otero, 32, said he wouldn't press charges if McKinnie left. Authorities said that he then went to a nearby strip club, but later returned to Club Space and fought with Otero again. Miami Police found McKinnie in the middle of a large crowd, throwing punches and again yelling obscenities," according to the police report.

Police told McKinnie to stop. He refused and boarded a bus. The bus driver was ordered not to drive away. But despite beating up bouncers with metal poles, Bryant McKinnie is actually a good guy - if you were to believe Luther Campbell.

The 2 Live Crew virtuoso & sometime radio show host appeared on Dan Le Batard’s WAXY-AM show on Tuesday. The Miami Hurricanes fan showed his support for the vicious Vikings partygoer, saying Bryant wasn’t to blame for blowing up.

Campbell claims McKinnie went after the bouncer after the guy slapped a phone out of the Vikings lineman’s hand:

"You have to be out of your mind to slap a phone out of a 6-8, 350-pound man. That’s like me going up to Kimbo (Slice) and slapping the phone out of Kimbo hand. You know you’re gonna catch a beatdown.”

Luther lauds Bryant for actually being an otherwise “responsible guy“. He points out that when McKinnie’s in Miami, he always rents a shuttle bus when he & his pals it the town: “He dont’ even drive, cause he don’t wanna get caught with a DUI.”

Campbell also points out McKinnie’s generous nature when socializing at the local watering holes: “He spends at least $20,000 a night, and I’m not exaggerating.”

Usually a part of Bryant party plans, Luther says he wasn’t there the night McKinnie got physical with security - but wishes he was:

“I’m sad I wasn’t there, ’cause I’d have stopped it. It’s not worth it, and that’s the first thing I would have told him. ‘Look, it’s not worth it. This dude it not worth it.’”

So, all of this could have been avoided if McKinnie had just invited along Luther Campbell, voice of reason, to his night out. Pity.

Link to the full interview is here.

At any rate, Brad Childress did not mince words when discussing McKinnie's future with the team after the Miami incident. Childress said he faces a potentially "difficult" decision on the future of McKinnie.

Let's say the Vikes do dump McKinnie. Per the STrib:

"Essentially, either move (release or trade) would subtract roughly $1.5 million from their pool of available cap money, assuming the Vikings absorbed the hit in 2008. Written a different way, McKinnie counts $7.424 million against the 2008 salary cap if he is on the roster in 2008 and about $8.9 million if he is not. In the latter scenario, he would be off the books entirely in 2009. In today’s world of cap largesse, the release or trade of a high-paid veteran is not nearly as damaging as it once was. Even if they shipped out McKinnie today, the Vikings would still have about $15 million left in cap space to sign their draft choices and do a few contract extensions."

Later on, Childress reiterated that “Bryant is entitled to his due process” but added: “I’d just say that we’ve been consistent. The Wilfs have been consistent with the way we want the Vikings to be represented. I know what Zygi’s values are, and I know what my values are and I know what our collective Viking values are. … It’s difficult.”

So, back to McKinnie: What to do?

Option 1: Release him outright. Not the best choice. Granted, McKinnie may be suspended anyway so why not create some roster room. But I'd rather we get something, anything.

Option 2: Trade McKinnie. Put McKinnie and package a draft pick or two and place him under Parcells' nose. McKinnie returns to his Miami base and the 'Fins gain a starting OT. The Vikes get Taylor in return. Addition by subtraction.

It could certainly be that the Vikes might use a first round pick on a blue chip OT. With that in mind, I like OT Chris Williams out of Vanderbilt. He is imposing at 6'6" and 315 lbs. The only downfall is Williams has played the left side of the line during his college career and he would have to be trained to play the right. And he is heading into his senior season so I'm not sure he will declare.

Another possibility would be Sam Baker out of Southern Cal. Baker lists at 6'5" and 312 lbs. Baker also plays the left side of the line but may be more polished that Williams at this point.

Thoughts? Leave a comment below.

Additional Stadium News

This past Sunday I wrote to the slim chances that the Vikes push for a new stadium would get any attention from the Minnesota legislature this year. In fact, Monday my "close, personal friend" Sid Hartman voiced his agreement.

"Gov. Tim Pawlenty realizes the importance of the Vikings getting a new stadium, but he claims there isn't any way this came happen -- now or later -- unless the Vikings get a partner, such as Hennepin County, to get the project built. There is no chance of a vote at this legislative session, although there might be some conversation about what can be done in the future."

There was a curious statement in Sid's column as well that left me scratching my head.

"Target Center and Xcel Energy Center each are looking for $60 million to repair the arenas, but from the tone of members of the Legislature, there isn't any interest in meeting those demands."

Now, the Target Center I can understand as it is becoming an old arena. But why does the Xcel Energy Center need $60 Large to address repairs? Anyone have a clue? Please leave a comment and enlighten us. I was just there to watch my first professional lacrosse game (Go Swarm!) and will be back this coming Saturday to watch the Blue Man Group and have seen no need for repair. So, I'm confused.

Game Lounge

I'd like to hear from fellow DIRECTV subscribers who use Game Lounge. This is a channel on DIRECTV that turns your TV into a world of interactive fun. It was free this past weekend and we "lost the weekend" by playing classic board games. Loads of fun, just not sure it is worth $6 a month extra.

Today's blog entry will be a rambling dissertation with no particular purpose than a stream of consciousness. I sometimes refer to these as a 'mind vomit'.

First up, some Vikes football. There are more and more mock drafts taking place these days. Everyone has an opinion and its quite literally a turkey shoot. I no longer participate in mock drafts as it is purely conjecture which can be upset as soon as teams start trading picks on draft day. I think one has a better shot at selecting which position the team will choose.

(If you want a good mock draft analysis, go to the Daily Norseman....great work there!)

Keeping in mind the free agents the Vikes have picked up already this off-season, and also hoping that they pick the best possible player irregardless of need, I see the Vikes possibly using their #17 overall selection on the following positions (ranked in order):

- DE
- WR
- OL
- QB

As you have seen, I have been providing some tongue-in-cheek video interviews on YouTube with some of the possible players the Vikes could draft. I'll see if I can put some more together. If nothing else, the videos introduce you to the player and provide some first impressions. Watch Joe Flacco handle himself with poise, the humor within Limas Sweed, the anxiousness of Derrick Harvey.

So, even though the Vikes track record at drafting a DE in the first round hasn't been good since they drafted Carl "Moose" Eller in the '64 draft, I still see them rolling the dice again at DE and hoping that the law of averages finally weighs in their favor. How bad has it been lately at selecting a DE? Consider:

Talance Sawyer (1999)
Dimitrius Underwood (1999)
Michael Boireau (2000)
Willie Howard (2001)
Kenechi Udeze (2004)
Darrion Scott (2004)
Erasmus James (2005)
Ray Edwards (2006)
Brian Robinson (2007)

Uff-da! That's some bad lutefisk.

I hope to create a VU video with Chris Long, even knowing the Vikes have no chance, as one immediately compares the young man to his famous father Howie. And Chris, well, he ain't no Howier when it comes to coming across as intelligent. Sorry, I know that is mean....but its the first thought I had.

Moving along, I apologize for the number of posts this week. It's the annual rush to get your kid signed up for all the summer camps to fill out the days. My wife and I both work so the young lad needs to be addressed. We feel guilty that he may never know the true joy of 3 months of no school and no place to go....but it's also reality that both his parents need to work. But I also didn't get a chance to spend a week learning or playing lacrosse. Nor was I able to spend a week in flag football camp. I think its a fair trade.

It is also time for me to step up the ol' training for any duathlons/triathlons I plan to do this summer. Especially since I didn't swim all winter. Now I have to make time to swim as well as bike (hopefully outside soon) and run. I'm not sure why, at age 47 (on April 26) I push myself this way. I think I go back to the days when I was 20-something and could effortlessly do it all, and in some weird way I hope tro stave off aging and return to the glory days.

I was just remembering this week about the time I raced against Lance Armstrong. I don't bother to tell anyone that he whooped my rear-end by 35-minutes in a triathlon.

On May 13, 1989 at Speegleville III Park outside Waco, Texas there was a certain buzz in the air as the athletes were all saying, "watch this kid, he's really something." This tri was a 0.6mi swim, 28mi bike, and 6.5mi run. Lance (then just 17-years old) finished in 1:54:05. His closest competitor finished over 6-minutes back. All I remember is Lance was finishing up the run as I was coming in off the bike. Here's a image of the race summary. Unfortunately, splits were not available.

That's some of the stuff that makes me feel old. As does watching the Oscars and fondly remembering an actor who appears in the Oscar tribute to people who passed away the previous year. People you thought would just go on living forever.

Or you watch legends age before your eyes in what seems to be a very short time span.

Wow, did that last 40-years just fly by or what?!?!? OK, enough on aging. But be forewarned: We baby boomers aren't going to go gently into the good night. I promise not to wear black socks with my Bermuda shorts in promise to not throw up when I take off my shirt to get into the pool. Now, get off my lawn you punks!

The Wife and I watched 3:10 to Yuma the other night. Nothing like a great Western, is there? Even if Russell Crowe is a pain-in-the-toushie, he is fun to watch on screen. He plays the ultimate baddie, Ben Wade, in this film...and you don't reference a baddie's mama....ever.

Ben Wade: I've always liked you Byron, but you never know when to shut up. Even bad men love their mommas.

But stealing the film in Yuma was Ben Foster who played Charlie Prince, Wade's right-hand and truly rotten human being.

Charlie Prince: Morning, Pinkerton. Name's Charlie Prince. I expect you heard of me.
[steps on Byron's hand]
Byron McElroy: Well, I heard of a balled-up whore named Charlie Princess. That you, missy?
[Charlie shoots Byron in the stomach]
Charlie Prince: I hate Pinkertons.

Not sure how Foster was bypassed for a Oscar nominee in the Actor Supporting Role category, but he was. But is was a very well done film. Not quite Tombstone (John Randle's fav film) but then what film can compare to classic lines like these (which Randle would scream at the QB):

Doc Holliday: I'm your huckleberry...

Wyatt Earp: Are you gonna do something, or just stand there and bleed?

New Music

Whilst listening to BBC Wales over the weekend, I was lucky enough to catch some songs from a Welsh group called Catatonia. Pretty damn good stuff. Anyone else aware of their music or am I just that much in the dark these days. Here's a clip:

Coming Saturday: It is back to 1998 and the press conference with Red McCombs on the next VU podcast.

The VU sits down with potential 1st round selection (Vikes have #17), DE Derrick Harvey.

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Sophomore jinx: Refers to an instance in which a second year NFL player fails to live up to the standards of the first season.

So, what is Adrian Peterson up to these days as his second season approaches? Is he lying on the couch with a bag of chips in one hand and a container of onion dip in the other?

Or maybe he is off to parts unknown, just hanging out in sunny climates and chugging down pitchers of margarita's while Jimmy Buffett music plays in the background?

Is he going to show up at mini-camp and then training camp, overweight and hopelessly out of shape? Will he be able to squeeze into his pants from last season or require the team's tailor to "let out the waist a few inches?"

Um, no.

On Sunday, I put together a very amateur video showcasing some of Adrian's rookie season and the fact that he has been drag-racing.....literally...this off-season. Heck, the man is so fast now that he actually deploys a parachute. Take a look:

Gosh, it's only...what?.....five months before the season starts. I'm not sure I can wait.

Coming later this week: I sit down with potential DE draft pick, Derrick Harvey in the VU's continuing series of pre-draft video looks. And coming Saturday it is back to 1998 and the press conference with Red McCombs on the next VU podcast.

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The VU sits down with potential 1st round selection (Vikes have #17), WR Limas Sweed.

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OK, today is a blog dedicated to the man who helms the Minnesota Vikings. So, while it will be medical in nature, it will still be loosely related to football. I hope Brad Childress reads this and applies some of the findings to the team this coming season.

Am I worthy of writing a scientific-medical related blog entry? Well, I’ve been a licensed drug dealer (see pharmacist) for a quarter of a century now so, yeah, I think I can tackle this.

I’ve been listening to my new favorite podcast at Tri-Talk.com. If you are an endurance athlete, you need to start down loading these podcasts. Tri Talk is not only the #1 triathlon podcast, but now the #4 featured podcast in all of iTunes Sports and Recreation. It is that darn good. Note: Anything in quotes in this blog has been taken from Tri-Talk.

First up for discussion is the dreaded topic of lactic acid. For triathlete’s world wide, Julie Moss is the image often conjured up. Her claim to fame came during the 1982 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon, in which she competed as part of her research for her exercise physiology thesis. At approximately two miles before the finish line, she became severely dehydrated. She staggered and crawled towards the end of the course, only to be passed moments before the finish line by competitor Kathleen McCartney. Her struggle to finish the Ironman was broadcast around the world, and provided inspiration to many to compete in Ironman events.

Not familiar with Moss and her ordeal? Take a peek. It ain’t pretty:

So yeah, one could say lactic acid has a reasonably pessimistic association. As stated on Tri-Talk:

“Most of us, including me, have been taught that a buildup of lactic acid is a bad thing, and that it is the primary cause of having to slow down at high intensities. That lactic acid builds up; the body can’t clear it, and is makes our muscles fatigued. It is even blamed for the soreness of muscles after exercise.”

So, where did the whole lactic acid issue cramp, er, come from? Roughly 100 years ago by a Nobel scientist, Otto Meyerhof. Meyerhof was a German-born physician and biochemist. So you shouldn’t be surprised to learn that one day Meyerhof decided to sever a frog in half and put its bottom half in a jar. Or maybe it was a beer stein. Anyway, he then gave the frog’s leg electric shocks to make the muscles contract, but after a few twitches, the muscles stopped moving. Why did they stop? Meyerhof discovered that they were inundated in lactic acid, and the modern theory on lactic acid was born. Tri-Talk postulated:

“To further understand this, let’s take a quick review of the two primary energy systems: aerobic and anaerobic. Both systems burn carbohydrate in the form of glucose (blood sugar) and glycogen (muscle sugar). The main difference between the two systems is the presence of oxygen–and the end product. Moderate exercise is mostly aerobic, with oxygen; it’s clean burning, so there is no end product. When exercise becomes more intense and the aerobic system can’t provide enough oxygen, the anaerobic system kicks in to provide energy, without oxygen. The end product of anaerobic exercise is lactic acid.”

This theory is under attack and has been something I’ve been tracking since 2005 when it began to be questioned. Let me stress: The basis of lactic acid has not come into the question. Rather, the link between lactic acid and muscle fatigue and soreness has been significantly challenged.

One such study appeared in May, 2006 when George A. Brooks, a professor in the department of integrative biology at the University of California, Berkeley gave an interview with the New York Times. Brooks has been promoting the hypothesis that lactic acid is a fuel supply for muscles, not just poisonous litter from extreme exercise.

“The current understanding by many physiologists, as first proposed by Dr. Brooks, is that muscle cells convert glucose or glycogen to lactic acid, and that the lactic acid is taken up and used as a fuel by mitochondria, the energy factories in muscle cells. Dr. Brooks even found that mitochondria even have a special transporter protein to move the lactic acid into them. In other words, the muscles want to take in that lactic acid as a fuel source, and have evolved with special receptors to do so. Intense training makes a difference because it can make double the mitochondrial mass, therefore increasing the amount of lactic acid that can be absorbed.”

In review, the traditional theory states that as carbohydrate is broken down for fuel, the byproduct is lactic acid. Lactic acid is believed to be a major contributor to muscle fatigue. The innovative theory is that while lactic acid is still a byproduct of carbohydrate, it is cleared away not in the blood, but absorbed by the mitochondria in the muscles. This still explains why elite athletes are able to have very little lactate in their blood at high intensities. It’s not being cleared away in the blood; rather, it’s been sucked up by the muscles like a Hoover.

“One of the problems in accepting this theory is that it left a gaping hole. If lactic acid is not the cause of muscle fatigue, what is? Before we can accept this new lactic acid and muscle fatigue theory, we should have something to replace it.”

Back to the liberal rag that is the New York Times. It recently reported a novel theory to explain muscle exhaustion. Dr. Andrew Marks, principal investigator of the new study from Columbia University, suggests that muscle fatigue comes from calcium leaking from the muscles. That calcium is a critical mineral required for muscle contraction. Less calcium means less muscle contraction, and more muscle fatigue.

“To help confirm this, the researches gave an experimental drug to mice that inhibited the leaking of calcium from the muscles. The mice were able to run 10 to 20 percent longer when using this drug.”

Let’s extrapolate that to potential implications to Adrian Peterson and the team. Let’s say that Adrian is able to run a 30-minute time trial at 6-minute miles, and that is his exhaustion point. Yeah, I know he’s Jesus and would never tire but go along with me.

That means All Day is running 5 miles in that 30 minutes. If he could run 20% longer at the same speed, that would allow Peterson to run 6 minutes longer at that pace before exhaustion, letting him run almost a full 10K at a 6-minute pace. This gives you an idea of the significance of the ability to increase one’s exhaustion point by 10-20%.

This investigational drug is still too dicey for trial on humans, and even if it were permitted by the US Federal Drug Administration, it would undoubtedly be made a banned substance by any given athletic body.

The purpose in passing this along to Coach Childress is not to say “get this drug for your team before they figure out how to test for it!” but rather to share with him the substantiation behind the new theory that calcium loss is behind muscle fatigue as opposed to lactic acid.

On to part two of this discussion for Coach Childress. I want to spend some time looking at whether taking in oxygen can aid and speed recovery. How many times have you seen football players complete long runs and then go back to the bench and breathe oxygen? Does that really help? Tri-Talk helped to asses this:

“In people with normal lung function…breathing oxygen has not been demonstrated to significantly change exercise performance. Based on the oxygen solubility coefficient and the increase in the cardiac output, perhaps a 1-2% increase in the delivery of oxygen occurs, yet few studies support the contention that this therapy helps the athlete. Why is it done? Perhaps because if an athlete who is paid $1,000,000 a year to perform thinks breathing oxygen improves performance, then the best course may be to supply the oxygen, considering no demonstrable harm comes from short-term oxygen therapy.”

Aha! It’s all in their heads! So, as long as the athlete thinks it does, and it causes no detrimental performance, why not let them do it?

Further, if oxygen during exercise does not help out, what about oxygen for recovery? Will you recover faster? Tri-Talk once again broke this down:

“I received a well-written e-mail on this subject from one of our sharp Tri Talk listeners, Michael Phillips, who is a respiratory therapist. He remind me that in terms of muscle soreness and fatigue, it is primarily caused by the buildup of lactic acid and damage to the muscles causing an inflammatory response, often caused by moving up to fast in volume or intensity in training. We’ll focus on the first reason, the buildup of lactic acid, as oxygen would not even theoretically help with muscle damage recovery. Will an increase in oxygen remove lactic acid faster? Lactic acid is the byproduct of CO2 production in the cell. Red blood cells that travel by the cell remove the CO2 and leave behind O2. Less CO2 in the system after exercise therefore means less lactic acid. However, breathing in extra O2 will not remove the CO2 any faster.”

So, Coach Childress, there is no study to support oxygen and recovery where the athlete did not know what the gas was. In cases where the athlete reported improved recovery from oxygen, that athlete knew what the gas was they were taking in.

To sum up oxygen and its use for revitalization, there is no supporting work where the athlete did not know if they were taking in oxygen.

“I think the great sports exercise writer Owen Anderson put it best when he said, “When examined closely, such findings should not be surprising. After all, the post-exercise recovery period is a time frame marked by sub-maximal heart rates and sub-maximal rates of oxygen consumption. In other words, recovery does not require oxygen delivery to be extremely high, as it is during intense exercise. Piling on the oxygen during recovery is like adding another half-cup of water to your goldfish’s tank: the creature already has quite enough water and a little more will not be helpful in any way.”

Maybe Childress should fill those oxygen tanks with helium. Then when Peterson yells, “Hi Mom!” into the camera he can sound like Mickey Mouse.

OK, bad idea.

Coming Saturday: A look back to 1997 when I sat down with then Vikings marketing director, Stew Widdess.

Got this from the Vikes a day or two ago. I figured I'd pass along. Everyone loves survey's!

The Minnesota Vikings are working hard to constantly improve your game day experience and would appreciate your feedback. Please take a few minutes to share your opinion by completing the short (5-10 min) survey found at this link.

Thanks for your feedback!
The Minnesota Vikings

And when you get to the "What other websites do you visit to obtain Vikings information?" be sure and list Mr. Cheer Or Die's Viking Underground!!!!

I received a e-mail from Ohio this past weekend. It was one of those blast from the past type of messages:

"Hey bro, how the hell are ya? Found this old pic, thought you'd get a kick out of it. The carefree salad days of the old email list...Viking Jim"

The photo is from 1996. As far as Vikings fans across the world were concerned, a significant event happened off the field during the 1996 season. The early precursor to the Viking Underground Fan message board, Viking Fans On-Line, was formed. By the seasons end, Viking Fans On-Line boasted 500 strong and was represented by members in 47 states and 9 countries. It was directly responsible for the Vikings setting a single day attendance record on September 22, 1996.

The Viking Underground web site, begun by Dan Hildreth, was honored in The Net magazine as the best personal NFL football web site. The Viking Underground & the Mr. Cheer Or Die web sites were honored with The Gold Star Trophy award honoring the best in NFL related web sites. Viking Fans On-Line assisted in initiating, creating and developing the very first Viking Fan Club Convention during the 1996 training camp.

It was a heady time. If one were to develop a family tree of Vikings related web involvement these were your Adam and Eve, the Big Bang, the start of it all.

Have any found memories? Were you a member way back in the day? Leave a comment below. I'd love to hear from you.

And if you have any other photos from those days, e-mail to me and I'll post additional photos as the week proceeds.

Coming Saturday: My 1997 interview with then Vikings marketing director Stew Widdess....who just happens to talk about Viking Fans On-Line

FA's by the Numbers

Bernard Berrian, receiver, Vikings: $605,000 (2008); $2.395 million (2009); $3.7 million (2010); $3.9 million (2011); $6.9 million (2012); $7.9 million (2013).

Madieu Williams, safety, Vikings: $605,000 (2008); $620,000 (2009); $2.975 million (2010); $5.4 million (2011); $5.4 million (2012); $5.4 million (2013).

Lasik

I had a rather bad experience with a contact lens this past week. Because of that, I am starting to think about having Lasik (or similar) procedure performed. Have you had a Lasik procedure done? Would you recommend it? What's the good, the bad, the ugly of it all? Leave a comment below and let me know!

On March 4, the Vikings website was reporting that free-agent running back and return man Maurice Hicks had been signed by the team. Hicks supposedly became the fourth free agent to sign with the team. He’s expected to take over as the Vikings’ primary kick returner.

But as of Sunday (3/9), Hicks does not show on the Vikes roster moves section of the site. There is nothing on the Media Center portion of the site. Nothing on the roster portion of the site. I was starting to panic. Did a break-down in negotiation take place? Did Hicks spend a weekend in the Twin Cities during the recent cold snap and high-tail it out of here for warmer climes?

I finally found mention of it on the news archive, buried deep. But the report is still there so it has to be true, right?

I had gone looking to get an update on what numbers the new players might have chosen. The player I am most interested in is Bernard Berrian (aka the Silent Assassin). On March 2, I wrote why he might end up with #82....you can go back and read that blog entry here. I know you have bad memories of #82, but then we had such high hopes for T.W., didn't we? Just take a look back at my 2006 mini-camp report. Sigh.

As for the others, Madieu Williams will be #20 and Thomas Tapeh will be #44.

What number do you think Berrian will don? Leave a comment. See you Monday when we take a look back to 1996 and the start of it all.

Back on January 9, I posted the following blog entry. I think for the most part, it is still current. No comments were left at that time...maybe now?

It's way to early for me to think about April, that time of year when my son and I celebrate our respective birthday's. That time of year that I pull my annual April Fool's Day joke and piss off the poor saps that fall for it. But its never too early to look back and take a sneak look ahead.

Last year the Vikes had the number seven overall pick. There was a lot of talk of whether the Vikes had the grapefruits to move up into the number 1-3 spots or whether they would fold like a card table and move down later in the first round or even out of the first round altogether. Instead, they held at number seven and picked up this stiff.

Yeah, that really didn't work out so well for the Vikes. And this year they fall to the 17th overall selection.

So where does the team go from here? I start by reviewing the NFL's past selections at #17. NFL Draft Scout has a nice summary and the Vikes have picked twice from this spot, both with good results. In 2006 the Vikes selected LB Chad Greenway and in 1974 they selected LB Fred McNeill. Other notable selections at #17 have yielded Emmitt Smith (1990) to Steve Hutchinson (2001).

Let's assume the team is going to proceed with T-Jack at QB, go after one to two WR's via free agency and retain the services of Mr. Chester Taylor. The Vikes have a very good linebacker core. They have studs manning the interior of the defensive line. Where are the weak areas and which areas are aging and will need replacements in the coming years?

One area of concern to me is offensive line. The right side needs to be more productive and Matt Birk is not getting any younger at center. While I will agree that using your first draft pick on a offensive lineman is not glamorous, it has consistently shown to be a smart pick and often produces immediate results.

With that in mind, I like OT Chris Williams out of Vanderbilt. He is imposing at 6'6" and 315 lbs. The only downfall is Williams has played the left side of the line during his college career and he would have to be trained to play the right. And he is heading into his senior season so I'm not sure he will declare.

Another possibility would be Sam Baker out of Southern Cal. Baker lists at 6'5" and 312 lbs. Baker also plays the left side of the line but may be more polished that Williams at this point.

I don't believe the Vikes need to use a first round pick for center, if that's a position they want to solidify. Two names come to mind and would be there for the Vikes to consider in the second round. Those are Steve Justice out of Wake Forest and Mike Pollak out of Arizona State. Baker could have opted for the '07 draft but chose to return for his senior year and actually played better than in '06 and will better his draft position. Pollack and his Sun Devils teammates showcased one of the most experienced and honored offensive lines in the Pac-10. Either would do for me.

What about defensive end? If the Vikes do not address this during free agency (Jared Allen, please!) then DE could be the Vikes first round selection. One possible consideration would be Miami Hurricanes defensive end Calais Campbell who made it official Thursday by saying he will skip his senior season and enter the NFL Draft.

Campbell would be the Ed "Too Tall" Jones of this generation as he is listed at 6-foot-8 and 240-pounds and is considered a mid first-round pick by many analysts. Despite a disappointing season, scouts are still impressed by his size and potential.

Since Chris Long will be long gone by pick #17 the only other DE that the Vikes could consider is Derrick Harvey out of Florida. Harvey has decided to skip his senior year and enter the NFL Draft. You may recall seeing Harvey as the last time he appeared in a bowl game, he collected a career-high three sacks and recovered a fumble against Ohio State in the BCS national championship game. He tied for the team lead in 2007 with 14 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

And what about the defensive secondary? Darren Sharper is aging and there has been some speculation he may not return. Dwight Smith is almost certain to not return. Antoine Winfield ended the season hurt. So, who may be available for a first round selection at #17? Answer: Kenny Phillips out of Miami. Phillips, a 6-2, 211-pound safety out of Miami Carol City High, will forgo his senior season to enter the NFL Draft. Phillips was named to the All-ACC first team and for the season, Phillips ranked second on the team with a career-high 95 tackles (69 solo). A third-year junior, he added made two interceptions, three forced fumbles and 6.5 tackles for loss.

These are just some very early names. Every one and their uncle will have names and projections. Have some of your own? Leave a comment and we'll start our researching department looking into them.

Authors note: Again, the above was originally posted on this blog January 9, 2008. Here is a sampling of the best DE's for the upcoming draft with my comments added.

Sunday Cartoon

Another Zygi & Chilly effort!

First, there was T.O.:

Now Brett Favre, who actually held a press conference and announced he was quitting. Crying like a baby. What is happening to the men of the NFL. Are they all high on estrogen now? Trying to get in touch with their feminine side? I mean, really.

OK, before you Cheeseheads start with your hate e-mail, I'll miss him just as much as you. Favre was always good for an interception or three at the Metrodome.

I was reading a blurb on Pro Football Talk and they mentioned Favre's consecutive games streak. And that got me to thinking: One thing I've had to endure from Cheeseheads is how great Favre's consecutive games streak is. How he was going to climb past Jim Marshall and stick that in our craw as well. Well, boo friggin' hoo. Guess what. He quit short of that record.

Actually, the consecutive games leader is a punter, Jeff Feagles. Let's go ahead and throw that out. In "second" is Jim Marshall, who played in 282 straight games as a defensive end from 1961-1979. On November 27, 2005, Feagles broke the NFL record for consecutive games played, with 283. The record was previously held by Marshall. Feagles' record continues, standing at 320 at the end of the 2007 NFL season.

Brett Favre's record of 253 consecutive starts, as far as I can tell, stands at third. So, the Vikes once again stand tall over the lowly Packers. Thhhpppppppttttttt!

Back to the crying issue: If there's "no crying in baseball", why are we suddenly seeing crying in football? I can tell you. It's the politics, man!

For Hillary Clinton, the crying happened during an appearance right before the New Hampshire primary. I must say I was surprised when I first heard that clip on the radio. There certainly has been plenty of debate as to whether Hillary Clinton's crying was legitimate or an act to win voters.

But right after that, came T.O. crying the alligator tears. Then the bunch from O.S.U. as the crying has trickled down to college football.

Now it was the Head Cheese. Yeah, the same guy who once was injured the previous week, then started one series and went to the bench...just so he could keep his streak alive. I thought there was no "I" in team.

I don't know anymore. I just don't know. I know Jim Marshall never cried. Twice Marshall kept his streak intact by walking out of hospitals where he was recuperating. Once from pneumonia and then again from ulcers. On another occasion he played after accidentally shooting himself in the side while cleaning a shotgun.

Sure, I get the urge to cry once in a blue moon. But then I sing, sing a song. I sing it loud. I sing it strong. I sing of good things, not bad.

I bid you, good day. Stiff upper lip and all that rot my dear chaps.

(Note to Gonzo: I now see you did a similar piece on the Daily Norseman. Great minds think alike, I guess!!)

Author note: Oops, well this is what I get for writing a day ahead.

Johnny Lee "Blue Moon" Odom was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball. For most of his 13-year career, he played for the Kansas City and Oakland Athletics, Chicago White Sox, and Atlanta Braves.

I still remember when he came into the league. Odom was a dominant pitcher. He pitched in two All-Star games (1968 and 1969), and won three consecutive World Series rings with the Oakland dynasty of 1972-1974. Best of all, he was an excellent all-around athlete and was used quite often as a pinch-runner. He also wielded a strong bat (for a pitcher), hitting 12 home runs with a batting average of .195 for his career. On May 4, 1969, he swung the lumber with authority and went 3-for-3 with a home run and six RBI against the Seattle Pilots (yes, Pilots).

So why do I bring this up? There is another Odom that could come into play and is a very good all-around athlete. Antwan Odom (born September 24, 1981 in Mobile, Alabama) could be that defensive end that the Vikes hope brings on the much needed pass rush the Vikes D sorely needs. He was originally drafted by the Tennessee Titans in the second round of the 2004 NFL Draft.

Oh, and he likes to sack QB's...especially aging QB's.

And he has other talents. Such as blocking kicks. He even blocked a extra point against the Jets last year which was instrumental in winning that game and starting the Titans drive for the playoffs. Here is a photo of Odom (#98) driving up the middle against a FG attempt in a game against the Chiefs.

A sack artist and a key special team player. Maybe he can block for All Day on the goal-line as well?

Odom is a 26-year old coming off an eight-sack season. I'd like to see him on the team, and would be more excited if the Vikes were successful in that attempt that their failure to get Justin Smith.

So, let's do it. Bring on Purple Moon Odom! If the Vikes were to land him, this would be the FA aquisition to get most excited about.

Thoughts? Leave a comment.

Can't help but pick on Loony Sid today (click on cartoon for easier to read pop-up):

And for those new readers who wonder why I refer to Brad Childress as "Chilly" and not "Chili", please read this blog entry.

Speaking of Loony

On Sunday, I stated how brilliant Randy Moss was by waiting on inking his renewal with the Patriots based on the fact that the Vikes chose to make the likes of Bernard Berrian the 4th highest paid WR...in the NFL. I'm not so sure based on a report I read at PFT:

"According to John Clayton of ESPN.com, Moss reached out to Culpepper on Saturday night about the possibility of "finishing what they started" in Minnesota on a new team.

Clayton cautions not to interpret such a move as a "package deal." But what the hell is it then?

If Moss is doing this only to persuade other teams that he's truly willing to leave New England, then it's sort of brilliant. We're convinced that teams are leery of making Moss the kind of offer that might get his attention due to fears that he'd then turn around and use that proposal to leverage the Pats into putting more money on the table.

If, in contrast, Moss is doing it because he genuinely wants to go to a new team that would sign Culpepper and install him as the starting quarterback, it's one of the stoopidest things we've ever heard."

PFT goes on and considers who may be interested in such a Moss-sprinkled with-Pepper Deal:

"A quick look at the list of the 32 teams reveals not many teams that even could be interested in such a move. As we see it, the possibilities are Baltimore, Denver (hey, we don't put anything past Coach Kevlar when it comes to free agency), Chicago, Detroit, Atlanta, Tampa, and St. Louis, where the head coach was the offensive coordinator the last time Moss and Culpepper were on the same team."

Well, as long as we're all being loony today, why shan't the Vikes be considered? The Vikes are looking for a backup QB, right? The Vikes are considering adding Javon Walker to the WR mix as well.....why not go for the jugular and attain Moss instead? Pepper still has an arm. When's the last time you saw a Vikes QB actually throw a deep ball to a WR without having the duck hunters in attendance stand and air-rifle the ball out of existence? I can tell you when:

Pepper will be two years into his knee recovery which is the time it takes for a athlete to both recover and regain confidence in himself. Why not take a chance? Only one thing stands in their way. A certain bridge was burned between Pepper and the current head coach of the Vikes.

So unless someone were to work on Chilly Willy and warm him up to consider it, it simply isn't going to happen. No matter how loony you consider the proposition to be.

Vote in the Loony Poll below: Would you like 'em back or no (never mind the probablity factor...would you take them or not)?

Not so lazy afterall. I decided to just check-in ever so briefly. Christmas in Minnesota, indeed! Unlike their predecessor Red McCombs, the Wilf Bros Inc. are not shy about spending money. The only lingering question is are they spending their money foolishly? Time will tell.

The Chicago area went so far as to say Berrian is not worth Top 10 WR money. The Vikes just made him the fourth-highest-paid WR in the NFL. Check out this YouTube video for a non-purple tinted glasses look:

My counter to this? The video speaks of Berrian not being a receiver that goes after the ball...not fighting off his defender...not making the difficult catch. I beg to differ.

As of 8 AM CST, Bernard Berrian has yet to select a jersey number. This may be something to track. Berrian wore number 80 in Chicago. Slight issue there as the number was retired September 14, 2003. You may recall why.

So, Berrian can choose amongst 82, 86, and 89. Number 88 was retired September 20, 1998 for the Vikings greatest defensive player of all time.

Berrian wore #2 at Fresno State. So we know he won't reach back and wear his old collegiate number. My guess? He combines #80 and #2 and wears #82 for the Vikes.

Some "I bet you didn't know that" about Berrian:
- Place of birth: Spain. That makes Berrian the second international FA pick-up in two days. The other was Madieu Williams who was born in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Berrian grew up in California while both of his parents served at Castle Air Force Base.
- Selected: Round 3, Pick 15, Overall Pick 78 by Bears in the 2004 draft. He had been rated number 12 out of 156 WR's.
- ChicagoBears.com's columnists and announcers referred to Berrian as the "Silent Assassin".
- Berrian is a big fan of snakes. He owns a boa constrictor named Roscoe.

One thing is for sure, The Freak is looking very smart for not immediately signing with the Patriots. Consider: Berrian just received a six-year, $42 million contract, with $16 million guaranteed. Last season he had 71 receptions for 951 yards and five touchdowns.

Moss? 98 catches for 1,453 yards and 23 touchdowns. Moss should be assured of a $25+ guaranteed contract with numbers approaching $100 million in a long-term deal. Unless he just wants The Ring and opts to take a lower pay-day in order to catch on with a team that can get him there. Moss could certainly still land back in New England, but teams such as the Indy Colts and, gulp, Green Bay Packers could enter the fray. And don't count out Jerry Jones and the 'Boys just yet.

Back to the Silent Assassin. Time for you to sound off. Vote in the following poll. Leave a comment about the recent FA aquistions. And have a good Sunday. I'll leave you with this thought: Could Berrian be the only player in NFL history to receive two TD receptions thrown by two different Adrian Peterson's?

Go Vikes!

Coming later today (click on cartoon for larger pop-up).

The Vikings had hoped to lure a DE to the snowy depths of Eden Prairie before the weekend was out. But the player never left his initial visit in San Francisco. ESPN.com now reports that end Justin Smith, formerly of the Bengals, will now play for the 49ers.

Perhaps Chilly, who angered a certain Pats coach last year in Waiver War I, is looking for some sort of revenge with the Niners for taking his coveted DE free agent. San Francisco kick return man Maurice Hicks is due at Winter Park for a visit that could occur as early as today.

John Clayton, who Sean Salisbury rudely dissed recently and as a result had his contract with ESPN trashed, is now reporting Randy Moss is starting to listen to offers from other teams. I know, it is not realistic to hope that the VIkings are one of those other teams but until he does sign with I can spit into the wind. Update: PFT is now speculating the Philly E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles-Eagles-Eagles may be making a run for The Freak.

Could the Vikes be thinking of further upgrading their defensive backfield by bottom-feeding off of Chilly's old team, the Eagles, once again? The Eagles have revised their web site to show Asante Samuel as the first-string left cornerback and Lito Sheppard as a second-string player. There are reports that the Eagles will try to trade Sheppard. The Vikes have extra picks. Hmmmm. (Click on cartoon for larger pop-up)

For those wishing to add to their Vikings wardrobe, check out the t-shirt at the Vikings store featuring Syd Davy of Canada, eh. If the t-shirt is again for sale, perhaps close, personal friend Randy Moss isn't far behind?

And just for humor sake, here is what some Jags fans are saying about their recent aquisition of Tro Williamson:

"Troy Williamson? hahahahahahahahaaa"

"uh, Williamson's problem is he can't CATCH. Garrard can't do anything about that. athleticism aside (yeah, he's fast), Williamson sucks. he can't catch, he can't block, his route-running is mediocre. and citing his draft position for a reason he's going to succeed is just foolish. being a "top ten draft pick for goodness sakes" by no means ensures your success in the NFL. i'm pretty sure there's been a top 10 bust or two (or 40) in the past. when you're getting benched for guys like Robert Ferguson and Billy McMullen....do i need to finish that sentence?"

"He couldn't catch these freaking passes...HE WAS WIDE OPEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's not Johnson/Jackson/Bollinger/Holcomb's fault...."

"Williamson has problems catching the ball. Unless he can rectify that problem quickly, it'll be hard for him to ever claim a spot on the lineup."

"Roddy White has more talent in a fingernail than Troy Williamson..."

Jersey Updates

Madieu Williams will be #21
Thomas Tapeh will be #44

Berrian Update

Bernard Berrian has been spotted wearing a Vikings cap and with a Vikings jersey in his arm as he emerged from the team’s weight room. That has to be a good sign, wouldn't you think? One thing for sure, he can't sing. Maybe with a huge pay day he can pay for some lessons.

Madieu Williams, introduced to you earlier this week on the VU, will be a Viking. Several outlets are reporting Williams has agreed to parameters on a six-year contract that is believed to average about $6 million per year.

Former Gopher Thomas Tapeh has agreed to join his home-town team. Buh-bye Tony Richardson.

Lastly, Bernard Berrian is getting the full-meal-deal treatment with the Wilf's providing personal transport to Winter Park. At least the number should stay south of $9 million a year. Anything more than that, and the Vikes will have over paid.

Per the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the Rams have released veteran receiver Isaac Bruce. Any interest from the Vikes? Probably not.

Don Banks has a story that has Tavaris Jackson taking notice. Banks covered the Minnesota Vikings for the Minneapolis Star Tribune (1996-99) and the St. Paul Pioneer Press (1999-2000), so he has his connections. Banks says that the Vikes have offered a third-round selection for Sam Rosenfels, the Houston Texans backup. Ooooh, back to '92 when we had either Rich Gannon or Sean Salisbury. I'm all atwitter. He wasn't even mentioned on the NFL Networks recent coverage of the top FA QB's.

How's about getting rid of one Pro Bowl fullback (Tony Richardson) for another? The San Diego Chargers have released Pro Bowl fullback Lorenzo Neal. Nah, let's keep browsing. I'm heading over to the bread section. You scope out the deli. We'll meet back here in 10 minutes.

Find anything? Me either. But I did hear these two ladies talking about Bears receiver Bernard Berrian. They were squeezing the tomatoes and one of them said they heard Berrian is expected to be over-paid by either the Vikings or the Titans as of midnight tonight. I guess one of these idiots is about to shell out over $12 million for this dude. Can you believe them apples?

This just in, Reds 6, Twins 1. When does football season start?

So what did you learn over in deli, anyway? Say what? They are saying besides Cincinnati S Madieu Williams, the Vikes might target Oakland QB Josh McCown, Cincinnati DE Justin Smith and Philadelphia FB Thomas Tapeh? Are they serving some bad cole slaw back there or something? Go back and ask if you heard correctly.

Excuse me, do you carry that in a sage color? You see, we might have a new QB named Sage.....excuse me? The Vikings and Texans have ended talks about Sage Rosenfels in exchange for a third-round pick? Whew! My hair color does not work with sage. Just would not have been right. What's that? J.P. who now? Come again? The Vikings are now turning their attention to J.P. Losman of the Buffalo Bill? The same J.P. Losman who was twice benched last season? For the love of, excuse me...where's the liquor section?

Can I borrow your phone for a long-distance call to Boston, please. Yes, hello Mr. Belichick? Can we talk shop? I have two gently used camcorders that would fit inside a lapel pin and all we're asking for is to talk to...

...and we'll even throw in a nice deli tray. Otherwise, the game attendance in the Metrodome next season will be a bit like this...(key sound of crickets chirping)

Oh gosh, thanks Mr. Belichick! Thanks! Yes, my son will be right over to sweep up your house. I've been training him since he was two.

Yes Mr. Belichick, we did T.P. the house of Mr. Jerry Jones per your instructions. Now then, what was the number of Mr. Moss again. Hello? Hello? Operator, I think we've been disconnected.

I saw this cartoon over on the magazine aisle. Man, this Zygi guy is going to blow his stack over that cold-hearted penguin one of these days!

Yawn, time for a break. Hey! Here is another Zygi-Chilly comic! Yah! (Click on comic to create larger pop-up)

I'm going to mosey over to the dairy section. Hey, bud! What was the name of that long-toothed WR the Vikes had last year. A former Cheesehead if I recall correctly. Robert Ferguson, yeah, that's the dude. Do we still have him on the team or what? Uh-huh, I see. So let me get this straight, it appeared at one point that a deal with Ferguson would get done, eh? That ol' Fergie expressed a desire to remain in Minnesota after the season. Well, I could take him or leave him. So it looks as if a deal coudn't get done and Fergie will explore the market? What do those Frenchies say? Yeah, "c'est la vie!"

Yep, just got off the phone with my close, personal friend Mike Mayock of the NFL network. Seems Mike liked my story on the Vikes targeting Limas Sweed and opted to rank him numero uno WR draft prospect. Do I know my stuff or what?

Time for bed. I can find out where we screwed up in the morning. Or maybe I'll raise one eye-brow in mild astonishment.

Back on 2/28, I named Sean Salisbury as the VU Nut Job of the Week. This was due to on-air attempt at levity by referring to fellow ESPN analyst John Clayton as the "Cryptkeeper." There is a YouTube video available at that former entry if you haven't seen the segment yet.

This, and the knowledge that Salisbury had been previously suspended for showing cell-phone photos of his "family jewels" to colleagues at ESPN promoted my thought that ol' Sean would soon be looking for work. Well, he is out. Another former Viking, Cris Carter, is in. That's like going from A-Hole to Class-A in one simple action.

I have disliked Salisbury ever since he basically destroyed the Vikes during the '92 season. Rich Gannon was benched in favor of Salisbury. Gannon was later quoted as saying, "For a guy who wasn't much of a player, he's a heck of a talker. And for a guy who didn't take many snaps in the league, he has a pretty good idea of how to play the position.''

Ba-ba-boom.

True to form and Gannon's accurate assessment, Salisbury does not seem to concerned about making payments on outstanding bills.....

"I have grown as much as I can at ESPN and decided to expand my horizons," Salisbury said in a statement. "I have created a brand and it's time to expand into other opportunities in TV, radio, Internet, publishing, movies and public speaking, among others. My resume speaks for itself as a football analyst, and I believe I can talk all sports with the best of them."

So it would seem reality is still a foreign concept for Sean. Who knows? Maybe he can get job as assistant jock strap inspector for an Arena League or CFL team.

Thank-you ESPN. Welcome Cris. My week has become a bit brighter.

On Monday, I discussed who the Vikes may be targeting in the upcoming 2008 NFL Draft. That would be Limas Sweed out of Texas. That may not bode well with the defensive minded Vikings fan but just because the DE position may not be addressed with the first round of the draft one must not forget the Vikes are a billion dollars under the salary cap this year.

I really wanted the Vikes to be able to pursue Jared Allen. But then along came the nasty viral tag and it could be closed...or is it?

Allen was given the Franchise Tag by the Kansas City Chiefs. But more importantly, the Chiefs used the "non-exclusive tag", meaning that Allen could still be in play. Dumb, methinks, on the part of the Chiefs. Clearly they are not serious about keeping Allen. Why is the non-exclusive part of the equation so important?

Had the Chiefs used the "exclusive" tag, it would have paid Allen more money (for one season) but makes it impossible for other teams to even try and get him. With the "non-exclusive", other teams can sign him, in return for two first round picks. Tempting, but perhaps too much of a gamble. Still worth a consideration.

There are two other note-worthy names that I wanted to put forward for consideration. One is Antwan Odom of the Titans. Odom is a 6-5, 274 lb John Randle-esque of a man who burst onto the scene in 2007 accumulating eight sacks in limited duty. I worry that the Vikes could get into a bidding war and over-pay for the services of Odom as he has already stated that he'll give the Titans the