Podcasts from the Inaugural Hall of Fame fan Brian Maas briankeithmaas@msn.com Brian Maas No ... en Copyright 2008 en-us briankeithmaas@msn.com 2008-05-13T16:15:57-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/128377.html 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.... 128377@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008-05-13T16:15:57-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/128169.html 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) The product is printed on a very heavy textured paper, great for obtaining player signatures and/or framing. Anyone interested in purchasing a print can visit this website.... 128169@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-05-12T13:19:11-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/126341.html 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.... 126341@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-05-03T17:07:41-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/126309.html Wow, it has been a while since my last post. I've just been rather busy and the unimportance of a minor football blog will find itself on the short side of the stick. Last Sunday, I had my first duathlon of the season. And I ended up getting in an extended workout. I'm just glad I considered this a C race otherwise I'd be plenty torked. To set up the story, you need to know this du had both a long and short course. Both events were run using the same course, only the short had desginated turn-arounds which were indicated by orange spray paint on the road surface. I bet you already know what is going to happen by story end. At the start of the race, the long-course runners went off. About 10-minutes later, off went my short-course. I ran with the leader for 3/4's of the first... 126309@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ Non-Football 2008-05-03T10:54:26-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/124420.html 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... 124420@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-23T12:48:55-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/124201.html 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... 124201@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-22T09:37:29-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/123743.html Just got the following in the mail today (4/19) from the Vikes. Guess which player the team is making as its selling point?... 123743@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-19T17:55:33-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/123658.html 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.... 123658@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-18T15:25:32-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/123581.html 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.... 123581@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-18T07:37:25-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/123357.html The 2008 Summer Olympics are coming up later this year. My first duathlon of the year is coming up on April 27 and my first triathlon of the year will be May 17. So, I'm in the mood to talk about some of my favorite runners. I start you out with David ("Dave") James Wottle. In the Olympic year 1972, Wottle equaled the world record over 800m of 1:44.3 at the US Olympic Trials. In the Olympic 800m final, Wottle immediately dropped to the rear of the field, and stayed there for the first 500m, at which point he started to pass runner after runner up the final straight, finally grabbing the lead in the final metres to win by just 0.03 seconds. This was one of the most exciting running races in Track & Field for a young lad of eleven stuck in North Dakota. And who could forget... 123357@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ Non-Football 2008-04-17T01:02:15-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/123257.html 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 –... 123257@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-15T17:43:21-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/122620.html 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,... 122620@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-14T01:11:35-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/122359.html Incredible! from kwest on Vimeo. Oh, and this is how it looked at the bus stop this morning. Again, it is April 11. Most of the country is basking in glorious spring weather. Then there is Minnesota.... 122359@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ Non-Football 2008-04-11T01:02:19-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/122236.html 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,... 122236@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-10T09:53:28-06:00 http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/122172.html 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... 122172@http://blog.lib.umn.edu/maasx003/Vikings/ 2008 Off-Season 2008-04-09T20:19:49-06:00