Sorry about the lack of updates yesterday folks, I was in the garden in the morning, got bitten by a spider, and my right hand swelled up til it looked like a tan Pillsbury Doughboy! I'm on steroids now and typing is getting a little easier, but not much.
Still, it's a good day to celebrate - 100 days until the start of regular season!! Are you excited? Because I am!
SKOL!
Friday, May 31, 2013
Wednesday, May 29, 2013
Cordarrelle Patterson Highlights
Had a friend show this to me and was heartily impressed so I thought I'd throw it up here. Skol!
Twitter Cull 5/29/13
Some people have tweeted that OTAs are over for the day, so let's review!
Frazier says that he's looking to use Patterson more as a kick returner right now, and that a half-dozen guys (Randle, Jerodis Williams, Robinson, Sherels and McCoy) were catching punts today.
In team drills, Ponder went 6-12 (INT), Cassel 6-9, Bethel-Thompson 3-5, Vandenberg 1-1. Clearly, Ponder reads my blog and was so incredibly nervous he couldn't get his head on straight...lol. I'm dying to start a "Start Vandengberg" campaign, only people might actually take me seriously. Still, I'm curious to see if Bethel-Thompson sees any action...I was shocked when he beat out Sage Rosenfels (no matter how much I'd been advocating a younger QB corps), so I want to see what it is the coaches see in him!
Harrison Smith got the INT by the way. My ideal of a football player, let's hope he stays that way!
Peterson said in an interview his biggest interest in the OTAs is building team chemistry. Thank heaven we've got strong leaders this year! I can't begin to say how grateful I am that we're finally developing a team spirit and leadership. Now all we need is accountability...and something shiny...
Peterson also said Webb is improving, and praised him greatly for being the team player he is - keeping his head up, switching positions, and just generally doing what's best for the team. That's high praise from a guy like Peterson!
Cordarrelle Patterson has taken Randy Moss's old jersey number, #84. Let's hope it just confers good football karma, and none of the shenanigans. Frazier was also praising him and quoted as saying he's going to be a great asset to our team.
Can we all give Kevin Williams a round of applause? Not only did he take a $2.5 million paycut to stay on the team, but he's at these voluntary OTAs in his 11th season to make sure he sets a good example for the young guys and is there to provide veteran leadership. I'm beyond impressed over here!
Erin Henderson missed a couple big tackles at practice today but I'm not particularly worried. Get the rid of the offseason rust, let him settle into his new position, and then we'll talk about how he's going to be this season. Chad Greenway was quoted as saying he'll be great (Henderson, that is), and all he needs is to get caught up on pass coverage, since it's new to him. Cole didn't get any work with the first team today, and Mauti is still recovering from his ACL injury.
I have now been informed that at this point in the year we have a 90 man roster, which means 89/90 turned up yesterday. Pretty badass considering they're voluntary!
People are making jokes about Greg Jennings having an injury already, but it's just a tweaked ankle, and anyone who thinks they're either serious or avoidable has clearly never played a sport in their lives. I don't think I played a single lacrosse game without being on a sore ankle at some point!
Other injuries were John Sullivan (center) with microfacture knee surgery, Michael Mauti (linebacker) with left knee reconstruction, Chris Summers (receiver) with a hamstring injury, and of course Greg Childs who did some jogging for warmups before doing a rehab workout inside. So I guess he's progressing, which is very nice to hear.
Turns out Jared Allen isn't such a bad boy after all - he's coming off knee and shoulder surgeries and had a "family obligation" this week, so I'm sure the coaches didn't mind him not turning up. Glad he's become such a family man - does anyone else remember the clucking going on when we signed him, saying he'd never reform and always drink and mess up everything?
Fred Evans started both team periods at nose tackle instead of Letroy Guion, which is interesting. I wonder if they plan to move Guion?
Jarius Wright and AJ Jefferson apparently had something of a fight at practice, which was broken up by Jennings. Interested that it's getting so scrappy so early, but spirit is good as long as no one gets injured IMO.
Phil Loadholt apparently wasn't doing much on the field today. Now that would have me concerned if it continued, so I'll keep an eye out for it. DeMarcus Love was also bumped down to third string...not good news for him.
We have also signed a linebacker named Stanford Keglar, who played for the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans during 2008-2010, but he hasn't played in the NFL since he got cut right before the 2011 season started. He did play for the UFL - the Las Vegas Locomotives - so I'm not sure if he'll make the 53-man roster, but he's 6'2" and 240 pounds, so I'm happy enough for him to have his shot. It's pleasant to have a properly sized team for a change. (You can tell I'm sick of having undersized Gators WRs, I'm sure.)
In general Vikings news: Brian Robison twitted Matt Kalil about tweeting and driving. Dude has a point. Can you imagine how sick we'd all be if we lost Kalil for getting into a car crash because of a text?!
Greg Childs tweeted "Patiently waiting"...to get better? Or was someone late for a lunch date?
In general NFL news: Gronkowski will need back surgery after all, scheduled for June and will definitely miss at least part of training camp. Poor sucker. I'm no fan of the Cheatriots, but it's gotta suck to be so good and so injured.
Steve Smith has retired...it's rather sad. I like cheering for the Giants (since I hate the Patriots), but I feel for anyone who has a knee injury. Sympathy pains, you know. Still, he played for six seasons and has a ring, so that's something.
In general football news: "@JFowlerCBS: Les Miles said coaches unanimously in favor of eight-game schedule by 13-1 count."
Please, oh please God, let this be true!! (I'm crying with laughter right now!)
SKOL!
Frazier says that he's looking to use Patterson more as a kick returner right now, and that a half-dozen guys (Randle, Jerodis Williams, Robinson, Sherels and McCoy) were catching punts today.
In team drills, Ponder went 6-12 (INT), Cassel 6-9, Bethel-Thompson 3-5, Vandenberg 1-1. Clearly, Ponder reads my blog and was so incredibly nervous he couldn't get his head on straight...lol. I'm dying to start a "Start Vandengberg" campaign, only people might actually take me seriously. Still, I'm curious to see if Bethel-Thompson sees any action...I was shocked when he beat out Sage Rosenfels (no matter how much I'd been advocating a younger QB corps), so I want to see what it is the coaches see in him!
Harrison Smith got the INT by the way. My ideal of a football player, let's hope he stays that way!
Peterson said in an interview his biggest interest in the OTAs is building team chemistry. Thank heaven we've got strong leaders this year! I can't begin to say how grateful I am that we're finally developing a team spirit and leadership. Now all we need is accountability...and something shiny...
Peterson also said Webb is improving, and praised him greatly for being the team player he is - keeping his head up, switching positions, and just generally doing what's best for the team. That's high praise from a guy like Peterson!
Cordarrelle Patterson has taken Randy Moss's old jersey number, #84. Let's hope it just confers good football karma, and none of the shenanigans. Frazier was also praising him and quoted as saying he's going to be a great asset to our team.
Can we all give Kevin Williams a round of applause? Not only did he take a $2.5 million paycut to stay on the team, but he's at these voluntary OTAs in his 11th season to make sure he sets a good example for the young guys and is there to provide veteran leadership. I'm beyond impressed over here!
Erin Henderson missed a couple big tackles at practice today but I'm not particularly worried. Get the rid of the offseason rust, let him settle into his new position, and then we'll talk about how he's going to be this season. Chad Greenway was quoted as saying he'll be great (Henderson, that is), and all he needs is to get caught up on pass coverage, since it's new to him. Cole didn't get any work with the first team today, and Mauti is still recovering from his ACL injury.
I have now been informed that at this point in the year we have a 90 man roster, which means 89/90 turned up yesterday. Pretty badass considering they're voluntary!
People are making jokes about Greg Jennings having an injury already, but it's just a tweaked ankle, and anyone who thinks they're either serious or avoidable has clearly never played a sport in their lives. I don't think I played a single lacrosse game without being on a sore ankle at some point!
Other injuries were John Sullivan (center) with microfacture knee surgery, Michael Mauti (linebacker) with left knee reconstruction, Chris Summers (receiver) with a hamstring injury, and of course Greg Childs who did some jogging for warmups before doing a rehab workout inside. So I guess he's progressing, which is very nice to hear.
Turns out Jared Allen isn't such a bad boy after all - he's coming off knee and shoulder surgeries and had a "family obligation" this week, so I'm sure the coaches didn't mind him not turning up. Glad he's become such a family man - does anyone else remember the clucking going on when we signed him, saying he'd never reform and always drink and mess up everything?
Fred Evans started both team periods at nose tackle instead of Letroy Guion, which is interesting. I wonder if they plan to move Guion?
Jarius Wright and AJ Jefferson apparently had something of a fight at practice, which was broken up by Jennings. Interested that it's getting so scrappy so early, but spirit is good as long as no one gets injured IMO.
Phil Loadholt apparently wasn't doing much on the field today. Now that would have me concerned if it continued, so I'll keep an eye out for it. DeMarcus Love was also bumped down to third string...not good news for him.
We have also signed a linebacker named Stanford Keglar, who played for the Tennessee Titans and the Houston Texans during 2008-2010, but he hasn't played in the NFL since he got cut right before the 2011 season started. He did play for the UFL - the Las Vegas Locomotives - so I'm not sure if he'll make the 53-man roster, but he's 6'2" and 240 pounds, so I'm happy enough for him to have his shot. It's pleasant to have a properly sized team for a change. (You can tell I'm sick of having undersized Gators WRs, I'm sure.)
In general Vikings news: Brian Robison twitted Matt Kalil about tweeting and driving. Dude has a point. Can you imagine how sick we'd all be if we lost Kalil for getting into a car crash because of a text?!
Greg Childs tweeted "Patiently waiting"...to get better? Or was someone late for a lunch date?
In general NFL news: Gronkowski will need back surgery after all, scheduled for June and will definitely miss at least part of training camp. Poor sucker. I'm no fan of the Cheatriots, but it's gotta suck to be so good and so injured.
Steve Smith has retired...it's rather sad. I like cheering for the Giants (since I hate the Patriots), but I feel for anyone who has a knee injury. Sympathy pains, you know. Still, he played for six seasons and has a ring, so that's something.
In general football news: "
Please, oh please God, let this be true!! (I'm crying with laughter right now!)
SKOL!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Vikings' OTA First Day Twitter Cull
Hello all,
I've decided that since I don't live in Minnesota, am not a member of the press, and have no insider information about the team, I will instead talk about what all those who DO know about the team say on twitter. After all, it is public information!
According to the Vikings' official website, OTAs 1-3 will be from May 28-30, OTAs 4-6 from June 4-6, and OTAs 7-10 from June 10-13, with a mandatory mini-camp from June 18-20.
Apparently Joe Webb was quite impressive at the OTA today, and his hands didn't look as soft as they have previously. (What a noob I must be when I didn't even know soft hands were a bad thing in football! But they never talk about it on television, and the only players I really knew at all were highschool ones.) It was also pointed out that four WR slots are pretty much taken: Greg Jennings, Cordarelle Patterson, Jarius Wright, and Jerome Simpson are all considered gimmes. So Webb is going to have to fight like a wildcat (hehe) to get that last slot. My father insists that he'd be better as a TE, but considering we barely use Rudolph as it is, I kind of doubt that.
Shameless plug: Leslie Frazier, I beg of you, USE Kyle Rudolph!!
Peterson and gay marriage: this is a country with free speech and he's certainly entitled to his opinion. But considering his statements, I'm glad he has little or no interest in political speeches or being a Kluwe 2.0.
Kluwe: I'm glad he's got a job, but the Raiders! Best of luck buddy, you'll always be a Viking to me!
Jared Allen is a bad boy: the only player who didn't turn up for OTAs today! Still, one out of about a hundred (don't we have 80+ players reporting to us right now?) isn't terribly bad. What I haven't figured out is if Coradelle Patterson was there, since I believe he hasn't signed yet, and I don't think you go to OTAs if you haven't signed. I'm dying to see how he does with the playbook!
Practice jerseys: they're really rather ugly. I miss classic jerseys. I miss the gold piping around the numbers. I know it's a silly thing to whine about - winning is far more important - but this "modern" crap is really crappy.
MLB: I'm happy Erin Henderson is getting a good shot, but I have to admit I'm secretly rooting hardcore for Audie Cole. Interested to see how our 7th rounder Michael Mauti does, since more than one guy online has expressed the opinion the Vikings got a major steal picking him where we did. Of course, I did want us to pick up Urlacher (such a great player, I wouldn't make a fuss about him switching loyalties the way I did about Favre), but he's put a lid on that. Of course, if his knees are as bad as the rumor mill says, it's only right he get to sit back and enjoy what body he's got left!
Quarterback: backup Matt Cassel aside, my interest is almost wholly centered on Ponder. I won't call this a make-or-break year for him, because that's an exaggeration, but it's time, with all these weapons around him, for him to wake up and start using them.
Sophomores: I'm a firm believer in the sophomore slump, and I'm dying to see how Kalil and Walsh especially turn out this year. Childs is more interesting, since he didn't get to play, and of course the injury he's coming back from is so serious we have no idea what's going to happen this season. I'm glad he's had a whole season to learn the playbook.
Finally: quite a lot of our players seem to be big basketball fans. Their tweets are pretty funny! I don't even need to watch the games, as I get all sorts of different views from the ones I've found and followed. Hope they're enjoying a nice quiet night in their rooms tonight watching the game, and stay nice and hydrated for another practice tomorrow!
SKOL
I've decided that since I don't live in Minnesota, am not a member of the press, and have no insider information about the team, I will instead talk about what all those who DO know about the team say on twitter. After all, it is public information!
According to the Vikings' official website, OTAs 1-3 will be from May 28-30, OTAs 4-6 from June 4-6, and OTAs 7-10 from June 10-13, with a mandatory mini-camp from June 18-20.
Apparently Joe Webb was quite impressive at the OTA today, and his hands didn't look as soft as they have previously. (What a noob I must be when I didn't even know soft hands were a bad thing in football! But they never talk about it on television, and the only players I really knew at all were highschool ones.) It was also pointed out that four WR slots are pretty much taken: Greg Jennings, Cordarelle Patterson, Jarius Wright, and Jerome Simpson are all considered gimmes. So Webb is going to have to fight like a wildcat (hehe) to get that last slot. My father insists that he'd be better as a TE, but considering we barely use Rudolph as it is, I kind of doubt that.
Shameless plug: Leslie Frazier, I beg of you, USE Kyle Rudolph!!
Peterson and gay marriage: this is a country with free speech and he's certainly entitled to his opinion. But considering his statements, I'm glad he has little or no interest in political speeches or being a Kluwe 2.0.
Kluwe: I'm glad he's got a job, but the Raiders! Best of luck buddy, you'll always be a Viking to me!
Jared Allen is a bad boy: the only player who didn't turn up for OTAs today! Still, one out of about a hundred (don't we have 80+ players reporting to us right now?) isn't terribly bad. What I haven't figured out is if Coradelle Patterson was there, since I believe he hasn't signed yet, and I don't think you go to OTAs if you haven't signed. I'm dying to see how he does with the playbook!
Practice jerseys: they're really rather ugly. I miss classic jerseys. I miss the gold piping around the numbers. I know it's a silly thing to whine about - winning is far more important - but this "modern" crap is really crappy.
MLB: I'm happy Erin Henderson is getting a good shot, but I have to admit I'm secretly rooting hardcore for Audie Cole. Interested to see how our 7th rounder Michael Mauti does, since more than one guy online has expressed the opinion the Vikings got a major steal picking him where we did. Of course, I did want us to pick up Urlacher (such a great player, I wouldn't make a fuss about him switching loyalties the way I did about Favre), but he's put a lid on that. Of course, if his knees are as bad as the rumor mill says, it's only right he get to sit back and enjoy what body he's got left!
Quarterback: backup Matt Cassel aside, my interest is almost wholly centered on Ponder. I won't call this a make-or-break year for him, because that's an exaggeration, but it's time, with all these weapons around him, for him to wake up and start using them.
Sophomores: I'm a firm believer in the sophomore slump, and I'm dying to see how Kalil and Walsh especially turn out this year. Childs is more interesting, since he didn't get to play, and of course the injury he's coming back from is so serious we have no idea what's going to happen this season. I'm glad he's had a whole season to learn the playbook.
Finally: quite a lot of our players seem to be big basketball fans. Their tweets are pretty funny! I don't even need to watch the games, as I get all sorts of different views from the ones I've found and followed. Hope they're enjoying a nice quiet night in their rooms tonight watching the game, and stay nice and hydrated for another practice tomorrow!
SKOL
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Joe Webb: Wide Reciever
So the Vikings have finally done it - moved Joe Webb back to WR.
Yes, yes, I am aware that Webb played QB in high school and in college, but let's face it - how many of the best football players played QB in high school merely because of their superior football smarts and playmaking abilities?
According to the US government's website, in 2009-2010 there were over 30,000 public schools in the US with secondary aged students. That is a LOT of high school football teams of about 60 players each (I believe my high school had 60 on the Varsity team). Then you have 32 NFL teams, with a final 53-man roster each, for a total of 1,696 NFL players per annum, not including the practice squads and hopefuls and CFL and arena players who take spots due to injury, arrests, etc.
So even with the occasional brilliant college walk on, the attrition of players from high school to pros is epic.
So, I'm postulating that Webb was high school quarterback simply because he's a good athlete and has a good head for football. Especially since a great deal of his time at UAB was split between QB and WR (something I don't like, with the exception of the occasional trick play), and when he worked out for the NFL it was AS a wide receiver. A football player knowing his limitations better than Childress? No, that can't be...oh...wait...
Childress-hating aside, I do think selecting him as a QB was the first step to ruining Webb's career, and I was unbelievably pissed that Frazier didn't immediately switch him back to WR. But it's done now, and I hope for his sake (not to mention the rest of the team!) that Webb will make a go of it.
On the con side, he's 26 now, which isn't terribly young for a football player, especially at a brutal position like WR. He's got to compete against a refreshed unit for playing time - he's not going to get the start ahead of people like Greg Jennings! Plus, we have a half-dozen TE's right now, and I can promise you after that Pro Bowl performance that Frazier is going to give Kyle Rudolph some decent looks or be pillaged by an angry purple and gold mob midseason. (Seriously. Frazier. PLAY RUDOLPH!!!)
The rest of the WR mob - Burton, Childs, Patterson, Simpson, Smith, Summers, Highsmith and Thielen - will sort themselves out in due course, and I can see Webb lining up with most of them. I do have high hopes for Childs, since he had a whole year to study the playbook while he's been in rehab, and our strength and training people had better have been all over him.
Yes, yes, I am aware that Webb played QB in high school and in college, but let's face it - how many of the best football players played QB in high school merely because of their superior football smarts and playmaking abilities?
According to the US government's website, in 2009-2010 there were over 30,000 public schools in the US with secondary aged students. That is a LOT of high school football teams of about 60 players each (I believe my high school had 60 on the Varsity team). Then you have 32 NFL teams, with a final 53-man roster each, for a total of 1,696 NFL players per annum, not including the practice squads and hopefuls and CFL and arena players who take spots due to injury, arrests, etc.
So even with the occasional brilliant college walk on, the attrition of players from high school to pros is epic.
So, I'm postulating that Webb was high school quarterback simply because he's a good athlete and has a good head for football. Especially since a great deal of his time at UAB was split between QB and WR (something I don't like, with the exception of the occasional trick play), and when he worked out for the NFL it was AS a wide receiver. A football player knowing his limitations better than Childress? No, that can't be...oh...wait...
Childress-hating aside, I do think selecting him as a QB was the first step to ruining Webb's career, and I was unbelievably pissed that Frazier didn't immediately switch him back to WR. But it's done now, and I hope for his sake (not to mention the rest of the team!) that Webb will make a go of it.
On the con side, he's 26 now, which isn't terribly young for a football player, especially at a brutal position like WR. He's got to compete against a refreshed unit for playing time - he's not going to get the start ahead of people like Greg Jennings! Plus, we have a half-dozen TE's right now, and I can promise you after that Pro Bowl performance that Frazier is going to give Kyle Rudolph some decent looks or be pillaged by an angry purple and gold mob midseason. (Seriously. Frazier. PLAY RUDOLPH!!!)
The rest of the WR mob - Burton, Childs, Patterson, Simpson, Smith, Summers, Highsmith and Thielen - will sort themselves out in due course, and I can see Webb lining up with most of them. I do have high hopes for Childs, since he had a whole year to study the playbook while he's been in rehab, and our strength and training people had better have been all over him.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
New Vikings Stadium
http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/photo-gallery/Images-Of-The-New-Vikings-Stadium/ca0a3ace-4a19-4d9a-998c-b5fdf30b73c6
The images are beautiful, although I'm surprised at the designs...so much more modern artsy than I ever expected!
I am NOT thrilled about sharing it with the baseball team, but I suppose it's only right that the state gets a lot of use out of the stadium. It's just...I can always SEE the marks of the baseball field on Sundays, and it really ticks me off.
Oh well. Maybe we'll get really good groundskeepers. Or something.
The images are beautiful, although I'm surprised at the designs...so much more modern artsy than I ever expected!
I am NOT thrilled about sharing it with the baseball team, but I suppose it's only right that the state gets a lot of use out of the stadium. It's just...I can always SEE the marks of the baseball field on Sundays, and it really ticks me off.
Oh well. Maybe we'll get really good groundskeepers. Or something.
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