One thing to start with: today (the 26th) is Brandon Fusco's birthday! Happy birthday Fusco, hope you had a great time :)
Well, back to football news, we're starting out with TWO guys on the PUP list, which is a very little bit sad. Greg Childs (WR) is no surprise, but Nathan Williams (LB) is. Apparently his ankle surgery went well, but the staff want him to take a little more time before he trots out on the field.
As per practice, Cordarrelle Patterson struggled a little in the beginning in windy conditions, but he showed some versatility and good route-running once he warmed up a little.
Desmond Bishop is rotating around at the LB positions, and seems happy with the organization and his opportunities to perform in several positions for us. I hope he learns the schemes and gets familiar with these teammates quickly - let's not forget the man only signed with us in June and missed the OTAs and all that sort of thing.
The best thing I read all day was MICHAEL MAUTI PASSED HIS PHYSICAL!! The training staff are happy with him, and the man hit the practice field! Even if he doesn't make the team, I am so ecstatic for him to get to play for us, to do the preseason grind, and to get feedback from our coaching staff. I barely know this kid - not personally, just as blogger fodder - but I keep feeling like he's really got some soul going on in there. I love a player who is not only a killer athlete (and his PSU teammates attest to that) but is a fantastic leader as well.
Random note: I rather resent that one of our home games got moved to London this season - it's our last at the Metrodome! Couldn't it be done NEXT season when we're camping out in the Gophers' stadium?
Anyway, that's all for now. I'm all kinds of nervous for this year boys and girls - last seasons' 10-6 was a killer surprise after a 3-13 previous season, but Adrian Peterson's recovery is "old news" now, Ponder is entering even more killer scrutiny, and one or two of our more important players are getting older :coughAllenWilliamsLoefflerCasselcough:, and our WR corps is untested to say the least of it. You may not be able to win the Superbowl - oh yes, Leslie Frazier went there! - in the offseason, but any coach will tell you that you can lose it there.
Other Teams:
#1 pick overall Eric Fisher agreed to terms with the Kansas City Chiefs for a 5 year deal. I wonder how much money he'll make? Apparently the #2 pick, Luke Joekel (I'm sure I've spelt that incorrectly) will make $300,000 more because of the fact there's no state income tax in Florida. Do you know, I think I'll stay here for the rest of my life...LOL
Not only will the Seahawks have to do without Percy Harvin for awhile, the San Diego Chargers' 2nd round pick LB, Jonas Mouton suffered a torn ACL today and will be out for the season. Poor guy, I hope he heals up quickly and can come back at full power!
SKOL!
Friday, July 26, 2013
Thursday, July 25, 2013
First Day of Camp: Twitter Tidbits
Just a little collection of factoids from twitter, neatly gathered into one place for your Vikings' pleasure!
- Our only player opening the season on the PUP list is Greg Childs, although with two torn patellar tendons that's hardly surprising, even if his surgeries were last August. Hope the workouts keep going well for him, for sure.
- Desmond Bishop is going to start at OLB for Vikings during camp and possibly preseason, apparently for his blitzing skills. Let's hope Ponder doesn't get banged up!
- Greg Jennings "feels like a rookie" because there's a lot that's new around him. I'm cautiously optimistic that this is a good soundbite. Rookies strain every nerve to prove themselves, right? haha
- Adrian Peterson was NOT missing. He just went to the team meeting and skipped the check-in. Stupid, but maybe he was running late? Also, Frazier said he'll be limited in the preseason. Not surprising, since he's our real workhorse running back and knows the offense like the back of his hand. Hopefully we'll see some flashes of brilliance from Gerhart, because frankly, I've been waiting for them.
- Jared Allen was wearing a cowboy hat. Where is the mullet of epic magical powers?!
- Frazier said, "We really believe that you can win ball games in the offseason." I love this man! He also opened the team meeting with a message of "Hard Work"...yep, I definitely love him!!
- Cassel says the team has embraced him, and he's very excited to work with and compete against Ponder. I can only pray that his leadership and experience will rub off on Ponder and whichever other QB we keep. He's also very happy with the coaching staff, and excited to work with them, which makes me very happy.
- Jamarca Sanford seems to be tightening his grip on the safety position by becoming a real leader for the defensive corps, which is pretty freaking awesome. If ever there was a place the Vikings needed more leadership on defense, it'd be at safety! Especially with Winny gone...damn, I miss him already.
Other Teams:
- Percy Harvin is opening the season on the Seahawks' PUP list because of his hip...dammit, Percy, you missed like two games your entire UF career and you develop fragility now?! What the hell kind of trainers do the Seahawks have?! Also, it seems his hip may require surgery which is just awful. Harvin may not be a Viking anymore, but you'll always be a Gator, and I'm going to pray he gets better fast!
- Falcons and Matt Ryan are close to agreeing on a 5 year, $100 million extension. Holy moly, why was I not a boy?! I'd love that kind of money!!
That's all for now.
SKOL!
- Our only player opening the season on the PUP list is Greg Childs, although with two torn patellar tendons that's hardly surprising, even if his surgeries were last August. Hope the workouts keep going well for him, for sure.
- Desmond Bishop is going to start at OLB for Vikings during camp and possibly preseason, apparently for his blitzing skills. Let's hope Ponder doesn't get banged up!
- Greg Jennings "feels like a rookie" because there's a lot that's new around him. I'm cautiously optimistic that this is a good soundbite. Rookies strain every nerve to prove themselves, right? haha
- Adrian Peterson was NOT missing. He just went to the team meeting and skipped the check-in. Stupid, but maybe he was running late? Also, Frazier said he'll be limited in the preseason. Not surprising, since he's our real workhorse running back and knows the offense like the back of his hand. Hopefully we'll see some flashes of brilliance from Gerhart, because frankly, I've been waiting for them.
- Jared Allen was wearing a cowboy hat. Where is the mullet of epic magical powers?!
- Frazier said, "We really believe that you can win ball games in the offseason." I love this man! He also opened the team meeting with a message of "Hard Work"...yep, I definitely love him!!
- Cassel says the team has embraced him, and he's very excited to work with and compete against Ponder. I can only pray that his leadership and experience will rub off on Ponder and whichever other QB we keep. He's also very happy with the coaching staff, and excited to work with them, which makes me very happy.
- Jamarca Sanford seems to be tightening his grip on the safety position by becoming a real leader for the defensive corps, which is pretty freaking awesome. If ever there was a place the Vikings needed more leadership on defense, it'd be at safety! Especially with Winny gone...damn, I miss him already.
Other Teams:
- Percy Harvin is opening the season on the Seahawks' PUP list because of his hip...dammit, Percy, you missed like two games your entire UF career and you develop fragility now?! What the hell kind of trainers do the Seahawks have?! Also, it seems his hip may require surgery which is just awful. Harvin may not be a Viking anymore, but you'll always be a Gator, and I'm going to pray he gets better fast!
- Falcons and Matt Ryan are close to agreeing on a 5 year, $100 million extension. Holy moly, why was I not a boy?! I'd love that kind of money!!
That's all for now.
SKOL!
Vikings Quickie
Cordarrelle Patterson, Xavier Rhodes, and Sharrif Floyd all signed their contracts today! Hooray! From what I know about rookie contracts, they'll all be four-year contracts, and they may or may not have an option for the 5th year.
Today is also the first day of training camp, and Twitter is overflowing with images of the Vikings being ambushed for signatures on their way to check into camp. Camp and all the football news that comes in is like eating dinner after fasting all day...haha so excited for the first reports to be released!!
SKOL!
Today is also the first day of training camp, and Twitter is overflowing with images of the Vikings being ambushed for signatures on their way to check into camp. Camp and all the football news that comes in is like eating dinner after fasting all day...haha so excited for the first reports to be released!!
SKOL!
Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Vikings' Question of the Day
Who are we going to end up with on our 53 man roster? Who is a lock, who is a goner, and who is in the gray area? Who will surprise us by staying on? And who will shock us by being cut?
Michael Mauti I'm not sure about. He's dedicated, a great leader, and a killer athlete BUT he's badly injured and rehabbing two ACLs at the same time is no joke. Maybe we can keep him on PUP or IR for a year and see how he is next year?
From Jeff Baca's twitter feed he's working hard and he's definitely a stand-up guy. But I don't know precisely how we're situated at guard, even for a 6'3", 302 pound baller.
I'm guessing Jeff Locke is a lock lol, as well as Ponder, Peterson, Rudolph, Jennings, Simpson, Allen, Greenway, Loadholt, Henderson, and our core group.
Guion, Loeffler, Felton, Webb, Sherels and Reed are questionable I think. Still, we'll see in a few weeks. Camp opens tomorrow!!
SKOL!
Michael Mauti I'm not sure about. He's dedicated, a great leader, and a killer athlete BUT he's badly injured and rehabbing two ACLs at the same time is no joke. Maybe we can keep him on PUP or IR for a year and see how he is next year?
From Jeff Baca's twitter feed he's working hard and he's definitely a stand-up guy. But I don't know precisely how we're situated at guard, even for a 6'3", 302 pound baller.
I'm guessing Jeff Locke is a lock lol, as well as Ponder, Peterson, Rudolph, Jennings, Simpson, Allen, Greenway, Loadholt, Henderson, and our core group.
Guion, Loeffler, Felton, Webb, Sherels and Reed are questionable I think. Still, we'll see in a few weeks. Camp opens tomorrow!!
SKOL!
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Quickie Note
Hey all, sorry for the silence. I've been sick for a few days now, and am just now pulling myself back together.
There hasn't been too much news going on in the Vikings' world, which is really good IMO. Especially when my Twitter feed is full of football players who have been put on their respective IR & PUP lists, and those who have been dismissed due to undisclosed injuries.
Word on the streets is that Greg Childs' workouts are going incredibly well and the dude is 230 lbs now - he was 217 when we drafted him. If that weight is muscle, and he retains his quickness and a good first step, dude could conceivably be a STUD in a season or two. I've been arguing that while this IS essentially his rookie year, he's had a whole year getting to know our staff, been rehabbing with our trainers, establish a camaraderie with his playmates :coughPONDERcough:, and getting to know the playbook. As long as he doesn't go so hard and so fast he jeopardizes his health, I think we might be able to expect a degree of Rookie Excellence from him.
Talking to my fellow Vikings' fans, the consensus that our final WR lineup will look something like this:
1. Jennings
2. Simpson
3. Wright
4. Childs
5. Patterson
Tie for last spot: Smith/Webb/Burton
Now, with Webb's improvement I wonder what will happen to Burton, who has apparently been wowing the staff in practice (did I not tell you that competition does wonders for team play?!). Will we stick him at PR? Call him an ATH? Or will Webb be the one shoved into a different slot? Will we eliminate an extra TE and put Webb there? Burton?
I really don't know, and it's going to be something to watch for as the preseason unfolds. Camp opens on the 25th! Can't wait to get some inkling of what's going down. Still, have no idea who really is going to go and going to stay until I see at least two or three of the preseason games.
SKOL!
There hasn't been too much news going on in the Vikings' world, which is really good IMO. Especially when my Twitter feed is full of football players who have been put on their respective IR & PUP lists, and those who have been dismissed due to undisclosed injuries.
Word on the streets is that Greg Childs' workouts are going incredibly well and the dude is 230 lbs now - he was 217 when we drafted him. If that weight is muscle, and he retains his quickness and a good first step, dude could conceivably be a STUD in a season or two. I've been arguing that while this IS essentially his rookie year, he's had a whole year getting to know our staff, been rehabbing with our trainers, establish a camaraderie with his playmates :coughPONDERcough:, and getting to know the playbook. As long as he doesn't go so hard and so fast he jeopardizes his health, I think we might be able to expect a degree of Rookie Excellence from him.
Talking to my fellow Vikings' fans, the consensus that our final WR lineup will look something like this:
1. Jennings
2. Simpson
3. Wright
4. Childs
5. Patterson
Tie for last spot: Smith/Webb/Burton
Now, with Webb's improvement I wonder what will happen to Burton, who has apparently been wowing the staff in practice (did I not tell you that competition does wonders for team play?!). Will we stick him at PR? Call him an ATH? Or will Webb be the one shoved into a different slot? Will we eliminate an extra TE and put Webb there? Burton?
I really don't know, and it's going to be something to watch for as the preseason unfolds. Camp opens on the 25th! Can't wait to get some inkling of what's going down. Still, have no idea who really is going to go and going to stay until I see at least two or three of the preseason games.
SKOL!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
ESPYS Overview
Adrian Peterson took home the "Best Comeback" and "Best NFL Player" ESPYS tonight, which is awesome and richly deserved. Glad to see the Vikings getting recognized on a national stage!
What I really liked was his speech - giving recognition to everyone except himself, showing his personality, laughing, joking, and right at the end with his keynote - if you work your ass off, anything can happen.
But I can understand why the ESPYS are losing money - the more I watch, the more I have no idea what's going on. These joke skits are awful. The one with the kids...what? Just what?
At least the Robin Roberts piece about her winning the Arthur Ashe Courage Award is good. Still, with someone so courageous, it'd be hard to screw it up. Hopefully she continues to do well and stay healthy. And her speech is wonderful. So nice to see a woman who can really speak! I think speech and debate needs to be a bigger part of education. Being well-spoken can only be an asset, no matter what you do. "Mine is one of the lives that has been saved" oookay, tearing up. What a wonderful woman!
ESPY Thought of the Day
Just a quick thought: maybe ESPN would stop losing so much money on the ESPYs if they stopped announcing half of the winners on the preshow red carpet.
Oh, and Ponder...stick to football.
Oh, and Ponder...stick to football.
Monday, July 15, 2013
Is it Camp Yet?
The Vikings report to Mankato on July 25th, with the first practice on July 26th. Camp will end on August 15th.
And preseason begins in 25 days! August 9th, at home vs the Texans! How can I bear to wait 25 more days?! I really can't be lived with this time of year, I get utterly restless and pull out all my Vikings jerseys (except the autographed Harvin rookie jersey which I keep wrapped in plastic in my closet until I can afford to frame) and try them on, and go online and drool at all the other jerseys I simply can't afford but desperately want. I think my next jersey HAS to be a Peterson one. After that I don't know. I have a Winfield one that I wear to bed (I ordered an XL, not realizing that it was a men's XL instead of a woman's XL, which turned out to be a lot more than one size too big!!), and an Allen jersey that actually fits, and of course the autographed Harvin one I can't wear.
Last night I was reading Emily of Deep Valley (for the sixth time) and this time I actually read the blurb in back and it turns out that Maud Hart Lovelace's beloved Deep Valley was actually Mankato, Minnesota! That's just redoubled my desire to get there one day. Of course, I'm sure it'll be massively changed. But with Vikings every summer, and it being one of my favorite author's stomping grounds I'll be happy to see it anyway.
The NFL Supplemental Draft was last Thursday, and no one got selected. Those guys are now free agents, so I guess we'll see if anyone picks them up during the summer merry-go-round.
Single game tickets will be sold starting tomorrow...why oh why am I not rich? How I'd love to go up to Minnesota for a game or two - especially the last games at Mall of America field. Maybe one day. Just another reason to stay single and save my money I guess. Why spend money on boys when I can spend it on football?
SKOL!
And preseason begins in 25 days! August 9th, at home vs the Texans! How can I bear to wait 25 more days?! I really can't be lived with this time of year, I get utterly restless and pull out all my Vikings jerseys (except the autographed Harvin rookie jersey which I keep wrapped in plastic in my closet until I can afford to frame) and try them on, and go online and drool at all the other jerseys I simply can't afford but desperately want. I think my next jersey HAS to be a Peterson one. After that I don't know. I have a Winfield one that I wear to bed (I ordered an XL, not realizing that it was a men's XL instead of a woman's XL, which turned out to be a lot more than one size too big!!), and an Allen jersey that actually fits, and of course the autographed Harvin one I can't wear.
Last night I was reading Emily of Deep Valley (for the sixth time) and this time I actually read the blurb in back and it turns out that Maud Hart Lovelace's beloved Deep Valley was actually Mankato, Minnesota! That's just redoubled my desire to get there one day. Of course, I'm sure it'll be massively changed. But with Vikings every summer, and it being one of my favorite author's stomping grounds I'll be happy to see it anyway.
The NFL Supplemental Draft was last Thursday, and no one got selected. Those guys are now free agents, so I guess we'll see if anyone picks them up during the summer merry-go-round.
Single game tickets will be sold starting tomorrow...why oh why am I not rich? How I'd love to go up to Minnesota for a game or two - especially the last games at Mall of America field. Maybe one day. Just another reason to stay single and save my money I guess. Why spend money on boys when I can spend it on football?
SKOL!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Back to the draft board
So yesterday I talked about our draft (is it September yet?) in general, and our three first-rounders in particular. Today, having done a little reading, I want to talk about our later rounders.
Gerald Hodges - LB (4th round)
Says on his bio he did wrestling in high school, and started out as a safety in football. At 6'1, 243 lbs, I can see why he switched to LB, and he seems to have done quite well at PSU. 106 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks his junior season with 109 tackles (8.5 for loss), a sack, and two interceptions his senior season. Not bad! I'll gloss over him being All Big Ten twice in a row, because as a SEC snob I don't think much of certain other conferences...haha
He's not really a big lineman, but hopefully his purported speed will be enough to mitigate his bad habits of getting locked into blocks and getting fooled by misdirection plays.
From what I saw in the six minutes of tape I watched on him (lol) he's tenacious, but can be fooled. I'm fine with that. Tenacity is hard to teach; the structure of the game much less so. We have a good staff and good vets to mentor him.
Jeff Locke - P (5th round)
Our new left-footed punting extraordinare is 6'0", 209 lbs, and a grad of UCLA. He has a collegiate punting career average of 44.23 which makes him the #2 punter in UCLA history. He was their punter for 4 years, so that's a solid average for sure, especially when you think about the strength differential between an 18 year old and a 22 year old! He's an economics major and was on the Honor Roll so hopefully he won't squander his football money on pimpin' and hoes...seems to be a standup guy from what I read. I'm glad, every team needs those, just as much as they need good athletes.
Jeff Baca - G (6th round)
At 6'3 and 302 pounds, I rather like this pick. Everything I've read about him contains the word "tenacious" and Neuheisel - the UCLA coach - praises him too. He'll need to get stronger, since he's pretty average size-wise, and apparently he can get suckered by misdirection too, but a bulldog in the 6th that's already overcome adversity (a broken ankle in 2011) is good value in my book, especially with our strength and training staff. I mean, have you SEEN Adrian Peterson lately? Dude is ripped!
Watching his tape I definitely see some missed tackles, but as I said, he's a 6th rounder, and I think we could get some good value out of the guy.
Blogger doesn't want to embed the video for some reason, so here's the link I looked at most:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVt6AQU6lU0
Michael Mauti - LB (7th round)
Mauti is another PSU alum, and has been extensively praised for his dedication to the university in hard times. Apparently, he went around to every player and tried to convince them to stay and show that this team had nothing to do with the scandal, and be a rallying point to the shocked community.
He's had a torn ACL in both legs, as well as some other injuries, which is why he fell to the 7th, but he's called a "deeply instinctual" player, and has a good history of football players in his family. He's strong and knows his fundamentals, so if he improves his speed and is more consistent, as well as avoiding injury, he could definitely prove to be a value pick.
Also, it's clear why he wears the #42 - he's got the meaning of life down pat. Glad to have a guy with that kind of inherent leadership and strength on our team.
Travis Bond - G (7th round)
At 6'6, 329 lbs, I think it's clear to everyone why we chose this guy. Apparently he was 370ish at one point, and his coaches suggested he lose a little, which is when he whittled down to 330ish, which I think is probably both healthier for him and better for his game. What I read is that he's both powerful and has decent mobility for his size, as well as using his size to advantage in situations like piles and hanging onto a block. (No penalties from you, mister!)
Due to his height he can apparently be a little slow to get his hands up, and despite being mobile for his size, he's not truly quick. I also see a couple mentions of attitude, but hopefully our staff can nip that in the bud fairly quickly. The biggest questionmark about him is his lack of ball awareness, which is a bigtime minus. But if he can improve that, then I'll say we all kinds of got a steal!
This is the best video I could find. Bond is #76.
Everett Dawkins - DT (7th round)
6'2", 292 and also with a long injury history, Dawkins produced pretty well at FSU, especially considering their defensive depth. The man is quick off the mark and definitely some claim to the title "explosive". He understands the game and has a good grasp on when to stay put and when to start moving. Fortunately for my Gators, he can get out of control and had overconfidence issues that lead to him making crucial mistakes.
In short, the man has potential, and we'll just have to see if the Vikings can develop it. He also looks a little heavier than I remember, but I trust our staff will take care of that ASAP.
SKOL!
Gerald Hodges - LB (4th round)
Says on his bio he did wrestling in high school, and started out as a safety in football. At 6'1, 243 lbs, I can see why he switched to LB, and he seems to have done quite well at PSU. 106 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks his junior season with 109 tackles (8.5 for loss), a sack, and two interceptions his senior season. Not bad! I'll gloss over him being All Big Ten twice in a row, because as a SEC snob I don't think much of certain other conferences...haha
He's not really a big lineman, but hopefully his purported speed will be enough to mitigate his bad habits of getting locked into blocks and getting fooled by misdirection plays.
From what I saw in the six minutes of tape I watched on him (lol) he's tenacious, but can be fooled. I'm fine with that. Tenacity is hard to teach; the structure of the game much less so. We have a good staff and good vets to mentor him.
Jeff Locke - P (5th round)
Our new left-footed punting extraordinare is 6'0", 209 lbs, and a grad of UCLA. He has a collegiate punting career average of 44.23 which makes him the #2 punter in UCLA history. He was their punter for 4 years, so that's a solid average for sure, especially when you think about the strength differential between an 18 year old and a 22 year old! He's an economics major and was on the Honor Roll so hopefully he won't squander his football money on pimpin' and hoes...seems to be a standup guy from what I read. I'm glad, every team needs those, just as much as they need good athletes.
Jeff Baca - G (6th round)
At 6'3 and 302 pounds, I rather like this pick. Everything I've read about him contains the word "tenacious" and Neuheisel - the UCLA coach - praises him too. He'll need to get stronger, since he's pretty average size-wise, and apparently he can get suckered by misdirection too, but a bulldog in the 6th that's already overcome adversity (a broken ankle in 2011) is good value in my book, especially with our strength and training staff. I mean, have you SEEN Adrian Peterson lately? Dude is ripped!
Watching his tape I definitely see some missed tackles, but as I said, he's a 6th rounder, and I think we could get some good value out of the guy.
Blogger doesn't want to embed the video for some reason, so here's the link I looked at most:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVt6AQU6lU0
Michael Mauti - LB (7th round)
Mauti is another PSU alum, and has been extensively praised for his dedication to the university in hard times. Apparently, he went around to every player and tried to convince them to stay and show that this team had nothing to do with the scandal, and be a rallying point to the shocked community.
He's had a torn ACL in both legs, as well as some other injuries, which is why he fell to the 7th, but he's called a "deeply instinctual" player, and has a good history of football players in his family. He's strong and knows his fundamentals, so if he improves his speed and is more consistent, as well as avoiding injury, he could definitely prove to be a value pick.
Also, it's clear why he wears the #42 - he's got the meaning of life down pat. Glad to have a guy with that kind of inherent leadership and strength on our team.
Travis Bond - G (7th round)
At 6'6, 329 lbs, I think it's clear to everyone why we chose this guy. Apparently he was 370ish at one point, and his coaches suggested he lose a little, which is when he whittled down to 330ish, which I think is probably both healthier for him and better for his game. What I read is that he's both powerful and has decent mobility for his size, as well as using his size to advantage in situations like piles and hanging onto a block. (No penalties from you, mister!)
Due to his height he can apparently be a little slow to get his hands up, and despite being mobile for his size, he's not truly quick. I also see a couple mentions of attitude, but hopefully our staff can nip that in the bud fairly quickly. The biggest questionmark about him is his lack of ball awareness, which is a bigtime minus. But if he can improve that, then I'll say we all kinds of got a steal!
Everett Dawkins - DT (7th round)
6'2", 292 and also with a long injury history, Dawkins produced pretty well at FSU, especially considering their defensive depth. The man is quick off the mark and definitely some claim to the title "explosive". He understands the game and has a good grasp on when to stay put and when to start moving. Fortunately for my Gators, he can get out of control and had overconfidence issues that lead to him making crucial mistakes.
In short, the man has potential, and we'll just have to see if the Vikings can develop it. He also looks a little heavier than I remember, but I trust our staff will take care of that ASAP.
SKOL!
Tuesday, July 9, 2013
July Stands for Suffering
Seriously. There's no football, no basketball, and even preseason soccer won't be for another week. So, I'm going to spend this week talking about our draft.
Here they are:
Sharrif Floyd - DT (1st round)
Xavier Rhodes - CB (1st round)
Cordarrelle Patterson - WR (1st round)
Gerald Hodges - LB (4th round)
Jeff Locke - P (5th round)
Jeff Baca - G (6th round)
Michael Mauti - LB (7th round)
Travis Bond - G (7th round)
Everett Dawkins - DT (7th round)
Now I've said plenty about the Vikings' management and FO over the years, same as the rest of us (ha!), but I have to applaud Rick Spielman for this year's draft.
Our defense is pretty freaking glittery with stars to begin with (which is why I'm so surprised we had way more offense in the all-NFC North team than defense) and then we added Floyd and Rhodes on top of what we've got? I can't tell you how glad I am a beast like Floyd gets to learn from our resident badass Kevin Williams. The Williams Wall was one of the best tandems in pro football, and if we can get Floyd a partner in asskickery, we may get something almost as great again!
Rhodes is a big body that we desperately needed to give some match-up advantages against the big speedy receivers we've been having trouble with for the past couple years. Hopefully we can eliminate some of the big gashing plays we've given up recently.
Patterson is more of a question mark - I was absolutely astounded that we traded back up, and so was Dad - but there's no denying he's explosive and very fast. He did pretty well managing the transition from juco to the SEC, so I'm crossing all my fingers and my toes that he'll have a good transition from NCAAF to NFL too.
The rest I don't know much about, so I'll do a little digging and post about them later.
SKOL!
Here they are:
Sharrif Floyd - DT (1st round)
Xavier Rhodes - CB (1st round)
Cordarrelle Patterson - WR (1st round)
Gerald Hodges - LB (4th round)
Jeff Locke - P (5th round)
Jeff Baca - G (6th round)
Michael Mauti - LB (7th round)
Travis Bond - G (7th round)
Everett Dawkins - DT (7th round)
Now I've said plenty about the Vikings' management and FO over the years, same as the rest of us (ha!), but I have to applaud Rick Spielman for this year's draft.
Our defense is pretty freaking glittery with stars to begin with (which is why I'm so surprised we had way more offense in the all-NFC North team than defense) and then we added Floyd and Rhodes on top of what we've got? I can't tell you how glad I am a beast like Floyd gets to learn from our resident badass Kevin Williams. The Williams Wall was one of the best tandems in pro football, and if we can get Floyd a partner in asskickery, we may get something almost as great again!
Rhodes is a big body that we desperately needed to give some match-up advantages against the big speedy receivers we've been having trouble with for the past couple years. Hopefully we can eliminate some of the big gashing plays we've given up recently.
Patterson is more of a question mark - I was absolutely astounded that we traded back up, and so was Dad - but there's no denying he's explosive and very fast. He did pretty well managing the transition from juco to the SEC, so I'm crossing all my fingers and my toes that he'll have a good transition from NCAAF to NFL too.
The rest I don't know much about, so I'll do a little digging and post about them later.
SKOL!
Monday, July 8, 2013
Vikings' Tweet of the Day
Jeff Baca: @JBaca60
"I have to do something for autism. My little step brother is the best kid ever."
- athletic ability is damn important, but character is up there too and that's the truth!
All-NFC North Team
What great news for a Monday! The all-division teams have been announced and the Vikings did spectacularly with 9 players selected for the NFC North team!
Here's the list:
OFFENSE -
Quarterback - Aaron Rodgers
Runningback - Adrian Peterson
Wide Receivers - Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings
Tight End - Kyle Rudolph
Offensive Tackles - Jermon Bushrod, Matt Kalil
Guards - Brandon Fusco, T.J. Lang
Center - John Sullivan
DEFENSE - (4-3)
Defensive Ends - Jared Allen, Julius Peppers
Defensive Tackles - Ndamukong Suh, Henry Melton
Outside Linebackers - Clay Matthews, Chad Greenway
Inside Linebacker - Stephen Tulloch
Cornerback - "Peanut" Tillman, Sam Shields
Safeties - Harrison Smith, Glover Quin
Players per team -
Bears - 5
Lions - 4
Packers - 4
Vikings - 9
I have to say I'm pretty surprised that we have so many offensive players selected. It makes me think we'll lean towards defense next draft, because we NEED youth on defense. We're the Vikings! We've always been a defensive powerhouse. I'm glad we have Harrison Smith, Sharrif Floyd, and Xavier Rhodes, but they're only three. Still, Frazier and Spielman seem to be doing pretty well with drafts lately, and maybe our team has enough going for it that we can make a good run this season.
And, I like to think that if special teams were included, our kicker at least would have that spot too! Hopefully our new punter proves to be just as valuable. I resent Urban Meyer for the way he left Florida (if he'd just left when he said he would the first time, our program would've recovered a LOT faster and we would probably have won more games), but the man sure knows special teams, and I happen to agree with him 100% that your placement on the field has a heck of a lot to do with your success. A good return man and a better punter can do so much for you during a game!
So, with this many offensive players selected, this team had better produce some great scores this season. I can't wait to see Rudolph and Jennings in action...and hopefully, I'll be happy to see Ponder too.
SKOL!
Here's the list:
OFFENSE -
Quarterback - Aaron Rodgers
Runningback - Adrian Peterson
Wide Receivers - Calvin Johnson, Brandon Marshall, Greg Jennings
Tight End - Kyle Rudolph
Offensive Tackles - Jermon Bushrod, Matt Kalil
Guards - Brandon Fusco, T.J. Lang
Center - John Sullivan
DEFENSE - (4-3)
Defensive Ends - Jared Allen, Julius Peppers
Defensive Tackles - Ndamukong Suh, Henry Melton
Outside Linebackers - Clay Matthews, Chad Greenway
Inside Linebacker - Stephen Tulloch
Cornerback - "Peanut" Tillman, Sam Shields
Safeties - Harrison Smith, Glover Quin
Players per team -
Bears - 5
Lions - 4
Packers - 4
Vikings - 9
I have to say I'm pretty surprised that we have so many offensive players selected. It makes me think we'll lean towards defense next draft, because we NEED youth on defense. We're the Vikings! We've always been a defensive powerhouse. I'm glad we have Harrison Smith, Sharrif Floyd, and Xavier Rhodes, but they're only three. Still, Frazier and Spielman seem to be doing pretty well with drafts lately, and maybe our team has enough going for it that we can make a good run this season.
And, I like to think that if special teams were included, our kicker at least would have that spot too! Hopefully our new punter proves to be just as valuable. I resent Urban Meyer for the way he left Florida (if he'd just left when he said he would the first time, our program would've recovered a LOT faster and we would probably have won more games), but the man sure knows special teams, and I happen to agree with him 100% that your placement on the field has a heck of a lot to do with your success. A good return man and a better punter can do so much for you during a game!
So, with this many offensive players selected, this team had better produce some great scores this season. I can't wait to see Rudolph and Jennings in action...and hopefully, I'll be happy to see Ponder too.
SKOL!
Friday, July 5, 2013
Vikings Thought of the Day
What is our biggest team ? that will be answered at Mankato?
Let's face it, we have a dozen players coming off injuries and surgeries, and seeing how they've recuperated and if they've lost speed or strength will be a big one.
Then, we have a lot of newbies, both vets and rookies, and seeing how they fit into the established team is another huge question mark for us.
Leslie Frazier's third full year of head coaching (not including his interim spell) is upon us, and although he's a quiet man (I do prefer them like Muschamp, loud, explosive, and all kinds of in your face), he's really done a great job with the team so far. Arrests are down, responsibility is up, and thank God, we don't have any lockerroom cancers right now. So, seeing what happens at camp, how the boys respond (remember, we didn't have a single unexcused absence from camp out of NINETY guys for the voluntary OTAs!) is going to be a big one for me.
To be honest, my biggest question about this team isn't one that can be answered by camp, or even really by preseason. What I want to know is what happens when we get smacked in the mouth. We have a tough mouthful to chew this year, and there will be injuries, and setbacks, and long hard stretches that mentally and physically exhaust our team. Can we take a punch to the gut? Will we get up, dust ourselves off, go into the huddle ready to make a new plan and go at it?
Time will tell.
SKOL!
Let's face it, we have a dozen players coming off injuries and surgeries, and seeing how they've recuperated and if they've lost speed or strength will be a big one.
Then, we have a lot of newbies, both vets and rookies, and seeing how they fit into the established team is another huge question mark for us.
Leslie Frazier's third full year of head coaching (not including his interim spell) is upon us, and although he's a quiet man (I do prefer them like Muschamp, loud, explosive, and all kinds of in your face), he's really done a great job with the team so far. Arrests are down, responsibility is up, and thank God, we don't have any lockerroom cancers right now. So, seeing what happens at camp, how the boys respond (remember, we didn't have a single unexcused absence from camp out of NINETY guys for the voluntary OTAs!) is going to be a big one for me.
To be honest, my biggest question about this team isn't one that can be answered by camp, or even really by preseason. What I want to know is what happens when we get smacked in the mouth. We have a tough mouthful to chew this year, and there will be injuries, and setbacks, and long hard stretches that mentally and physically exhaust our team. Can we take a punch to the gut? Will we get up, dust ourselves off, go into the huddle ready to make a new plan and go at it?
Time will tell.
SKOL!
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Happy Independence Day!
Hey boys and girls, I'm too busy getting my Independence Day on to post about the lack of Vikings updates (I swear, at this point in the season, no news is good news), but next week I plan to take on each player we drafted and give them their own blog posts.
In the mean time, enjoy a beer, some grilling, and Epic Rap Battles, whose right to free speech was secured by the hundreds and thousands of American patriots who fought and died in so many wars.
SKOL!
Tuesday, July 2, 2013
Off Topic: Arrests in the NFL
(If you click on the picture, it should pop up at full-size.)
Okay this isn't entirely off topic, because I want to rant at how utterly appalled I am that the Vikings are tied for #1 in arrests overall since 2000 with the Bengals (REALLY?! How can this be?!), but still.
http://www.utsandiego.com/nfl/arrests-database/
This is a database of all arrests in the NFL, and it's really quite fascinating. Our most recent arrest was 7/7/2012 when Adrian Peterson was arrested in a nightclub (my post about it is here: http://carlatheviking.blogspot.com/2012/07/adrian-peterson-arrested.html), and as we all know, that arrest turned out to be absolute bullshit, and I still hope the officers involved were severely disciplined. Arresting a man for resisting arrest before he'd even been arrested for anything! Can you say star-struck?
Now, my first thought was simply that the site hadn't been updated in a year, so I checked New England's tab and sure enough, Aaron Hernandez was there. Being a bitch, I clicked on the Packers' tab and was quite disappointed that their last arrest was November 2011. It could be worse, at least we have honorable opponents and not cheating scumbags who get paid for conspiring to injure other players - oh...wait a minute...
Cattiness aside, I had to have a bit of a laugh when I realized the "team" with the most arrests was the Free Agents tab! Which got me to thinking - how many arrests are from guys whose careers are pretty much over, and finding the lack of coaching, influence, and paychecks to be galling enough to descend into a bad place?
It's something to think about anyway.
SKOL!
ESPYS
Just a quick note for now - Adrian Peterson is up for THREE ESPY awards, so vote for him here
http://espn.go.com/espys/2013/
He's up for:
Best NFL Player
Best Male Athlete
Best Comeback
I've voted already (in all the categories, not just those three) and he takes everyone he's in, hands down! The ESPYs will air on July 17th at 8 pm CT, and I believe you can vote up until the day of the show, so make sure you get your votes in!
SKOL!
http://espn.go.com/espys/2013/
He's up for:
Best NFL Player
Best Male Athlete
Best Comeback
I've voted already (in all the categories, not just those three) and he takes everyone he's in, hands down! The ESPYs will air on July 17th at 8 pm CT, and I believe you can vote up until the day of the show, so make sure you get your votes in!
SKOL!
Monday, July 1, 2013
July is HERE!
Boys and girls are you hanging onto your hats? Today is July first which means one thing: MANKATO!
Okay, okay sure, there's a little something happening this Thursday (my nails are already red, blue and silver), and training camp won't be for awhile yet. But after a weekend when the only news was more depressing ish about Aaron Hernandez (apparently Tim Tebow convinced him to come to Florida, but once Hernandez was actually here, he decided Tim wasn't his style, and completely removed himself from Tim's influence), and that today is Erin Henderson's birthday (Happy Birthday, bro! Hope you had a fab day and are going to hit the gym tomorrow!), I'm happy to get excited about the fact I can now write "7--2013" on my checks.
Also, just 9 more Sundays until Vikings football recommences! Hooray! Our first preseason game is August 9, so it's really, really close! Just five weeks!
Here's our schedule:
Preseason:
August 9th - vs Texans
August 16th - at Bills
August 25th - at 49ers
August 29th - vs Titans
Regular Season:
September 8th - at Lions
September 15th - at Bears
September 22nd - vs Browns
September 29th - vs Steelers
Week 5 - BYE
October 13th - vs Pathers
October 21st - at Giants
October 27th - vs Packers
November 3rd - at Cowboys
November 7th - vs Redskins
November 17th - at Seahawks
November 24th - at Packers
December 1th - vs Bears
December 8th - at Ravens
December 15th - vs Eagles
December 22nd - at Bengals
December 29th - vs Lions
We have a rough regular season no lie. I loathe having our bye so early, and I am convinced that November 17th is going to be one hell of a rabblerouser, but I think if we keep enough depth at certain positions :coughlinecough: we can get through this season okay. I want at least 10 wins boys, do you hear me?! Haha!
One final tidbit for today: Greg Childs tweeted that he did an entire workout in a 45 pound vest today, which I find very encouraging. To put that kind of weight on your knees means he MUST be pretty far along in his recovery. Just what we need in time for camp!
SKOL!
Okay, okay sure, there's a little something happening this Thursday (my nails are already red, blue and silver), and training camp won't be for awhile yet. But after a weekend when the only news was more depressing ish about Aaron Hernandez (apparently Tim Tebow convinced him to come to Florida, but once Hernandez was actually here, he decided Tim wasn't his style, and completely removed himself from Tim's influence), and that today is Erin Henderson's birthday (Happy Birthday, bro! Hope you had a fab day and are going to hit the gym tomorrow!), I'm happy to get excited about the fact I can now write "7--2013" on my checks.
Also, just 9 more Sundays until Vikings football recommences! Hooray! Our first preseason game is August 9, so it's really, really close! Just five weeks!
Here's our schedule:
Preseason:
August 9th - vs Texans
August 16th - at Bills
August 25th - at 49ers
August 29th - vs Titans
Regular Season:
September 8th - at Lions
September 15th - at Bears
September 22nd - vs Browns
September 29th - vs Steelers
Week 5 - BYE
October 13th - vs Pathers
October 21st - at Giants
October 27th - vs Packers
November 3rd - at Cowboys
November 7th - vs Redskins
November 17th - at Seahawks
November 24th - at Packers
December 1th - vs Bears
December 8th - at Ravens
December 15th - vs Eagles
December 22nd - at Bengals
December 29th - vs Lions
We have a rough regular season no lie. I loathe having our bye so early, and I am convinced that November 17th is going to be one hell of a rabblerouser, but I think if we keep enough depth at certain positions :coughlinecough: we can get through this season okay. I want at least 10 wins boys, do you hear me?! Haha!
One final tidbit for today: Greg Childs tweeted that he did an entire workout in a 45 pound vest today, which I find very encouraging. To put that kind of weight on your knees means he MUST be pretty far along in his recovery. Just what we need in time for camp!
SKOL!
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