Adrian Peterson's Viking Future

So I've had a few people ask me what I think about Adrian Peterson and his potential return to the Vikings.  To be honest, I'm not quite sure what I want.  Starting when I was a freaking sophomore in college - hell, the summer before my sophomore year even - Adrian was THE classy player.  Donating to childrens' funds, always being classy and polite and supporting the team no matter what. 

 Hell, remember his rookie year he made the Pro Bowl and flew the entire Vikings' O-line out to Hawaii because he said he wouldn't have made it if not for them?  And remember that that year the Minnesota Vikings were the ONLY football players to visit the local children's hospital?

So when this beating scandal emerged, it crushed me.  I thought he was WAY too good for that - I thought he was a decent, down-to-earth father, despite having approximately twenty kids by twenty girlfriends.  In one way, I can understand that being brutally beaten by your own father makes you more likely to beat your kids (not that I know anything about it - my father "hit" me once, when I was 3 years old and he smacked me on the hand so lightly I could barely feel it [seriously my cats have hit my harder] and I rushed to the living room and wailed to my mother, "DADDY HIT ME!"  She burst out laughing, she knew he hadn't done anything), and considering that he thought he was hitting less hard and less badly than his father hit him...makes me feel extremely ill, wondering what happened to him.

Now that it's "over" and he's cleared to return...I have to wonder if he wants to return to Minnesota where he was a hero and a saint.  I have to wonder if Minnesota wants him back, with all the former glory and the terrible memories of scandals.

Honestly, I think we'll offer him a spot.  And I think he'd take it if we did.  But I'm still nervous about what will really happen.

In the meantime, SKOL!

Goodbye, Matt Cassel

So we've traded him to the Bills, plus an "undisclosed draft pick" for two "undisclosed draft picks."  Well, it'll depend on the picks given/received, and the future performance of all four players/future players involved...but I figure it's not a bad trade.  I would MUCH rather have had Cassel mentoring Bridgewater, but I'm sure since Ponder's a free agent, we'll just keep Teddy and pick up another young'un.  Or perhaps another mentor-variety QB?  I'm leaning to youngster, but I'm (sadly) not a member of the Vikings' organization.

All in all, interesting day for us.  I wonder what tomorrow brings?

SKOL!