The Official 2007 Vikings Thread.

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Sports has its own Twilight Zone of bizarre ironies, happenings and moments.

Even the great, creative genius of Rod Serling would have had a hard time unraveling and creating some of the oddities in athletic competition.


In 1969, Minnesota Viking quarterback Joe Kapp passed for seven touchdowns in a game against the Baltimore Colts, tying a NFL record.

That, in itself, was an amazing accomplishment.

In his other 12 regular season appearances that year, Kapp threw only 12 touchdowns.

Kapp's passing style was more familiar to duck hunters than to NFL receivers.

Preachers in the stands were tempted to read last rites on some of his aerial attempts.

Even more incredible than that was the fact Joe Kapp was benched twice during that game.

He told me in an interview in 1992 head coach Bud Grant pulled him after he had thrown four or five touchdowns. The second-string quarterback, however, was soon hurt and came out.

The same fate befell the third-stringer, forcing Kapp's return to action and setting up his salvo into the record books.

Only four other men have ever thrown seven touchdowns in a regular season NFL or AFL game - Sid Luckman (Chicago Bears, 1943), Adrian Burk (Philadelphia Eagles, 1954), George Blanda (Houston Oilers, 1961), and Y.A. Tittle (New York Giants, 1962).

On the day Kapp matched that accomplishment, one of the game officials for that contest was more than a little interested.

That official was none other than Adrian Burk, one of the four men who had done it himself.


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Coach Brad Childress won't have his own television show in 2006. "We'll look to address that in future seasons," LaCroix said, adding the coach could end up making occasional appearances on KSTP or FSN's programming.

Childress will have a regular presence on radio, appearing on the Vikings' flagship station, KFAN (1130-AM), from 6 to 7 p.m. each Monday during the season. Paul Allen, who calls Vikings' games on the station, will host.


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• The Vikings were the only NFL team that did not attend the workout for ex-Virginia linebacker Ahmad Brooks on Thursday at Charlottesville, Va., according to NFL.com. Brooks will be available in the NFL supplemental draft on July 13.


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[Durango53]

Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings vice president of football operations, said Monday he has had preliminary discussions with the agents for all six of the team's picks from the April draft. However, talks aren't expected to heat up until after Independence Day. "After the Fourth of July, we'll have nearly a month," Brzezinski said. "[Negotiations] will be ongoing. ... We'll be working through them the next few weeks. I don't anticipate any problems." The Vikings' draft class includes first-round linebacker Chad Greenway; three second-round picks in cornerback Cedric Griffin, offensive lineman Ryan Cook and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson; fourth-round defensive end Ray Edwards; and fifth-round safety Greg Blue.

[Durango53]

The father of former Vikings tackle Korey Stringer has died at age 57; nearly five years ago Stringer succumbed to heat exhaustion after a training camp practice.

[Durango53]

There seems to be concern among the Vikings whether new running back Chester Taylor, acquired from the Baltimore Ravens, has had the proper focus in offseason workouts.

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I am not happy to hear this about a player who was to play a key role in the offense.

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[Durango53]

Ya it is going to make missing that RB in the draft look that much worse. Getting more solid of a line and a coach that says he is going to run along with a new FA running back seems to scare the Viking fans.

Who knows Fason showed some last year I thought. This could be his chance to step up and take the ball. I dont think he was going to be the kind of pounder that Tice wanted him to be but he could be a hard runner that will pound the ball in there.

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Who knows, maybe there will be non tender or cut in July or August.\



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[redsfan]

I can't believe they were pinning their hopes on this guy. He has been a backup for several years and was never really a standout. Even when he filled in for Lewis he never really played well. He played like a backup, good every once in a while.

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Confusion:

Koren Robinson's agent issues a statement that Koren has checked himself into a rehab center. Since he checked himself in there are no repercussions expected from the league.

Koren was on KFAN tonight and said that he's not in rehab and has no idea what his agent is talking about.

Stay tuned on this one......

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[Blue]

On the topic of Chester Taylor...

I don't care who the running back is. When you're running running behind a let side that has Birk, Hutchinson, and "Mount" McKinnie, you may have a good chance at performing well.

[Durango53]

On the topic of Chester Taylor...

I don't care who the running back is. When you're running running behind a let side that has Birk, Hutchinson, and "Mount" McKinnie, you may have a good chance at performing well.
I think I could run for 1000 yard behind those guys! :D

I am starting to think Fason will become a big player in who starts this year.

And WOW Mark on Koren!!!!! Was his agent needing to check himself into rehab? This is wild!

And welcome back Blue!:wave1:

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Koren Robinson's agent confirmed a website report Thursday that the receiver has re-entered an alcohol rehab facility. But Alvin Keels made it clear that Robinson's decision was voluntary and he has not violated the NFL's substance abuse policy.

"Is Koren Robinson in rehab or at a rehab facility? Yes," said Keels, responding to a report that first broke on profootballtalk.com. "Was Koren Robinson drinking? No. Was Koren Robinson forced by the NFL or the Vikings to go? No. Most recovering alcoholics seek treatment through the years. He's just being more proactive than in the past."

Keels made it clear that Robinson can leave the facility at any time and expressed disappointment that word had leaked out about his client's private decision. "I feel sad that the guy is being proactive instead of staying at home, he's doing the right thing, and now that he's doing that it's a big story," Keels said. "This isn't news. ... the guy wants to go in on his own time and get some help just for coping skills because he doesn't have a lot of time off."

A Vikings spokesman said the team would have no comment on the subject. Robinson did not return calls to the Star Tribune on Thursday evening, but earlier in the day he denied the story when reached by FOX9. "Everybody has been calling me about this," he said. "That's false. I'm trying to get in contact with my agent. I don't know what's going on."


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Camp agreement close

The Vikings and Minnesota State, Mankato plan to announce a multiyear agreement next week that will keep the team's training camp on that campus.

Steve LaCroix, the Vikings' vice president of sales and marketing, said Thursday that the organization has been in talks with the university about maintaining a relationship that will enter its 41st year this month. LaCroix did not want to go into detail about the length of the contract, but it will include options that would enable the Vikings to end the agreement early.

Under the new agreement with Minnesota State, Mankato, which will begin this year, the Vikings will assume financial responsibly for training camp expenses. LaCroix declined to get into any specifics about figures, but it had been reported the deal with the Mankato Training Camp LLC relieved the Vikings of some $500,000 in expenses.

"This certainly will have a financial impact on us, but we felt strongly that we wanted to continue in Mankato," LaCroix said. "There was a good template set up as far as the structure of the camp. We'll just try to continue with where things were and make it better."


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[Durango53]

Man what is up with that agent?!?!?! The call I would be putting in is to him telling him that he is done and see you in court! (If Koren is telling the truth)

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On the news tonight they are reporting that according to Koren, he has been going to AA type classes, but that it's nothing new. He says he will need to go to meetings for the rest of his life to help handle the addiction and he realizes that.


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The first four days of Vikings training camp will be closed to the public, one of several changes to team policy announced Tuesday.

Many NFL teams limit fan access to training camp, and the Washington Redskins will allow fans to attend only eight practices. This summer, however, will mark the first time in memory that part of Vikings training camp -- a summer destination for thousands of fans -- has been closed.

Overall, 27 of the Vikings' 35 practices will be open with free admission, while a 28th -- an Aug. 4 scrimmage against Kansas City -- will require the purchase of a $10 ticket. Daily parking charges are $5 on the grounds of Minnesota State, Mankato.

The Vikings, who did not offer an official explanation for the access change, are one of four teams that will stagger their reporting dates. Rookies and selected veterans will report July 27 and participate in five practices, all closed, over the following three days.

The remaining veterans will report July 30, and the entire team will hold a light practice, also closed, July 31. The first open practice will start at 8:45 a.m. Aug. 1.

In previous years, Vikings players have all reported on the same day.

Meanwhile, the Vikings also will implement a new system for autograph seekers. Steve LaCroix, vice president of sales and marketing, said the arrangement would be "more organized and less chaotic" than before.

Players no longer will sign autographs as they leave the field after the morning practice. Instead, the Vikings will designate one position group per day to sign autographs at a designated area. All positions will sign at least once during the summer, according to a schedule available at vikings.com.

"This system allows every player to cycle through at some point," LaCroix said, "and still gives fans the opportunity to have up-close-and-personal access to them. Some other teams have done it this way and it's worked effectively."



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MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Minnesota Vikings receiver Koren Robinson knows he'll always be under scrutiny while living life as a recovering alcoholic. These last few days, however, have been a little over the top.

Reports surfaced late Thursday night that Robinson had voluntarily checked himself into a rehab facility to seek further treatment. The term "rehab facility" carries with it a certain stigma that led some to believe he could have suffered a relapse.

Nothing could be further from the truth, Robinson said Friday afternoon.

"People hear rehab and they say, 'Oh no, he has problems,"' Robinson told The Associated Press in a phone interview from South Carolina. "I'm not in rehab. I'm still doing good. I'm still not drinking. I'm still working out. I'm still Koren, the cheerful, happy guy you all saw last year."

Robinson said he didn't check himself into a rehab facility and didn't have a relapse. Rather, he said, he is merely attending some relapse prevention classes in preparation for the start of the grueling NFL season, which affords the Pro Bowl kick returner little time to work on maintaining his recovery.

"I just want to make sure I'm good for the season before I put myself back in that lifestyle," Robinson said. "In the NFL, when you lose, you feel real down and when you win, there's a lot of celebrating. I'm just making sure I'm bulletproof and being proactive."

Robinson said the relapse prevention classes help him "tune up" his recovery efforts and "reiterate stuff so that it's fresh in my mind. I just use that so I won't put myself in predicaments that would be bad situations."

During the season, "you don't really have that to-yourself-time," Robinson said. "You have a lot going on where you can't put that stuff in your personal life on the front burner. You can't deal with it."

That's why he's seeking that little extra help now.

Robinson reflected on his struggles often during last season, acknowledging they will always be with him.

But life is good for him now. He's due to be married July 22 and will arrive at Vikings training camp at the end of the month as the team's No. 1 receiver.

Both Robinson and his agent, Alvin Keels, expressed frustration that his approach was made public. They see it as just another step toward maintaining his sobriety.

"Certain words were misconstrued," Robinson said. "I just didn't want anybody to see those reports and get it twisted that I screwed up. ... Tell everyone I'm still good. Everything is all right. I'm looking forward to the season, having a great year and bringing a Super Bowl to Minnesota."


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[Durango53]

I would still get rid of that agent.

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Those headed to Mankato, Minn. for the Minnesota Vikings Training Camp should know that a new coach means some new rules for fans and players.

Players will sign autographs after the morning practices only.

Fans can line up 20 minutes before the end of practice and then try to get autographs for about another 20 minutes.

That's a change from previous years, when fans could go right up to any of the players and ask for an autograph.

Some fans think the changes are good, as some players would refuse to sign autographs before. Now, players will be required to attend certain autograph session.

Other fans said they will miss being able to go right up to the player they wanted.



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The Vikings will start their 41st training camp with a couple of new features to enhance fans' experiences in Mankato — a block party in the city's downtown and a streamlined autograph system.

Both innovations are expected to help introduce the new-look team to fans after major offseason changes, including the hiring of coach Brad Childress to replace Mike Tice and the trade that sent quarterback Daunte Culpepper to the Miami Dolphins.

The July 29 block party kicks off events surrounding the 17-day camp at Minnesota State University Mankato. Tickets for the block party are $5 for ages 10 and above.

The full squad of players is scheduled to report to Mankato on July 30. Childress conducts his first training camp practice as an NFL head coach at 8:45 a.m. Aug. 1.

There is no admission charge for practices. Parking is $5 and available in lots 20-23. Enter off Monks Avenue.


The club is bringing back its interactive Vikings Village, which will open on the first day of camp. There is no admission charge. The Village, open to all ages, will be in operation during each public practice.

The Vikings will conduct a night practice with the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 4 in Blakeslee Stadium. The two-hour event is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. Tickets for the practice are $10 for ages 4 and above. Tickets are available through the Vikings' ticket office at 612-338-4537, Ticketmaster at 651-989-5151 and the Greater Mankato Chamber and Convention Bureau at 507-345-4519.

Other highlights include a Vikings alumni night (Aug. 4), a free youth football clinic (Aug. 10) and a cheerleaders clinic (Aug. 12).




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[Durango53]

Chad Greenway will be used by Vikings at weak-side linebacker. Likely will open training camp as backup to E.J. Henderson but could assume starting role if Henderson is moved to middle.

[Durango53]

The Vikings acknowledged Thursday the existence of a seventh and formerly unannounced investor in their ownership group. Jeffrey Wilf, the nephew of owners Zygi and Mark Wilf, has owned a small stake in the team since the ownership transfer from Red McCombs last summer. Mark Wilf confirmed that Jeffrey is a limited partner. Jeffrey Wilf is a senior at a "prestigious East Coast university," according to his biography, and is majoring in government. Mark Wilf asked that the university remain unnamed for privacy reasons.

[Durango53]

Vikes LB Chad Greenway's parents say they will be a bit more selective about traveling to Chad's games. "When he was in college it was still like he was a kid," Julie said. "Now he's an adult. It's not like I follow the rest of my kids to their jobs. The good thing is we can watch every game on television."

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The Minnesota Vikings will open their first four days of training camp practices to fans after all, the team announced Thursday.

Fans will be able to watch signed rookies and selected veterans participate in practices July 28-31 at the team's training camp at Minnesota State University, Mankato, the team said.

Earlier this week, the Vikings had said fans would be kept out until the first full-squad workout on Aug. 1.

The players won't be in pads for the late July sessions. And if high-profile rookies like linebacker Chad Greenway and quarterback Tarvaris Jackson have not signed by then, they will not be in attendance.

The Vikings Village and concession stands will not open until the Aug. 1 practice.

"The fans are certainly welcome to come on July 28th," Vikings vice president of public affairs Lester Bagley said. "We want to be clear to the fans that there are going to be no services offered and a small partial group of players. It is open, but we're trying to clarify that the official kickoff of camp is August 1st."

The rookie practices will be held from 10:30 a.m.-11:40 a.m. each of the four days, from 3:10 p.m.-4:15 p.m. July 28-29, and from 3:30 p.m.-4:55 p.m. July 31.

This year's camp runs through Aug. 17.


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[>TC<]

First-round draft pick Chad Greenway will probably get hitched before he suits up for the Minnesota Vikings.

Greenway's agent tells KSTP TV there's no chance the former University of Iowa star will sign before his wedding tomorrow.

Greenway's agent, Marvin Demoff, and the Vikings opened contract talks last Monday in Denver. Demoff characterizes the meeting as exploratory and constructive.

Greenway is a 242-pound linebacker from Mount Vernon, South Dakota. He led the Hawkeyes to two Big Ten titles in four years.

Rookies report to Vikings training camp on July 27th. Greenway's agent doesn't anticipate a holdout.


This would be good.


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[>TC<]

Key NFL training camp dates

July 27: Vikings open camp in Mankato for rookies and selected players

July 30: Veterans report to Vikings training camp

Aug. 6: Hall of Fame game in Canton, Ohio; Oakland vs. Philadelphia

Aug. 14: Vikings' preseason opener, at the Metrodome, vs. Oakland on ESPN's "Monday Night Football"

Aug. 29: Rosters cut to maximum of 75

Sept. 2: Rosters cut to maximum of 53

Sept. 7: NFL season opener: Miami at Pittsburgh

Sept. 11: Vikings opener: Monday night game at Washington




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[Durango53]

Vikings agreed to terms with two of their six draft picks Monday, defensive end Ray Edwards and defensive back Greg Blue.

Edwards, who skipped his senior season at Purdue, was taken in the fourth round.

Blue, an All-American safety from Georgia, was selected in the fifth round.

Vikings rookies, and selected veterans, are scheduled to report to training camp July 27. The remaining players are due at the Minnesota State University campus in Mankato on July 30.

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In his quest to build a new Vikings stadium and $1.67 billion Northern Lights retail complex in Blaine, Zygi Wilf may have to tackle an unlikely opponent: the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Much of the 740 acres that Wilf wants has been designated as wetlands by the corps, which has refused to approve much of the land for development.

"What the Army Corps of Engineers has done is absolutely appalling," said Margaret Langfeld, chairwoman of the Anoka County Board. "The city of Blaine and the Rice Creek Watershed District have negotiated this and come up with solutions that have pleased even the most dedicated conservationists. But the Army Corps of Engineers doesn't want the city of Blaine or Rice Creek making decisions."

A manager with the corps said it has agreed with the city of Blaine to conduct a joint state and federal environmental review of the area and is waiting for Blaine to let the corps know when it's ready to begin. Tamara Cameron, regulatory branch lead project manager of the corps' St. Paul District, said: "We know people aren't happy with the corps." She added that "poor communications" on the corps' part has strained relations between the corps and Anoka County.

"But why has it come to this?" asked Blaine Mayor Tom Ryan. "We've spent 16 to 18 years getting the culverts right. And every time we have the water flow and level to where it should be, the Corps of Engineers says, 'Wait a minute, boys,' and completely changes the rules."

Nearly 20 years of lawsuits and bitter feelings pour through the wetlands proposed as the foundation for the retail, entertainment and sports complex, which would include a 68,500-seat Vikings stadium with a retractable roof along Interstate Hwy. 35W.

The football stadium was one of three proposed facilities floated at the Legislature this year. Legislators approved two of them -- a downtown Minneapolis ballpark for the Twins and a campus football stadium for the University of Minnesota -- and told the Vikings to try again next year.

Blaine landowners -- some of whom own property sought by Wilf -- have sued the Army Corps of Engineers, various watershed districts, the city of Blaine, Anoka County and the Minnesota Department of Transportation over disputes that range from measurements of land elevation to concerns over the placement of a roadside culvert, said Steve Hobbs, administrator of the Rice Creek Watershed District.

At issue is the water level and how it is controlled, said Tim Fell, project manager for the Corps of Engineers.

Areas saturated for a long enough time to support wetland plants are considered wetlands by the Corps of Engineers and the Rice Creek Watershed District, Fell said. Typically, land that has water within 12 inches of its surface is considered a wetland, Fell said.

But county officials and some land owners negotiating with Wilf say the state approved a plan to regulate the water level two years ago.

"Everything is ready to go except an Army Corps of Engineers permit," said Bart Rehbein, who owns property Wilf wants. "The Corps of Engineers is stalling. They flex their muscles, and everyone else pays a price."

Said John Trost, who spent more than a decade in legal battles with the corps and owns 40 acres of land sought by Wilf: "The Army Corps of Engineers found out about this high-profile project on this property and had to take over everything. So nothing gets done. The Army Corps of Engineers is the problem."

There are some other issues coming up now, too.

Wilf has pledged $1 billion toward the Northern Lights project, but needs to buy property from all 16 land owners to bring his plan to fruition. He had contingency deals with eight of the owners in the spring.

Wilf could not be reached for comment, and it is not known how many of those deals remain valid. Some land owners, such as Joe Preiner, who owns a central piece of property at Lexington and 109th Avenues, say they are eager to deal with Wilf.

Other owners may play hardball. One couple agreed to sell their 136 acres to Wilf for $15 million and then raised their price to $20 million.


This is going to be interesting.


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[Durango53]

Ya it sure could. The name calling and making the other look bad is already going.

[>TC<]

Unfortunately, the wetlands issues are huge in Minnesota. Developers have drained everything they can to keep developement sprawling outwards from the MPLS and St. Paul. They haven't had much regard for trying to keep any natural habitat intact for wildlife or runoff. There is a "no net loss" program in place, whereas if you develop a wetlands you have to set aside an area close by and create a similar setting, but the developers are just flat out violating it and then fighting it later in court. By then the damage done can never be repaired, even if they are ordered to fix it.

I am really torn on this one. If the plans for the development don't include, "no net loss", I'm not sure the public will support it.

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[Durango53]

I hear ya on the keeping the lands. Love what they did down in Denver with the Rockies Coors Field. They took some real crappy downtown places tore them down where nothing was going on bad part of town and turned it into one the the best places in MLB.
Wouldnt there be some land like that in downtown somewhere? But then you are looking to at other problems. No matter where you look at or what you are going to do there are problems.

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There is land next to the Metrodome to build a stadium but Ziggy wants to develop the area around the stadium into malls and housing and stuff. That's why the Blaine site, 20 miles north of downtown, so he has room. Stupid thing is that the area around the Dome is served by light rail from the south, and by the time a new stadium is built there will be a rail line coming into downtown from the north. It would be perfect, which is why the Twins wanted to stay downtown. Ziggy wants to make money off the side ventures, as well as a new stadium.


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[Durango53]

I see and I to have a hard time with that. Heck the dude has money. Sucker people in that you are going else where buy the land around where you really want to build third party a bit cheaper. There are ways around it so he can still eat his cake after he gets it. :D

[Durango53]

The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms on a four-year contract with cornerback Cedric Griffin, one of their three second-round draft picks.

[Durango53]

Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf will visit Minneapolis city leaders today to discuss downtown development and possibly a future home in the city for the professional football team. The meeting comes after word that much of the land in Anoka County on which Wilf wants to put a new Vikings stadium and a mixed-use development has been designated as wetlands by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

[Durango53]

The Minnesota Vikings agreed to terms Wednesday on a four-year contract with offensive lineman Ryan Cook, their second-round draft pick.

He's guaranteed a little more than $1.5 million, including a $1.2 million signing bonus.

Cook, a standout at New Mexico who was a three-time first team All-Mountain West Conference selection, can play center and guard. He was taken with the 51st overall choice.

The Vikings have two draft picks left to sign, first-round linebacker Chad Greenway and second-round quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, before rookies are due to report to training camp on July 27.

[Durango53]

Vikings defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin was an assistant coach with Tampa Bay when defensive back Dwight Smith was a member of the Buccaneers. So for that reason and the fact that Smith is a vested NFL player and doesn't have to go through waivers, the Vikings believe they have a good chance to sign Smith, a free agent.

[Durango53]

Two reasons the Vikings offensive line should be better this season, according to coach Brad Childress, is the return of center Matt Birk, who missed all last season, and because 2005 second-round draft choice Marcus Johnson should be much improved in his second year. Then, you have the addition of Pro Bowl left guard Steve Hutchinson; a experienced right guard in Artis Hicks, who was acquired from the Eagles; and left tackle Bryant McKinnie, who Childress believes can play a lot better. Birk sat out the 2005 season after undergoing hip surgery.

[>TC<]

Hard to believe that the players report this week. It seems to early for football.

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[Durango53]

WOW you are right there. Man I havent been keeping up with the Vikings news at all. To wrapped up in other stuff going on right now!!!!!

What is the word on the rest of the picks that havnt signed?

[Durango53]

first-round linebacker Chad Greenway and second-round quarterback Tarvaris Jackson are the only two left unsigned.....

[Durango53]

Safety Dwight Smith will complete a two-day visit with the Minnesota Vikings today but said he would sign with the Buccaneers for one year if he is unable to attract a long-term deal with another team. After the Saints failed in their efforts to trade him, Smith was released despite having four years remaining on a $15-million contract.

[Durango53]

The agent for free agent Dwight Smith confirmed the defensive back will complete a two-day visit with the Vikings today. However, agent Drew Rosenhaus refused to say whether his client was close to signing with the Vikings on Monday evening. "I'm not going to have any comment on Dwight's visit," he said.

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The Minnesota Vikings agreed Tuesday to a contract with defensive back Dwight Smith, a sixth-year veteran of the NFL who was released by the New Orleans Saints last week.

Before joining the Saints, Smith played for Tampa Bay from 2001 through 2004. In the 2003 Super Bowl, Smith returned two interceptions for touchdowns in the Buccaneers' 48-21 victory over Oakland to set a Super Bowl record.

Smith, 27, will be reunited with former Tampa Bay coaches Mike Tomlin, a linebackers coach with Minnesota, and Joe Woods, who coaches the secondary for the Vikings.

"This is a great opportunity for a fresh start," Smith said. "I get to play with my old coach again. There are a bunch of great veterans already in the room. Hopefully I can be an addition that can help somewhere and I'm going to fit where needed."

Smith is expected to compete with free-agent signee Tank Williams for a starting safety spot next to Darren Sharper.


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[>TC<]

SI report card

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

What Went Right: They hired head coach Brad Childress, who isn't afraid to run off people who won't get with his program. They realized it was better to go with quarterback Brad Johnson than to gamble on the idea that Daunte Culpepper could avoid another lousy season. They also snatched Pro Bowl guard Steve Hutchinson from the Seattle Seahawks with some clever contract negotiating, and drafted a playmaking linebacker (Chad Greenway) in the first round of the draft.

What Went Wrong: They lost wide receiver Nate Burleson to Seattle when the Seahawks did some clever contract negotiating of their own as payback for losing Hutchinson. The Vikes also made the mistake of believing that Chester Taylor could be the answer to their running game. Some people in Baltimore were happy to see him leave.


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[Durango53]

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota Vikings signed quarterback Tarvaris Jackson, one of their second-round draft picks, to a four-year contract on Wednesday.

That left the Vikings with one player yet to agree to terms, linebacker Chad Greenway, their first-round selection from Iowa. Rookies and selected veterans are required to report to Mankato for training camp on Thursday.

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With rookies due to report to training camp in Mankato on Thursday evening, the Vikings cut their list of unsigned draft choices in half today when quarterback Tarvaris Jackson signed a four-year contract.

Agent Joel Segal confirmed the signing but provided no other details.

With Jackson, a second-round pick from Alabama State, in the fold, No. 1 selection Chad Greenway is the Vikings' lone unsigned draft choice.

The team is still working to sign Greenway, a linebacker from Iowa, who arrived in the Twin Cities today and said he hopes to report to camp on time.

Elsewhere on the personnel front, the Vikings agreed to terms with fullback Brandon Jones, a rookie from Purdue, and waived three players: cornerback Ukee Dozier, wide receiver Kelvin Kight and running back Taurean Henderson.


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By Dave Campbell, AP Sports Writer

These Minnesota Vikings are rife with newness.

Their headquarters at Winter Park have been expanded and partially remodeled. The entire coaching staff is different. The uniforms have been altered. A quick count, with training camp just hours away, has revealed only three returning players on the roster.

OK, so that part is not really true, but the Vikings sure have put the "v" in overhaul. This has been such an extensive renovation that it has a shot to show up one of those extreme makeover reality shows this fall. Admit it, you used to think about Daunte Culpepper when you heard or read the word turnover. Now it's the picture in the dictionary under "purple."

This is the north, though, where Scandinavian roots run deep and change is often embraced the same way as road construction and freezing rain. So take heart, fans, because at least one thing has remained constant: Nobody has a clue about how this team will fare.

4-12? 6-10? 8-8? 10-6? 12-4? 7-7-2? Um, sure.

Minnesota's franchise history, in fact, is full of such murkiness. Last year's team was a sleeper pick for the Super Bowl and wound up getting Mike Tice fired. (Though many would argue he did that to himself.)

The 1998 squad wasn't supposed to be much of anything. NFC championship game choke or not, those guys were more dominant during the regular season than any other club this generation has seen.

In 1989, the locker room was teeming with Pro Bowl players and Las Vegas odds of a title were strong. That team was bounced out of the first round of the playoffs by a 41-13 score in San Francisco.

Zygi Wilf, supported by his smiling family and friends, gave the organization a new face at the top last summer. While he's been busy chasing that new stadium, Brad Childress has been putting his touches on the operation. And they're not gentle ones.

New bosses always bring in some of their own people and a lot of their own ideas, but Childress has spent a good chunk of his coaching capital -- and it's only July.

His first and only NFL experience was in Philadelphia, where he spent seven seasons -- four as the offensive coordinator. Whether it's a trainer, an assistant, a playbook or a policy, Childress has brought with him from the Eagles everything he was allowed to take or copy. Well, just about all. Those cheesesteaks don't travel well. Oh, and Terrell Owens wasn't invited, either.

So what we have is a rookie coach, a rookie offensive coordinator and a rookie defensive coordinator. They're installing a new offense and a new defense, though some of the edge of a typical adjustment period has been taken off because of the amount of new players acquired. A lot of the newbies have used a West Coast offense or a Tampa 2 defense with other teams, too.

But with any situation like this, especially in the NFL, the forecast range is frequently quite wide. Who knows? Maybe Childress is a smaller version of Bill Parcells, and Mike Tomlin can teach this defensive scheme like nobody else before him. Maybe Chester Taylor really is the next Priest Holmes, an up-and-coming running back who never had his chance in Baltimore. Maybe Darren Sharper and Pat Williams will play just as well as they did last year.

There is, unarguably, a tremendous amount of upside with so many unknowns. There is also, of course, a stronger chance of failure, too. Without a skill-position star on offense, it's apparent that the system better be working well if the Vikings are going to score points.

It often takes coaches a while to find their groove, too -- Bill Belichick being a prime example for his struggles in Cleveland and successes with New England. So Childress could very well grow into a fine head coach in the future and not do very well in Minnesota.

Perhaps refreshingly to most fans (after all, that's half the fun, right?), all this uncertainty makes the predictions of regular-season records and playoff qualification become even more of a guessing game than they normally are with this sport.


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[>TC<]

Just in, Chad Greenway is signed and in camp today!


TC

[Durango53]

As I head off to tonight Mark you give me this tid bit of good news!!!!

Along with this there is free interent where I am headed also so I can keep track of the trade deals going down and see what is going to go on with the Twins. :D

[sox suck]

cmon guys lets face it, they suck the bears are the best in the division
culpepper is prob like 28 but he plays like his is 55.
__________________________________________________ _____

u cant touch da bears D-fence mmmmmiiiiiikkkkkkkeeee BBrrooowwwnnn
uurrllaacchheerr and bbrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiggggggggsssssssss

[>TC<]

FYI - Culpepper is playing for the Dolphins now:confused:

[>TC<]

Decent LB talent and better-than-advertised depth on the defensive line have the Vikings tinkering with a 3-4 defense. Minnesota’s LB corps has multiple players with pass-rushing skills, and defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin wants to experiment with the personnel to see if the scheme might work without completely scrapping the cover-2 base defense. NT Pat Williams and OLB Napoleon Harris are schooled in the 3-4, but the rest of the defense is getting a first taste in camp. DLs Kevin Williams and Kenechi Udeze are critical to the 3-4 being an effective alignment. Williams had 22 sacks in his first two seasons but battled weight and knee issues last year, while Udeze missed most of the season with a knee injury. If both are at full strength, the former first-round picks could be more than most offensive lines can handle.


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The Vikings’ front office isn’t fretting over public sentiment to raise the salary of QB Brad Johnson. Minnesota will address the matter privately should Johnson personally air the concern. Johnson indicated he could ask for a trade if the Vikings asked him to return for a backup, but those issues disappeared when Daunte Culpepper was dealt to Miami. Still, at $1.2 million for the 2006 season, Johnson could be the lowest-paid starting quarterback in the NFL. With 15 seasons under his belt, he rates just ahead of the veteran minimum but signed a four-year, $6 million deal prior to last season under the notion that he’d be a No. 2 quarterback. With training camp opening July 27, the Vikings hope to put out this fire before it spreads into a bigger issue. Mike McMahon, the top backup on the roster, has been unimpressive, and rookie Tarvaris Jackson and journeyman J.T. O’Sullivan aren’t prepared to be the starter.



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Tarvaris Jackson didn't win any ESPY awards like Vince Young.

His draft stock didn't skyrocket at the NFL Combine like Jay Cutler.

And the bouncers at those trendy Los Angeles night clubs that Matt Leinart likes to frequent wouldn't recognize Jackson if he was staring them right in the face.

But the little-known quarterback from Division I-AA Alabama State is out to show that the 2006 QB class doesn't end after the first round.

The anonymity suits Jackson just fine.

"I really don't even look into that stuff," he said. "The Vikings drafted me and that's all that I concentrate on -- me and my teammates. The rest of that stuff, that's the media stuff. I don't really get caught up in that stuff."

He grew up in sleepy Montgomery, Ala., living with an older sister and his mother, who worked two jobs just so she could put food on the table.

"Not that big of a town, kind of small," Jackson said of Montgomery. "My mom kind of had it hard raising us, but I never really had a problem getting in trouble. I had guys older than me looking out for me."

Jackson started his college career at Arkansas, but transferred back to Alabama State after one season because Matt Jones, now a receiver for the Jacksonville Jaguars, was firmly entrenched as the Razorbacks' starting quarterback.

Throwing for 7,893 yards and 67 touchdowns in three seasons with the Hornets certainly was impressive, but Alabama State barely registers as a blip on the college football radar screen when compared with Texas and Southern California, the tradition-rich Division I-A heavyweights where Young and Leinart starred.

So while Young and Leinart have been lauded as future saviors in Tennessee and Arizona, respectively, Vikings fans are still trying to figure out who the heck this guy is that their team traded up into the second round to get.

Being overshadowed doesn't bother Jackson because he's been overshadowed nearly his whole life.

He didn't play at Alabama or Auburn, the only two schools that really matter in the eyes of the majority of the football-crazy state.

Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback Tarvaris Jackson throws a pass during football training camp in Mankato, Minn., Saturday, July 29, 2006. Jackson was a little-known quarterback from Alabama State when the Vikings traded up to get him in the second round of April's draft. Now he's out to prove that there's more to the ballyhooed 2006 QB class than Vince Young, Matt Leinart and Jay Cutler.
AP - Jul 29, 2:41 pm EDT
More Photos
Yet Jackson just kept plugging along, praying that a tireless work ethic and an insulating group of family and friends would be enough to get him noticed.

"I always dreamed of it, but you never knew if it was going to happen," he said. "I always tried to work hard because I thought that just one day of not working hard might keep me from making it."

And while there was plenty of temptation in the poor streets of Montgomery, Jackson said he had no problem avoiding trouble despite not having a father at home.

"There were always people there, guys that have been through it, guys who were my age who were trying to always help me out," Jackson said. "They would say, 'Don't do that. Don't be like me."'

That guidance worked. After a private workout, new Vikings coach Brad Childress fell in love with his mechanics and arm strength.

On draft day, the Vikings pounced on Jackson at the end of the second round despite most projections that he would be a second-day pick at best.

With the 37-year-old Brad Johnson running the show in Minnesota, Jackson shouldn't have to wait too long to get his chance.

"You say, 'Well, is Tarvaris Jackson the quarterback of the future?"' Childress said. "In a perfect world, that would be the plan. How soon? Next year? Don't know. We'll watch, and we'll watch Brad as he goes along, too."

For now, Jackson is content learning from Johnson, who has seen just about everything there is to see in his 14 years in the NFL.

"It feels good being beside a guy who has won a Super Bowl," Jackson said. "When you get in, you try to pick his brain and learn as much as possible from him."

His work ethic is already impressing coaches and teammates, and the ball zips out of his hand with more authority than any other QB in camp.

But he still has so much to learn, and he knows that.

As Jackson walked off the field drenched in sweat after practice on Saturday evening, fans clamored for autographs and pictures, a new scenario for a guy who is not used to getting this kind of attention.

"See, you're a star now," an observer says to him.

"No," he says as a big smile creeping across his face. "Not yet."




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Sunshine glared off Darren Sharper's bald head as he stepped out of his truck Sunday afternoon. Sharper's distinctive new style was entirely purposeful.

"When I saw that it was going to be 100 degrees here," the Vikings safety said, "I thought I would shave off [my hair] and maybe it would cool me off a little bit."

As they reported for training camp at Minnesota State Mankato, veteran Vikings players were single-minded in preparing for the region's dangerous weather conditions. Style and appearance mattered little as they hauled gallons of water, Gatorade and other coping aids into their dorm rooms at Gage Center.

Temperatures are forecast to approach 100 degrees today. On Tuesday, the fifth anniversary of Vikings lineman Korey Stringer's heatstroke-related death, Vikings players will don full pads amid temperatures hovering near 90 degrees.

"It is really, really hot right now," receiver Marcus Robinson said. "I've been doing this for 10 years, and you can expect camp to be hot, but [in these temperatures] you've got to go out there and push yourself regardless. For us, it's kind of like a challenge. It's hot. Push your body, get yourself in shape. That's how we look at it."

Coach Brad Childress has scheduled an early-morning conditioning test today for all players. He was not specific, but the test is believed to consist of 16 "half-gassers" -- sprints from the goal line to the 50-yard line and back. During a minicamp version of the drill, players were encouraged to complete each sprint in 20 seconds.

Afterward, players will spend the day in meetings and then take part in a light, 85-minute practice scheduled to start at 3:30 p.m.

Childress said the team has been preparing for potentially oppressive heat since this spring, beginning with a lecture from trainer Eric Sugarman on acclimating to outdoor exertion during pre-camp workouts.

In addition, Childress said the Vikings have put the following safeguards in place:

• Sugarman will continue use of a device that helps monitor a player's internal body temperature during practice. Players swallow a "pill" that remains in their bodies for 24 to 36 hours, transmitting data to a remote sensor operated by the team's trainers.

The Vikings experimented with the device last summer in training camp.

• An inflatable ice tub, capable of holding some 20 players, has been installed along the sideline of one practice field. "If you had to cool somebody down in a hurry," Childress said, "you could do that."

During the first three days of camp, nearly all rookies and selected veterans used the tub after practice.

• For the first time, the team installed refrigerators in each dorm room, pre-packed with water and Gatorade.

• Each morning, players will submit to a urine test that measures their hydration levels.

"We really think we're on the pulse of that," Childress said. "We're mindful of [the heat], and we feel like we've got some checks and balances in place."

Childress and Sugarman gave players detailed instructions on preparing for similar conditions near the end of the Vikings' offseason program. The plan called for players to exercise outside, one hour per day, for the two weeks heading into training camp.

Today's conditioning test, Childress said, will determine who followed that guideline.

"It gives you a pretty good barometer of exactly where you are in that area," Childress said, "and who needs work and who doesn't."

Running back Chester Taylor, whose conditioning was suspect earlier this offseason, said he has been working out in Houston. Taylor also has four years' experience with training camps in the notoriously muggy Baltimore area when he played for the Ravens.

"[But] it's much hotter here than when I was in Baltimore," Taylor said. "I'll just have to keep myself hydrated, and I'll be all right."


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Four-time Pro Bowl center Matt Birk can't imagine a better offseason. But he said he has one more key obstacle to clear.

'There's that final threshold that I need to cross,' Birk said. 'I need to put the pads on and get out there. Once I go through some practices, and there's no doubt that I'm 100 percent, then it'll symbolize to me that it's been a long road back. It's been two years. So it'll kind of be like a milestone.'

Besides, for the past six to eight months, Birk said, he has been dogged by the same question: 'How do you feel?'

With hip and hernia injuries sidelining him for the entire 2005 season and costing him four games in 2004, Birk acknowledged that the question is somewhat warranted.

'For me, I have to prove that, first of all, I'm healthy, and secondly, that I can still play at a level that contributes to the team,' he said. 'So I have a lot to prove to a lot of people. But most importantly, to myself, that I am back.'

The Vikings are guardedly optimistic, knowing full well the importance of having Birk at the nucleus of their revamped offensive line.

'A center kind of directs that whole offensive line - he makes the calls, he tells people what direction to go, so that veteran leadership is huge in there just in terms of the football smarts,' Vikings coach Brad Childress said. 'Then you get a Pro Bowl-caliber football player, as well.'

A year ago, Birk was held out of the early part of training camp. Then he suffered a setback later in the preseason.

'This is a big training camp for me,' Birk said. 'Every year is a clean slate, a fresh start. But this year more so because of all the changes in the offseason. It kind of motivates you just a little bit more.'

Wary of the heat: Childress said the Vikings are mindful of the staggering heat thus far in Mankato. The entire team will be subject to a conditioning test early today, and there will be plenty of measures to monitor the players.

Trainer Eric Sugarman and his staff will use heat sensors, which keep a constant watch of players' body temperatures. The team also added a massive cold tub on the edge of the central practice field and provided each room with a small refrigerator loaded with water and Gatorade.

'The message is hydrate,' Childress said.

In addition, players' urine will be analyzed in the morning to identify candidates for dehydration.

'We really feel like we're on the pulse of that,' Childress said of heat-related illnesses. 'Particularly those skinny guys with very low body fat, they tend to cramp in a hurry and lose that water in a hurry. We're mindful of that, and we feel like we've got some checks and balances in place, and the coaches are mindful of it, as well.'

Early prediction: Cornerback Fred Smoot said the addition of safety Dwight Smith should propel the Vikings' pass defense to the top three in the NFL.

'But, hey, it's football season now, so we've got to go out and prove it,' Smoot said.

Briefly: Childress said the Vikings aren't inclined to add another kicker to take some pressure off Ryan Longwell. He said they monitor his number of kicks, just as they do the quarterbacks and punters.

* E.J. Henderson said he doesn't care which linebacker position he plays.

'In this defense, the linebackers are kind of interchangeable, but the Mike (middle linebacker) is kind of different than in the past,' he said. 'Either way, it doesn't matter.'



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The Vikings held their first full-squad practice of training camp Monday without defensive tackle Pat Williams, who was placed on the active physically-unable-to-perform list because of concerns about his weight and cardiovascular conditioning.

Coach Brad Childress was a little vague on the details, but he said enough to make it clear Williams also failed the team's morning conditioning test.

'I really think it was a few of those factors,' Childress said. 'We had a weight we were shopping with him. We didn't like where he came, even though he was within pounds of that. We wanted him to get to a certain spot. He had done just a great job. He had lost 14 or 15 pounds in the offseason, steady coming down, and it got away from him. He's as disappointed as I am, but you know you've got to make that call, and he's going to have to spend some time here and pull it back together.'

How much time is uncertain.

By rule, Williams is not eligible to participate in practices or any team activities while on the PUP list, and Childress wouldn't speculate on when the 10-year veteran might come off.

'I'd be remiss in hanging a day on it,' he said. 'I know you're not going to change any cardio in three days, just from talking to the trainers. ... You've got to see where it ends up. They weigh in and weigh out, and we usually see where they're at in the morning because that's kind of a truer indicator.'

The 6-foot-3 Williams, whose listed weight is 317 pounds, spent Monday's practice running and working out on an adjoining field with a member of the team's training staff.

Asked coming off the field why he hadn't practiced, he said: 'Just chilling. Trying to get right.' Williams never mentioned that he had been placed on the PUP list.

'I'm still here. I'm still good,' Williams added. 'I have to drop about five pounds, and I'll be ready.'

Approached by two reporters after Childress' news conference, while leaving the locker room, Williams declined to comment.

Unlike injured reserve, there is no set time a player must remain on the PUP list, so the Vikings could activate Williams at any point.

While disappointed for the veteran starter, Childress emphasized there was nothing punitive about the move.

'I want to make sure he's not harming himself,' he said. 'He did a great job conditioning in springtime, and that weight was headed down. I just want to make sure he takes care of his business from a cardio standpoint with this heat.'

During team drills Monday, free-agent defensive tackle Ross Kolodziej worked in Williams' spot with the first team.

Except for Williams, Childress said he was happy with the results of the conditioning tests, which were held at 8:30 a.m. to beat the heat.

'I would say the great majority were way, way, way better than average,' Childress said. 'I was pleased with their level of conditioning, by and large.'

Since their big right tackle, Korey Stringer, died of heatstroke following a sweltering practice in 2001, the Vikings and the rest of the NFL have increased measures for keeping players from harm.

"I don't think you fear it if you prepare for it," Childress said.

The team is testing players' urine to watch for susceptibility to dehydration and giving some of them special pills that monitor body temperature -- along with making sure plenty of ice, water and shade is available on the field.

"The heat's good," guard Chris Liwienski said. "It gets you in condition, but too much can be a little dangerous. We're taking all the precautions."

Liwienski stopped next to a fence near the practice field entrance to talk, clutching a fast-disappearing bottle of Gatorade in one hand. He's one of only three players left from 2001 -- exactly five years ago Tuesday -- when Stringer died.

"He definitely enters in my thoughts from time to time. There's no doubt about it," Liwienski said. "I played a number of good years with him, and he's still dearly missed."



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Entering his sixth season in the NFL and second with the Minnesota Vikings, Koren Robinson is still trying to prove his worthiness and find his place on the Vikings and in the league.

Last season, Robinson came to the Vikings as a kickoff returner from the Seattle Seahawks and thrived in his new role. He led the NFC with a 26.0 return yard average, which earned him a berth in the pro bowl. This season, Robinson and the Vikings hope he thrives in another new role — as the No. 1 wide receiver entering training camp.

“I’m going to have a big role, more than what I did last year,” Robinson said. “I’m feeling like I still have to improve. I’m a wide receiver at heart and do the kick returning, too. I feel like this is my opportunity to show everybody I’m still that fire at wideout. I still can play. I can play with the best of them at wideout. I feel like I’ve still a lot to prove.”

A good way to start to prove himself as a wide receiver would be to return to form of years past. He notched career highs in catches (78), receiving yards (1,240) and touchdowns (5) in his second season in 2002. His numbers fell slightly the next season, and were nearly cut in half in 2004, his last year with the Seahawks, due to a limited number of games.

In a limited receiving role last season, he flashed his play-making ability with an 80-yard touchdown pass against Detroit in Week 13.

It’s that type of big play capability the Vikings missed early last season and hope Robinson will return to the field this season, except this time in a larger role.

Robinson says the new offense is similar to the one he had some success with in Seattle.

“It’s an offensive playbook that I ran in for four years in Seattle. I’ve got the offense down, just got to get the coaches down,” Robinson said. “It’s basically the same offense, just a different word here or there. Once you’ve been around the league like I’ve been through in two different offenses, it’s the same concept, different terminology.”

When the Vikings signed Robinson last September, they knew they were signing a recovering alcoholic. So far Robinson has proved his doubters wrong and his signing has paid off.

He’s proclaimed he’s kicked his alcohol addiction and all distractions from the past are gone.

“There’s no distractions for me anywhere. I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do to better myself ... I just had to take some time for myself to get right,” Robinson said. “I’m always mindful of situations to learn something to better myself. Those situations are always good.”

Robinson enters this season as a veteran of the Vikings and as a player some of the younger receivers can look to for advice. And with the number of quality receivers in camp, he feels the position will be a strong point this season.

“We have a lot of good wide receivers. I think we have everything across the board. We’re underrated, so we have to go out and prove ourselves,” Robinson said. “But there’s also pressure on the receiving corps, especially me and Troy (Williamson) being the star receivers.”

Now Vikings fans can only hope he lives up to his expectations this season.


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MANKATO —
Even as he was starting the final nine games of the 2005 season, even as he was compiling four sacks and 34 tackles, Erasmus James never felt completely comfortable during his first year in the NFL, he said Monday.


Fresh out of an ice bath after the first full-team practice of training camp, the defensive end said this may be his second time through the league, but he’s feeling like a rookie all over again.

“It feels good,” James said. “It feels like a fresh start.”

Actually, this is James’ first, first-week experience in Mankato.

A year ago, the first-round draft pick (No. 18 overall) was a holdout before signing a five-year contract 10 days into training camp.

“He had a good offseason. We expect him to make a jump,” Vikings coach Brad Childress said. “You should make a jump your second year. He’s had one lap around the track, but he (was late for camp last summer) so this is new for him.”

Everything’s new, James said, considering the new coaching staff and the changes Childress and his assistants brought with them.

James said he thought last year’s coaches held his holdout against him most of the season, even when he was a starter, and he never felt like he ever figured out the team’s ever-changing defensive system.

“It wasn’t the right type of coaching staff for me,” James said. “When I got here, I felt a lot of pressure because I got here late, even though guys come in late to camp all the time.”

Now, with defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin’s “Tampa 2” defense, the 6-foot-4, 266-pound end already seems more comfortable than he was last season.

“Last year is out the window,” he said.

James’ success will be key to the success of the defense, both coaches and players said.

James compiled 18 sacks during his career at the University of Wisconsin and had 16 quarterback hurries in 15 games with the Vikings as a rookie.

“It’s important for the edges (to get pressure),” Childress said, “but it’s also important to push the pocket into the quarterback’s lap.”

Safety Darren Sharper said James and third-year defensive end Kenechi Udeze are up to the task, and if they’re successful, Sharper will be licking his chops.

“It’s important how (the defensive ends) play,” Sharper said. “I think they can carry the team. Those two guys can create a lot of turnovers. Those defensive ends can get up the field and cause some easy turnovers.”


The pads will go on today, and James is ready to erase the past and look forward to the rest of camp and the upcoming season.

It’s not unlike his job as a pass rusher.

“It’s just about getting on that edge,” he said, “then it’ll be full speed ahead.”


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Vikings | D. Smith gets some work with No. 1 defense
Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:47:58 -0700

Kevin Seifert and Judd Zulgad, of the Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings SS Dwight Smith got some time with the No. 1 defense opposite FS Darren Sharper during practice Monday, July 31.


Vikings | T. Williams gets some work with No. 1 defense
Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:47:08 -0700

Kevin Seifert and Judd Zulgad, of the Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings SS Tank Williams got some time with the No. 1 defense opposite FS Darren Sharper during practice Monday, July 31.


Vikings | D. Thomas works with No. 2 defense
Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:45:29 -0700

Kevin Seifert and Judd Zulgad, of the Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings LB Dontarrious Thomas worked with the No. 2 defense during practice Monday, July 31.


Vikings | N. Harris works with No. 1 defense at middle linebacker
Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:38:25 -0700

Kevin Seifert and Judd Zulgad, of the Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings LB Napoleon Harris worked with the No. 1 defense at middle linebacker during practice Monday, July 31. Harris played between LB E.J. Henderson and LB Ben Leber


Vikings | McMullen changes to No. 12
Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:28:48 -0700

Kevin Seifert and Judd Zulgad, of the Star Tribune, reports Minnesota Vikings WR Billy McMullen has changed from No. 84 to No. 12. Not only does he prefer to have a number in the teen, but he would have been the first Viking to wear No. 84 since WR Randy Moss, who moved on to the Oakland Raiders. McMullen said, "It's something you don't need."


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[sox suck]

Face it guys, the vikings wont even make it to
the playoffs. They wont even get 10 wins okay.
The bears win the division and the skins get
wild card.
Packers and vikings suck, face the facts
they aint got nobody

[I Are Baboon]

What an ass bandit.

[>TC<]

I wouldn't count too heavliy on the Bears. The last time they had a big season, they came back with a 4-12 effor the next year. They'll be solid but not as good as last year.

The Vikings will be somewhere in the 8-8 to 10-6 ballpark. Don't know if that will be good enough for a playoff spot.


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MANKATO —

In the best hitting so far in training camp, the Minnesota Vikings defense made quite an impression with some good hits.

Dwight Smith opened the spirited afternoon practice with a hard tackle on running back Chester Taylor, then linebacker Ben Leber threw down running back Mewelde Moore and celebrated loudly. Later, safety Will Hunter hit receiver Troy Williamson hard enough to knock Williamson’s helmet off, with the crowd’s oohs and aahs echoing within Blakeslee Stadium.

“The best way to approach (training camp) is to get physical early,” middle linebacker Napoleon Harris said. You get your pads on, you get a sweat. As training camp goes on, that kind of slows down.”

The highlight of the practice came when the first-team offense went against the first-team defense in a goal-line drill. The offense scored on the first play on a play-action pass as Brad Johnson found tight end Jim Kleinsasser alone in the middle of the end zone.

“Way too easy,” coach Brad Childress yelled to the defense. “You’re way better than that.”

On the next series, the defense stopped Chester Taylor for a 1-yard loss, then fullback Tony Richardson scored on an off-tackle run behind left guard Steve Hutchinson and left tackle Bryant McKinnie.

The other offensive highlight came when Brad Johnson connected with Williamson on a 65-yard pass play. Johnson threw the ball 45 to 50 yards to Williamson, who had gotten behind safety Darren Sharper and cornerback Antoine Winfield.

Edwards impresses

As a sophomore at Purdue, Ray Edwards was considered one of the top defensive ends in the country. Then last season, his production slipped and he was taken out of the Boilermakers’ starting lineup, with questions about his effort.

That caused the 6-foot-5, 268-pound Edwards to slip into fourth round of the draft where the Vikings were waiting. At 21, he’s the youngest player on the Vikings’ roster, and defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said Edwards is the fastest pass rusher.

“He’s an interesting guy,” Tomlin said with a big smile. “It’s very early, and we’ll have to wait to see how the mental grind of training camp wears on him. Talent is not the issue.”


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MANKATO —

Bitter? Not a chance.

Resentful? No way.

Frustrated? Not by any means.

Fourth-year Vikings running back Mewelde Moore went into the offseason with high expectations for 2006. He had just finished a breakout season in which he lead the team in rushing (662 yards), punt returns (245 yards) and ranked third in receiving yards (339 yards).

When Michael Bennett left via free agency and Onterrio Smith was waived, it was apparent Moore would be the top running back when play resumed in September. That all changed on March 11, when the Vikings signed free-agent running back Chester Taylor from Baltimore and quickly anointed him the No. 1 back for 2006.

Few would have blamed Moore for being upset, but that’s not his way. In fact, sitting second or third on the depth chart is something he’s grown accustomed to.

“Ever since I’ve been here it’s been like that,” Moore said this week. “First I was behind Michael Bennett, then they drafted Onterrio and I was behind him, and now they brought in Chester.

“It doesn’t matter to me who’s No. 1 or No. 2, I just want a chance to play and contribute. I’m a football player and I make plays. I’ve been fortunate to be able to do that my first few years here and I’m going to try to continue to do that.”

Moore will undoubtedly get his share of opportunities. Last year he accounted for 1,246 combined yards (662 rushing, 339 receiving, 245 on punt returns, 72 on kickoff returns) and possesses the qualities that make him a natural fit for Childress’ version of the West Coast offense. Moore says he’s excited about the new offense.

“This offense is going to give me the opportunity to catch passes and I’m really happy about that. I love getting my hands on the ball any way I can and it looks like this offense will provide me that chance to contribute.”

Although he is not penciled in as the Vikings’ starting running back for 2006, Moore still has high expectations for 2006.

Moore wants to improve as the team’s primary punt returner (21 returns for 273 yards in 2005), hopes to become a better blocker in the backfield and expects to move the chains when he spells Taylor at running back.

Childress also expects a lot from Moore.

“We know he has the skills to be a pass receiver (out of the backfield),” Childress said.

“He’s the back-up to Chester right now. He has to be able to run it between the tackles (like we expect all our backs to do).”


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MANKATO - The Vikings have settled their grievance case with former personnel director Fran Foley, according to two people with knowledge of the situation. Terms of the arrangement were undisclosed and apparently still are being finalized. Foley had nearly $1 million remaining on his contract when the Vikings fired him May 2.

The decision means the NFL will not carry through with plans for an arbitration hearing to determine whether the Vikings owed Foley the full remainder of his salary. "The parties have agreed not to comment on the case," said Jeffrey Kessler, Foley's attorney.

The Vikings repeatedly have said they would not comment. An NFL spokesman said he had nothing to report on the issue.

The Vikings fired Foley one day after the draft amid reports of an abrasive management style and an inaccurate résumé. The team initially was unable to reach a contract settlement with him, prompting Foley to hire Kessler and pursue a wrongful termination case. Rick Spielman replaced Foley on May 30 as vice president of player personnel.



TC

[>TC<]

Thursday, August 3rd, 2006 by Judd Zulgad

At one point during team drills in the morning practice Brad Childress said, “I haven’t heard a pad pop yet.”

Shortly thereafter pads were popping all over the place. Defensive end DeQuincy Scott limped off the field on the play after Childress told his players to get more physical. Later, receiver Troy Williamson made a diving catch and fell out of bounds only to have linebacker Dontarrious Thomas put a big hit on him. Receiver Kevin Kasper might have taken the hit of the camp so far. After making a catch, safety Tank Williams blasted him.

Tackle Donald Penn and DeQuincy Scott nearly got into the first altercation of training camp but teammates were quick to make sure nothing happened.

Linebacker E.J. Henderson had one of the defensive highlights of the morning, picking off a poorly thrown ball by J.T. O’Sullivan and then taking off down the sideline. That came in team drills. In seven-on-seven, linebacker Napoleon Harris picked off a Brad Johnson pass after safety Darren Sharper tipped it.

Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell was pleased with Johnson’s play in the morning, saying, “Brad had one of his better days today.”

On special teams, running back Mewelde Moore is the top punt return man right now. Several players are getting looks in both that role and on kick returns. Moore, Williamson, Kasper and Koren Robinson all returned kicks during drills.


TC

[Durango53]

If Tank Williams is ever to play a game for the Vikings, it almost certainly won't be until 2007. Coach Brad Childress said Sunday that the fractured left kneecap suffered by the veteran safety in practice a day earlier, "will probably be a season-ending injury." As of Sunday evening, the Vikings hadn't placed Williams on injured reserve -- a move that would officially end his season.
This blows big time. I was looking forward to this season and with Tank there. But man how big is the signing of Dwight Smith now.

[Durango53]

Vikings DT Kevin Williams sat out Sunday because of swelling in his surgically repaired right knee and is day to day, Childress said. "He's had a chronic knee since coming out of college, and it's two-a-days," Childress said. "The wear and tear takes its toll, and so we shut him down today."

[Durango53]

The other day Vikings coach Brad Childress said: "It's not how you start the season, it's the way you finish." Yes, it might be a tough start for the Vikings with the opener at Washington and then home games with Carolina and the Bears, two of the powers in the league. And the fourth game at Buffalo won't be easy. Even Childress might question what type of start this team will have with so many changes on the 53-man roster.

[Durango53]

Vikings QB Brad Johnson conducted his news conference Sunday wearing a baseball cap that had the name "Moon" and the No. 1 on the front. Fullback Tony Richardson, who returned from Canton, Ohio, after watching former NFL quarterback Warren Moon get inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, brought the hat back for Johnson. The cap was powder blue, the color that the Houston Oilers used to wear. Moon spent 10 seasons with Houston before joining the Vikings in 1994. Johnson was Moon's teammate for the three seasons Moon spent in Minnesota. "I was extremely happy for Warren making the Hall of Fame," Johnson said. "He probably affected my career more than anybody."

[>TC<]

John Clayton:Vikings ditching flash for substance

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp06/columns/story?columnist=clayton_john&id=2541987&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines


Good read

TC

[Durango53]

That was a good read. As you and I have been sick about the last two years is the lack of running from the Vikings should turn around this year. With Brad as the starting QB now he isnt going to have the arm to chunk it deep 5 out of 6 times so the running game has to come to play. Childress has had some solid running back teams in the past and knows that and with a line like the Vikings have they about have to run. I am excited about this team. I like most dont know what to expect but I am excited about the future of this team with Wilf spending money and wanting to win.

One other thing about that read is that it brings up my fears again about Mike Tomlin. He isnt going to be around long at all I feel. He is going to be a head coach in a couple of years.

[Durango53]

Rookie Vikings QB Tarvaris Jackson left Alabama with good advice about being careful on snowy Minnesota roads in the winter and, ah, steamy boats in the summer. "Stay off those party boats," warned coach Lawrence Cole when the three of us crossed paths unexpectedly last month on my trip to Montgomery, Ala. Cole apparently was up on all the bad publicity some Vikings brought to the team by taking part in the sex cruise on Lake Minnetonka last season.

[Durango53]

Vikings QB Brad Johnson is set to be the lowest-paid starting quarterback in the NFL this season, making a salary less than many veteran backups. Well, one thing about Johnson and his agent, they aren't going to negotiate in the media like others do. But it wouldn't surprise me if Johnson has a new contract by the time the Vikings take the field Monday in their preseason opener against the Oakland Raiders.

[Durango53]

Tickets still remain for all 10 Vikings games this season at the Metrodome, including Monday night's preseason opener against Oakland. But the team remains confident it will continue its 8-year run of sellouts. "We're pretty much on track," said Steve LaCroix, vice president of sales and marketing. "We will continue the streak."

[>TC<]

Leber: Vikings best fit for me
South Dakota native is currently starting weakside linebacker on team’s depth chart

By Shane Frederick
The Free Press

MANKATO —

The Minnesota Vikings hold training camp about 230 miles from linebacker Ben Leber’s hometown of Vermillion, S.D.

Leber has appreciated the proximity, as his parents and friends have made the 3 1⁄2-hour drive to south-central Minnesota to watch him and his new team practice.

But Midwestern roots aren’t what lured Leber back, when the former San Diego Charger signed a five-year, $20 million contract with the Vikings last March.

“Not at all,” Leber said. “I knew I had to sign with a team that was the best fit for me. Fortunately, it turned out to be a team that was close to home.”

While Leber had family in the Minnesota State University stands, there haven’t been too many other sets of eyes focused on him.

When it comes to the linebacking corps, first-round draft pick Chad Greenway and veterans E.J. Henderson and Napoleon Harris have garnered most of the attention so far.

Camp began with those players’ spots on the depth chart in flux. But Leber was all but set as the starter on the strong side from the first day of camp.

“Ben is doing some good things,” defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said. “He’s been really solid. Ben is a guy that we have been rolling around positionally because he is so sharp, and we haven’t held him back in that regard.”

Leber’s ability to play the run and in coverage has made him a good fit in Tomlin’s Tampa 2 defense.

“He has a great head on his shoulders,” said Greenway, Leber’s roommate and also a South Dakota native. “He plays smart, he plays physical, he plays fast. He fits in (to the defensive system) because he’s versatile.”

On Tuesday, the Vikings released an official depth chart for the first time with Leber on the strong side, Harris in the middle and Henderson on the weak side, backed up by Greenway.

“There are always questions in the offseason,” Leber said, “and I think right now we’ve answered the call. Guys are confident. They’re looking good.”

Leber started 52 of the 57 games he played for San Diego, although a foot injury cut his season short after nine games last year. He’s compiled 204 career tackles and 12 sacks. Although he has no interceptions, he’s forced four fumbles.

“You can tell that he’s a veteran,” Tomlin said.

Henderson said Leber’s presence has added maturity to the position. Leber and Harris, both fifth-year players, are the team’s most-experienced linebackers.

[>TC<]

The hit man
Coaches like what they see in physical rookie CB Cedric Griffin

By Jim Rueda
The Free Press

MANKATO —

There may have been better guys at diagnosing a play, there may have been others who were more polished at man-on-man coverage, but when the Minnesota Vikings selected Cedric Griffin from the University of Texas in the second round of April’s NFL draft, that’s not what they were looking for.

They wanted a guy who could hit and flat out tackle, and that’s why they selected the 6-foot, 203-pound Griffin.

“We talk about creating a frenzy schematically in this defense, with big men running and little guys hitting,” defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said. “Those are the things that attracted us to Cedric Griffin. (At his position he was) arguably the most physical (player) in the draft.”

After a handful of minicamps and two weeks of training camp, Tomlin, head coach Brad Childress and the rest of the coaching staff have liked what they’ve seen from the cornerback. They’ve singled him out a few times after practice for his hard hits and overall progress.

“It makes you feel good when the coaches give you praise but, at the same time, you have to look past that because you really haven’t proven yourself in any area,” Griffin said this week. “I’m still working. I still have a long way to go.”

Griffin, the 48th overall pick in the draft, not only carries a reputation as a fierce hitter, but also as player with durability. He started 38 straight games at Texas over the final three seasons of his college career. In his final game, the Longhorns upset USC to win the national championship.

He was a member of a Texas defense that was ranked in the top 10 three times during his four-year collegiate career. Griffin played in three bowl games, finishing his career with 275 tackles, 32 pass break-ups and three interceptions.

Although he’s been a professional for only a few months, Griffin knows his college stats are already irrelevant. He realizes the NFL is a what-have-you-done-for-me-lately enterprise.

“This is a whole different level here,” he said. “Hopefully the coaches can prepare me and I can learn the proper way to play in the NFL. I’m ready to take the next step.”

Like many of the younger players, Griffin says his biggest challenge in training camp is to minimize his errors. Physically he believes he’s keeping up all right but, as far as feeling completely comfortable in the team’s defensive scheme, he still has a long way to go.

“I’m working on cutting down my mental mistakes,” he said. “We’re lining up in formations and seeing what the offense is running so we can learn to make better keys. We’re also working on our footwork so we can get better on that transition stuff.”

Special teams coach Paul Ferraro says Griffin has also looked good on kick and punt coverage but cautions that there’s a big difference between doing it in practice and doing it in a game.

“The hard thing for us as coaches in the preseason is that we don’t have many live situations,” Ferraro said. “Guys can look great running down the field, but it’s all going to come down to Monday night when (rookies like Griffin) have to take on a live blocker, take on a live ball carrier and make something happen. I’m looking forward to seeing some of the younger guys get after it.”

Whether it’s special teams or working out behind Antoine Winfield as the No. 2 cornerback on the left side, Griffin says he’s taking nothing for granted.

“I treat it like I don’t have a roster spot and I have to compete every day because no spot is guaranteed in the NFL,” he said. “You have to come out every day and compete with the next guy.”

[>TC<]

Practice cut as players fall


By Chad Courrier
The Free Press

MANKATO —

Injuries continue to mount for the Minnesota Vikings, and perhaps in an effort to give the players more rest and less contact, coach Brad Childress called off the morning practice 30 minutes early and the short, no-pads afternoon practice was canceled.

Receiver Marcus Robinson, running back Ciatrick Fason and tackle Bryant McKinnie each left practice early Wednesday, though none of the injuries appeared to be serious. Robinson “tweaked” a neck injury, and he returned to the practice field but did not participate in any drills. Fason suffered a concussion during a goal-line drill, and after trainers attended to him on the field, Fason walked to the locker room under his own power, shaking his head. McKinnie had a hand injury, and his right wrist and hand were heavily taped before practice. McKinnie walked off the field accompanied by trainers.

Free-agent linebacker Marcus Lawrence also missed practice with an unknown injury.

“We tell the guys to come out here and do what we do and trust that we’ll have their overall best interest at heart, in terms of taking care of them,” defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin said.

The amount of contact has been an issue at camp since players started getting injured. Childress said on Tuesday that some contact is necessary, and there is one live period scheduled every day. He was not available to comment on Wednesday.

Safety Darren Sharper had a hamstring strain on Tuesday, but he was back on the field Wednesday, participating in some of the drills. Running back Chester Taylor (groin), defensive lineman Kevin Williams (knee) and linebacker Chad Greenway (concussion) have all missed practice time in the last week because of injury, though each has since returned to the field. Safety Tank Williams was lost to a knee injury on Tuesday, but that injury was not caused by contact.

Interceptions aplenty

During a seven-on-seven drill, the Vikings’ defense made several good plays, including interceptions by linebacker Kyle McKenzie and cornerback Dustin Fox. Cornerbacks Ronyell Whitaker and Dovonte Edwards both made diving breakups.

“I think things are starting to click, and we’re coming together as a defense,” Whitaker said. “There’s a lot of competition out there, we’re just trying to find out who meshes with who. We’re raising the level of competition, and the guys want to compete.”

Tomlin said it’s nice to see interceptions, but he also knows the defense has to make more traditional three-and-out stops, too.

“You take it when you can get it,” Tomlin said.

Notes

Backup quarterback Mike McMahon and long-snapper Cullen Loeffler were the last players on the practice field, as McMahon worked on his holding skills. Punter Chris Kluwe is listed as the primary holder, with quarterback Brad Johnson as the backup. However, starting quarterbacks are rarely the holder, except in emergencies. “I’ve done it in the past,” McMahon said. “I was just working on it because you never know.” ...

Left guard Artis Hicks manhandled rookie defensive end Ray Edwards during consecutive pass-rushing drills. ...

[>TC<]

Another day for E.J.

E.J. Henderson continues to have an outstanding camp. While the linebacker’s highlights have mostly included big hits, on Thursday, he made a nice interception of a Brad Johnson pass during 7-on-7 drills.

Henderson tipped the ball before securing it for the pick.

“With this defense, it lets you be more instinctual,” Henderson said.



Wiggin to Hall

Vikings head coach Brad Childress made a point of congratulating Paul Wiggin on his induction to the College Football Hall of Fame at the beginning of his morning press conference. He also complimented former 49ers great Jerry Rice and one of his former players at Illinois, David Williams, for making it into the Hall in the same class.

Wiggin has been a longtime pro scout for the Vikings. He played defensive tackle at Stanford from 1954-56 and also coached there in the early 1980s. Wiggin was also a head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.

[>TC<]

Notes

Childress said he had a phone conversation Wednesday with Philadelphia head coach Andy Reid. The bulk of the discussion centered on Oakland whom the Eagles played Saturday and the Vikings play Monday. ... Free agent signee Dovonte Edwards has been excelling on special teams in training camp. Childress described him as a “real gunner and a very, very, very good special teams player.” The cornerback has a chance to make the final roster as long as he keeps on improving. ... Childress says fans should not judge back-up quarterbacks strictly on their performances in practice. Most of the time those back-ups are playing with the second and third units. “If that (back-up) could take those snaps with all the No. 1 wideouts and offensive line and running backs, a lot of times the picture’s different,” he said. “You’re remiss if you judge that third quarterback behind the third offensive line because, in some instances, he’ll be running for his life.”


Injury update

Back-up center Jason Whittle had to be carted off the field Thursday morning when he started experiencing a rapid heart rate and trainers were unable to get it to slow down. According to head coach Brad Childress he’s had the problem in the past and the team wants to be careful with the situation.

Wide receiver Koren Robinson was held out of morning practice Thursday with a sore knee. Another veteran wideout, Marcus Robinson, was also sidelined with a slightly sprained neck he twisted on Tuesday.

Ciatrick Fason suffered a slight concussion in 9-on-7 drills Wednesday and served only as a spectator during Thursday’s morning practice.

Starting safety Darren Sharper returned to practice full tilt on Thursday after being limited with a tweaked hamstring Wednesday.

[>TC<]

On either side, Scott's an asset
Defensive end adds depth

By Jim Rueda
The Free Press

MANKATO —

Third-year end Darrion Scott has been playing the lineman shuffle since he began his career with the Minnesota Vikings in 2004. But the former third-round draft pick out of Ohio State has no problems with learning different positions.

“I played the left side my rookie year and moved over to the right side my second year,” he said. “Now I’m playing left end again and it looks like I might be expected to play inside a little on some passing down.

“I’m really not being asked to do anything differently than I have in the past. My role is still basically the same; nothing has changed except for the scheme.”

Scott’s versatility was apparent last season as he started the first seven games at right defensive end and moved to left end where he started the final eight games at left defensive end. His move coincided with the insertion of Erasmus James into the lineup and helped Minnesota go 7-2 down the stretch.

Defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin was not around last season but he’s not surprised that the 6-foot, 280-pound end played well in the second half of 205.

“(Darrion Scott) is a powerful guy and he’s more athletic than you think he is,” Tomlin said. “He’s doing some good things and, quite frankly, we need him to have a great camp and play well.”

Last year Scott ranked second among Vikings’ defensive linemen with 80 tackles and with four sacks. He was also third on the team with 14 quarterback hurries. As of now, he is listed behind starter Kenechi Udeze on the team’s depth chart at left end.

“This team definitely has a lot of depth on the line,” Scott said. “(Defensive line) coach (Karl) Dunbar and (defensive assistant) coach (Brendan) Daly have a done a tremendous job as far as going back and showing us technique. We’ve made some nice progress from back in mini-camps in Eden Prairie up until now.”

Scott says the scheme being implemented is similar to the scheme used by Indianapolis. It relies on smaller, quicker defensive ends who can get after the quarterback.

“They want us getting upfield and they want us to be able to play the whole game and not get fatigued,” he said. “We need to be light and quick and get after it and cause lots of havoc. Even the big guys up front, like Kevin Williams and Pat Williams, are athletic enough to get upfield and to keep the quarterback from stepping up.”

Tomlin is looking forward to seeing how Scott and the rest of the defensive linemen fare against Oakland on Monday night. He says you can tell a lot about a player when they are facing “live bullets” as opposed to their teammates in practice.”

“We need to create competition at the end position and Darrion is doing that,” Tomlin said. “He’s driving everybody in the group. I can’t wait to see those guys play and sort themselves out.”

[Durango53]

Great stuff Mark keep it coming!!!!!!

LOVE all the South Dakota boys on the team!!!! :D I am very excited about the defense this year. This will be a team I am excited to watch again with the kind of football I grew up watching and loving. Running the ball and defense!!!!!

Excited about how they are talking about the linebackers!!! But then again they are going against themselves and the offense I am sure has to get on the same page and get there timing down so we will have to wait and see about that. But with how I feel the D-Line will be and the D-Backs it will help the linebackers out a ton.

Kind of scared about all the concussion's that are being reported! There must be some hard hitting going on in camp. But then again guys have to impress the new coachs and are laying it on the line.

Great news on Cedric Griffin. Man if he can be the hitter and come in on the dime and nickle (I would think Fox would be the nickle back now though) and lay some wood down to knock the ball loose that would be great!

Scott is going to be that guy it seems that he will be good and good enough for most teams to start (if he got the reps) but with as good as the D-line is for the Vikings he will be the odd man out. I was ticked about Johnstone leaving but the other two should fill his spot full time just fine and if one of them go down Scott will get plenty of playing time and should anyway. Taking P. Williams out on passing downs and giving Udeze and James some plays off to rest also.

[Durango53]

Vikings coach Brad Childress came to the defense of backup quarterback Mike McMahon on Thursday but wouldn't rule out the possibility of rookie Tarvaris Jackson winning the No. 2 job. "It just depends on how hard he pushes, how much can he do," Childress said. "I imagine there'll be one of these preseason games, we sit a quarterback and let another one play so that more can play. I think that's a good way … to watch a guy play for an extended period of time." Jackson, a second-round draft choice from Division I-AA Alabama State, was expected to spend this season as the Vikings' No. 3 quarterback, with McMahon serving as primary backup to starter Brad Johnson.

[Durango53]

Brock Lesnar, the former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion who became a professional wrestler, will announce this weekend in Las Vegas his plans to become an "ultimate fighting" competitor.

[>TC<]

Minnesotan and former heavyweight contender, Scott Ledoux is training Lesner in the art of boxing and how to punch. For decades, Scott LeDoux has been a major figure in heavyweight boxing.

He faced 11 world champions including Muhammad Ali, Ken Norton, Leon Spinks, George Foreman and Larry Holmes. He later became a boxing analyst for ESPN.

He recently was named head of the Minnesota State Boxing Commission by Gov. Pawlenty.

[Durango53]

Vikings coach Brad Childress turned down an offer for a weekly show on KSTP-TV this season that would have paid him more than Mike Tice received from the station when he coached the Vikings.

[Durango53]

Former pro wrestler Brock Lesnar, who is training to become an "ultimate fighting" competitor, on his tryout with the Vikings as a defensive tackle two years ago: "I was out of my element. But this fight game fits me quite well."

[Durango53]

Monday night football for the Vikings tonight!!!!
Minnesota's starters will play all of the first quarter on Monday.

[Durango53]

Vikings CB Fred Smoot could miss Monday night's game with a mild neck injury.

[Durango53]

Vikings OT Bryant McKinnie has a broken left hand.

RB Mewelde Moore is expected to be the Vikings' primary kick returner, taking over for WR Koren Robinson.

[Durango53]

Greenway hurt and dont look good.....

And man Kornhole sucks so bad. At least there is a baseball game on so I can mute that dork. The Vikings "Traded Culpepper so they can keep Brad Johnson" ya come on you idiot if you paid attention to sports some you might have learned that he was wanting more money for doing nothing and then threw a fit over it...

[Durango53]

Tarvaris Jackson has looked solid and making quick good throws and moving the team up in the 2 minute drill.......

[LesPaul]

Tarvaris Jackson has looked solid and making quick good throws and moving the team up in the 2 minute drill.......

i had a crazy thought last night with all the talk about Johnson being the most underpaid starter in the league and the awesome performance of Jackson in the 2nd quarter...

i have not followed the preseason news but last i knew Johnson was for sure the starter but could it be there is actually a QB battle going on in camp? i am not sure what Jackson signed for so it might be a bogus thought but could Johnson not be getting a raise be any sign that the Vikes might be keeping the option open for Jackson to take the reigns as a rookie depending on how the offseason goes?

i know Johnson's personality would lead to him not raising a fuss about what he is getting paid but really, if he is going to be the starter i would hope he would see a raise of some kind...

i would bet you guys have already discussed Johnsons situation somewhere in this thread... :D

[LesPaul]

http://www.startribune.com/510/story/614644.html

:( here is some of the article...

"The Vikings might have suffered a loss far greater than their 16-13 preseason setback against Oakland on Monday night at the Metrodome. Rookie linebacker Chad Greenway, the Vikings' first-round pick in the NFL draft, left the game in the first quarter because of an injury to his left knee. Greenway will have an MRI this morning, and indications Monday night were that it could be a season-ending tear to his anterior cruciate ligament. "

[LesPaul]

How about the Vikings new jerseys?!?

[Durango53]

I liked the new threads.

That sucks and hurts with Greenway.

Brad will be the starter this year and the first year like Culpepper just keep him number 3 on the starting and let him learn will be best for Tarvaris Jackson. But he did look good. We saw how the team was hurt last night by Brad not being able to get the ball down field with some zip on it but he dont turn the ball over.

[Durango53]

Randy Moss said he and Daunte Culpepper could have built a dynasty here, and now they are both gone and the Vikings will be the ones who suffer. Culpepper is now with the Miami Dolphins. Moss, drafted by the Vikings in 1998, said he plans to sell his house here because "it's time for me to sell, and get out of Minnesota." Asked what he thought of the Vikings' performance, he said: "They need to go back [to camp] and do a little more work."

[Durango53]

For first time since training camp opened , Zygi Wilf was willing to discuss his team. "I'm very excited," Wilf said before the Vikings preseason game against the Raiders. "This is a team that is poised to do great things. We've put together a great staff, a great coaching staff, players that are going to respond to the team effort. I'm very excited." Wilf, who has daily contact with coach Brad Childress and front office members Rick Spielman and Rob Brzezinski, said he now has "the right people in place" for the front office.

[>TC<]

It's been confirmed - Greenway is out for the season with a torn ACL



TC

[>TC<]

Looks like the Vikings are in serious trouble on offense

Koren Robinson is sitting in jail as I write this, arrested during the night in St. Peter, MN for driving while impaired

With his past record, my guess is that he'll be getting a long suspension from the league.

This is not good news


TC

[LesPaul]

Looks like the Vikings are in serious trouble on offense

Koren Robinson is sitting in jail as I write this, arrested during the night in St. Peter, MN for driving while impaired

With his past record, my guess is that he'll be getting a long suspension from the league.

This is not good news


TC


just read this on ESPN, sad news :(

bad news two days in a row now...

[Durango53]

Koren Robinson, arrested during the night in St. Peter, MN for driving while impaired
TC
Add high speed chase to this also.......

[LesPaul]

Add high speed chase to this also.......


lets just hope he did not make any comments about the officer or anyone else :cool:

[LesPaul]

Hutchinson had driven his man off the line of scrimmage when Richardson slammed into his back in the end zone for the touchdown.

"I didn't feel him," Hutchinson said. "They were talking on the sideline about how hard he hit me. But I don't really remember what happened on that play."

Richardson said he thinks he knows why the $49 million, All-Pro guard didn't feel the hit.

"Steve is a monster," Richardson said. "When you're that big and you're carrying that much mass, I'm probably like a fly on his back."

If nothing else, Richardson and Hutchinson know how to find the end zone. Richardson blocked for Priest Holmes in 2002 when his 27 rushing touchdowns broke the NFL record. Last year, Hutchinson blocked for Shaun Alexander when his 28 TDs broke Holmes' record.

"And Chester Taylor reminds me a lot of Holmes, so we have that, too," Richardson said. "I mean, look at him over there. He might not be the biggest guy, but he's one big muscle."


:D

[>TC<]

Minnesota Vikings receiver Koren Robinson was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving Tuesday night near the team's training camp.

Robinson was caught speeding on radar -- early reports say over 100 mph -- at about 10:45 p.m. and refused to stop, Chief Matt Peters said Wednesday. Robinson was arrested by police about 10 miles away in Mankato, where the Vikings hold their training camp.

He was in the Nicollet County jail on Wednesday, with charges possible later in the day. He may face a felony charge of fleeing police along with a possible DWI charge, Peters said.

He was given field tests for drunken driving, police said.

Robinson's agent, Alvin Keels, didn't immediately respond to messages for comment. A Vikings spokesman said the team had no immediate comment.


TC

[Durango53]

Well I guess that makes this team even more of a running team. :D

At least this happened pre-season. I like the WR of the Vikings but now there is no depth. Still have Williamson, Taylor and Robinson and two TE that can get the ball. (By the way Mark why did Wiggens start? Is Jimmy the number one TE on the list for the Vikings?) It is just who fills those spots when one of the WR goes down.

[Durango53]

The Broncos hope of trading holdout receiver Ashley Lelie improved after two major developments in the league. In Minnesota, top receiver Koren Robinson was arrested on alcohol-related charges and could be suspended for a year by the NFL. The Vikings were light on receivers before the arrest and have an interest in Lelie.

[Durango53]

The Vikings were mulling exit strategies Wednesday after the arrest of receiver Koren Robinson, who was charged with drunken driving and fleeing police officers, bringing another round of embarrassment to the organization. Coach Brad Childress said he was not sure if Robinson would remain with the team. Hired in January to bring greater discipline to the locker room, Childress said: "I have no tolerance" for irresponsible players. "I am trying to create a culture of accountability," he said. "It doesn't matter who it is. ... You can't drive when you've been drinking."

[Durango53]

The best wide receiver potentially available by trade to the Vikings to replace troubled Koren Robinson, 26, would seem to be the Raiders' Jerry Porter. But the 6-foot-2, 220-pound Porter, 28, probably would cost the Vikings their 2007 first-round draft pick How seriously Zygi Wilf pursues a replacement deal will be an indication of how much he wants to win this season. Or whether he intends to build for next year. An early guess is that the Vikings' first-round draft pick next year will be in the No. 15 range. A cheaper alternative: The Vikings might be able to trade for Denver's 6-3, 200-pound Ashley Lelie, 26, who could be available for a second-round draft pick.

[Durango53]

If the Vikings were to shop for receivers, two trade possibilities are the disgruntled duo of Ashley Lelie (Denver) and Joey Porter (Oakland). Asked if he thought