Viking Nation

Williams Wall Update

2009-07-09T21:25:00.002-05:00

Judge Gary Larson said today that the Williams Wall will be able to play during the appeals process of the Williams' testing positive of a diuretic. The NFL also cannot step up testing of them during that time. The linemen want a speedy trial so their will be a hearing on July 22nd. The NFL's request to put the state court matter on hold pending the league's appeal of federal claims -- a process that could take months.

Time to Knock Some Heads

2009-07-06T20:28:00.003-05:00

What is a linebacker many would ask? It is second line of defense on the defensive unit. They are overseers of the field. The unit can see easily if it going to be a run or a pass and where the offense is going with the ball.

The Viking had their up and down with the linebacking corps last season. They had two key injuries last season. The first one was to Heath Farwell in the first preseason game and the other to EJ Henderson early in the season. Both were lost for the season.

50 Erin Henderson LB 6-3 244 Maryland

51 Ben Leber LB 6-3 244 Kansas State

52 Chad Greenway LB 6-2 242 Iowa

54 Jasper Brinkley LB 6-1 252 South Carolina

55 Kenny Onatolu LB 6-2 225 Nebraska-Omaha

*56 E.J. Henderson LB 6-1 245 Maryland

58 David Herron LB 6-1 239 Michigan State

*59 Heath Farwell LB 6-0 235 San Diego St.

BOLD is starter last season

Denotes finished season on injured reserve

Why were these two players so important to Viking at the linebacker position? Heath Farwell was the captain of the special teams unit and the Vikes did not have a identity all year. The unit looked like a bunch of chicken with their head chopped off running around back there at times last season.

During EJ Henderson absence the Viking struggled to find a replacement for middle linebacker. Chilly and company tried a variety of players and even brought in two former Vikes. The unit was stretched thin last season.

EJ Henderson was lost early in the season last year as well. He has been coming into his own as the Viking starting middle linebacker. He has great intuition for sniffing out the play and of course punishing the ball carrier when he runs in his zone.He is an exciting to watch as the general on the defense.He will knock some heads and hit the running back so hard that he make him see double. I already have EJ as the starting Middle Linebacker for Week 1.

As the Weakside Linebacker the Vikes have Chad Greenway out of the University of Iowa. He is entering his 3 year as a Pro. He missed all of his rookie season with a torn ACL. He led the Vikings last season with 150 tackles and 3^rd on the team with 5.5 sacks. Greenway has the speed and ability to chase down a running back in the flats or drop back into coverage with a wide receiver. Greenway has been progressing each of the last 2 seasons with the Vikings. It easy to say the he will have his starting role on the weakside at the beginning of this season.

On the strongside linebacker is Ben Leber. He does not make the bone crushing hits that many fans like to see from a linebacker from the NFC North. Leber is a smart player, he is a decent coverage backerHe is a reliable linebacker and can sniff out the play is tough to keep out of the pocket on a blitz. I just cannot see him losing his starting job. The other players that I see making the season are:

Erin Henderson

Jasper Brinkley(Rookie)

Heath Farwell

For the Vikings they have a quite the unit in the middle they will punish the ball carrier if they get past the 1^st line of defense.

McNair Found Dead

2009-07-05T13:15:00.003-05:00

Former NFL QB Steve McNair was found dead yesterday in a condo in downtown Nashville Tennessee alongside a 20 year old woman. Police are still investigated the two death, but it looks like a double homicide. There are other reports saying that it it is a homicide-suicide. There are many question about McNair and the young woman.

McNair was a QB was respected on and off the field. He was better know as a passer than a runner. He broke the stereotype that a black QB is not a pocket passer. He passed for over 3100 yards in is NFL career 1995-2007.
McNair will be sadly missed by all fans of the game.

Line of Destruction

2009-06-30T22:34:00.001-05:00

With Training camp coming up in less than a month, I figured that I would do an analysis of each unit on Offense, Defense and Special Teams. I figured that I would start with the Defensive Line. As of right now here are the members of the Vikings in the DL unit:

Num Player Ht Wgt College

61 Martail Burnett DE 6-3 262 Utah

69 Jared Allen DE 6-6 270 Idaho State

73 Jimmy Kennedy DT 6-4 320 Penn State

90 Fred Evans DT 6-4 305 TX State - San Marcos

91 Ray Edwards DE 6-5 268 Purdue

92 Jayme Mitchell DE 6-6 285 Mississippi

93 Kevin Williams DT 6-5 311 Oklahoma State

94 Pat Williams DT 6-3 317 Texas A&M

95 Kenechi Udeze DE 6-3 281 USC

98 Letroy Guion DT 6-4 303 Florida State

99 Otis Grigsby DE 6-3 260 Kentucky

96 Brian Robison DE 6-3 267 Texas

Players in BOLD were last years’ starters

With the danger of losing the Williams Wall for the first four games this season hoving over the Viking s heads since last season. It will be only a matter of time until all Viking fans and the NFL finds out the outcome of Williams Wall. Pat and Kevin Williams have been in the force in the middle since the Vikes acquitted Pat to pair up with Kevin. These two guys are the force in the middle to breaks down the opposing teams’ line to kill the play. Teams think that they have enough to content with in the middle with the monstrous Williams Wall every down for the Viking defense.

The Vikings also have Jared Allen that they acquired from the Chiefs last season. He showed the league that he was not a one year wonder last year. He was breaking up plays left and right especially in the second half in the season, when the Vikes needed it most. Allen ranked 5^th in the league with 14.5 QB sacks. I figure that these 3 have locked their starting spot already for the season opener.

The other side of the line from Jared Allen, at the other Defensive End position is somewhat in the air right now. The two front runners for the job would be either Ray Edwards or Kenechi Udeze. With all that Kenechi Udeze has been through the past year with his battle with leukemia and trying to win his job back as the Viking DE. Edwards has been pretty steady in his career with the Vikes. The past two seasons he has had 5 sacks each year and over 40 takedowns per season as well.

With Udeze, he has been sporadic with his play over his career, His first 3 full season (he injured his 2^nd season), he had 2 seasons with 5 sacks and a season with NO SACKS at all. He needs to show that he has more of a nose for the job to win it over Edwards. I feel that Kenechi Udeze will be the backup to start the season.

With these front four, the Vikes will be hard teams to run on all season as well as teams dealing with the pass rush. So not much has change from last season to this season. If the Williams Wall is gone for the first four game, it is going to be interesting on who the Vikes use to plug in those huge holes if needed.

It looks that their will be 4 backup that will be making the squad, the players right now I will be a Viking next are as follows:

98 Letroy Guion DT 6-4 303 Florida State

96 Brian Robison DE 6-3 267 Texas

90 Fred Evans DT 6-4 305 TX State - San Marcos

95 Kenechi Udeze DE 6-3 281 USC

Sage Is Going To Lose It

2009-06-26T09:31:00.004-05:00

With football being in a down period it seems that reporters are just trying to stir up some sort of controversy. It seems like at least once a week somebody is asking Sage or TJ about Favre. More often it is Sage that gets the mic in the face. I think they are just see if they can get Sage tell the media what they want to hear. For instance, something like I think that Coach Chilly is just wasting his time trying to get a over the hill now sub par QB.
Sage plays is Joe Cool style. Time and time again he tells the media that Favre is not a part of the Vikes at this moment.Right at this moment, he and TJ are competing for the starting QB job. He is lives in the now and not what might be happening in Brad Test Labs.
I believe most people would go on a tirade with the over and over questions of Favre and what do you think. Sage will be Sage, as in what happens happens.

Chilly the Mind

2009-06-25T09:38:00.003-05:00

When the Vikes brought Brad Childress in as the new head coach their were some things that were expect of him. The wants a more discipline coach and an offense of mind. So far Vikes fans have seen he can be a harsh coach not putting up with crap in the locker room or on field. He was brought in here from the Eagles to bring the passing game and offense creativity to Minnesota. The Viking have always had a steady running game. The passing game has been nothing but a struggle for Chilly and the Vikings.
Since his hiring, Childress has finish no better than 18th in the NFL in passing for the season. Since the Vikes brought over the offense wizard, he has shown that he is indecisive at times and not calling the right play for what the situation warrants.
Chilly is trying to acquire Brett"The Fairy" Favre to show more on the offense side of the ball. All Vikes really need is a quarterback that can keep the opposing defense honest on playing run or pass mode. The past 2 season, with the drafting of Adrian Peterson, he has had to face 8 or 9 men in the box. Still he won the rushing title last year(the first Viking to do so).
So it looks like Chilly is getting desperate on keeping his job, so this is why the persistence of going after Favre after the draft. What really is they going to fix, sure they are a Super Bowl ready team. They will be having the SAME problem come next season.

Favre Complications

2009-06-19T09:51:00.000-05:00

With all this Favre chatter going on for quite some time now. Just makes a person wonder, which current Vikings’ QB will be gone by Week 1 when the Vikes take on the Browns.
I do not think that Sage Rosenfels will be done considering that the Vikes just acquired him from Houston this past March for a 4th round pick. The numbers that he has put up in his career are decent with limited playing time on par to subpar teams throughout his career. This may be a reason why his TD to interception ratio is so high almost 1:1. That is just a scary stat for fans to swallow with a team as good as the Vikes are right now. Rosenfels is a lock for the Viking roster. I just cannot see Chilly giving away this past year 4th round pick and just whisk away the player that you went to get with that pick before the start of the season. He is a more accurate than T-Jax and has better on the field awareness.
Now with the battle for the 3rd string QB job between Tarvaris Jackson and John David Booty. The only reason I give T-Jax the edge is because he has game “experience” over Booty. Booty has yet to play a regular season snap. This is all Chilly’s doing anyhow. When he drafted Jackson 2006, he claimed that he could take this raw talent and mold him into a NFL QB. Jackson has shown the fans he is injury prone and inaccurate when throwing the ball under 60 percent. I think that Jackson will be gone by beginning of the season if Booty shows the coaches more than he did last season.
So if Favre does come to the Vikes the real QB completion will be between Booty and Jackson, in my opinion.

Favre Breaks The Silence

2009-06-16T20:06:00.004-05:00

In the breaking of the silence Favre finally did it last night. Brett Favre appeared on the Joe Buck Live show on Monday. It was his first appearance with the media since the speculation of him joining the Vikings. During the interview he confirmed that he did have minor shoulder surgery 2 ½ weeks ago performed by Dr. James Andrews. It will be a couple more weeks to find out if the surgery was a success or not on the shoulder.

The way that Favre was talking the during the interview pretty much say that if everything works out he will in fact be a Viking this coming season. When a person uses words like ‘we’ as Favre being part of the Vikings. It implies that he is a Vikings thus leaving little suspense. In which is okay with me. Just think of the type of a year the All Day would have if and only if he can have legitimate QB.

If everything works out for the Vikes, it seems that Favre will be in training camp wearing purple in a month in a half.It is only the matter of time that Vikes will have a over the hill QB under center, because Chilly is deperate the keep his job.

Media Reporting

2009-06-12T09:52:00.003-05:00

With the reporters out there especially our beloved ESPN network, try to be the first to get the inside scoop to a story. It is seeming that the media is not checking the accountability of "the source".
For instance, the deadline that ESPN reported that the Vikings set for Favre to make a decision to come out of retirement by the end of the week. It has been getting worse year by year with the accuracy that the media is reporting on current sporting actions.I know their is stress to be the first to break the story.Just think of all the ink that wold have been saved?It is not that cheap these days, with this broken story on Favre.
My theory now is just stay away from ESPN, they have been shooting the gun before checking to see if there are bullets in the chamber.

Favre Had Surgery and More

2009-06-08T20:05:00.002-05:00

The new broke last night, more about Favre. He did in fact, have surgery on his bicep in May. He has been throwing around. Favre states that he is not even close to 100%. There was more news to go along with this little snippet. Brad Childress and the Viking gave Favre a choice either stay retired or come and play for the sea of purple.
With these recent developments in the past 24 hours. It will be interesting to see if Favre does in fact stay "retired" for now at least. I think that this is just the eye of the storm. Last time I check Chilly can show authority when he wants to. Does anyone remember last season when Peterson persuaded Chilly to go for it on fourth down late in the game. The fans do not really know which Chilly will surface if Favre does not give a complete answer. Then decides that he wants to come out of retirement during training camp

Winfield Still Absent

2009-06-05T09:40:00.003-05:00

With the contract talks having stalled with the Vikings and Pro Bowl Cornerback Antonio Winfield. Winfield is entering his final year of his contract. Winfield has stated numerous times "I want to finish my career a Viking."
Winfield has been a no show for this weeks' OTAs, attendance is strongly encouraged.I do not blame his for being a little miffed over the Vikes and the contract talks. The Vikes a considering in sign a player WAY PAST his prime.
Winfield is 32 and going to be earning over 6 million this season. He is still the bestcorner the Vikes have on the roster.Why not try to get an extension to his existing contract. He knows that he does not have much time let to play football.

Wild at Minicamp

2009-05-31T07:08:00.002-05:00

The Vikings are finding out what type of a player that they have in Percy Harvin. The Vikings did not waste anytime unveiling the wildcat experiment that they will be be testing this season. Right now it looks that Percy"No Mercy" Harvin is going to be the key for this offense formation to work.After being drafted, the Vikings began working on plays to best utilize Harvin. Vikings Offense Coordinator Darrell Bevell said the offense features 20 to 30 plays just to get the ball in Harvin's hands and that half of those are entirely new to the playbook.
Right now it is the testing phase of the experiment, a couple of other players were used in the wildcat offense: RB Chester Taylor and WR Darius Reynaud both took direct snaps in this offense.
Right now, it looks like the Vikings have the pieces in place to use the offense that the Miami Dolphins introduced last season.

Now all the Vikes need to do is now decide what they will be doing at the QB position? Will the sign Favre or how a shootout with T-Jack and Sage?

Fran the Man

2009-05-27T19:37:00.004-05:00

Fran Tarkenton speaks the truth.He is the greatest Viking QB in franchise history, and he speaks up on how Favre has treated the Packers and making a joke of them as a franchise.

Phat Pat Call Out T-Jack

2009-05-27T09:44:00.005-05:00

Viking defensive tackle Pat Williams has officially called out Tarvaris Jackson. Phat Pat said on a Sirius broadcast that Jackson has the potential, but has not put in the time. With Jackson now trying to keep his starting job at the QB position. He is battling out with Sage Rosenfels this season during training camp.
I think that Jackson got the message from Williams: "Stop playing Madden and actually work on my accuracy." Jackson has the tools he needs be an efficient NFL QB. The way he uses those tools is all up the Jackson. So this is why it is his job the lose this season.
During the summer, the fans will see if T-Choke is going to take Phat Pat's works of wisdom or just keep on ride the Chilly horse out of the NFL.

Williams Wall Back to State Court

2009-05-25T13:25:00.002-05:00

On Fridays ruling in the Williams vs the NFL. Judge Paul A. Magnuson dismissed most of the claims made by Williams and fellow Vikings defensive tackle Kevin Williams, two stalwarts in the Minnesota defensive front who are facing suspension over their positive test for a banned diuretic.

U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson remanded two of the claims to state court, but he threw out most of the Williamses' claims and dismissed a lawsuit brought by the NFL players union on behalf of the Williamses and three New Orleans Saints players also facing suspension.

With this ruling, the Williams Wall can get out of this without a suspension. This is due to the state law that protects employees from being suspended from testing positive on a single drug test. With the NFL winning round two after, Magnuson sided with the NFL agreeing that the players' are responsible with what they put into their bodies.

So with the ball set in motion for summer, now all the NFL will see if the Willaims Wall can outdue the NFL in state court. The plateau that the NFL wanted to avoid.

Vikings News

2009-05-21T19:39:00.002-05:00

With OTAs going on for the Vikings this weeks, there have been quite a few interesting nuggets floating around:

Adrian Peterson has seen a different Viking team in camp this season. Peterson stated that they are more focused compared to last season. I see guys in here working out hard and there’s really just like a different vibe in the locker room.
The Door is still open. Childress talked about the fact that the Vikes have talked to Favre, but did not go further into the issue.
ST interviewed both QB's T-Jack and Sage. It is way to early, but it is going to be an interesting race as long as someone stays out of the picture.

OTAs

2009-05-18T20:41:00.003-05:00

With OTAs for the Vikes set to start tomorrow, the Vikes will try to focus on the game and not on Farve. With the news coming in that Dr. James Andrews will perform surgery on Favre later this week to repair a partially torn biceps tendon in the quarterback's right shoulder, this coming from Charles Walters.
Favre will be to talk now most of OTAs and training camp, so it will be interesting to see how the QB battles will start off between, T-Jack, Sage and JD Booty.Also how the QBs deal with the never ending Favre questions. If the Vikes do not sign the ancient one. I can see the Vikes having Sage under center by preseason.This is going to be the most intriguing position for the Vikes this season. Experts have said that the Vikes a decent QB away from the big dance. We shall see how the OTAs start off on Tuesday.

Williams Wall Back in Court

2009-05-14T17:52:00.002-05:00

Pat and Kevin Williams are back in court over NFL suspensions. The union lawyers' said, new evidence shows a hot line for players to get information on such issues gave out false information about the supplement, and told players it was not banned.
The NFL says that they are not required to list every banned sustance under the collective bargaining agreement.

It was also reported that:
According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, Peter Ginsberg, the attorney representing the Williamses in their lawsuit, said during a hearing last week that StarCaps were “freely distributed” in the Bills locker room and that “a number” of Buffalo players used StarCaps. Pat Williams played for the Bills from 1997 to 2003. Ginsberg did not say who allegedly dispensed the supplement and to which players.

I for one thinks that this is a bunch of crap. So under this theory, the NFL is saying that the USDA is not required to put everything that is put into our food on the label. It is the same principle. It is going to be interesting to see how everything starts off with trail due to start on June 15th.

Winfield and Vikes Talks...

2009-05-11T17:56:00.003-05:00

During the offseason, the Vikings and CB Antonio Winfield have been trying to agree on a contract extension.Winfield is entering the last year on his contract. As of right now, both sides are in a stalemate. Winfield would like to end his career as a Viking.
Who knows? The sides might be able to agree on the contract by training camp or he also might become a free agent next season. Only time will tell.

Vikings News

2009-05-08T17:37:00.002-05:00

With the word that after the meeting that Brett Farve will stay retired(for now) was his decision at this point in time. I think it is nothing but a load of crap. People have to consdier that he has not done an OTA or training camp for the past 10 years. I personally think that the Vikes will or would be better off without Farve. I think that in the end that Farve weill be a Viking by the end of summer. I know it sucks, but I can see Chilly caving into Favre and he will be a Viking in the end.

A report from ESPN: Brett Favre has sent X-rays of his right shoulder to the Vikings for medical evaluation. So get people to wonder, if he is not interested in playing football. Why the heck would a person send the team he just met with X-rays of his shoulder. I think that if Favre signs, he is scared he will not be talked about. So then he will be out of the media spotlights for a little while. This is a BIG reason, I believe that he has nit signed yet and just dragging it out.

Farve Reports

2009-05-06T17:52:00.004-05:00

It is reported that the meeting between Chilly and Farve is set for tonight and Thursday. Chilly was expected to leave today and arrive in Mississippi later tonight. There the two will have dinner and begin discussions about what each party would expect from the other.
With this news, I am sure that QBs on the current roster are now wondering who will be the one to be axed between TJ and JD Booty. Right now it in the what if stage. Nothing has happened so far with anything. I am one that would like to see a championship in Minny, but a, i willing to see it with Favre as the QB? I for one am unsure, if it would be worth it from a guy who has tormented the Vikes for years.

Vikings News

2009-05-05T17:28:00.003-05:00

After the rookie minicamp that the Vikes held this past week with players to try to make the team.

Winona State’s Nick Urban wasn’t the only offensive lineman the Vikings signed after giving tryouts to approximately 30 players at their three-day rookie minicamp last weekend.
Center Juan Garcia, who played at Washington, also signed a contract after impressing the Vikings coaching staff. Garcia had leg and ankle issues throughout his college career.

There is also some other news to report:
ESPN reports that Vikings coach Brad Childress will meet with Brett Favre at an undisclosed location this week. The Vikings will discuss the health of his right arm.Favre has not been working out and did not have surgery on his torn biceps tendon, which caused his production to drop dramatically at the end of last season with the Jets. Favre apparently believes the injury can heal without surgery.
The real question:
Does Favre want to come to Vikes help a team to a championship?
Or does he just want to stick it to Thomson and McCarthy?

So let the Farve Drama Show Season Two begin.

Harvin not in camp

2009-05-01T19:12:00.004-05:00

Percy Harvin, was absent from today’s opening day of rookie minicamp, is hospitalized in Atlanta because of the extreme dehydration that caused him to become sick in the Atlanta airport on Thursday. Harvin will not be a participant for the three day minicamp.Now people are wondering if this is just a start of things to come. Harvin is not immortal, he does get sick like everyone else. what a way for Harvin to start his Viking career.

In other news:

Chilly says that Farve will be discussed, but does not seem the Vikes really care all that much that Farve has been released(for now).

Favre Rumors

2009-04-30T16:09:00.006-05:00

Boy this did not take very long whatsoever. Brett Favre is 10 weeks ahead of schedule from last season. Being only 45 minutes north of Green Bay, I am getting use to all the Favre hu-ra. I do not think it would be the offseason if there was no Favre entertainment.

At the request of Brett Favre, the Jets release him making him able to sign with whomever he pleases. Favre’s statement on Tuesday said in part: “Nothing has changed. At this time, I am retired and have no intention of returning to football.” If that does not leave the door open, i am not sure what would. I can see him in the Beloved Purple this season. Considering that only glaring hole is at the QB position, other than that the Vikes have an explosive team up and down the depth chart.
Consider that Favre were to become a Viking, I do not think team would take him lightly. So it would free up Peterson in the backfield and he will be running for daylight. Having a legitimate(someone who has experience in leading a team) quarterback for the Vikes this season would not be the worse thing in the world i guess.
Who knows what summer will be bring us Viking fans?

The Number Assignments

2009-04-29T20:17:00.003-05:00

Percy Harvin - 12
Derrick Roberson - 27
Asher Allen - 30
Karl Paymah - 31
Roderick Rogers - 31 (Interesting with the same number, but it is not even training camp yet.)
Jamarca Sanford - 33
Kenny Onatolu - 44
Jasper Brinkley - 54
Phil Loadholt - 71
Chris Clark - 75
Glenn Holt - 16
Jimmy Kennedy - 73
Otis Grigsby - 99
Roderick Rogers - 85

The lists goes on:
Sean Glennon,-6
Nick Moore,-14
Vinny Perretta-15
Kahlil Bell,-36
Ian Johnson-42
Devon Hall-44
Colt Anderson-49
Robert Francois-57
Ian Johnson-67
Jon Cooper-68
Bobby Lepori,-72
Andy Kemp-78
Nick Walker-89

Antoine Holmes-97

It also looks like Sage Rosenfels could not complete any type of negotations with Sidney Rice for number 18 from Rice. So Sage will be hailing the number 2 this is season for the Vikes.