NFL

Mr. Tom Brady, meet Mr. William of Ockham

Filed under: NFL

Tom Brady ripped ESPN yesterday, saying that the network's coverage of the Patriots' spying controversy is manufactured controversy. Can't we just keep news of our organization's illegal spying on opposing teams in the past, Brady asks? He alleges the typical media sensationalism.

Let's hear from Mr. Brady directly:

Continue reading "Mr. Tom Brady, meet Mr. William of Ockham"

Posted by Jeff Shaw at May 14, 2008 6:06 AM | Comments (4)

 

What, what, we got Booty!

Filed under: NFL

The NFL Draft is the annual two-day event where the 32 NFL teams choose former college football players and everyone is treated to Mel Kiper Jr.’s endless rants and impossible pompadour.

Only in America can a guy with no football playing, coaching, or scouting experience get a plush gig on national sports television making wild predictions about a player’s “raw athleticism”, “explosiveness”, and the curious ability to be “faster than the stop-watch suggests.”

I don't know about you, but I would rather hear about how a player does on the Twinkie Test than on the nebulous Wonderlic Test.

The Minnesota Vikings made they’re biggest splash the week before the draft when they sent their first round pick (no. 17 overall) and two third round picks to Kansas City for defensive end Jared Allen. A guy my brother-in-law pinned as a “someone very capable of saying some really outlandish things” after games. Indeed.

This guy should help drag the Vikes out of the cellar when it comes to pass defense.

A lot has been made of giving up so much for one player, not to mention the contract the Wilfs shelled out. But the draft is a crapshoot, getting a fifth year player before or at his peak, in a position the Vikes needed to address, is hard to put a price tag on.

With one move the team established the most feared defensive line in football. It makes me giddy thinking about opponent’s 3rd downs in the dome with the crowd on its feet with Allen coming hard off the corner and Kevin Williams busting up the middle.

Former QB Steve Young from ESPN pointed out that Jon Kitna may now be the best quarterback in the division. That's scary. But it also means that Minnesota should now be positioned to make a run at the crown. Chicago is a mess especially after the re-signing of Rex Grossman; enough said. Green Bay returns most of their team from a year ago with one glaring exception, the retirement of Brett Favre, which will at the very least will cause some growing pains that come with breaking in a new signal caller. As for Detroit, they’ll find some way of mucking it up, they always do. In addition, they lost their force in the middle Shaun Rogers to the Cleveland Browns.

For the Vikes, the passing game remains a big question mark. Will Tarvaris Jackson show marked improvement this year and connect with new wide receiver signee Bernard Berrian? It remains to be seen. Another looming area of concern is the offensive line. Center Matt Birk is in the last year of his contract and less than happy with the team’s attempts to resign him. Throw in Bryant McKinnie’s recent run-ins with the law, and the long-term health of this formidable unit is in jeopardy.

However, this fan is beyond optimistic for this season. With the reigning rookie of the year in Adrian Peterson and a defense that has only gotten stronger with multiple offseason moves by the front office, hopes and expectations are high.

Again, they have us right where they want us.

Posted by Eric Refsland at April 28, 2008 7:57 AM | Comments (7)

 

Nothing says "Super Bowl Win" like Waterford crystal

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What do you get for the football fan who has everything? Why not celebrate the underdog's victory with a Waterford crystal football featuring an embedded Giants logo?

Continue reading "Nothing says "Super Bowl Win" like Waterford crystal"

Posted by Jeff Shaw at February 4, 2008 6:11 PM | Comments (0)

 

Herschel Walker is Good People

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Former Vikings great Herschel Walker has reportedly revealed in a forthcoming book that he suffers from multiple personality disorder.

That is all.

Posted by Jonathan Kaminsky at January 18, 2008 3:21 PM | Comments (1)

 

Seahawks kicker forfeits dignity, wears hot pants

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The Seahawks travel to Lambeau Field this Saturday for a playoff game against the Packers. Kicker Josh Brown will wear heated pants during the game. Heated pants. That take batteries.

What has two thumbs and wears heated pants when it's cold outside? This guy:

The best part of Danny O'Neil's story in the Seattle Times is this anecdote:

Coach Mike Holmgren was asked about Brown's heated pants, and he responded with a blank stare for a good 10 seconds.

I'm generally the last guy to call another dude soft. But come on. Additionally, I hate the Seahawks like some people hate malaria, so it's not like I needed another reason to hope they go down hard.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at January 11, 2008 11:02 AM | Comments (1)

 

Got Playoffs?

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Minnesota Vikings (8-7) at Denver Broncos (6-9), 3:15pm

Pre-game

As Howard Cosell might have said, “It all comes down to this.”

The Vikings shouldn’t be in this spot. Then again, would they even be the Minnesota Vikings if they didn’t toy with our emotions like this? Two games decide this team’s fate. One takes place at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium, always a difficult place to get a road win. The other, in our nation’s capital where the Redskins, if they beat the Brad Johnson-led Dallas Cowboys, earn the final NFC spot, regardless of what happens in Colorado.

Think helpless. Think wrong. We have to cheer for Brad Johnson again.

Makes one wish the team would have showed up last Sunday and not just mailed it in when facing a team playing with a lot of emotion compounded by the death of one of their players.

The situation is too bad for a lot of reasons. By all accounts the Vikings have over achieved this season. Very few fans would have predicted Minnesota would battle for the post season up until the last game of the regular season. 6-10, or maybe 8-8 was a realistic guess for a squad with a new quarterback, virtually no quality receiving options and a secondary with a shaky track record. But during a lot of games it didn’t matter, great line play combined with a star in the backfield and minimizing mistakes was enough down the stretch and surprised this fan. The whole scenario this afternoon in Denver and DC stinks. A win for the Skins or a loss by the Vikings will sweep all the surprises under the rug.

Of course if Brad Johnson has it in him and the Vikings take care of business...

Such is the life of a Minnesota Vikings fan.

Minnesota 3, Denver 14
Dallas 3, Washington 13

Hafltime

This was a half of missed opportunities. Whether it was Chester Taylor losing control of the ball while reaching for the pylon (worst rule in the NFL by the way) resulting in a touchback, or a Wide open (with a capital W) Troy Williamson dropping a long pass from Tarvaris Jackson that would have resulted in 6 points, the first half of football today continued the very poor play of the Vikings.

Add to this the fact that Washington is looking like their headed to Seattle next week with a strong first half against Dallas, a score every Vikings player is peeking at on the Denver scoreboard, and this could be long second half.

The Vikes look tired, slow and resigned to an extended vacation. If they don’t turn things around in the last thirty minutes, that’s exactly what’s awaiting them.

Minnesota 19, Denver 22 (OT)
Dallas 6, Washington 27
Washington clinches a playoff berth

Post-game

The dream is over. The season was doomed by halftime of the week 16 contest versus Washington. Opportunities are few and far between in the National Football League, and when you’re presented one at home, an inability to capitalize will be quickly snatched up by the next team down the line.

Today’s game was not pretty. Very few games this season were. Adrian Peterson had the opportunity to capture the league’s rushing title but for some reason did not play the 1st quarter and had only 11 carries in the game. (This would be my first question to coach Brad Childress after the game.) Chester Taylor ran well, but cost the team with two fumbles. The passing game was quiet until the fourth quarter and we saw two terrible drops by former #7 overall draft pick Troy Williamson who will hopefully be shown the door after another disappointing season of an uninspiring career.

In true Vikes fashion, hope was this team’s greatest undoing.

One final note (and I might be crazy, but) I’m cautiously excited about Tarvaris Jackson as the Vikings quarterback. At times he has you scratching your head saying, “What the hell is he doing in the NFL?” But other moments, like the 4th quarter of today’s game against the Broncos, he makes sense. He obviously has a tremendous amount of confidence in his ability. A confidence that will sometimes cause him to make a throw into coverage or from his back foot but also is necessary in this league to make the big play.

Jackson is a second year player and certainly needs more time to develop into the quarterback the Vikings need. Perhaps if the Vikings can pick up a quality receiver, his options and game will improve.

Remember, when there’s nothing left to believe in, believe in hope.

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 30, 2007 3:01 PM | Comments (0)

 

Top 10 Memorable Moments of the 2007 Minnesota Vikings

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The end of a calendar year is a time for reflection. The regular season ends this Sunday on the road against the Broncos in a gotta have game. But before we're cursing at every thing any shade of purple or rationalizing a possible road to the Super Bowl XLII, let's look back on a particularly inconsistent year(even by the Vikes' standard) for everyone's favorite football franchise.

10. Zygi Wilf rattling his saber threatening the fans with his demands for a new stadium.

Taxpayers hold on to your wallets, the sky is falling and a brand new stadium is the only cure. How long before the dreaded word “relocation” rears its ugly head?

9. Scrooge (almost) came a little early this year.

Initially, wide receiver Troy Williamson was docked a game check for missing the San Diego Chargers game while attending his grandmother’s funeral. The national media caught wind and soon everyone had a bad taste in their mouths. Coach Brad Childress fortunately came to his senses before the situation was completely out of hand and returned the check. Williamson went on to donate the $25,000 to charity.

8. Innocent until proven guilty?

Vikings safety Dwight Smith was busted for allegedly possessing a small amount of marijuana outside of a strip club on a Thursday night. The best part is that he apparently admitted he had “just got done smoking some marijuana.” Indeed.
7. Can you spell choke?
The loss to the Washington Redskins with a spot in the postseason within grasp was disappointing for more than one reason. This was just a terrible game that gave Redskins’ Todd Collins the biggest Christmas gift of all – a sense of legitimacy. The holiday season is the time for generosity, but Todd Collins? Really?
6. Pro Bowl-a-Rama!

An incredible seven Minnesota Vikings named to the 2007 NFC Pro Bowl Team. Not since 2000 has Minnesota sent so many to Honolulu. Four lineman: Kevin and Pat Williams, Steve Hutchinson, and Matt Birk anchor the Vikings representatives. Darren Sharper, Fullback Tony Richardson, and to no one’s surprise, rookie phenom running back Adrian Peterson will all be headed west as well.
5. The improbable five game winning streak propels the Vikes into contention for a wild card berth.
With wins over the Raiders, Giants, Lions, 49ers, and the Bears had Vikings fans everywhere excited about a team actually exceeding expectations. Usually it works the other way around.
4. Ouch, and double ouch.
An embarrassing 34-0 crushing loss to the hated Green Bay Packers. The game wasn’t the only loss in this day. Adrian Peterson left the game after taking a shot to the knee. It was said the collective gasp coming from the west was heard inside of Lambeau.
3. Old relible steadies the ship.

Chester Taylor picking up the team and fans with a 164 yard performance against the Raiders. The team needed a shot in the arm after the previous week’s loss in Green Bay (see above) and a loss at home to the lowly Raiders might have sunk the season for good.
2. Adrian Peterson brushing aside the NFL single game rushing mark.
The San Diego Chargers didn’t have an answer for “All Day” as he rushed for 296 yards and 3 scores on 30 carries. The day AP officially arrives.
1. April 28, 2007.
It’s hard to top #2 but with the 7th pick in the NFL Draft, the Vikings grabbed the rookie of the year and made the team exciting to watch again. Few knew the success Adrian Peterson would have his first year but everyone hopes it continues for many years. Happy New Year Vikes fans!

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 27, 2007 6:52 PM | Comments (0)

 

Real Men Work at Applebee's

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I'm a fan of Jeff Pearlman for a lot of reasons -- he's the guy who brought the real John Rocker to public attention, for example, although I'm sure he's sick of being remembered that way. His new column for ESPN skewers that most eyeroll-worthy of sports cliches, the notion of the "real man."

The story is insightful and thought-provoking, although I think it's a bit underdeveloped in its current form and would benefit from a larger treatment in a 3,000-word think piece. How do we define masculinity, and what does that definition say about us? How can the Falcons (correctly) revile Bobby Petrino for his lack of loyalty, but look the other way when Mike Vick tortures and kills animals? When does this positive quality, allegiance to one's mates, descend into evil? And what does that tell us about culturally mandated gender roles?

But that's taking away from the fundamental revelation of the story: Peter Warrick now works at Applebee's.

That's right. A throwaway line from the story informs us that the erstwhile wide receiver, once arrested for shoplifting, is now Vice President and CEO in Charge of Blackened Tilapia Sandwiches.

Actually, according to Wikipedia, he owns the Applebee's, and I don't know which report is right. Either way, there's a big gap between being the fourth pick in the draft and having stoned teenagers inform you that their Maple Butter Blondie is melting, and hence they aren't paying for it.

To be fair, this is a small indignity compared to having one's high school rat-tail shaved by the Florida State seniors, or indeed having said rat-tail in the first place.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at December 27, 2007 10:11 AM | Comments (0)

 

Win this one for Wade Wilson

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Washington Redskins at Minnesota Vikings, 7:30pm

Pre-game

Joe Gibbs puts his smug 8-1 record against the Vikes on the line tonight.

It was nearly 20 years ago when the Minnesota Vikings, after improbably defeating the heavily favored New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, traveled to Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium to play the Washington Redskins in the 1987 NFC Championship game. The game came down to the final play of the game and the dream ended when Wade Wilson’s pass was broken up by the Skins’ Darrell Green near the goal line for a heartbreaking 10-17 loss. Washington went on to defeat the Broncos in Super Bowl XXII.

Tonight’s match-up is a different. The Redskins come into the Metrodome tonight in an attempt to hold on to their slim playoff hopes. Washington will be eliminated tonight with a loss and this improbable Vikings team can clinch the final wild card berth with the victory thanks to a New Orleans loss. The Redskins and Vikings have very similar styles of play. They feature a two-headed running attack in Clinton Portis (1085 yds, 8 TD) and Ladell Betts (285 yds, 1 TD). Washington also prides itself on stopping the run with the 9th ranked rushing defense, allowing 98 yards a game. But as opponents have found out all year, the Minnesota Vikings, via the Williams Wall, force teans to beat them with the pass and usually find a way to move the chains with their record setting backs Adrian Peterson (1278 yds, 12 TD) and Chester Taylor (747 yds, 7 TD). Unfortunately for the Skins if they can’t run that means relying on Todd Collins.

I’d take Tarvaris any day.

Minnesota should be playing like the season is on the line tonight. The Dome should be rocking in the second consecutive prime time game for a team who six weeks ago was left for dead at 3-6. It’s been quite a ride so far. No one wants it to end now.

Finally, I leave you with a commercial that first aired during that game in 1987. Who knew Joe Piscopo was a Skins fan? With fans like that, who needs enemies?

Washington 22, Minnesota 0

Halftime

Ugliest half of football this season, and that’s saying a lot.

It’s clear which players showed up for the game tonight, and not one of them is wearing a purple and gold jersey. You’d swear that a playoff berth wasn’t on the line. Incredible.

Coaching shares a lot of the blame so far. If there’s nine men in the box, then it’s a good idea to pass. And what about the idea of mixing up the run game a bit? Screens, or delays, or ANYTHING other than a very predictable run up the middle. The interception was tough, but the coaching staff has to rally the troops, keep them calm and focused.

It’s downright embarrassing to be in a very crowded sports bar and your team lays an egg. 70 yards and 3 turnovers are not going to get it done.

To top it off, John Madden just uttered, “Doesn’t it seem like the Redskins are playing harder than the Vikings.” Even that senile ol’ bastard knows the score of this game.

Bench Jackson. He’s obviously flustered and isn’t capable of leading us back. But I’m not sure if a Brooks or a Kelly is able to do that either. All I know is we need points and we need them fast. At least we’re only down 22.

I'm bracing myself with booze for this second half.

Washington 32, Minnesota 21

Post-game

We didn’t deserve to clinch the 6th spot tonight. This is one of those games where the score belies the actual contest.

The Vikings gave this one away in the first half. Minnesota is not a team designed for a big second half comeback and it couldn’t be more evident tonight. The playoffs were in reach, but this team chose- yet again- to make it interesting heading into week 17.

I can’t begin to tell you how hard it is to sit and listen to Washington fans cheer (rightly so) the terrible play of the Vikings today.

It’s hard to understand how this team allows a team to rush for 105 yards while only putting up 81 yards themselves. At home no less. Peterson looked tentative. The secondary was porous to say the least and Minnesota made Todd Collins look good (22/29, 254 yds, 2 TD). Where is the team that we watched the last month and a half?

Next week the Vikes travel to Colorado to “see what happens” I guess. If the Skins win at home versus Dallas (in a game that means nothing to the Cowboys) then it doesn’t matter what the Vikings do, win or lose. The season will be over, the five game winning streak will be for not and the questions will swirl about what’s next for a team with some bright spots but areas that need immediate addressing if this team is to compete against the likes of the NFL elite.

This game was nearly as embarrassing as this:

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 23, 2007 7:04 PM | Comments (0)

 

Prime-time for the streaking purple and gold

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Chicago Bears (5-8) at Minnesota Vikings (7-6), Monday night -7:30pm

Pre-game

Dare I say, “Are you ready for some football?”

The winter just doesn’t seem so bad when the Vikings are above .500 come the ides of December. The air doesn’t have quite the bite when your team is on a 4 game winning streak, play 2 of their last 3 games at home, and winning the remaining games guarantees a playoff spot for the purple. Weeks 15, 16, and 17 are tailor-made for two types of NFL teams. First they are for the winning teams, to establish positioning while gathering momentum; to brush the weaker teams aside to the links in Florida and Arizona. These weeks are also for the spoiler teams. Those teams with nothing to lose so they suit up and get excited for the only thing left for them to hang their hat on.

I only include the above for the reverse jinx.

Things in the NFC playoff race tightened up a lot between Thursday and yesterday. Up top, Dallas lost and is clinching to the tiebreaker they hold over Green Bay for home field advantage throughout the post season. In the wild card race, the New York Giants continue to look like the worst 9-5 team you’d every want to root for. And while Arizona dropped a game, both New Orleans and Washington at 7-7 are very much alive and keeping the pressure on Minnesota.

Tonight’s game is an opportunity for the Vikings to prove to the rest of the league a number of things. One, that they are going to earn a wild card spot. Two, that whether Adrian Peterson or Chester Taylor runs the ball, you must pay attention to Minnesota’s running attack. Three, that focusing on the Vikes’ running game isn’t going to be enough to beat this team. Quarterback Tarvaris Jackson is coming into his own and has this team believing in him. Finally, it is a chance for the Minnesota Vikings to show the rest of the NFC that this squad is a winner and you don’t want to face them come January unless you’re itching to play some golf.

Post-Game

Chicago 13, Minnesota 20 Final

Only 78 yards today but 2 touchdowns for All Day.

It was all about the purple pants. For the first time since the 1964 season when the Detroit Lions brought only their whites to a game*, the Vikes went all purple for a game. It’s a good look, especially on the likes of Pat Williams.

The Vikings prevailed in this game tonight either because their defense held the Bears to just 209 total yards on offense, a miniscule 32 on the ground; or because Kyle Orton and the Bears offense are hard to look at. Literally. It’s not like the Vikings didn’t provide da Bears with da opportunity for the win with 4 turnovers leading to 10 points in the first half.

Tarvaris Jackson wore his inexperience on his sleeve tonight making multiple poor decisions while under constant pressure from the Chicago defense specifically Brian Urlacher who had a monster game. This week Brad Childress and the coaching staff must address the problems poor QB play leads to, and stress the importance to Jackson of taking the sack when necessary or throwing the ball away if no receiver is open. Jackson made things way too interesting tonight.

Like Ted Knight and Jm J. Bullock, this game was a little Too Close for Comfort.

The 8-6 Vikings will now host the Washington Redskins next Sunday night, the second of their back-to-back prime-time contests in the game of the season. The Skins are on the outside looking in and would like nothing more than to snap the Vikings 5 game winning streak and pull even with Minnesota for the last remaining playoff spot.

*Fact kindly provided by the ever-wise Ryan Walters.

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 17, 2007 6:15 PM | Comments (0)

 

TV on the Radio

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Why is the radio call four seconds ahead of the TV for Vikings games?

Continue reading "TV on the Radio"

Posted by Kevin Hoffman at December 14, 2007 4:10 PM | Comments (1)

 

A gold rush towards the postseason?

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Minnesota at San Francisco, 3:05pm

Pre-game

NFC Standings

Division Leaders
Dallas 11-1
Green Bay 10-2
Tampa Bay 8-4
Seattle 8-4

Wild Card Race
NY Giants 8-4
Minnesota 6-6
Detroit 6-6
Arizona 6-6

The Vikings have games remaining against San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, and Denver (5-7).

The Rest
Washington 6-7*
Carolina 5-7
New Orleans 5-7
Philadelphia 5-7
Chicago 5-8*
San Francisco 3-9
St. Louis 3-9
Atlanta 3-9
*game played 12/6

The Minnesota Vikings have entered the phase of the season when teams are personified. Some teams “control their own destiny,” others “need some help,” still others are “just playing for pride.” Every team wants to be in the first category and with a win today against the lowly San Francisco 49ers, the Vikings can put themselves in a very agreeable position with 3 games left against teams with a combined 16-22 record. Minnesota travels west with the leading rushing attack in the league with rookie Adrian Peterson and dependable Chester Taylor needing only 179 yards to set the team record for most yards by a tandem. Robert Smith and Daunte Culpepper hold the record with 1,991 yards set by the 2000 Vikings.

Any record set that removes the name Culpepper from the top is twice as sweet.

In addition to the #1 rushing offense, the Vikings combine that with the #1 defense against the run. That’s a winning combination in the NFL. Minnesota’s three game winning streak is evidence of that. If the Vikes can continue to pressure the opposing quarterback - this week the awe-inspiring former Superbowl champ Trent Dilfer - and if the surging Tarvaris Jackson can continue to minimize mistakes and make one or two big plays down the field, the VIkes might find themselves thinking about their destiny.

Continue reading "A gold rush towards the postseason?"

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 9, 2007 2:45 PM | Comments (1)

 

Won't anyone think of the owners?

Filed under: NFL

Anybody have an extra $700 million lying around? If so, contact Zygi Wilf and the NFL at once.

Post haste.

Picture courtesy of the Vikings

In these days of budget shortfalls, failing bridges, and strapped public schools, Wilf would rather see the Minnesota state legislature get down to the real business at hand: building his team a nearly one billion dollar downtown stadium with all the bells and whistles. In Zygi’s defense, he is going to pony up $250 million of the cost and maybe “develop” the area around the site with much needed condominiums. “Hurry, only 4 units remain!!!” “If you lived here, you’d be tailgating already.”

I can hardly wait.

According to an AP story published this morning, NFL officials had a meeting with some state leaders Monday to hopefully get the ball rolling on the stadium issue. The reception turned out to be as chilly as the weather outside and won’t likely hit the floor in the next calendar year. To this, Zygi reminded everyone that time is not on our side, “Construction costs are rising significantly each year that we delay and there is an urgency to reach a solution.”

He’s just trying to save us some money people.

Look, I’m all for a new stadium. The Metrodome is old. The Twins and Gophers are already leaving, and the idea of watching the Vikes outside on either a warm autumn afternoon or even a sunny, brisk December day is appealing. I just don’t agree with Minnesota taxpayers, property owners, public school students/teachers or even bridge users picking up three-fourths of the tab for a millionaire who stands to increase his fortune the day the new stadium opens its doors.

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 5, 2007 11:57 AM | Comments (1)

 

The game to separate the men from the boys

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Detroit (6-5) at Minnesota (5-6), noon

Pre-game

Can Matt Millen's Team end their skid?

Matt Millen looks far too much like George Papadopolis to be President and CEO of an NFL team. He might have success raising a vertically challenged adoptee with a spiked-hair socialite, sure, but a 30-77 record during his tenure with the Detroit Lions leaves a lot to be desired for their fans.

After starting 6-2, Detroit has dropped three in a row to the likes of Arizona, the New York Giants, and the Pack. Today they will be looking to turn things around against a hot Vikings team.
Does winning 2 consecutive games make the Vikings hot? Let’s hope so.

Continue reading "The game to separate the men from the boys"

Posted by Eric Refsland at December 2, 2007 10:31 AM | Comments (1)

 

A Giant game today for the up and down Vikes

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PRE-GAME REPORT

Minnesota (4-6) at New York Giants (7-3), noon

A trip to the Meadowlands will forever remind me of the 2000 playoff game when the Giants pummeled the Vikings 41-0. That game unofficially signaled the end of an underachieving era in Minnesota professional football. That team was supposed to avenge the 1998-99 team’s meltdown against Atlanta and finally return the purple to the Super Bowl. After 14 weeks that team was an impressive 11-2. But after a mini collapse forced them to go on the road to face the Giants in the NFC Championship game, the season was almost over before the Vikes’ #1 ranked offense took the field. The game was so lop-sided that Randy Moss frustratingly uttered these fateful words after the game, "It's going to be hard for us to win a Super Bowl in Minnesota. I don't want to really say Minnesota is never going to win the Super Bowl, but it's going to be hard for them to get it. ... I can't really say I'm going to be a Minnesota Viking in a couple years."

While today’s game in New York isn’t an NFC Championship game with a ticket to the big show on the line, it is a very important game for this team that symbolizes inconsistency. The NFC this year is weak and Minnesota’s schedule is very favorable. With an upset today and a win next week against the struggling Detroit Lions at home, the Vikings will all of a sudden be in the mix for a wild card berth.

That last sentence is harder to type than believe.

But these days, an 8-8 record might back you in to post-season play. Then again, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Adrian Peterson will not be exploding down the sidelines today. Tarvaris Jackson will be in the sights of one of the best pass rushes in the game, part of me (my brain) thinks he’ll last a quarter and a half before we see Kelly Holcomb. Throw in the fact that the Giants are hungry and trying to keep pace with America’s Team in the NFC east and today’s game doesn’t look good on paper.

But to a Giants fan, the 2000 NFC Championship game didn’t look good on paper.

HALFTIME REPORT

Minnesota 24, New York Giants 7

Wow! The Vikings secondary comes up big in the first half with two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown by Darren Sharper who always has a big game in New York. No surprise in how Minnesota’s defensive line played the run holding NYG running back Reuben Droughns to 39 yards. Eli Manning is struggling, big time. His receivers and him need to have a sit down if they expect to come back in the second half. Of course Eli has known bad days before.

Ha ha.

Actually, I’m enjoying watching an opponents quarterback struggle for a change.

That said, no one will confuse Tarvaris Jackson with Tom Brady anytime soon but he is avoiding the big mistake and if he can continue to make a play or two and just hand the ball off to Taylor to shorten the game, the Vikings might pull this off.

POST-GAME REPORT

Minnesota 41, New York Giants 17

Zygi’s team is on the rise.

It’s a sweet day to be a Vikings fan. It’s even sweeter if you’re Vikings owner and New Jersey native Zygi Wilf.

Wilf was cut to multiple times during today’s broadcast getting “Zygi” with it, flaunting a smile that seemed to say, “Das ist gut.” In what can only be described as a thumping of the NFC wild card leading New York Giants and their quarterback Eli “the poor man’s” Manning, the Vikings flexed their defensive muscles today and are making some noise as they inch ever closer to the second wild card spot.

Poor Eli. He isn’t the biggest Vikes fan. Only twice has he been picked 4 times in one game and both times happened against Minnesota. Today’s pick fest was especially fruitful, leading directly to 21 points on run backs by Sharper, Dwight Smith, and Chad Greenway. Minnesota’s offense can always use the help and even though the offensive game wasn’t pretty, the team moved to 5-0 this year when scoring 20+ points. The Giants got a heavy dose of Chester Taylor and he had a respectable, albeit understated game with 78 yards rushing on 31 attempts. The story in today’s game was the pressure Vikings defense put on Eli and how he, ah-hem… responded.

Let’s hope this two game winning streak continues. Next week’s match-up at the Metrodome looms large for the Vikings. Detroit (6-5) will hope to end a 3 game slide and maintain their spot as #2 in the NFC north. Adrian “All Day” Peterson is on schedule to make his return to the line-up and contribute to NFL’s #1 rushing attack. If the defense can stay hot Zygi might have a reason to smile big come this January.

Posted by Eric Refsland at November 25, 2007 11:29 AM | Comments (3)

 

Welcome Back, Daunte: Eric Refsland blogs the Vikings

Filed under: NFL

PRE-GAME REPORT
Oakland (2-7) at Minnesota (3-6), noon

A lot has been made this week of the Oakland Raiders head coach Lane Kiffin being a Minnesota Vikings ball boy during the late 1980’s and early 90s. His father, Monte, was an assistant with the Vikings and Lane spent a lot of time around the players and coaches soaking up the atmosphere. Im kind of jealous. Not that Lane got to be around the players or at the games during this time, but because he might have witnessed first hand what I believe to be the greatest moment in Minnesota Vikings history. No, not the 4 Super Bowl appearances, not the 15-1 Vikes of the 98-99 season, no not even the majestic Herschel Walker trade. The greatest moment was November 12, 1989 during the post game interview with then-head coach Jerry Burns. Download it here or listen to it streaming here:

Awesome.

Makes you long for that kind of passion today. And the best part about that day is that the Vikings won the game 23-21. Imagine what Jerry might have said if the Vikings had lost.

I’m excited for today’s game. I know, the threat of Adrian Peterson getting the handoff and busting the 80 yard touchdown will be missing and the Minnesota quarterback carousel continues, but I’m excited because Daunte Culpepper is the Raiders’ starting quarterback.

Culpepper, who was traded from the Vikes to the Dolphins before the 2006 season after setting the record for “most torn ligaments in one knee – ACL, MCL, PCL”, now gets the nod in Oakland every time the Raiders play one of his former teams. The Revenge Factor is off the charts. I think Al Davis (owner of the Oakland Raiders) looked at the 2007 schedule and said, “We play Miami and Minnesota this year. Let’s get Daunte, this will be fun.” It worked out well week 4 when Daunte scored four touchdowns against Miami, two through the air and two rushing scores -- maybe we should be worried, he probably hates us more. In any event, Daunte’s return to the Metrodome should provide some much needed drama in a game between two teams headed in the wrong direction.

HALFTIME REPORT

Raiders 19, Vikings19

What a frustrating half of football!

Continue reading "Welcome Back, Daunte: Eric Refsland blogs the Vikings"

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 18, 2007 11:18 AM | Comments (0)

 

Vikings, Packers, battle at Lambeau: Eric Refsland blogs it

Filed under: NFL

This week, we're introducing our new Vikings blogger. Eric Refsland, a lifelong Vikes fan, is checking in with dispatches before, during and after the game. Watch this post for updates during the divisional clash with Green Bay. (And watch the site as we continue to sign free agent sports bloggers!)

PRE-GAME

The former democratic Senator from Minnesota, Eugene McCarthy, once said comparing politics to football: “You have to be smart enough to understand the game, dumb enough to think it’s important.” The Vikings this week were almost dumb enough to believe that football was more important than one of their starting receivers attending to his family after losing his grandmother. Almost, because the team decided on Saturday that they will not withhold a game check from Troy Williamson who missed last week’s win over the San Diego Chargers.

Thank God: the very last thing this organization needs is more negative national attention, especially negative attention concerning team-player relations. Isn’t it hard enough to convince a free agent to play here? “Come to Minnesota, play in the dome.” Very enticing. Now the pitch can include, “If the woman who raised you passes, we might just dock your pay.” I can almost hear the queue forming.

This is relevant because the team that takes the field this Sunday against the 7-1 Green Bay Packers is hardly a perfect unit. The most glaring need right now is at the quarterback position. The match-up against the Pack makes this fact even more obvious by contrast. Brett Favre needs 94 yards passing today to reach the 60,000 yard plateau for his career. The Vikes are starting Brooks Bollinger, who has 1,979 yards in his career. The sad thing here is Brooks is our best quarterback right now. Tarvaris Jackson is hurt, and the Vikings cut the recently signed Koy Detmer because Kelly Holcomb's neck has apparently improved enough that he can back-up Bollinger.

Typing those last few sentences made me weep.

This off-season is the time to get a QB. Donovan McNabb, Brady Quinn, or Matt Ryan from Boston College with our 1st round pick are possible solutions the Vikings' QB famine. This team has bright spots (Adrian Peterson, a strong defensive line), and now we need to build around this core. Let’s hope Funeral-Gate hasn’t hurt our chances.

The questions coming into today’s game are: Will Adrian Peterson continue to be successful against a good Packers’ defense that knows the Vikings lack a passing game? How many yards will Brett Favre pass for today? The Minnesota defense had a great game last week against San Diego; can they pressure Favre into make a few key bad decisions? This game will be close. Packers-Vikings clashes always are. I’m sure I won’t be the only one cheering a little harder for Troy Williamson.

HALFTIME

Packers 13, Vikings 0
Brett Favre 20/31 for 155 yards
Brooks Bollinger 3/6 for 7 yards

It’s amazing the Vikings are down only 13.That’s the good news at the half. We’ve only run 17 offensive plays!

It’s nice to have a stud running back, but it doesn’t do a team much good when you get down early and when you can’t rely on your quarterback to make a big play on third down to keep a drive alive. Favre is what we thought he was. A guy who somehow pulls off miraculous plays that make him a god in Wisconsin but an annoying thorn in the side of every Packers opponent.

The Vikings defense needs to find a way to get some pressure on Favre. Without that, this could be a very lopsided victory for Green Bay. The Packers came into the game averaging only 72 yards a game on the ground. Ryan Grant (who?) already has 92 yards.

The Vikings have been weak against the pass all year, but if we can’t stop the run either, we’re really in trouble.

Finally, you know it’s bad when Koren Robinson is making big plays.

I’m scared to watch this second half.

POST-GAME

Packers 34, Vikings 0

Did I say this game was going to be close?

You might ask, what does “Herman’s Head” have to do with today’s crushing defeat? Maybe you don’t remember “Herman’s Head”? That’s probably a good thing, but the above episode aired the last time the Vikings were shut out in a game -- September 22, 1991. It has been a long time.

The Green Bay Packers are really good. That’s what I keep telling myself so I don’t have to believe the Vikings are terrible. But I have a sneaking suspicion that it’s a little of column A, a little of column B. It pains me to acknowledge that the green and gold severely outplayed the purple and gold earning an enviable 8-1 record, but that was an ass-kicking plain and simple. The Vikings defense was dominated, Brett Favre could do no wrong, Adrian Peterson didn’t have the opportunities he needed and might be hurt, and the Packers’ Koren Robinson had nearly as many catches and yards as our leading receiver. Yikes. In a play that summed this game nicely, Ruvell Martin found the ball in his hands in the end zone after Darren Sharper and Cedric Griffin collided and gift-wrapped a touchdown for Favre and the Pack. Anyway you look at this game, it disappoints.

What do we have to look forward to? Well, the Raiders come to town next week. So we have that going for us ... which is nice. Beyond that, I think a lot of Vikes fans are already looking to next year and how this team can improve on both sides of the ball. Until then I think we need to get used to hearing a lot about Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Obviously, the Vikings' chance to quiet the praise of our neighbors came up a little short today.

Long anguished Vikings fan Eric Refsland grew up listening to legendary tales of a time when the Vikes went to the Super Bowl. His life’s ambition is to witness the purple and gold going all the way. He slept his way into writing this blog.

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 11, 2007 11:14 AM | Comments (1)

 

Vikings to Williamson: We Don't Care About Your Dead Grandmother

Filed under: NFL

Many of us have become lighter in the wallet due to an older relative. Usually, the cycle goes "relative gives us a card with a Lincoln in it" to "relative helps us out a bit while we're in school" to "we help pay relative's health care costs as the aging process takes hold." Such is the way of the world, unless there is an ice floe handy.

Well, Troy Williamson just took a hit for his recently-deceased grandmother, being fined a game's pay by the Vikings for missing Sunday's clash to attend her funeral service. That's 25 large that family obligations just cost him. It's perhaps needless to say that this is absurd of the Vikings -- that family should come first, and these obligations always be understood -- but maybe I should say that anyway. A guy can't get a game off for a death in the family during the Holidays? Shades of Scrooge.

As Deadspin points out, this is the same amount -- one game check -- that Fred "Sex Boat" Smoot got tapped in the aftermath of his infamy. This raises the question: if Williamson had hosted his grandmother's funeral aboard a riverboat with illicit activity present, would that have been a two-game check fine, or just one?

Posted by Jeff Shaw at November 9, 2007 10:37 AM | Comments (0)

 

Our Lady of Green Bay

Filed under: NFL

On a few rare copies of the latest Sports Illustrated, Favre actually sheds a tear.

Posted by Chuck Terhark at December 1, 2006 8:59 PM | Comments (0)

 

Is NFL Shop the new jinx?

Filed under: NFL

For a mere $19.99, you can order a lovely grey t-shirt declaring the New York Giants the NFC East Division Champions from the NFL Shop. The only problem, of course, is that the team still needs to achieve this goal. The Giants lead their division and have clinched a playoff spot, but need to win this weekend, or Washington needs to lose, in order for New York to win the division. The resurgent Skins can still take the NFC East with a win and a Giants loss. The link to the NFL Shop appears a bit quirky. Follow the link below for a screen shot of the web page...

Continue reading "Is NFL Shop the new jinx?"

Posted by Corey Anderson at December 27, 2005 9:43 AM | Comments (0)

 

Randy Moss fighting re-entry into NFL drug program

Filed under: NFL

ESPN.com is reporting that Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss is waiting to hear from the NFL's medical director of substance abuse regarding whether he will be placed back into the league's drug program:

After Moss told HBO Sports last month that he has occasionally smoked marijuana, the NFL's medical director, Dr. Rick Spodafora, called Moss in for testing on the grounds that through his words, Moss has indicated that he has resumed his drug-related behavior.

Four years ago, Moss entered the NFL's drug program. The seventh-year pro was subsequently tested up to 10 times a month, but he rotated out after testing clean in the two subsequent years.

Read the rest here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at October 4, 2005 4:52 PM | Comments (1)

 

Police mace Chiefs tight end coach before game

Filed under: NFL

The Associated Press reports Kansas City Chiefs tight ends coach Jason Verduzco was maced when he became combative with police after not being allowed to turn from an outside street into an Arrowhead Stadium gate because of heavy gameday traffic.

Read the whole story here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at October 4, 2005 3:57 PM | Comments (1)

 

Jerry Rice retires

Filed under: NFL

After a 20-year career as the most prolific wide receiver to ever play the game, 42-year-old Jerry Rice has announced his retirement. Rice spent the majority of his tenure with the San Francisco 49ers, followed by stints in Oakland and Seattle. After being offered only a small role in the Denver Broncos offense, Rice has instead chosen to end his Hall of Fame career. John Clayton has more at ESPN.com.

Posted by Corey Anderson at September 5, 2005 2:36 PM | Comments (1)

 

New Orleans Saints setting up operations in San Antonio

Filed under: NFL

Len Pasquarelli at ESPN.com is reporting the New Orleans Saints will set up shop in San Antonio, but no official site for "home games" has yet been chosen. Mike Abington, director of the Alamodome, was checking on the facility's available dates, in the event the Saints need to play there. Reliant Stadium in Houston and the stadium on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge are other options. Doug Thornton, a regional vice president for the company that manages the Superdome, told New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin it will be "very, very difficult" for the Saints to play home games there this season. Read the story here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at August 31, 2005 4:30 PM | Comments (0)

 

Moss returns to MN next week for bass fishing tournament

Filed under: NFL

Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss will return to the Twin Cities next week to take part in the Randy Moss Celebrity Charity Invitational Bass Tournament, a one-day event on Lake Minnetonka. Fifty pro anglers will be paired with sports and media celebrities and corporate sponsors to compete for heaviest total catch and raise money for the Smile Network, which assists poor children with treatable mouth problems, such as cleft palate. No word on whether Daunte Culpepper will have a smile for Randy upon his return.

Read the rest of the story here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at June 24, 2005 10:09 AM

 

Do Moss and Culpepper need a sit-down with Dr. Phil?

Filed under: NFL

We've all had it happen. Your best buddy in elementary school moves away. There are vows to stay in touch, addresses exchanged, pictures taken. Then... bupkiss, nada, end of story. In a recent Sports Illustrated interview, former Vikings wide receiver Randy Moss bemoaned the loss of his close relationship with quarterback Daunte Culpepper. "Once you grow to love a person, a breakup is kind of hard," Moss sobbed. "I thought Culpepper was (my friend), but now that everything's happened, it seems to me I lost a friend." Culpepper countered in the press today: "My phone number hasn't changed. If you're my friend, why haven't you talked to me? Know what I'm saying?" Could a little straight talk and some tough love from Dr. Phil save this relationship? Or will the torrid decimation of this friendship continue to play out in USA Today for all the world to see?

Posted by Corey Anderson at May 18, 2005 2:57 PM

 

Favre's karma: Shock jock shocked

Filed under: NFL

Remeber Lee Mroszak, aka "Cabe?" He's the former KQRS prankster who perpetrated a 1997 radio hoax in which he purported to catch Packer quarterback Brett Favre cheating on his wife. It caused a big furor at the time, and cost Mroszak his job. After that, Mroszak faded from view. In 1999, the former Gulf War vet resurfaced briefly in a Doug Grow column. By then, according to Grow, the former shock jock was out of radio, born again, sober and--great detail!--making his living by selling ads for a publication called Sex Inc.

The good times couldn't last.

Mroszak is back in the news again--this time for tax evasion. How'd he get caught? By being an idiot. More specifically, after resurrecting his provacateur act for the Howard Stern Show, Mroszak actually boasted on air that he hadn't paid his income taxes for three years. Naturally, an IRS agent/Stern fan opened an investigation and, last week, Mroszak, who now likes to be called "Crazy Cabbie," was sentenced by a federal judge to one year in prison.

Moral: Don't brag about your crimes, don't cross Brett Favre.

Posted by Mike Mosedale at May 17, 2005 2:10 PM

 

Vikes first-round picks draw raves from the "experts"

Filed under: NFL

The online sports press is gushing about the Vikings top two picks in the first round of yesterday's NFL draft. CBS Sportsline.com's senior football writer Pete Prisco hands out his only A+ grade to Scott Studwell and the other Purple People Drafters. ESPN.com's pigskin guru John Clayton cites the Vikes behind only Dallas in his "winners and losers" column, saving some praise for the team's second-round choice. And over at the website shared by Sports Illustrated and CNN, former Vikings beat writer Don Banks likewise slots Minnesota as the second best winner among all NFL franchises, this time as runner-up to Dallas. Finally,  SI/CNN.com's John Donovan, after first voicing reservations regarding the Purple's pick of Troy Williamson over Mike Williams, quickly comes around to proclaim that, "The Vikings got all they could hope for from their two first-rounders."

While I love what the Vikes have done with their defense--especially the signings of Smoot and Sharper in the secondary--all these huzzahs about Williamson must be tempered by the fact that he arrives at the cost of losing Randy Moss. And as good as Williamson might be (thus far all we really know about him is that he's very very fast) I think it is fairly safe to say that there will still be an extreme drop-off at the wide receiver position this season.

Meanwhile, what does it say about the increasing senility of South Carolina coach Lou Holtz that he had a blazing stud lined up on the wing for three years and rarely got him the ball? (Um, I guess is says that Holtz is increasingly senile. ) 

Posted by Britt Robson at April 24, 2005 5:22 PM

 

Former Viking Michael Brim killed in Virginia shootout

Filed under: NFL

The Associated Press is reporting former NFL cornerback Michael Brim, 39, died in a shootout with another man Tuesday night. Brim was drafted by the Cardinals in 1988 and played for seven years with various teams including Detroit, the New York Jets, Cincinnati, and the Minnesota Vikings from 1989-1990.

Read the full account of the shooting here.

Posted by Corey Anderson at April 22, 2005 1:50 PM

 

'Monday Night Football' Moving to ESPN

Filed under: NFL

The NFL's "Monday Night Football" is leaving ABC after 35 years for ESPN starting with the 2006 season. The deal will cost ESPN $1.1 billion over eight years. No word if Al Michaels and John Madden will be moving to ABC's sister station. No doubt there's a few ESPN staffers would like to take a crack at calling some games.

This leaves ABC the only network station without football, as NBC will take over ESPN's Sunday night game for $600 million over six years and host the Super Bowl in 2009 and 2012. NBC is hoping to lure men to, say, the Cardinals versus the Bills and away from Desperate Housewives. Hopefully ESPN's Sunday night crew, including Joe Theismann and that grouchy Paul guy who resembles a walrus in a necktie, will get their walking papers because of this.

Posted by Corey Anderson at April 18, 2005 5:42 PM

 

Ex-NFL player Cole Ford saw Siegfried and Roy as a Threat

Filed under: NFL

And that makes him crazy?

Posted by Corey Anderson at April 10, 2005 7:04 PM

 

'Roid Rage: NFL division

Filed under: NFL

Former Vike implicated in steroids probe, CBS claims

The Strib reports that Redwood-neck and former Viking Todd Steussie is among the NFL players named in a 60 Minutes Wednesday report about steroids in the NFL that will air tonight. Steussie and others allegedly obtained prescriptions for steroids from a Dr. James Shortt two weeks before the Carolina Panthers' 2004 Super Bowl appearance.

Here, via the Pi-Press, is the Charlotte Observer's far more detailed story on the report.

Posted by Steve Perry at March 30, 2005 9:07 AM