Just finished watching the NFL Network's "Top 10 Snakebitten Franchises" episode and the Vikings finished second .... to the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns?
I realize the Browns haven't won a Super Bowl either and they got beat on "The Drive." But geez, how can you put them ahead of the Vikings – the losers of four Super Bowls, the victims of the Drew Pearson push-off, victims of the most lopsided loss in NFL conference championship history, victims of the Nate Poole game, and Gary Anderson missing the chip shot field goal and Darrin Nelson dropping a coulda-been conference championship-winning catch at the goal line in 1987?
You're telling me, NFL Network, that the Browns are more snakebit than the Vikings? Give your collective head a shake or two.
The only thing that bothers me more right now than the Vikes finishing second on this stupid list, is that I'm somehow bothered that the Vikings finished second on this stupid list.
And I notice NFL Network has some guy named Randy Moss in Mankato covering the Vikings training camp. Do they think they're being funny or clever here?
Fuck.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Holdouts
With NFL training camps underway all across the U.S., as I write this, 19 of the 32 first round draft picks from last April's college draft were still unsigned, including Percy Harvin.
The National Football Post's Jack Bechta explains why players hold out. He also writes about how head coaches sometimes lean on draft picks in situations like this. Both articles make for very interesting reading. Based on Brad Childress' brief comments on the Harvin negotiations, how likely do you think it is that Chilly has been trying to convince his little buddy Percy to sign a deal and get in camp ASAP?
I'd like Harvin to be in camp. But in general, I side with the players in these "holdouts" (remember, Harvin has no obligation to be there because he hasn't signed a contract.) Football is a brutal, physical sport and most careers are short. The NFL also makes huge money off the physical talents of these young – and in some cases, very poor – men. So I don't begrudge them or their agents in trying to get the best deal possible. Besides, Harvin has attended several OTAs and mini-camps already. I don't think missing a day or two of camp will hurt his chances of making a positive impact on the field this season. It's only in cases like Bryant McKinnie, where the player starts missing a game or several games, that the team and the player really suffer. But those instances are rare.
The National Football Post's Jack Bechta explains why players hold out. He also writes about how head coaches sometimes lean on draft picks in situations like this. Both articles make for very interesting reading. Based on Brad Childress' brief comments on the Harvin negotiations, how likely do you think it is that Chilly has been trying to convince his little buddy Percy to sign a deal and get in camp ASAP?
I'd like Harvin to be in camp. But in general, I side with the players in these "holdouts" (remember, Harvin has no obligation to be there because he hasn't signed a contract.) Football is a brutal, physical sport and most careers are short. The NFL also makes huge money off the physical talents of these young – and in some cases, very poor – men. So I don't begrudge them or their agents in trying to get the best deal possible. Besides, Harvin has attended several OTAs and mini-camps already. I don't think missing a day or two of camp will hurt his chances of making a positive impact on the field this season. It's only in cases like Bryant McKinnie, where the player starts missing a game or several games, that the team and the player really suffer. But those instances are rare.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The end of our Favre fixation
I was never that jazzed about Brett Favre becoming a Viking. For starters, I wasn’t convinced the nearly 40-year-old ex-Packer was THE missing piece – the guy who could take the Vikings to the Super Bowl and help them win it. So there was that.
But this was more than just about Favre's onfield abilities. I also wasn’t looking forward to pinning our playoff and Super Bowl hopes on perhaps the most famous player to have played for the Vikings biggest rival. If the Vikings are going to thrive, I'd prefer we did it with home grown guys. Maybe I would have got over that fact. But Favre playing for the Vikes had the potential to make cheering for the team a stale experience in 2009.
But now that Brad Childress has closed the door on bringing in Favre even as Favre continues to waffle on retiring, I don't have to consider that anymore. It feels good.
Since the Jets released Favre in April and rumours started surfacing that he might make another comeback, he's dominated any talk about the Vikings even though he wasn’t even a member of the team. Every question, every concern, every hope raised about the team has somehow been related back to Favre. Like how much more effective would Adrian Peterson be with Brett Favre as his quarterback? How much would the passing game improve with Favre throwing the ball? Would Favre’s ability to read defences and get rid of the ball quickly help the offensive line? Would his risk-taking and tendency to throw interceptions put the defence in too many bad situations? And on and on it went.
But Favre won't be playing with the Vikings after all and now we can start focusing on Viking issues and Viking players rather than on a one year hired gun who also used to play for our biggest rival. We can start wondering what kind of impact Percy Harvin will have on the Vikings in 2009. We can focus on whether Phil Loadholt can win the right tackle job. We can debate whom should be the Vikes starting quarterback – Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson. We can forget about Favre. That’s why Tuesday, July 28th was a good day for Viking fans.
But this was more than just about Favre's onfield abilities. I also wasn’t looking forward to pinning our playoff and Super Bowl hopes on perhaps the most famous player to have played for the Vikings biggest rival. If the Vikings are going to thrive, I'd prefer we did it with home grown guys. Maybe I would have got over that fact. But Favre playing for the Vikes had the potential to make cheering for the team a stale experience in 2009.
But now that Brad Childress has closed the door on bringing in Favre even as Favre continues to waffle on retiring, I don't have to consider that anymore. It feels good.
Since the Jets released Favre in April and rumours started surfacing that he might make another comeback, he's dominated any talk about the Vikings even though he wasn’t even a member of the team. Every question, every concern, every hope raised about the team has somehow been related back to Favre. Like how much more effective would Adrian Peterson be with Brett Favre as his quarterback? How much would the passing game improve with Favre throwing the ball? Would Favre’s ability to read defences and get rid of the ball quickly help the offensive line? Would his risk-taking and tendency to throw interceptions put the defence in too many bad situations? And on and on it went.
But Favre won't be playing with the Vikings after all and now we can start focusing on Viking issues and Viking players rather than on a one year hired gun who also used to play for our biggest rival. We can start wondering what kind of impact Percy Harvin will have on the Vikings in 2009. We can focus on whether Phil Loadholt can win the right tackle job. We can debate whom should be the Vikes starting quarterback – Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson. We can forget about Favre. That’s why Tuesday, July 28th was a good day for Viking fans.
Favre fallout
A few links before I post (hopefully) a longer piece today on the Brett Favre thing.
Pacifist Viking, a Vikings fan and blogger, thinks any concerns about Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson letting their play be affected by hurt feelings over Brad Childress' pursuit of Favre is a crock of shit.
Meanwhile, Mike Lombardi, a former NFL executive who has experienced first-hand how professional athletes react to being replaced or potentially replaced, has a different take on the matter.
I agree with Pacifist Viking on this one. I will add this though, whatever happens this season with the Vikings, you can bet some players – maybe a lot of players – will cite the Favre flirtation as the root cause.
If the Vikings play poorly, players will say Childress lost their trust and lost the lockerroom going after Favre and that's why they sucked in 2009. If the Vikings play well, players will say the whole thing brought them closer together and that's why they were great in 2009. I can't wait to hear all of this.
In other news, Michael Vick definitely isn't coming to Minnesota.
Pacifist Viking, a Vikings fan and blogger, thinks any concerns about Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson letting their play be affected by hurt feelings over Brad Childress' pursuit of Favre is a crock of shit.
Meanwhile, Mike Lombardi, a former NFL executive who has experienced first-hand how professional athletes react to being replaced or potentially replaced, has a different take on the matter.
I agree with Pacifist Viking on this one. I will add this though, whatever happens this season with the Vikings, you can bet some players – maybe a lot of players – will cite the Favre flirtation as the root cause.
If the Vikings play poorly, players will say Childress lost their trust and lost the lockerroom going after Favre and that's why they sucked in 2009. If the Vikings play well, players will say the whole thing brought them closer together and that's why they were great in 2009. I can't wait to hear all of this.
In other news, Michael Vick definitely isn't coming to Minnesota.
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
If you hated Brett Favre before, you'll really hate him now (or maybe not)
Is this, finally, the end of it?
If it is (and nothing ever seems to be a final when it comes to Brett Favre and football), I have to say I'm kinda relieved. Bring on the Sage Rosenfels era.
If it is (and nothing ever seems to be a final when it comes to Brett Favre and football), I have to say I'm kinda relieved. Bring on the Sage Rosenfels era.
The Unusual Suspects – Part One
Most Viking fans, I think, have reasonably high hopes for the team in 2009. But for the Vikings to meet those expectations, they'll need key contributions from a number of players. Some of these players are easy enough to point out – like Jared Allen and Adrian Peterson. But there are other players – lesser known players – who need to play well for the Vikings to be more than Wild Card fodder in January.
Today, I'm listing three offensive players who will play key roles in the Vikings success (or failure) in 2009 besides the usual suspects.
Sidney Rice: In Rice’s 2007 rookie season he caught 31 passes for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns. He did this even though the Vikes didn’t throw much and when they did it was Tarvaris Jackson, Kelly Holcomb and Brooks Bollinger doing the throwing. Rice showed good hands, good leaping ability and an ability to occasionally get open deep. Rice says a knee injury was to blame for his disappointing 2008 (just 15 catches). I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that one and say my impression in 2007 that Rice could be a good one is still valid in 2009.
If Rice can deliver on his promise, he bumps Bobby Wade to the number three (or number four, depending on how Percy Harvin does) wide receiver spot and gives the Vikings a red zone receiving threat next to Bernard Berrian. (Wade has just seven touchdown catches in six NFL seasons.) This is the kind of incremental improvement the Vikes need from each position to repeat as division champions and go deeper in the playoffs. Not many people are focusing on the impact an improved Sidney Rice could have on the Vikings offence in 2009. I think they should.
Visanthe Shiancoe: I can't imagine that after watching Shiancoe drop (another) easy touchdown pass in the first quarter of game two in 2008, there were any Viking fans who thought he would develop into a receiving threat. But that is what happened (2008 stats: 42 catches, 596 yards and seven touchdowns.) Football Outsiders even had him rated as the second-best tight end last year, ahead of guys like Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark and Chris Cooley.
I'm not expecting Shiancoe to top his numbers from '08. I don’t think he even has to (though it’s be nice if he did.) But he can’t return to his 2007 form, when he was a butterfingered liability. If he can play at the standard he established last season, he gives the Vikings another receiving threat, another guy opposing defences have to account for and another guy who can score touchdowns, which is the name of this game.
John Sullivan: When announcers and writers talked or wrote about the Vikings the previous three seasons, they often mentioned the offensive line and what a strength it was. But that was when the line included left tackle Bryant McKinnie, left guard Steve Hutchinson and center Matt Birk. Well, McKinnie has never gone to a Pro Bowl and Birk’s gone – replaced by second-year player Sullivan.
Here's another thing those announcers and writers never mentioned. During the Brad Childress administration, the Vikings offensive line has never been as good as advertised. It's often struggled to pass block and open up even the smallest of holes for Peterson and Chester Taylor. And that was with Birk on the roster. So how confident can we be that the Vikes offensive line will be better than it was last year with a green sophomore, Sullivan, taking over for Birk and a green rookie, Phil Loadholt, expected to start at right tackle?
The answer is we can’t. But the Vikings need to be right about Sullivan. On the Vikings current depth chart, two undrafted rookie free agents are the backups behind Sullivan. So if he struggles to make the right calls at the line of scrimmage and can’t keep opposing defensive tackles at bay, the Vikings offence could be in big trouble – unable to run consistently and unable to keep pass rushers off our quarterbacks. That could force the Vikes into moving Ryan Cook over to center (can't see that working out) or making a midseason deal for another Melvin Fowler type.
Today, I'm listing three offensive players who will play key roles in the Vikings success (or failure) in 2009 besides the usual suspects.
Sidney Rice: In Rice’s 2007 rookie season he caught 31 passes for nearly 400 yards and four touchdowns. He did this even though the Vikes didn’t throw much and when they did it was Tarvaris Jackson, Kelly Holcomb and Brooks Bollinger doing the throwing. Rice showed good hands, good leaping ability and an ability to occasionally get open deep. Rice says a knee injury was to blame for his disappointing 2008 (just 15 catches). I'll give him the benefit of the doubt on that one and say my impression in 2007 that Rice could be a good one is still valid in 2009.
If Rice can deliver on his promise, he bumps Bobby Wade to the number three (or number four, depending on how Percy Harvin does) wide receiver spot and gives the Vikings a red zone receiving threat next to Bernard Berrian. (Wade has just seven touchdown catches in six NFL seasons.) This is the kind of incremental improvement the Vikes need from each position to repeat as division champions and go deeper in the playoffs. Not many people are focusing on the impact an improved Sidney Rice could have on the Vikings offence in 2009. I think they should.
Visanthe Shiancoe: I can't imagine that after watching Shiancoe drop (another) easy touchdown pass in the first quarter of game two in 2008, there were any Viking fans who thought he would develop into a receiving threat. But that is what happened (2008 stats: 42 catches, 596 yards and seven touchdowns.) Football Outsiders even had him rated as the second-best tight end last year, ahead of guys like Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark and Chris Cooley.
I'm not expecting Shiancoe to top his numbers from '08. I don’t think he even has to (though it’s be nice if he did.) But he can’t return to his 2007 form, when he was a butterfingered liability. If he can play at the standard he established last season, he gives the Vikings another receiving threat, another guy opposing defences have to account for and another guy who can score touchdowns, which is the name of this game.
John Sullivan: When announcers and writers talked or wrote about the Vikings the previous three seasons, they often mentioned the offensive line and what a strength it was. But that was when the line included left tackle Bryant McKinnie, left guard Steve Hutchinson and center Matt Birk. Well, McKinnie has never gone to a Pro Bowl and Birk’s gone – replaced by second-year player Sullivan.
Here's another thing those announcers and writers never mentioned. During the Brad Childress administration, the Vikings offensive line has never been as good as advertised. It's often struggled to pass block and open up even the smallest of holes for Peterson and Chester Taylor. And that was with Birk on the roster. So how confident can we be that the Vikes offensive line will be better than it was last year with a green sophomore, Sullivan, taking over for Birk and a green rookie, Phil Loadholt, expected to start at right tackle?
The answer is we can’t. But the Vikings need to be right about Sullivan. On the Vikings current depth chart, two undrafted rookie free agents are the backups behind Sullivan. So if he struggles to make the right calls at the line of scrimmage and can’t keep opposing defensive tackles at bay, the Vikings offence could be in big trouble – unable to run consistently and unable to keep pass rushers off our quarterbacks. That could force the Vikes into moving Ryan Cook over to center (can't see that working out) or making a midseason deal for another Melvin Fowler type.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
One potential training camp distraction averted
This news will soon be on every other Vikings-focused blog, so why not put it on here as well?
Don't get all hot and bothered that the Vikings signed the 32-year-old Winfield to a five-year extension for big money – an extension he almost certainly won't complete with the Vikings.
This is a deal for this year and next year (and if Winfield's body holds up, the year after that). It keeps a valuable member of the team in the fold for as long as they want him. It keeps Winfield happy and avoids any training camp nonsense where he's grousing about his contract status. And it shows other Viking veterans and veterans around the league that Minnesota takes care of its star players - even older ones – if they are still playing at a high level.
I just hope Winfield has three more good years left in the tank.
Update
So much for worrying about the Vikings getting saddled with paying big bucks for past production. Antoine Winfield's new contract will pay him like a starting cornerback as long as he stays in that role and pay him like a nickel back if he can't hold onto to the starting job.
I like this approach by the Vikings. And I like the fact Winfield and his agent were willing to be flexible in drawing up the extension. It sounds like Winfield really did want to end his career as a Viking.
Don't get all hot and bothered that the Vikings signed the 32-year-old Winfield to a five-year extension for big money – an extension he almost certainly won't complete with the Vikings.
This is a deal for this year and next year (and if Winfield's body holds up, the year after that). It keeps a valuable member of the team in the fold for as long as they want him. It keeps Winfield happy and avoids any training camp nonsense where he's grousing about his contract status. And it shows other Viking veterans and veterans around the league that Minnesota takes care of its star players - even older ones – if they are still playing at a high level.
I just hope Winfield has three more good years left in the tank.
Update
So much for worrying about the Vikings getting saddled with paying big bucks for past production. Antoine Winfield's new contract will pay him like a starting cornerback as long as he stays in that role and pay him like a nickel back if he can't hold onto to the starting job.
I like this approach by the Vikings. And I like the fact Winfield and his agent were willing to be flexible in drawing up the extension. It sounds like Winfield really did want to end his career as a Viking.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Blogging doldrums
July has not been a good month for posting here at Grant's Tomb. So be it. It's fastball season here in Canada's North and I've been busy doing that.
And without much Viking news to talk about except maybe this, I pass along a Football Outsiders column about wide receivers.
I admit I skimmed through some of the column, but what it shows is how rare it is for a rookie to become a number one wide receiver in the NFL. So don't expect Percy Harvin to catch 60 passes for over 1,000 yards and score multiple touchdowns in 2009.
Of course, Harvin doesn't have to be a number one receiver in 2009 to make the Vikings offence better (I'm already convinced Harvin will never be a guy who is the team's top receiving threat anyway.) If he can do what Devin Hester did his first two seasons with Chicago – make a big play or two per game, scare opponents to death and force them to do silly things – then he will have earned whatever rookie contract he will eventually sign.
Add an effective Harvin to an offence that already has Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Bernard Berrian and, yes, even Visanthe Shiancoe and you've got plenty of weapons Viking opponents will have to worry about. It might even be a kick ass offence.
And without much Viking news to talk about except maybe this, I pass along a Football Outsiders column about wide receivers.
I admit I skimmed through some of the column, but what it shows is how rare it is for a rookie to become a number one wide receiver in the NFL. So don't expect Percy Harvin to catch 60 passes for over 1,000 yards and score multiple touchdowns in 2009.
Of course, Harvin doesn't have to be a number one receiver in 2009 to make the Vikings offence better (I'm already convinced Harvin will never be a guy who is the team's top receiving threat anyway.) If he can do what Devin Hester did his first two seasons with Chicago – make a big play or two per game, scare opponents to death and force them to do silly things – then he will have earned whatever rookie contract he will eventually sign.
Add an effective Harvin to an offence that already has Adrian Peterson, Chester Taylor, Bernard Berrian and, yes, even Visanthe Shiancoe and you've got plenty of weapons Viking opponents will have to worry about. It might even be a kick ass offence.
Friday, July 10, 2009
This won't end well
The National Football Post's Andrew Brandt doesn't think Kevin and Pat Williams will win the Star Caps case against the NFL.
I never thought the Williams twins would win this case and that they were delaying the inevitable in dragging this thing out. But this does make me ponder the issue of NFL players and performance enhancing supplements and whether the league should just say the hell with it and allow the players to take whatever they want.
Let me say I do think the league has a moral obligation to test players for banned substances and performance enhancing drugs. But that's to protect the players from themselves and prevent them from damaging their bodies anymore than they already do by simply playing the game.
However, I don't think that's why the NFL tests for these things. The league does it because if it doesn't, steroid use will become rampant among the players and it's afraid of NFL football being labelled a dirty sport. And if it's considered a dirty sport, it will lose sponsorship dollars, advertising dollars and perhaps its place as America's favourite pastime.
Except I'm not convinced football fans care all that much what players are swallowing or injecting as long as they are helping the team they cheer for win games. And if the fans don't care and still keep coming to the games and watching them on TV and buying the merchandise, then the league isn't going to lose advertising dollars or sponsorships. Which means the NFL is testing its players for the wrong reasons – not to protect the physical (and mental) health of its athletes, but to keep the cash cow rolling. Am I being too hard on the league?
I never thought the Williams twins would win this case and that they were delaying the inevitable in dragging this thing out. But this does make me ponder the issue of NFL players and performance enhancing supplements and whether the league should just say the hell with it and allow the players to take whatever they want.
Let me say I do think the league has a moral obligation to test players for banned substances and performance enhancing drugs. But that's to protect the players from themselves and prevent them from damaging their bodies anymore than they already do by simply playing the game.
However, I don't think that's why the NFL tests for these things. The league does it because if it doesn't, steroid use will become rampant among the players and it's afraid of NFL football being labelled a dirty sport. And if it's considered a dirty sport, it will lose sponsorship dollars, advertising dollars and perhaps its place as America's favourite pastime.
Except I'm not convinced football fans care all that much what players are swallowing or injecting as long as they are helping the team they cheer for win games. And if the fans don't care and still keep coming to the games and watching them on TV and buying the merchandise, then the league isn't going to lose advertising dollars or sponsorships. Which means the NFL is testing its players for the wrong reasons – not to protect the physical (and mental) health of its athletes, but to keep the cash cow rolling. Am I being too hard on the league?
Monday, July 06, 2009
How much is a cornerback worth?
Antoine Winfield isn't all that happy.
His agent, tried to put a more positive spin on Winfield's comments in the Pioneer Press, but this isn't the kind of happy talk Vikings fans are looking for heading into the 2009 season, particularly with all the Brett Favre stuff going on.
However, I don't think this is something Vikes fans should be worrying about. Winfield will be in camp and he'll play as hard as ever. I expect he'll be as effective as ever, too.
But I certainly understand the Vikings handling of this. Winfield is one of my favourite players, he's coming off a Pro Bowl season and there is a good argument to be made for re-signing him. But Winfield has always been excellent (or at least pretty good) since he joined the team and the Vikings never had a complete defence until last year when they they got Jared Allen and found a pass rush. So how valuable is even a Pro Bowl cornerback to a team? Perhaps the money is better spent elsewhere.
In professional sports, you've got to know when to let go once players hit their 30s. Don't pay for past performance. I'm sure the Vikings would pay top dollar for Winfield's services for a year or two. But if Winfield is looking for a four or five-year deal, he'll probably be playing somewhere other than Minnesota in 2010.
His agent, tried to put a more positive spin on Winfield's comments in the Pioneer Press, but this isn't the kind of happy talk Vikings fans are looking for heading into the 2009 season, particularly with all the Brett Favre stuff going on.
However, I don't think this is something Vikes fans should be worrying about. Winfield will be in camp and he'll play as hard as ever. I expect he'll be as effective as ever, too.
But I certainly understand the Vikings handling of this. Winfield is one of my favourite players, he's coming off a Pro Bowl season and there is a good argument to be made for re-signing him. But Winfield has always been excellent (or at least pretty good) since he joined the team and the Vikings never had a complete defence until last year when they they got Jared Allen and found a pass rush. So how valuable is even a Pro Bowl cornerback to a team? Perhaps the money is better spent elsewhere.
In professional sports, you've got to know when to let go once players hit their 30s. Don't pay for past performance. I'm sure the Vikings would pay top dollar for Winfield's services for a year or two. But if Winfield is looking for a four or five-year deal, he'll probably be playing somewhere other than Minnesota in 2010.
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