Minnesota Vikings’ Dream Season Can Only Be Dampened By Saints’ Tiring Act

In 1998, as many fans remember, the Minnesota Vikings seemingly came out of nowhere with quarterback in Randall Cunningham, a hot shot rookie wide receiver in Randy Moss, and a swagger that truly hasn’t been back since, until season.

This year, Cunningham has been replaced by an even better Brett Favre and that hot shot rookie (who I predicted to be runner-up for the ROY) is Percy Harvin.

As a Vikings fan, I’ve wrote about it all here in “Brett Favre to the Vikings has the Makings of 1998 all over again with a better ending.” once Brett Favre was officially announced, I also predicted the Vikings to make it all the way to the Super Bowl and lose (i.e. I made these picks prior to the season). Knowing that they are rolling now doesn’t come as a surprise to me.

What does, however, are the Saints who I, like the rest of the league, didn’t see coming. Last night’s beating of the New England Patriots may have been the best and last chance we, as Vikings fans, had to catch everyone’s media darling, the boring New Orleans Saints, for home field advantage.

The Saints can also thank their lucky stars that they played the game in the over-hyped and over-emotional Superdump, uh, dome. Had they been up in Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, the game may, I emphasize, may, have been different.

As I’ve written before, the Saints just look unbeatable at home, and that is the sad part of it for all Vikings fans. The Vikings are going to finish 15-1 only to see the Saints run the table and finish 16-0 and thus, for their troubles, they will have to travel down to the Big Easy for the NFC Championship Game.

 

 

Introducing the “Hurricane Katrina’s”: AKA the New Orleans Saints

 

It’s bad enough that we are seeing Saints fans come out of the woodwork. Suddenly everyone’s Cajun—how many of you fools had to look up the spelling (and meaning for that matter) of “Geaux Saints”?

How many of you so-called Cajuns thought “Geaux” rhymed with “box” before a real Saints fan, (i.e. the ones who put old paper bags over their heads during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s told you otherwise?

Yeah, I see your gold and black and I also see that it is neither faded nor worn, it’s new, kind of like your taste for winning thus reinforcing my bandwagon claims.

These Saints are starting to remind me of the 1999 St. Louis Rams, who went from worst to first, even though I will admit they always had some talent on the offensive side of the ball.

What puzzles me is the “good defense” the Saints are now playing. Suddenly Mike McKenzie, who you cut, is playing well? Darren Sharper, who wore out his welcome the last two years in Minnesota and looked like he was done, is rejuvenated? I don’t buy it, just like I don’t buy their defense or their chances at long-term success.

Enjoy it while you can Saints fans, because when it’s gone, you so-called “fans” will be gone too.

The worst part of it all though, is that once the playoffs start, all we are going to hear about is Hurricane Katrina, over and over again. Sure it was sad, no one is denying that, but every state faces hardships and unfortunate circumstances. Minnesota had a bridge collapse and they didn’t sensationalize it like the announcers will no doubt sensationalize the tragedy of Katrina.

Here’s hoping for 2006 all over again, like when these Saints lost their playoff virginity opposite of the playoff-tested Vikings. That year, everyone’s favorite upstart made it all the way to the NFC Championship Game before losing to Rex Grossman, yes Rex Grossman, and the Chicago Bears.

That game however, was in Chicago and not the new “friendly confines” that this game will likely be.

 

 

Minnesota needs this win. For New Orleans, it would just make for a “nice story.”

 

New Orleans, if you lose, there will be next year. You’ll still have your core of Brees, Colston, an emerging Robert Meacham, a healthy Shockey, an overrated Bush, and that overrated defense.

Minnesota, should they lose, could be on their way to L.A. sooner rather than later.

Los Angeles.

You remember that, right? You know, the place you were once rumored to go, potentially before Hurricane Katrina ironically saved you.

Don’t take this personally New Orleans, as its nothing against you, per se, I just: A, don’t like band-wagoners and I’m seeing way too many of them now that the ESPN hype machine has basically become ESPNEWORLEANS; and B, when it comes down to it, I’ll take anyone re-locating to L.A. over my team.

You’re a good team. I get that. You somehow won eleven straight games and if my team was out of the playoffs I’d probably cheer for you knowing its better than the alternative of the Cowboys, the Eagle, or the Packers.

Also consider that while I don’t want anyone to move to Los Angeles, I find it hilarious that the second largest metropolis in the United States can’t support and doesn’t have a team in the nation’s most popular league.

If anyone has to move let it be the Jacksonville Blackouts, uh, Jaguars, who never should have been in the league in the first place with their small, apathetic base, and similar market.

Remember those rumors I mentioned where you could have ended up in L.A? I was, (and still am) one of those who defended your right to stay in Louisiana and that was before and after Katrina, long before you were good, or even competitive for that matter.

Please don’t take this as a shot against any one of your players or against the city as a whole. It’s the media and their propaganda.

They are only doing their jobs in trying to create fan interest and intrigue but there has to be a limit. I at least hope they call it both ways and don’t make their bias toward “the little team that could” too obvious.

 

 

1998 Revisited

 

How sad would it be if our own fairy tale season a 40-year-old Brett Favre, who came back to play for the arch-rival Vikings after 16 seasons in Green Bay, has an MVP season that is quite possibly going to end up his best statistically, and the only thing that stops them from capping the dream season and even making the Super Bowl, are the pesky and “lovable” Saints?

In 1998 the 15-1 Vikings were similarly steamrolling through opponents until they ran into the 14-2 Atlanta Falcons, who upset them at home in the NFC title game.

To the Falcons credit, they were 14-2, but watch out Saints, those Falcons disappeared after the season and didn’t emerge again until Michael Vick led them back to that game in 2002 where they lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

This year, unfortunately, the Saints have taken on the role of the Falcons, only this time, as repeatedly stated, the venues will be reversed once the Saints and their legion of “fans” host what should be our game.

I mean, what are the chances that the NFL sees a 15-1 team have to go on the road, to that location and city of all places, in the most important game in the recent history of the franchise?

It’s about as likely as the NFL having two teams go undefeated the same season, as the Colts and Saints are preparing to do. After three decades of having no undefeated teams, the NFL is about the have three in the past three seasons.

In 2007 it was the Patriots, the NFL’s spoiled child. Three rings, a corporate atmosphere, and monotonous management coming from the uninspiring Bill Belichick.

Now in 2009, we get our pick between daddy’s boy Peyton Manning and the cow town Colts (who should still be in Baltimore by the way) and these tiring Saints, whose act and reign at the top I believe will get old quickly.

Awesome.

I can’t wait.

In either case, the Vikings and their magical season will continue to play second fiddle to the Colts and the Saints.

See, I had prepared for the Vikings to steamroll through the playoffs only to run into the boring buzz-saw that is either the Patriots or Colt.

Now we get the Saints who are coming out of left field and are ripe to spoil the party—or is it a “gala” in “Nawlins” talk?

 

 

Destined for Disappointment

 

As a Vikings fan from birth, I’ve seen many disappointments.

Beyond the 1998 season, I’ve seen the hype and excitement of all of the Dennis Green years.

I’ve put up with the “Love Boat” shenanigans, the “Straight Cash Homey” lingo from Randy Moss , who, to his credit, gave the franchise the same shot in the arm Favre is doing this year.

I’ve seen the Vikings sneak into the playoffs when they didn’t deserve in 1996, only to get blasted by the eventual Champion Dallas Cowboys.

I’ve seen the Vikings come back from ten down with under two-minutes to go in a playoff game, like they did to the 1997 New York Giants. I’ve also sat through the entire 41-0 beatdown in the 2000 NFC Championship Game where the Giants returned the favor.

I’ve had my heart broken so many times by this team that I keep expecting the “bad game” the experts expect Favre to have to come sooner or later. For this reason, while the team is 10-1, I can’t fully enjoy it knowing it could come any week and thus cost us a chance at hosting the NFC Championship Game.

I, however, keep getting this feeling that it will come when we can least afford it—in the playoffs against, you guessed it, the New Orleans Saints, in their house against their vaunted defense, thus completing the cycle and killing our season.

 

 

Vikings-Bengals: Super Bowl XLIV not allowed to happen?

 

The Super Bowl I want, the Vikings and the Cincinnati Bengals, may not even get a chance to happen thanks to the Saints and to either the Patriots or Colts.

Why did I want the Bengals?

If worse came to worse, I don’t have a problem losing to them. After all, do they have staying power? As much as I’d like to think so, I doubt it, as the Ravens and Steelers are probably just struggling temporarily.

I can empathize with them seeing how the Corporate Colts or Plastic Patriots will probably overshadow them and beat them if and when they meet in January on their way to Miami.

I see a lot of similar disrespect here, and the fans and the media are to blame.

But who can blame them? The NFL would rather market pretty boys like Manning and Brady, or over-hype the Saints.

In a league of true parity, it would be a shame to see two franchises that truly would make for some fresh and exciting story lines to get snake bitten by the same tired, old franchises and petty story lines.

 

 

Vikings Schedule –Saints Schedule

 

Here’s hoping the Cowboys can roll into ‘Nawlins and stun the Saints in three weeks. Looking at the rest of their schedule, the Redskins game this weekend could be a trap game after the emotional win on Monday Night Football yesterday.

Still, I just don’t see the supposedly good Washington defense being able to stop the NFL’s No. 1 offense.

Other than that, if Matt Ryan comes back for their December 13th matchup, they may be able to hang with the Saints, but I doubt the Falcons can overtake them, especially considering their special teams in flux with Jason Elam being released and replaced by Matt Bryan.

The Vikings meanwhile will be trying to navigate through two first place teams—at Arizona this Sunday on Sunday Night Football and against Cincinnati the following week. A Saints loss to the Cowboys would cause the Vikings to leap them should they survive.

Finally, the Saints close out against two teams that will all but roll over in the improving, but still no-match divisional “rival” Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the similar, hapless Panthers who have already quit.

Meanwhile, the Vikings will play a pissed off underachieving rival, the Bears on Monday Night Football on the 28th in what could be a trap game in cold Chicago where Favre may have trouble throwing.  They then close out against an equally underachieving Giants team that even though they historically dominate (as 2000 shows) anything is possible.

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Clueless Wa$hington Red$kins Continue Annual Failure To No Ones Surprise

So the Washington Redskins, in the midst of yet another annual downfall filled with a hundred million dollars of disappointments, finally switched their offensive coordinator after last week’s latest loss to a winless team.

Wow. Like that will make a difference. This is the same franchise that thought it would be wise to give offensive coordinator and aspiring head coach, Al Saunders a whopping $2 million salary that was on par with that of their coach at the time. Funny how that didn’t work out. Simultaneously they gave then defensive coordinator Gregg Williams a similar salary and continue to wonder why that didn’t work out.

Now after rewarding their third winless franchise with their first victory of the season, an NFL record by the way, last week they decide to only remove the playcalling duties from the overmatched Jim Zorn and give it to a guy, Sherman Lewis, who has failed in just about every other job he’s held in the NFL.

Brilliant. I wonder how that’s going to turn out. We’ll get a chance to find out tonight on national television.

This is the same franchise that hired Steve Spurrier for star power, only to see that flop, and begged legendary, but overrated Joe Gibbs back from retirement, only to see him give it a few ceremonial seasons before knowing it was a winless situation and retire again.

Did you hear Zorn’s post game comments last week? Something along the lines of “I want to win. Its my fault and I take the blame for how we played today. If that means I have to go watch more film that’s what were gonna do because I want to win.”

Of course he wants to win. All thirty-two coaches do. That bit about “its my fault” was nothing but filler coming from a man who half-expected to be handed his walking papers.

But don’t take this the wrong way. Its not just Zorn’s fault. It truly starts from the top down, emphasis on the top. As I’ve outlined here the day after Fat Albert Haynesworth(less) signed with the team as part of their annual off-season splurge, one that I predicted will end in failure, Zorn is simply the latest in an un-winnable sitation.

We don’t have enough time or space to outline all the things owner Daniel Snyder has done wrong in his decade long helm at the top, but suffice to say his Jerry Jones like obsession overlooking the team is the number one reason. The man simply doesn’t know football. All he knows how to do is cut a check and he’s not even good at that, if you read my article above.

Don’t take this article as the ire of a disgruntled ‘Skins fans for I am far from it. In fact, in predicting the high spending ‘Skins to finish a typical 6-10 , I’m right on schedule with them appropriately in last place. No, if it weren’t so funny, it wouldn’t be so sad. I can only imagine how their real fans manage to keep up the hope every year when this dope continues to drag them down.

Fixing the ‘Skins

For those of you asking “Well, you can sure dish it and seem to have all the answers, so let’s here it what are they?” I’ll tell you. Oh, and Snyder if you’re hiring, I’d be happy to help you out. Just ask. The job security sucks but at least I’d know I’m getting paid.

1. You can’t go through offensive coordinators and coaches like candy . Average quarterback at best, Jason Campbell, has had four offensive coordinators in his first four full years in the league. After some flashes of success, its actually quite admirable that the still young signal-caller has done as well as he has. He needs to develop a relationship with a single coordinator and build from there. Similarly they need to decide on one quarterback and go with it for good and bad.

Coach Zorn is going to be fired possibly? Why? What gave the Redskins the thought that they were actually any good thus, how dare he embarrass us and our tradition of winning by not doing as well as we hoped?

News flash, Snyder. Not only are you not that good, since 1992, long before you bought into the team, you weren’t that good.

So you’re thinking of bringing in Mike Holmgren next? Mike Shanahan? Jon Gruden? So what? Gonna give them total control? Yeah, that worked so well for Holmgren in Seattle and Shanahan in Denver minus two years well over a decade before he was finally canned. Holmgren had one good year as far as I’m concerned and a bunch of average to decent years that never came close to justifying his salary or status. Its not going to matter as long as the GM doesn’t know how to draft and the owner doesn’t know how to sign players which brings me perfectly to my next point.

2. The Redskins have a long history of raiding talent from the wrong places.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see the 0-6 Titans coming. I had them at 9-7 and as a wild card team. While they are clearly not the 13-3 team they were last year, they also are not an 0-6 team but likely a 5-11-7-9 team at best. Last year was an outlier and Collins and Haynesworth(less) led the way and the ‘Skins got suckered yet again into buying the services of a fat slob coming off a career year and understandably cashing in on your team’s annual stupidity.

Remember 2003 when the ‘Skins raided the 9-7 New York Jets by taking their kicker Jon Hall, guard Randy Thomas, flavor of the month return-man Chad Morton, and wide receiver Laveranues Coles? Why would you raid a team with no winning tradition? This is the same franchise that hasn’t won crap since Joe Namath’s famous prediction in Super Bowl III. On top of that, 9-7 isn’t exactly stellar not that the ‘Skins would know anything about that….

The next thing they did was sign disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall to a massive six year $54 million dollar contract after immediately being cut from the Oakland Raiders.

Cut from the…Oakland Raiders.

What does that tell you when even they, at six consecutive 11+ loss seasons, don’t even want you and your fraud Pro Bowl seasons in Atlanta where you in turn wore out your welcome? Again should we be surprised this hasn’t worked out? He like so many other greedy athletes followed the money where they knew who would give it to them.

They are using you Danny Boy, can’t you see that? Take off the shades! (above)

In the Snyder tenure they’ve signed London Fletcher, Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs, Phillip Daniels, Renaldo Wynn, Cornelius Griffin, and Warrick Holdman as recent busts. All come from teams that were no good at the time they were there.

If you want to raid a team Synder, why not raid the Patriots, Ravens, or Steelers that have not only stable ownership and front office foundations, but are the blueprint of how to draft year-in-and-year out, and have depth to spare? On top of that, it should come to no surprise that they more often that not put a winning product on the field.

3. Redskins mis-use their “talent” in all the wrong places

Coles is a typical #2 evidenced by his smart signing with the Cincincatti Bengals, who just might be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl against either the Minnesota Vikings or New Orleans Saints-you heard it here first.

Cincinnati, by using his as a compliment receiver to Chad Joh, I mean, Ochocinco, is using his talents correctly. Let Ochocinco get most of the coverage and let Coles clean up the rest. In Washington they were paying him and thus forcing him to be the go-to receiver which he simply is not. He’s a part of the solution, not the solution. I just gotta say, even the Bengals figured this much and you didn’t? The Bengals! And to no one’s surprise are reaping the rewards.

Yes, I had them finishing last and at 4-12 have already surpassed my expectations which resulted from Carson Palmer’s ability to come off of injury, doubt over whether Cedric Benson was the real deal, and whether Ocho would distract the team through the media ala T.O. if the team started to lose. Remember there was talk that he wanted out and end up in, you guess it, your team.

What’s worse, is the ‘Skins still haven’t learned as they still play Santana Moss out of position as the team’s #1 when he’s the same player Coles is, a #2. Getting Johnson would have made more sense from a depth point but not from a chemistry point as you have none.

4. Talent Evaluation

They let locker room leader Antonio Pierce go and all he does is captain the 2008 New York Giants to the Super Bowl. Okay, accidents happen right? Who is going to be the next bust? Area-native Vick after this Philly experiment blows up? With Cambell’s “struggles” his local connections, and box-office draw he’d seem to make the perfect fit.

After all, this is a team that really only cares about the dollar at the end of the day evidenced by their #1 ranking in Forbes for most valuable (monetarily of course) franchise in the league. All they do is sign the next big flashy player, regardless of substance, and call it a team. They are the New York Yankees of football minus the success.

Hey Owens, after your one-year rental is over in Buffalo this should be the first place on your shopping list. They’ll (over) pay and play you like a #1, your lack of leadership and chemistry will fit right in, not to mention no hardware on your fingers, and you can try to stick it to the ‘Boys and Eagles twice a year to satisfy your inflated ego.

It almost makes too much sense not to happen. Wait for it, wait for it.

Surely you won’t disappoint right, Snyder?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Clueless Wa$hington Red$kins Continue Annual Failure To No Ones Surprise

So the Washington Redskins, in the midst of yet another annual downfall filled with a hundred million dollars of disappointments, finally switched their offensive coordinator after last week’s latest loss to a winless team.

Wow. Like that will make a difference. This is the same franchise that thought it would be wise to give offensive coordinator and aspiring head coach, Al Saunders a whopping $2 million salary that was on par with that of their coach at the time. Funny how that didn’t work out. Simultaneously they gave then defensive coordinator Gregg Williams a similar salary and continue to wonder why that didn’t work out.

Now after rewarding their third winless franchise with their first victory of the season, an NFL record by the way, last week they decide to only remove the playcalling duties from the overmatched Jim Zorn and give it to a guy, Sherman Lewis, who has failed in just about every other job he’s held in the NFL.

Brilliant. I wonder how that’s going to turn out. We’ll get a chance to find out tonight on national television.

This is the same franchise that hired Steve Spurrier for star power, only to see that flop, and begged legendary, but overrated Joe Gibbs back from retirement, only to see him give it a few ceremonial seasons before knowing it was a winless situation and retire again.

Did you hear Zorn’s post game comments last week? Something along the lines of “I want to win. Its my fault and I take the blame for how we played today. If that means I have to go watch more film that’s what were gonna do because I want to win.”

Of course he wants to win. All thirty-two coaches do. That bit about “its my fault” was nothing but filler coming from a man who half-expected to be handed his walking papers.

But don’t take this the wrong way. Its not just Zorn’s fault. It truly starts from the top down, emphasis on the top. As I’ve outlined here the day after Fat Albert Haynesworth(less) signed with the team as part of their annual off-season splurge, one that I predicted will end in failure, Zorn is simply the latest in an un-winnable sitation.

We don’t have enough time or space to outline all the things owner Daniel Snyder has done wrong in his decade long helm at the top, but suffice to say his Jerry Jones like obsession overlooking the team is the number one reason. The man simply doesn’t know football. All he knows how to do is cut a check and he’s not even good at that, if you read my article above.

Don’t take this article as the ire of a disgruntled ‘Skins fans for I am far from it. In fact, in predicting the high spending ‘Skins to finish a typical 6-10 , I’m right on schedule with them appropriately in last place. No, if it weren’t so funny, it wouldn’t be so sad. I can only imagine how their real fans manage to keep up the hope every year when this dope continues to drag them down.

Fixing the ‘Skins

For those of you asking “Well, you can sure dish it and seem to have all the answers, so let’s here it what are they?” I’ll tell you. Oh, and Snyder if you’re hiring, I’d be happy to help you out. Just ask. The job security sucks but at least I’d know I’m getting paid.

1. You can’t go through offensive coordinators and coaches like candy . Average quarterback at best, Jason Campbell, has had four offensive coordinators in his first four full years in the league. After some flashes of success, its actually quite admirable that the still young signal-caller has done as well as he has. He needs to develop a relationship with a single coordinator and build from there. Similarly they need to decide on one quarterback and go with it for good and bad.

Coach Zorn is going to be fired possibly? Why? What gave the Redskins the thought that they were actually any good thus, how dare he embarrass us and our tradition of winning by not doing as well as we hoped?

News flash, Snyder. Not only are you not that good, since 1992, long before you bought into the team, you weren’t that good.

So you’re thinking of bringing in Mike Holmgren next? Mike Shanahan? Jon Gruden? So what? Gonna give them total control? Yeah, that worked so well for Holmgren in Seattle and Shanahan in Denver minus two years well over a decade before he was finally canned. Holmgren had one good year as far as I’m concerned and a bunch of average to decent years that never came close to justifying his salary or status. Its not going to matter as long as the GM doesn’t know how to draft and the owner doesn’t know how to sign players which brings me perfectly to my next point.

2. The Redskins have a long history of raiding talent from the wrong places.

Now I’ll be the first to admit that I didn’t see the 0-6 Titans coming. I had them at 9-7 and as a wild card team. While they are clearly not the 13-3 team they were last year, they also are not an 0-6 team but likely a 5-11-7-9 team at best. Last year was an outlier and Collins and Haynesworth(less) led the way and the ‘Skins got suckered yet again into buying the services of a fat slob coming off a career year and understandably cashing in on your team’s annual stupidity.

Remember 2003 when the ‘Skins raided the 9-7 New York Jets by taking their kicker Jon Hall, guard Randy Thomas, flavor of the month return-man Chad Morton, and wide receiver Laveranues Coles? Why would you raid a team with no winning tradition? This is the same franchise that hasn’t won crap since Joe Namath’s famous prediction in Super Bowl III. On top of that, 9-7 isn’t exactly stellar not that the ‘Skins would know anything about that….

The next thing they did was sign disgruntled cornerback DeAngelo Hall to a massive six year $54 million dollar contract after immediately being cut from the Oakland Raiders.

Cut from the…Oakland Raiders.

What does that tell you when even they, at six consecutive 11+ loss seasons, don’t even want you and your fraud Pro Bowl seasons in Atlanta where you in turn wore out your welcome? Again should we be surprised this hasn’t worked out? He like so many other greedy athletes followed the money where they knew who would give it to them.

They are using you Danny Boy, can’t you see that? Take off the shades! (above)

In the Snyder tenure they’ve signed London Fletcher, Marcus Washington, Shawn Springs, Phillip Daniels, Renaldo Wynn, Cornelius Griffin, and Warrick Holdman as recent busts. All come from teams that were no good at the time they were there.

If you want to raid a team Synder, why not raid the Patriots, Ravens, or Steelers that have not only stable ownership and front office foundations, but are the blueprint of how to draft year-in-and-year out, and have depth to spare? On top of that, it should come to no surprise that they more often that not put a winning product on the field.

3. Redskins mis-use their “talent” in all the wrong places

Coles is a typical #2 evidenced by his smart signing with the Cincincatti Bengals, who just might be the AFC representative in the Super Bowl against either the Minnesota Vikings or New Orleans Saints-you heard it here first.

Cincinnati, by using his as a compliment receiver to Chad Joh, I mean, Ochocinco, is using his talents correctly. Let Ochocinco get most of the coverage and let Coles clean up the rest. In Washington they were paying him and thus forcing him to be the go-to receiver which he simply is not. He’s a part of the solution, not the solution. I just gotta say, even the Bengals figured this much and you didn’t? The Bengals! And to no one’s surprise are reaping the rewards.

Yes, I had them finishing last and at 4-12 have already surpassed my expectations which resulted from Carson Palmer’s ability to come off of injury, doubt over whether Cedric Benson was the real deal, and whether Ocho would distract the team through the media ala T.O. if the team started to lose. Remember there was talk that he wanted out and end up in, you guess it, your team.

What’s worse, is the ‘Skins still haven’t learned as they still play Santana Moss out of position as the team’s #1 when he’s the same player Coles is, a #2. Getting Johnson would have made more sense from a depth point but not from a chemistry point as you have none.

4. Talent Evaluation

They let locker room leader Antonio Pierce go and all he does is captain the 2008 New York Giants to the Super Bowl. Okay, accidents happen right? Who is going to be the next bust? Area-native Vick after this Philly experiment blows up? With Cambell’s “struggles” his local connections, and box-office draw he’d seem to make the perfect fit.

After all, this is a team that really only cares about the dollar at the end of the day evidenced by their #1 ranking in Forbes for most valuable (monetarily of course) franchise in the league. All they do is sign the next big flashy player, regardless of substance, and call it a team. They are the New York Yankees of football minus the success.

Hey Owens, after your one-year rental is over in Buffalo this should be the first place on your shopping list. They’ll (over) pay and play you like a #1, your lack of leadership and chemistry will fit right in, not to mention no hardware on your fingers, and you can try to stick it to the ‘Boys and Eagles twice a year to satisfy your inflated ego.

It almost makes too much sense not to happen. Wait for it, wait for it.

Surely you won’t disappoint right, Snyder?

Read more NFL news on BleacherReport.com

Brett Favre Could Be The Key To a New Vikings Stadium In Minnesota

Hey ESPN, we know how you love all things Brett Favre. We know how you couldn’t get enough of his on-again-off-again “retirement” talk. Its good for ratings and fodder, so who could blame you. You’re only doing your jobs as the national sports hype machine.

And Brett Favre, we know how you crave the spotlight. We know how you can’t shake the itch to play, rather to just walk away when critics from all over the nation want to prove you wrong.

We assume there must not be a whole lot waiting for you in Kiln, Mississippi, after all, there is only so much land that can be plowed each year.

This, along with your fiercely competitive nature, one to which I cannot compare in recent memory concluded with the not-so-obvious confederation of you offering your services to your once No. 1 rival, the Minnesota Vikings who clearly wanted you when the Green Bay Packers did not.

Thank you for not only coming to the team, but also for giving it a shot no matter what the outcome. I know you’d have never forgave yourself if you didn’t try knowing you were that close to a deal only to back out on July 30 because you just couldn’t commit to the full season.

The Vikings, and even the most inept fans, knew they were but one manage-the-game Quarterback away from truly taking them to the next level and you obliged. The rest is history but one that can be special as I’ve outlined here.

But if you truly want to make your mark in Minnesota, as well as continue to soothe your ego that the media shamefully loves to exploit, have you considered being the face of an entire stadium drive?

Imagine this scenario: February 7, 2010 Minnesota just defeats ______ for their first NFL Championship in State history.

You will have done what sixteen men: Fran Tarkenton, Joe Knapp, Gary Cuozzo, Tommy Kramer, Wade Wison, Rich Gannon, Jim McMahon, Warren Moon, Brad Johnson, Randall Cunningham, Jeff George, Daunte Culpepper, Tarvaris Jackson, and Gus Freotte have all failed to do in the Vikings 48 years in Minnesota.

Take a long look at that list. How many of them are Hall of Famers, like yourself? How many of them made Pro Bowls, like yourself. You want to know why year-in-and year-out the Vikings are always a sleeper pick to go far in the playoffs, it starts with their incredible consistency and opportunity provided at quarterback.

The list reads like a Who’s Who. By comparison, the Chicago Bears, have had thirty-five men line up under center, and even this less-than-impressive bunch was able to muster 1 NFL Championship (1963) and Super Bowl (1986) in the years since the Vikings joined the league in 1961.

You will be treated a like a Rock Star. You will be treated like a God (relatively speaking of course). But most of all, you will get the attention you crave ten-fold once again on sports biggest stage as the leader of one of the league’s most revered and consistent teams.

Your legacy once thought tampered, will be restored as you prove the naysayers wrong and add to your lone trophy case. The only question will be whether the Vikings would dare put you in their Ring of Honor in the Vikings Hall of Fame or whether you’d dare were purple in your induction ceremony in Canton whenever that comes.

But most of all, you’d have the unique opportunity to be the face of an entire stadium campign that has been in neutral since 1997 after years of failed legislative attempts and proposals. Talk about exposure. Talk about media attention!

Imagine going up the steps of the State Capitol in St. Paul and lobbying alongside owner Zygi Wilf, Vice President of Legal Affairs and Stadium Development Lester Bagley, Rob Brzezinski VP of Football Operations, or Steve LaCroix VP of Sales and Marketing among other officials, decked in purple, serving as lead cheerleader in the newest wave of stadium proposals in the aftermath of the media hype off the Super Bowl Win!

How long do you think it would take the legislators to react favorably knowing the passion the team brings to the state, not to mention national swagger with their history of less than colorful characters not seen on other Minnesota sports teams?

How long do you think it would take for even the most pessimistic legislator to give approval knowing you just delivered on a lifelong goal that had been eluding an entire four state fan base all of their legislative lives and careers?

How long do you think it would take for those legislators, beaming with state pride, many of whom are likely Vikings season ticket holders and fans themselves to get caught up in the moment and agree to the funding that had been so evasive in the past?

I’d say about a week or so. If given the opportunity, the Vikings better strike while the iron is hot and use Brett Favre to his full contractual advantage while they got him and while he still is a media darling.

 

The House that Brett Favre Built

That’s the power only you and your mega celebrity status could bring to a region that was forced to “hate” you for sixteen years while you were in America’s Dairyland. How ironic and fairytalk fitting would it be if you helped your once arch rival achive the goals that have eluded them the most?

Before the made-for-TV soap opera ends, you could be a new state icon, forever enshrined as one of their own. More ME-dia attention! More self-satisfying legacy! You can’t put a price on that and you can’t make this stuff up.

Regardless of how the Brett Favre fairy tale ends, I remain confident all along that worst case scenario, at the eleventh hour, the state legislature will get something done before the 2011 Metrodome Lease expires.

You see, people like the Twins. After the threat of contraction in 2001, many people got back on that bandwagon (winning helped too). Having a bad team was certainly better than having no team. People like the Wild.

In a state that pride’s itself as the “State of Hockey” despite having never won and titles at its highest level of competition offered (NHL) its high schools and colleges are loaded each year with the nation’s top prospects and athletes vying for the draft.

But people absolutely love the Vikings.

Like I stated, they give the team the most national exposure in the nation’s most popular sport.

They give them team the most press and swagger with their longest slate of success (36/48 seasons of .500 or better ball), and they give the state the most varying storylines from Ontario Smith’s embarrassing Whizzanator incident, to the Randy Moss years which, like former Governor Jesse Ventura, exposed Minnesotans to the more Rock Star atmosphere more suited for big city New York or bustling L.A. than the passive, laid back Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. Finally the 2005 “Sex Boat” controversy brought maybe the most banter from jocks all over.

Losing the Vikings to a market like L.A. for example, would all but seal the fate of any legislator who happened to vote against what would ultimately be deemed-a-last resort, all-or-nothing,moving-vans-are-a-coming bill. They have to know this, and this is why I doubt we’ll ever see that day.

In an evolving state that somehow got a new stadium for the backpage boys, the Minnesota Twins, one that I never thought I’d live to see having grown up a fan of the team and their small market epitome if their ever was one, to the brand new, about-damn-time TCF Bank Stadium for the perennial bottom feeding Golden Gophers, the truly ironic fact remains that the state’s most popular and successful team is going to be the last one to receive its stadium they covet.

At an average of 8-6 each season based on their 385 wins and 316 regular season loses, there is perhaps no more consistent team never to win the sport’s ultimate prize than the Men of Norway, the Minnesota Vikings.

Perhaps the fact that at likely $1 billion or more for all the bells and whistles rumored, to the probable development of land at its final location, the final stadium in the trio will also be the most expensive and thus, the delay. But for now at least we have a two or three year stop gap in TCF Bank stadium.

After legislation is passed in spring of 2011 and by the time they break ground that fall, to when the first game is played sometime around September of 2015, Brett Favre and the Vikings should just be entering their seventh year of marriage together with him being the 45 year old guy lined up under center, since we all know he’s never really going to retire…..

Can you see any other logical ending?

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Blackouts, History May Ultimately Lead the Jaguars to Los Angeles

Right from the beginning, the Jacksonville Jaguars were a lost franchise.

Along with their expansion cousins, the Carolina Panthers, each team made their respective conference championship games in surprising fashion, in only their second year of existence.

Included in all the excitement, was the buzz their wins created. I remember NFL fans and commentators joking as to exactly where Jacksonville was. Some people thought it was in South Georgia, others guessed Alabama in its early days of life in the NFL.

A similar debate apparantly continues today as how to best market them.

Blackouts looming

Rumors that for weeks surrounded the fact that the team could be facing a season long blackout of its home games, officially became reality last weekend as its home opener vs. the defending NFC champion Arizona Cardinals, was not enough to entice enough local fans to come to the game.

According to Bill Prescott, Jaguars Chief Financial Officer, it won’t be the last blackout and even if the team had made the playoffs last year, this still would be the case due to an especially hard hit local economy.

To give you can idea of what that could be like, let me remind you of the Montreal Expos situation shortly after they forfeited all their English radio contracts, leaving only French fans able to listen to the games or how the Expos made a similar move, cutting ties with the local television broadcast companies, leaving fans literally in the dark-similar to a blackout.

It wasn’t long before this similarly talent deficient team, found themselves playing in front of about 5,000 fans on average.

You don’t necessarily need to hear Mike Golic today on Mike and Mike saying “Every time there is talk of a team moving, it seems to begin and end with the Jaguars” to know that the Jaguars could be in big trouble soon.

Many will speculate that the Minnesota Vikings with their 2011 Metrodome expiration lease could soon face similar trouble but I disagree. The NFL loves the Vikings. When you have literally 3/4 of your seasons (36/48) in existence at .500 or better, the NFL takes notice.

Lack of History Hurting them

Mix in the fact that the Vikings have several long standing rivalries with the Chicago Bears and Green Bay Packers in the old “Norris Division” if you’re ESPN’s Chris Berman, and its hard to see the NFL breaking that long-standing history up. They know all too well that Viking fans will never become Packer fans, so essentially they’d be throwing away the 14th largest media market in the United States.

Despite the Jaguars fans’ optimism, they have no history other than a few early years of success to bank on. They currently sit 29th in market size behind New Orleans which just signed an extension at the Super Dome through 2025, and Green Bay, a league stalwart.

After Hurricane Katrina devastated the New Orleans area and the Saints inspiring 2005 season, the NFL would have never let the Saints relocate, even without the lease extension their symbolism and relationship with the region is now too great to break.

San Diego might be the last viable option if the Oakland Raiders don’t beat them to returning to Los Angeles which has been without professional football since 1996. Oakland, 29th in the league in attendance in 2008, lagged far behind Jacksonville (19) New Orleans (11) and even Minnesota in their defunct excuse for a stadium (25th).

Blackouts similar to the Jacksonville area, were expected in San Diego before a late extension allowed them to reach their sellout for their game against Baltimore yesterday.

Talent deficit in JAX

Minnesota, rejuvenated with Brett Favre optimism themselves, won’t have to worry about stadium concerns if Brett Favre gives the championship-starved region its first title in franchise history of the state’s first in eighteen years. He’ll be the new inspiration and poster boy for any subsequent financing campaign.

Jacksonville on the other hand, looks to be down-right awful after two weeks and an 0-2 start.

 

Quick!! Name their starting wide-receivers!

Mark Schlereth demonstrated how hard it was a few weeks ago while filling in on Mike and Mike.

While steady Torry Holt remains a constant threat, he’s the only one.

On a team that trots out first round bust Troy Williamson as the starter opposite Holt, the group includes a bunch of nobody’s looking to make a name for themselves. Williamson, nicknamed “stone hands” in Minnesota for his many drops, may already be lost for the season.

Nate Hughes, Mike Sims-Walker, or Mike Thomas make up third part of this sad trifecta, while inexplicably sitting Ernest Wilford 4th on the depth chart.

This is why I’ve been saying for weeks among friends that they missed a perfect opportunity to grab disgruntled Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall who’d probably love a return to the state where he starred at the University of Central Florida before becoming a 4th round draft pick and NFL star. Marvin Harrison, anyone?

 

Don’t forget they traded up to get first round bust (so far) (eighth overall 2008?) Derrick Harvey, instead of letting him land with the Minnesota Vikings at 17 who specifically needed help at the position but who instead did what Jacksonville should have, in trading for All Pro defensive end Jared Allen who plays the same position.

Like Brett Favre to the Vikings where everyone knew they were thin and just a player away, defensive end was the glaring hole the Vikings faced, and filled last off-season. Noticing a theme? Some teams just know how to get it done-how to find and add, that missing piece. The Vikings prove time and time again they can while the Jaguars don’t.

I had them going 7-9 with Maurice Jones Drew struggling as the feature back with his small size. While I wish I could drop them lower (4-12 perhaps?) it looks like I predicted correctly in placing them in last place, right where they belong.

 

Los Angeles Jaguars

It doesn’t sound right, but in a city that lacks the creativity and imagination to come up with their own names (see Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers) named after Minnesota’s Land of 10,000 Lakes or Brooklyn’s old trolley-dodgers, it would only seem fitting.

About as fitting as the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.

I shudder the thought.

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My 2009 NFL Season (And Postseason) Picks

AFC EAST

Patriots—(12-4) The machine continues to roll with Wonder Boy back.

Miami—(9-7) They aren’t as good as their 11-5 season, but they are somewhere in between. Wildcat will work at times, and at least make them fun to watch.

NY Jets—(8-8) Spend a lot of money, but get little results. They did nicely in FA and Mark Sanchez will get the hell hyped out of him. Personally, I hope he falls flat on his face, but they’ll have excues for him if he does.

Buffalo Bills—(6-10) Desperate times (Toronto anyone?) call for desperate action (T.O.). He’ll be a good soldier, until they start to lose, which they will. Then the **** will hit the fan, as always.

AFC North

Pittsburgh Steelers—(11-5) Ben and Co. are the closest thing to a Patriots-like machine. This boring vet team has likey taken Colts’ place atop the snoozer standings. YAWN.

Baltimore Ravens—(9-7) I expect some regression after last year’s boring “managing the game” by Flacco. As always, the defense will carry this team, and Flacco will get the credit.

Cleveland Browns—(6-10) It doesn’t matter who the QB is, this team has holes at WR, RB, and the defense. The window of opportunity slammed shut (sadly), and it doesn’t look to be opening soon.

Cincinatti Bengals—(4-12) They were a team that was already bad (4-11-1) and couldn’t score…and they lost TJ Houshmanzedeh. How many shutouts was that after they shut it down last year? Like the Pirates in the NFL, this team deserves its fate, and I’m a Carson Palmer fan, too. They just don’t get it, and they never will.

AFC South

Indianapolis Colts—(11-5) Sure, they lost Marvin Harrison, but this lame team always overachieves. Why would this year be any different? Just make the playoffs and bow out as always. The sooner the better, cowtown Colts.

Tennessee Titans—(9-7) Like the Dolphins, I think they overachieved. Still, they are better than most of the teams here, so they’ll be okay. It should be interesting to see more of their games, too. Maybe we can learn why they were so good last year…

Houston Texans—(8-8) Aren’t they always 8-8 now? Always one player away on offense and defense. And they’re still looking for that complement WR to go with Andre Johnson, whose career is being wasted here. Could they finally break through?

Jacksonville Jaguars—(7-9) They won’t be as bad as last year, but they’ll still manage to lose 1-2 games that they shouldn’t. No Fred Taylor to spell Maurice Jones-Drew will be disastrous for this once-rising team.

AFC West

San Diego Chargers—(9-7) They will make the playoffs like clockwork. LT will get hurt and Sproles will take over. The team will overachieve and win a round, before falling to some real contender like they do every year. Repeat. It must really be frustrating to be a Bolts fan, knowing what’s going to happen and not being able to prevent it.

Kansas City Chiefs—(8-8) They lost six games last year by nine points or less. Cassel will help solidify the QB position. Dorsey is a bust, as will be this year’s first-rounder, Jackson. Late signee Amani Toomer was a nice find on a team that will desperately need him.

Denver Broncos—(6-10) Personally, I think Josh McDaniels ain’t nothing but a Belichick-Wannabe who’s in way over his head. Losing Cutler will be a crushing blow as Orton will manage the game and put fans to sleep. Sure, all he does is win, but will it matter when you can’t move the chains? Last year’s D sucked, so they bring in the only good thing UT had in Robert Ayers?

Oakland Raiders—(5-11) In Raiderland, five wins may seem like a playoff spot in itself. They are moving up. They have a brighter future than has-been Denver, who gets the nod by default because they still have more talent. The Raiders just need one more year of experience out of Russell and McFadden together. Next year will bring a real WR in the draft. They’ll play teams tough, and Jonnie Lee Higgins will be fun to watch. They’ll get nothing out of bust-in-waiting Darius Heyward Bey, who was drafted way too high. He was the Troy Williamson of this year’s draft.

NFC North

Minnesota Vikings—(10-6) If they’d have added Brett Favre, I’d have put them in the Super Bowl, at the very least. Now, it’s just a great D and Adrian Peterson. Harvin will add Randy Moss-like highlight reel plays with all the flash and buzz, but they’ll fall just short.

Green Bay Packers—(9-7) Their defense will be improved with Raji and Matthews. Last year, I think, was a bit of a misnomer. They are better than their 6-10 record.

Chicago Bears—(8-8) Cutler fills a huge void, but they are still 1-2 WR short. Though, they are closer than they’ve been in a long time. If the “D” can carry them to 1-2 wins who knows. But for now, they are short on “O,” as always. But they’ll be fun to watch with the usual grit, and you can’t take them lightly.

Detroit Lions—(3-13) I could see them getting an early win over some sorry team that catches them off guard or takes them lightly. ESPN will have breaking news etc. QB Stafford will get his yards like Kitna did, but it won’t do any good. Some teams are just plain losers, and this is exhibit A. I don’t think they can be helped.

NFC South

Carolina Panthers—(11-5) If Julius Peppers doesn’t rip them apart at the seams, it should be a fun season all the way to the second round exit.

Atlanta Falcons—(10-6) Like the Dolphins, they too will back step a little, but they are still more talented than most in their conference. They’ll be fine by default. However, they are a likely first round exit.

New Orleans Saints—(7-9) They are a perpetually disappointing team, and why would this year be any different? Bush will get hurt. Does Shockey still play here? You wouldn’t know it. The “D” is pathetic and full of holes, like usual. Next.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers—(4-12) It saddens me to place them here, but the loss of Brooks will kill their once infamous “D.” I love the Ward RB addition to the offense, but it’s not enough with the headless QB situation. Ward could be the 2009 version of Michael “the burner” Turner (i.e Free agent pick up of the off-season).

NFC East

New York Giants—(11-5) WR Hakim Nicks will help ease the loss of Plaxico Burress in the lineup. They have deep depth at WR and RB, in addition to better-than-expected “D”. They have a solid team (and I’m not even a Giants fan).

Philadelphia Eagles—(10-6) Just when I was ready to write them off after the jettison of stalwart safety Brian Dawkins and the loss of Correll Buckhalter (both to the Broncos), they solidify a perpetual weakness at WR with the addition of burner Jeremy Macklin and finally add RB depth in LeSean McCoy. The LeSean DeShan marketing possibilities are intriguing should they both succeed. Somehow, this team will find a way to make the playoffs and lose in the NFC Championship game as always (the Chargers of the NFC, but worse).

Dallas Cowboys (8-8) The loss of T.O on offense will hurt the Cowboys, as will the release of solid, long-time productive vet Greg Ellis. He quietly (so quietly I just found out via Google) signed with Oakland, which makes the Derrick Burgess trade to New England last week make more sense.

Washington Redskins—(6-10) Each year, they spend mega bucks, and each year it never works out. Why would this year be any different? Noticing a theme? Congratulations go out to the Dumbest Contract of the Offseason in Albert Haynesworth(less), who will live up to his name. Will they ever learn?

NFC West

Arizona Cardinals—(9-7) They re-signed Pro Bowl safety Adrian Wilson and Kurt Warner, while managing to keep LB Karlos Dansby and Anquan Boldin so far. Thi weak division should give them 4-6 wins alone, meaning they only have to split their other eight games. They are just good enough to repeat.

Seattle Seahawks—(8-8) Matt Hasselback will make a world of difference for this team, whose 4-12 record isn’t nearly an indicator of their talent. Still, first-round pick Aaron Curry will have to do a lot to match the production of former Pro Bowler Julian Peterson. Houshmanzedeh will be a huge help, but he and WR Deion Branch basically do the same thing as glorified No.2s.

San Francisco 49ers—(6-10) I just don’t see this team doing that well, despite having Frank Gore and DeShaun Foster. They have no QB, as Aaron “small hands” Smith and Shaun Hill can’t carry the team. Once again, it will be up to the defense, who will probably take a few steps back. Even if Crabtree works out, he still needs a complement, or he’ll just get double-covered. I sense Chad Ochocinco-like drama here.

St. Louis Rams—(3-13) “If you can’t say anything nice….”

They have no legit WRs, a horrible sieve defense that can’t stop anyone, and lame special teams. Will they be back in L.A. in two years with shaky ownership? I hope so.

Playoffs: AFC (1) New England (2) Pittsburgh Steelers

(3) Indianapolis vs. (6) Baltimore

(4) San Diego vs. (5) Tenneessee

(1) New England vs. (4) San Diego

(2) Pittsburgh vs. (3) Indianapolis

(1) New England vs. (2) Pittsburgh

New England

NFC (1) New York Giants (2) Carolina Panthers

(3) Minnesota Vikings vs (6) Atlanta Falcons

(4) Arizona Cardinals vs (5) Philadelphia Eagles

(1) New York Giants vs. (6) Atlanta Falcons

(4) Arizona Cardinals vs (2) Carolina Panthers

(1) New York Giants vs (2) Carolina Panthers

New York Giants

Super Bowl (1) New England vs (1) New York Giants (hope I’m wrong)

Winner: Ole’ Hoodie and the Pats

Awards: Offensive ROY: Knowshon Moreno, Broncos (1600 yards behind the always solid O-line), runner up: Harvin, Vikings

Defensive ROY: Rey Maualuga, Bengals (wherever he went, I had him a ROY), runner up: Clay Matthews, Packers

MVP: Brady, Patriots (39 TDs)

Rushing yards for Adrian Peterson-18,08, 15 TDs,

kickoff returns for TD by Devin Hester-3

Coach of the Year: Jon Fox, Panthers (I really don’t see any surprise teams this year, as you can tell by my picks).

Coaches to get fired: Lewis of the Bengals, Cable of the Raiders, Jauron of the Bills (how did he last this long), McDumbass of the Broncos, Zorn will be on the bubble, and Reid will resign in the postseason.

Draft busts-Heyward Bey (already mentioned), Tyson Jackson, Aaron Maybin, Josh Freeman (too early to tell, but he’ll struggle).

 

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