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NFL
Aug 2, 2021 13:09:57 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 2, 2021 13:09:57 GMT
Just so they can run full practices, the Vikings brought in a local, former D3 quarterback, Jackson Erdmann. The team is without its top 3 quarterbacks thanks to COVID. (Vaccinated rookie Kellen Mond is positive, though symptoms free and hopefully will return soon; apparently unvaccinated Kirk Cousins and Nate Stanley have to sit out for precautionary reasons.)
It is noteworthy that Erdmann isn't exactly a scrub: he originally signed with Penn St before transferring home to play for the closer-to-home D3 powerhouse St. John's, and he has been a fringe prospect since then. He's 6-4 and has a very good arm, having thrown for 5000+ yards and 51 TDs as a senior before bouncing around some minor leagues and getting pro tryouts.
This idiotic blunder from Cousins and Stanley might actually earn Erdmann a legit look, whether here or elsewhere. But even so, it's a sad thing to have to bring him in at all just because our top two QBs won't get vaxxed.
I'd like to hope that these early bumps in the road for our respective purple teams entices these guys to get the damn shot.
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NFL
Aug 3, 2021 13:28:28 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 3, 2021 13:28:28 GMT
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NFL
Aug 4, 2021 11:55:54 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 4, 2021 11:55:54 GMT
As camp gets underway, the news just keeps coming in Minnesota.
- How about some good news!? Third-year linebacker Cameron Smith is returning from open-heart surgery to play this year! Personally, I think I'd be too terrified, but apparently after his first full-contact practices, he feels good enough that he's going to shed the extra padding protecting his chest... The miracles of modern medicine! Smith is in the running for a starting spot.
- The Vikings waived talented, young CB Jeff Gladney, as he was finally indicted for domestic assault charges against his then-girlfriend first alleged last spring. (Guys, here's a tip that makes life better: don't abuse women. Or anyone, for that matter. See? It's easy!)
- Offensive line remains unsettled, with two rookies who would be vying for starting spots out with injuries. Top pick Christian Darrisaw has yet to play due to a groin injury surgically repaired in January; third-rounder Wyatt Davis is also out with an undisclosed injury.
- It seems there was misinformation when rookie QB Kellen Mond, who tested positive for COVID, was said to be vaccinated. Based on the timetable for his return, it matches with a player who has not been vaccinated. So I guess we can lump him into the knucklehead category with Kirk Cousins and Nate Stanley.
The Washington Post reports that the Vikings have the lowest vaccination rate in the league, with only about 64% fully vaccinated.
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NFL
Aug 4, 2021 12:28:20 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 4, 2021 12:28:20 GMT
Maryland's Governor stepped in and it urging Lamar Jackson to get the vaccine.
This came a couple days after Lamar Jackson apparently posted one of those fake articles about the ineffectiveness of the vaccine on his Instagram. It was quickly taken down, and I'm a little surprised it's not a bigger story here.
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NFL
Aug 5, 2021 12:17:03 GMT
kds likes this
Post by Kapitan on Aug 5, 2021 12:17:03 GMT
I like the comments our co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson made about recently released Jeff Gladney, who has been indicted on domestic violence charges.
He said it will have "zero impact" on the defense "Because he hasn't been here," Patterson said. "It's sad to say, but the NFL is 'out of sight, out of mind.'"
But beyond that, he said...
"I feel sorry that he's in the situation that he's in, but me, personally, if [the allegations are] true, I don't. That's just the truth of the matter. That's just who I am as a human being. I don't know. I don't know if it's true or it's not true. But if it's true, you know, you're a grown man. If you put yourself in those kinds of positions, then you got to pay the consequences. That's just the way life is. So there's no sorrow in my heart."
You can call it tough love, if you want to. But I agree. These guys aren't 15-year-olds. If you can't understand a) how it's just so obviously wrong to abuse a woman, and b) understand the absolutely idiotic career mistake it is, putting a relative fortune in jeopardy over something so stupid, well ... I don't know what to tell you.
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Post by kds on Aug 5, 2021 12:59:57 GMT
I like the comments our co-defensive coordinator Andre Patterson made about recently released Jeff Gladney, who has been indicted on domestic violence charges.
He said it will have "zero impact" on the defense "Because he hasn't been here," Patterson said. "It's sad to say, but the NFL is 'out of sight, out of mind.'"
But beyond that, he said...
"I feel sorry that he's in the situation that he's in, but me, personally, if [the allegations are] true, I don't. That's just the truth of the matter. That's just who I am as a human being. I don't know. I don't know if it's true or it's not true. But if it's true, you know, you're a grown man. If you put yourself in those kinds of positions, then you got to pay the consequences. That's just the way life is. So there's no sorrow in my heart."
You can call it tough love, if you want to. But I agree. These guys aren't 15-year-olds. If you can't understand a) how it's just so obviously wrong to abuse a woman, and b) understand the absolutely idiotic career mistake it is, putting a relative fortune in jeopardy over something so stupid, well ... I don't know what to tell you.
It's refreshing to hear a coach be so candid about an issue like that.
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NFL
Aug 5, 2021 22:48:55 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 5, 2021 22:48:55 GMT
Cousins returned to practice and spoke to media. I think there is a mental disconnect somewhere with him...
"I do believe that as a leader of the team, it's very important to follow the protocols to avoid this close contact – because that is what it's going to come down to: Did you have a close contact? So I'm going to be vigilant about avoiding a close contact. I've even thought about, should I just set up literally Plexiglas around where I sit, so this could never happen again? I've thought about it, because I'm going to do whatever it takes."
Asked if his life would be easier if he got the vaccine, Cousins said, "I'm at peace with where I'm at, and I'll follow the protocols vigilantly."
So, uh, he's going to do almost whatever it takes...
Look, if he's got a health condition or religious belief that makes the vaccine not an option, he'd be better off saying so publicly. Otherwise he just looks like a jackass.
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NFL
Aug 6, 2021 13:06:56 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 6, 2021 13:06:56 GMT
Lamar Jackson is returning to practice after his COVID quarantine today. I'll be interested to see how he reacts to the inevitable questions of whether or not he'll get the vaccination.
I have a feeling that this football season isn't going to be very much fun.
And I thought the slant towards fantasy football made NFL coverage annoying. Now, add vaccinations to the weekly injury report.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 18:08:36 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 11, 2021 18:08:36 GMT
It's been reported that Rashod Bateman will be out for "weeks" after suffering a groin injury in camp. So, that likely means our rookie 1st round pick will miss the preseason, and probably start the regular season on the PUP list.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 18:10:39 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 11, 2021 18:10:39 GMT
I wish there were a "strongly dislike" button alongside the "like" button. Because I strongly disliked that post.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 18:17:46 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 11, 2021 18:17:46 GMT
I disliked posting it.
I don't want to get carried away, but there are times I feel like this franchise is cursed when it comes to the wide receiver position. I'm by no means saying that Bateman won't rebound and wind up having a good season, and maybe even good career in Baltimore. But, this is just another chapter in our 26 year struggle to get a high impact WR through the draft. It's amazing that we've had the success we've had, considering.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 18:37:42 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 11, 2021 18:37:42 GMT
It feels like us with tailbacks, though we've had plenty of good ones (for short periods). My Vikings fandom as experienced via tailbacks:
- '80s, we had a bevvy of backs, all were OK, none were really good. So it was RB by committee with Alfred Anderson, Darrin Nelson, Allan Rice, DJ Dozier, etc. This era was maddening because even I (as a kid aged maybe 9-13) could more or less tell what play was coming based on which running back was in the game.
- '89, we trade the future of the franchise so Herschel Walker can put us over the top. He was with us for about 2 & 2/3 seasons, and his best season was 825 yards, 4.2 ypc, 10 TD. He had his moments, but oh my gosh was he not worth that trade.
- Then in the early to mid 90s, we had a few years of temps, basically. Over-the-hill Roger Craig, mediocre Barry Word, underdog types Terry Allen and Scottie Graham, and eventually, the young, fragile speedster Robert Smith.
- Mid 90s, Smith was theoretically the man, but he was hurt a lot, and a lot of carries went to backups and goal-line types, like Graham and Leroy Hoard.
- 97-2000, Robert Smith! For four seasons, he was electric! Almost 1250 yards avg per season, up around 5 ypc, just a tremendous back. ... and he retired, 28 years old.
- 2001-05, Michael Bennett, a speedster from Florida St. He was promising, and had a great second year with 1296 yards and 5 ypc, an 85 yarder...really electric. But he was hurt a lot, missing 3, 0, 8, and 5 games in his first four years, and being a shell of himself and splitting time in his fifth. He never really was good anywhere else in the latter half of his career.
- 2004-06 back in RB-by-committee territory. Moe Williams, Mewelde Moore, Onterrio Smith, Chester Taylor, etc.
- 2007-15, Adrian Peterson. Fumbled a lot, missed a year when he whipped his kid bloody, but he was sure to get yards.
- 2015-16, no man's land again.
- 2016-present, Dalvin Cook. He has played in 43 of 64 regular season games, but he has been phenomenal when he plays. Really good, fun to watch. The first two years were extremely limited, but the past two he has been spectacular and put up great numbers. With Vikings luck, that means he won't play this year and we'll be losing yet another star.
As you can see, we've actually had quite a few really good RBs. The problem has always been health, early retirements, bad trades, weird situations. For some reason, we can't seem to keep a team together. When it looks good, something goes horribly wrong. Every. Single. Time.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 19:42:47 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 11, 2021 19:42:47 GMT
During the Ravens' best seasons, we usually manage to put together a "good enough" group of WRs, but when we've been at our best, we get a lot of help from TEs and RBs. We've managed to get some good production from guys we didn't draft, like Qadry Ismail, Derrick Mason, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Smith. But, even in our Super Bowl runs, a lot of the production was from TEs and RBs.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 19:52:06 GMT
Post by Kapitan on Aug 11, 2021 19:52:06 GMT
The one thing about "good enough" guys is, when they do well, it is electric! I remember when Terry Allen seemingly came out of nowhere to have a couple of good seasons (before departing for Washington, right around when we brought in the more touted Robert Smith). Or even as predictable as the pre-Herschel Vikings RBs were, it was fun watching Darrin Nelson bust a long run on a draw, or DJ Dozier bust through the line off-tackle.
On the other hand, when great talents under-perform, are hurt, or are suspended, it's endlessly frustrating. I've never disliked a Viking more than I did the season Adrian Peterson was suspended for apparently beating his kids. (I'm not an absolutist against spanking, but he admitted using things like belts and tree branches, and caused some serious, lasting damage to his kids. One son, as I recall, had a torn scrotum from it. Not appropriate.)
So that's one thing about the "good enough" guys.
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NFL
Aug 11, 2021 19:54:15 GMT
Post by kds on Aug 11, 2021 19:54:15 GMT
Anquan Boldin was great down the stretch for the Ravens in their Super Bowl XLVII run. Trading him for a sixth round pick immediately afterward was one of Ozzie Newsome's all time head scratchers.
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