A general view of the Metrodome prior to the game between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports photograph

The Vikings announced recently that the 2013 season will be the team’s last in the noisy indoor Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (aka the Mall of America Stadium along with a number of pseudonyms not printable here). The purple and gold will play their home games during the 2014 and 2015 seasons at outdoor TCF Bank Stadium, the home of the Minnesota Gophers, while a new indoor stadium is built.

Will the Green Bay Packers take it to the bank at TCF Bank Stadium or fall into a Gopher Hole?

Evidence suggests the Packers will gain an extra edge against the Vikings as a result of the Vikings’ temporary relocation.

Minnesota Vikings fan Syd Davy contributes to the noise pollution in the Metrodome when the Vikings played the Packers in Minneapolis. Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports photograph

Noise Pollution
Noise levels at the Metrodome have measured as high as 125 decibels. According to American Hearing Research Foundation, exposure to noise above 85 decibels will cause a gradual hearing loss. The Metrodome holds slightly more than 64,000 fans, while the open-air seating capacity of TCF Bank Stadium is approximately 50,800.

You think 125-decible noise levels impacted Mason Crosby on Nov. 9, 2008, when he missed a 52-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining that would have given the Packers a 30-28 lead?

Did the noise have anything to do with the momentum changing in the Metrodome on Oct. 5, 2009, when Aaron Rodgers was sacked and fumbled the ball at the Viking 33? The Favre-led Vikings went on to score on their next drive in a game Minnesota eventually won 30-23.

“The toughest thing for me is losing my voice, screaming from the first quarter on,” Aaron Rodgers told the Journal Sentinel in 2010. “The toughest stretches are first quarter and drives after a (Vikings) score because the crowd is obviously into it.”

An equally important question is, does the noise matter to the Vikings? Minnesota was 10-2 in domes in 2012-13. However, they were 0-5 in outdoor stadiums.

Less noise at TCF Bank Stadium = Advantage Packers.

Weathering a Storm

Nebraska Cornhuskers fans cheer during the first quarter against the Minnesota Gophers at TCF Bank Stadium, the home venue for the Vikings in 2014 and 2015. Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports photograph

When the Vikings move to the Gophers’ outdoor stadium in 2014 and 2015, Minnesota will become the second worst weather city in the NFL, according to the Weather Channel. Green Bay is the fifth worst. Minnesota is not currently on the list because it plays indoors.

So one could reasonably make the case the Packers are more pre-conditioned to play in bad weather, especially in December. You can’t say that about Christian Ponder and the Minnesota Vikings (if he lasts that long).

In December 2012, the Vikings’ only loss was outdoors at Lambeau Field on Dec. 2, when the temperature was a still-cozy 45 degrees. The four Viking December victories occurred inside weather-controlled domes against Chicago in the Metrodome, St. Louis at the Edward Jones Dome, Houston at Reliant Stadium (retractable roof closed), and the Packers at the Metrodome.

The Packers, meanwhile, did not lose an outdoor game in December 2012. As previously mentioned, they beat Minnesota in 45 degree weather at Lambeau; beat the Lions in 33 degree weather at Lambeau; beat the Bears in 45 degree weather at Soldier Field; and beat the Titans in 24 degree weather at Lambeau. As for the playoffs, the Packers beat the Vikings in 24 degree weather at Lambeau.

Worse weather at TCF Bank Stadium in December = Advantage Packers.

Key Player Performances Outdoors
The Vikings and Christian Ponder last year could not figure out how to win a game in an outdoor stadium. As Zach Kruse of Cheeseheadtv.com pointed out in an article in January 2013, Ponder’s QB rating in outdoor stadiums last season was poor, compared to a respectable rating indoors.

Aaron Rodgers’ QB rating is among the best in the league indoors and outdoors, year-in and year-out.

How well does Adrian Peterson do in the elements? There was no drop-off in his performance in outdoor games in 2012 (he rushed for 210 yards at Green Bay in December). But Peterson was not a major factor in outdoor games in 2011 (51 yards and one touchdown at Lambeau; 39 yards rushing, one touchdown at Soldier Field).

Adrian Peterson ran all over the Packers at the Metrodome in 2012. The Vikings defeated the Packers 37-34. Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports photograph

Adrian himself has this to say about his preference in a recent chat session on ESPN.com.

Fan:
Would you rather have a roof in the new stadium or battle the elements during the winter months?

Adrian Peterson:
Yes, I want a roof. A retractable roof would be great. Yes.

Adrian Peterson not a big fan of playing outdoors and Ponder’s poor record playing outdoors = Advantage Packers.

Stadium Reputation
The Gopher Hole has not provided a great home field advantage in the pros or the college ranks. The Wisconsin Badgers beat the Minnesota Gophers for the Paul Bunyan’s Axe in 2009 and 2011 at TCF Bank Stadium, the only two times the teams played each other at the venue.

The Vikings hosted the Bears at TCF Bank Stadium on Dec. 20, 2010, due to a heavy snow that collapsed the Metrodome roof. It was the Vikings’ first outdoor home game in 29 years. The temperature was 24 degrees, the wind chill 10. Vikings’ Punter Chris Kluwe commented that the field was hard as concrete and players who hit the ground could get concussions.  In fact, ironman Brett Favre, the Vikings’ quarterback that season, was knocked out of the game after his head hit the ground.

The final score:  Bears 40, Vikings 14. OK, it’s only one game, but what a humiliation.

Zero stadium mystique and Vikings .000 winning percentage at TCF Bank Stadium = Advantage Packers.

The History of Temporary Relocations
Remember when the Chicago Bears relocated to the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium in 2002 while Soldier Field was renovated? The Bears went from a 13-3 team in 2001 to a 4-12 team in 2002.

The Vikings have more of an adjustment to make than the Packers when the Vikings move to TCF Bank Stadium for 2014 and 2015. This also means it may be noisier in the Metrodome for the Packers in 2013 as Viking fans say goodbye to the stadium in its final hurrah. Expect more hostility than usual at the Metrodome in 2013, then a noticeable drop-off in the home field advantage for the Vikes in 2014 and 2015.

Dec 30, 2012; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings quarterback Christian Ponder (7) throws during the first quarter against the Green Bay Packers at the Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

I couldn’t have been more wrong about last week’s game at the MallofAmerica/HubertHHumphrey Metrodome.

I underestimated the motivations that the Vikings had in their favor and, quite frankly, underestimated the Vikings. I also underestimated the Vikings fans, as I thought they might have sold their tickets for the Packers game before it became a meaningful game.

I was wrong.

It’s not the first time and I’m sure it won’t be the last, but while I counted on AP to be great, I didn’t count on Christian Ponder to beat the Packers. It isn’t necessarily reflected in the stat line, but Ponder beat the Packers, not Peterson.

Adrian Peterson
Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings played the possession game and did it very effectively using AP. Keeping Rodgers and the offense off the field is part of any effective game plan against the Packers, but as dominant as AP was, it took Ponder to extend drives on third down. The Vikings converted 50 percent of their third downs and ALL of those were either completions or scrambles by Ponder (he also scrambled for nine yards on third and 10 and AP did the rest on fourth).

My point is, Peterson played like himself, but Ponder moved the chains. I did notice lapses in coverage, which may or may not have been a result of attempting to shut down Peterson, but the fact is that Ponder completed throws he usually wouldn’t be able to make.

AP averaged 4.7 yds on first down, but while he made a first down in four of those carries (four carries for 62 yards). He gained only 2.7 YPC on first down otherwise. Christian Ponder had to make plays to rectify that and he did. While AP’s numbers were nearly identical to the game at Lambeau, Ponder was better at the Metrodome.

Essentially what it comes down to is this: In order to win the game, we need to stop Ponder, not Peterson, though stopping Peterson would help. There is a reason the Packers won by 11 at Lambeau and lost by 3 in Minnesota. At Lambeau they played to win and let AP be great. In Minny they played to stop AP, as great as he is, and they allowed Ponder to beat them.

If the Packers focus on stopping AP instead of playing solid defense, the result will be similar to last week. If they want to play in San Francisco they need to stifle the rest of the Vikings offense.

For the second time in a month Peterson ran all over the Packers defense, for a cumulative total of 409 yards rushing between the two games. If the Packers are going to be successful on Saturday in the NFC Wild Card game again verses the Vikings, Aaron Rodgers and the high powered Packer offense will need to strike early and often.

This past Sunday the Packers offense came out sluggish and seemingly just went through the motions, punting on their first three possessions. Meanwhile, the Vikings capitalized on the Packers apathetic start and quickly went up 13-0 early in the second quarter.

From the very beginning the Packers had to play from behind. This enabled the Vikings to work the clock by running the football.  In doing so Peterson punished the Packers defense all game long.

The Vikings understood they had to win, the Packers, on the other hand, needed to win. Clearly the two teams had different mindsets. Desperation can be a dangerous motivator and the Packers were victimized by the Vikings because of it.

With that said, the Packers have struggled with an attitude in which they seem to simply expect to beat teams they deem to be inferior opponents. This approach has cost them games against the Colts, Giants, Seahawks and the Vikings this past Sunday.  This presumptive point of view needs to be ditched, this is playoff football, and a take no prisoners’ stance should be adopted.

Adrian Peterson as we all know is a beast, one of the best to play the game. He has been phenomenal against Green Bay, accumulating in two games nearly 20 percent of his 2,097 yards for the season. The Packers can’t afford to pin their Super Bowl hopes on shutting, or even slowing him down. Because they simply haven’t demonstrated they have the ability or the will to do so.

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers offense need to put Green Bay out in front and force the Vikings to rely on Christian Ponder to win the game. If Green Bay’s offense can come out and score early and often they will also have the game clock to their advantage. This will force the Vikings to pass, taking the ball out of Peterson’s hands and into the ham-hands of Christian Ponder.

This recipe proved victorious for the Packers in their December 2nd matchup with the Vikings. Despite Peterson thrashing the Packers defense for 210 yards, Ponders’ two passes intercepted by Morgan Burnett made the difference in the game.

Ponder has proved he can be a decent game manager. But the Packers need to force him into the uncomfortable position of being the game changer. If Green Bay’s offense can put points on the board, that will make Ponder responsible for the outcome of the contest.

This is a tall order for Ponder. A Texan who played college football in Florida, to come into the Frozen Tundra of Lambeau Field and defeat Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers at their own game.

Nov 14, 2011; Green Bay, WI, USA; Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (28) rushes with the football during the second quarter against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-US PRESSWIRE

Adrian Peterson’s been on the comeback trail, but I fear it’s been slowed a bit.

Peterson was arrested by Houston Police after an incident at a Houston nightclub early this morning.

Though there is not much information out about the incident, there are those who are saying there is plenty of video evidence from surveillance cameras and phone cameras – those videos have not yet been released.

The incident, according to some reports started when Peterson and some family members were lingering in the nightclub after closing and were being asked to leave. According to at least one report, Peterson asked to be allowed to get some water before leaving. However, words were exchanged and while walking to the exit Peterson was jumped from behind by one law enforcement official who was joined by others to bring him down – kinda like on the football field.

Anyway, Peterson is still in jail on bond … below are a number of links to various reports for you to peruse.

No doubt, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell will be looking closely at this case.

If Peterson was shooting to be back in the lineup for the Minnesota Vikings on opening day, that appears to now be in jeopardy.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/07/07/peterson-incident-all-on-video/

http://www.packersnews.com/viewart/20120707/PKR01/307070198

http://thevikingage.com/2012/07/07/club-says-adrian-peterson-was-heavily-intoxicated-at-the-time-of-his-arrest/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

http://thevikingage.com/2012/07/07/police-say-adrian-peterson-pushed-an-off-duty-cop-yelled-and-struggled-with-officers/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=facebook

http://fansided.com/2012/07/07/adrian-peterson-arrested/

http://www.rotoworld.com/headlines/nfl/235595/adrian-peterson-busted-for-resisting-arrest

Yochen, the Viking fan, in the early 1940s while stationed in California.

I think of my father often. He was a Renaissance man, a philosopher, a comedian, a dad. He made me do things that I didn’t want to do. He always encouraged me to follow my instincts and dreams. He died way too early.

Today I reprise a column I wrote about him months ago. I do so because it is Father’s Day – a time to remember, reflect and honor all those fathers who have tried their best to give their sons and daughters a better place in which to live.

As you read this, I hope you, too, understand the importance of all the fathers in this world.

Happy Father’s Day to you, Yochen. I miss you and will see you soon.

Yochen, the Vikings fan

My Dad, Richard Rivard, was affectionately known by family and friends as Yochen … Don’t ask me how or why … That’s just the way it was.
His love of the Minnesota Vikings could be viewed the same way … Nobody was really sure how or why. Living in western Wisconsin, his most ready explanation was through a question: Why should he support a team that was 200-plus miles away when he could jump in the car and be at a game in Minnesota in no time?
He had a logistical point there, but in my mind one constructed through convenience, not time-honored loyalty.
“Green Bush” is what he called the Packers with a smile.
You see, to me, I always felt he became a Vikings fan in the early 1960s because he wanted to be different. Everyone else was a Packers fan.
Though he would only ascribe his loyalties to the purple and gold, we all knew he had a soft spot for the Packers, especially when they won. He was not only around when the Packers were winning championships in the late 1920s and early 1930s, but he of course was pleased to see them win under Vince Lombardi in the 1960s (after all, the Vikings were a fledgling franchise at that point).
When the Pack came roaring back in the mid-1990s, he no doubt could see the greatness of those teams as well.
But he did have good reason to be a fan of the division rival to the west. He was always a big fan of Fran Tarkenton … Even cheering for him when he played those years in New York. I remember well 1969 when we attended a preseason game at the old Metropolitan Stadium and Tarkenton, then with the Giants, threw the ball all over the yard, mostly to Homer Jones … Much to the pleasure of Yochen.
When Tarkenton came back to Minnesota and led them to all those NFC championships in the mid-1970s, Yochen was ecstatic … And heartbroken when the team could never win a Super Bowl.
Nevertheless, he was a fan because … well, frankly, the Vikings were one of the best-run franchises for many years. Yochen knew excellence and appreciated it when he saw it. Clearly, the Packers could have learned a lot from the Vikings during the 1970s and 1980s. Year-in year-out the Vikings were contenders. For the Packers, winning was a distant memory.
Yochen died in May 1999, but it was on an early fall day just a few months after he left us that I felt his smile and laugh the strongest.
It was one of those clear, cool and crisp fall days – the type that Yochen would spend puttering around the yard on some needed project awaiting the start of the ball game.
This particular day also happened to be one when the Vikings invaded Lambeau Field.
The Packers, a shadow of their championship stature of just a couple of years prior, were still a threat to win … You see, the Packers had this guy named Brett Favre … One of those Packers players Yochen had come to appreciate.
It was one of those back and forth epic struggles between two teams that knew one another so well … It came down to the final minute. It was one of those games you knew Yochen would have loved … One of those that no matter the outcome, he would have greeted it with a “Wow! Holy cow! Can you believe that?!?”
I could hear his spirit yelling just as the Vikings went ahead with just seconds left in the game.
But the Packers had Brett Favre.
And in true fashion, the future hall of famer led the Pack downfield. As the clock wound down inside 20 seconds Favre hit Corey Bradford on a seam route for the winning score … Maybe you remember that game.
It was one that Yochen certainly would have appreciated.
I could hear and see him:  ”sonofabitch,” he would have said. Not out of disgust or anger … He more than likely would have been wearing that smile … Incredulous.
That’s who he was … Yes, he was an admitted Vikings fan, but more than anything he was just a fan … Happy to have been there and to have witnessed it.
Don’t ask me how or why … That’s just the way it was.

Though New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton wasn't directly involved in the bounty scheme, he didn't stop it when he learned about it. Cary Edmondson-US PRESSWIRE

Today’s news that the New Orleans Saints players and coaches were involved in a bounty payoff system in which money was pooled and exchanged for various on field actions is disturbing … especially in light of the fact that defensive coordinator Greg Williams and head coach Sean Payton were nearly hired by the Green Bay Packers before they took over in New Orleans.

While bounties are hardly something that’s not been a part of football over the past century, today’s announcement by the league is the first such case in recent memory. Given the incredible amounts of money paid to these athletes, it’s unusual to see this type of behavior occurring in the NFL.

According to published reports, Williams is said to have helped manage the scheme and that while he wasn’t directly involved, Payton didn’t stop the action when he was told about it. Williams was a finalist for the Packers’ defensive coordinator’s job a few years back before Green Bay hired Dom Capers and Payton is known for saying he really, really wanted the Green Bay head coaching job before the Packers hired Coach Mike McCarthy.

What will happen with the Saints is not known, but the league clearly has its sights on some sort of punitive action.

League commissioner Roger Goodell will determine the appropriate punishment.

He had this to say today:

That’s why I was drawn to Milwaukee Journal Sentinel  writer Tom Silverstein’s recent posting of interesting numbers.

I think you will find these numbers interesting, too.

Take a look:

PACKERS

28 Yards receiver Donald Driver needs to reach 10,000 in his career.

81 Interceptions the defense has since coordinator Dom Capers took over in 2009.

14 Holding penalties the team has, fourth-fewest in the NFL.

69-3 Touchdowns to interceptions quarterback Aaron Rodgers has thrown in the regular season during his career.

6.2 Yards per play the defense is allowing, tied for New England for the most in the NFL.

NFC NORTH

15 Combined margin of defeat in the Chicago Bears’ three-game losing streak.

265 Penalty yards the Detroit Lions have lost over their last three games.

7 Quarters in which the Bears have not scored during the three games Caleb Hanie has started at quarterback.

17 Rushing first downs the Minnesota Vikings had against Detroit last week, their most in a single game this season even though running back Adrian Peterson didn’t play.

75 Consecutive games Vikings end Jared Allen has started, the most of any active player at his position.

Don’t forget to like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Jared Allen and the Minnesota Vikings have sunk to levels not seen from the franchise in some time.

The last time the Green Bay Packers played the Minnesota Vikings I found myself feeling a little sorry for the Vikings players and fans. While watching the game I came to the realization that the Vikings are made up of Jared Allen and 21 other players who would struggle to be back-ups on the Packers.

Okay, maybe Adrian Peterson could start for the Packers, too.

A couple of days later I ran into a fellow parent at elementary school parent-teacher night. He was wearing a Vikings jacket and I was wearing a Packers coat. I called out in a friendly fashion, “Hey, Vikings fan!” expecting that when he turned around we could engage in typical your-team-sucks banter.

Instead he turned, saw the green and gold, and hung his head.

I felt bad.

I walked up to the Vikings fan, put my hand on his shoulder and said, “Maybe Christian Ponder will turn into a great quarterback.” He seemed a little encouraged, but it left me wondering what has happened to the once proud Vikings? Are the years of mediocrity and near misses finally starting to take their toll? Are the Vikings really going to move to a new city because of stadium issues?

I, for one, hope not. I love the Packers-Vikings rivalry almost as much as the Packers-Bears rivalry.

Oddly, during last Sunday’s blowout win against the Raiders I had no feelings of sadness for the Raiders players or fans. I gleefully cheered when the Packers went ahead 31 to nothing before the half. 31-0!

Bahhahaha!

Carson Palmer?

Hahaha.

Another Raiders penalty?

Ha! Go Pack Go!

Don’t forget to Like Lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

There are those who are brutally honest about the happenings in the game. Some are witty and some just plain deadpan.

I thought it might be fun to give just a taste of what was posted last night during the Vikings vs. Packers game.

Enjoy.

Rob Demovsky (@RobDemovsky)
11/14/11 6:00 PM
The scene from Lambeau Field before tonight’s #Packers-#Vikings game. pic.twitter.com/LIcqUYmA
Green Bay Packers (@packers)
11/14/11 7:46 PM
Cobb first rookie in GB history to have a 100-yard KR, 80-yard PR in same season.

Green Bay Packers (@packers)
11/14/11 8:01 PM
Packers up 14-0, 5:02 remain in 1Q. Drive: 11 plays, 70 yards, 4:53 time of possession. 24-yard TD pass to Jennings

See more after the jump …

(more…)

Charles Woodson picked off Christian Ponder twice today and could have had a couple of others. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

The Packers, behind the nearly flawless performance of Aaron Rodgers, some timely running at the end of the game, and a defense that again bent, but didn’t break, did enough to hold off the Minnesota Vikings and their energetic rookie quarterback, Christian Ponder, 33-27.

Ponder, making his first start with the Vikings (now 1-6 on the season), kicked off the game with a bang by hitting Michael Jenkins for 73 yards and a near touchdown on the first play of the game. However, the Packers defense again came up with some huge defensive efforts when needed and James Starks ended the game with six consecutive runs and a first down to put the dagger into the Vikes’ hearts.

Ponder’s first play heave didn’t account for the Vikings’ first score, but Adrian Peterson banged it in a couple of plays later to give the Vikings a 7-0 lead.

However, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers came right back on their first possession to go 91 yards for a touchdown to tie it at 7-7.

The Vikings defense, behind two sacks by league-leader Jared Allen, held the vaunted Packers offense in check for most of the first half, though Rodgers was dead-on in his passing. He completed his first 13 passes and would have had 14 had rookie Randall Cobb hung onto a pass on a crossing route. His drop came on a third and 16 and it appeared he would have certainly had the first down – maybe even a score.

(more…)

The good news is defensive end Mike Neal saying he is expecting to play yet this season, but he just doesn’t know when that will be. He said for sure it wouldn’t be the game after the bye (at San Diego), but that it would be at some point.

“I feel good. I’m optimistic. I hope it works out,” Neal told JSonline Friday. “I can only take it in stride.”

“I can only do as much as I’m able to, as much as they let me do,” Neal said. “I’ll just go from there. I’m still optimistic. I still hope to play this year but when? I just don’t know.”

The not-so-good news was that Ryan Pickett suffered a mild concussion yesterday and was being listed as questionable on the Packers injury report.

(more…)

Jarrett Bush said it best when describing the Vikings as "hungry." Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Can we draw comparisons between the winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers team of two years ago that was led by a then-rookie making his first start (Josh Freeman) with the 1-5 Vikings being led by another rookie making his first start this coming Sunday (Christian Ponder)?

We all know what happened in that Tampa Bay game … They upset the Packers and upset Packers nation so badly that there were calls for Mike McCarthy and Ted Thompson’s heads.

Well, we can make the leap an compare the two situations or we can listen to a veteran tell us about it … according to Ryan Pickett, who was interviewed this week about that scenario by JSonline, it’s a different time and a different place.

“Mentally, we’ve grown. We’ve been playing defense a lot differently around here since that game two years ago. So we take no one lightly — rookie, 15 years in the league, it doesn’t matter. It’s about how we prepare and how we get ready ourselves. That’s how we look at it.”
(more…)

But nevertheless, here’s a bit of what others are saying today about the Super Bowl champion … take a breeze through the Packers news  and while at it don’t forget to Like lombardiave.com on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.

Enjoy

Clipped from: www.jsonline.com (share this clip)

See more after the jump …
(more…)

As the lockout nears its end and the start of training camp looms, I thought it a good time to search YouTube for some video from last year’s season.

As a matter of practice I don’t like watching too many highlight films during the offseason, but given this is a championship season I can’t help but burn up the YouTube files.

That’s why I’m posting this video from Truthseeker … This covers weeks six, seven and eight of the season just to whet your appetite … Enjoy the action … It’s a part of a season we will not soon forget …

Aaron Rodgers is an elite QB. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Bucky Brooks posted an interesting take on Aaron Rodgers today at NFL.com – one that has raised more than one eyebrow among those who have watched the Packers’ quarterback week in and week out since he became a starter three years ago.
Brooks’ entire thesis is built around the opening line of his piece: “Don’t believe the hype.”
What hype? (more…)

Brandon Jackson has proven himself valuable, but probably doesn't fit into the Packers' 2011 plans. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

Nobody is quite sure what the free agency period will look like. Depending on if and when the CBA is signed no doubt the signing period will be fast and furious.
For the green Bay Packers, signing their own free agents has been a top priority for general manager Ted Thompson … That is the free agents that fit into the team’s plans. (more…)

ESPN's new logo

ESPN announced and presented to the world the design of a new logo that will now grace everything that is Monday Night Football.
The shield is clunky, almost prehistoric Scottish in design … Something straight from a Braveheart scene. (more…)

Adrian Peterson has been beloved in Minnesota, but the author asks how he would look in green and gold. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

By Daniel Sigl

It is no secret that the Packers would benefit from a reliable running game, and it is difficult to say whether or not their current running backs can carry the load. In order to guarantee that the Packers have a consistent ground attack, as is almost required in the frozen tundra during the playoffs, they may want to get an all star running back. Adrian Peterson may be that guy.

Trading for Peterson would have two advantages. First, the Packers would have a running game to take some of the load off of Aaron Rodgers. Second, the Packers would not have to play against him twice (or more) every year. (more…)

Percy Harvin came out in support of the Vikings of the idea that the Vikings entertain the thought of pursuing a contract with Plaxico Burress. Raymond T. Rivard

This is just way too tempting to resist.

As if the Minnesota Vikings veterans haven’t learned their lesson from the Brett Favre saga … now they move on to another retread veteran to boost them to a Super Bowl … Plaxico Burress.

With Vikings veterans chiming in this week … a topic today of our colleague Dan Zinski’s over at The Viking Age … it seems the players in Minnesota are chiming in with a chorus of “yeah mans” to their wants and needs to get former inmate Plaxico Burris into their camp. (more…)

Brett Favre leaves Lambeau Field for the last time last October after the Packers defeated the Vikings. The loss was one last season that helped define the spiraling demise of a franchise. Raymond T. Rivard photograph

This week, Fansided Minnesota Vikings blogger Dan Zinski of The Viking Age reported his concern over the unstable status of that franchise and why recent developments could indicate that the Vikings’ 50-year tenure in the land of 10,000 lakes is in danger.
Zinski wrote in his blog this week:

“If billionaire Philip Anschutz has his way, Los Angeles will soon have a new NFL team. That team could end up being the Vikings.
“Tim Leiweke, president of the dreaded AEG, has confirmed Anschutz’s interest in purchasing majority stake in an existing franchise, with an eye toward installing that team in AEG’s proposed Farmers Field. Speaking to the Orange County Register, Leiweke named the five teams on his and Mr. Anschutz’s list of targets: Minnesota, St. Louis, Oakland, Jacksonville and San Diego.” (more…)