Hobby Breakdown: NFC Championship Game

Sunday's NFC Championship Game is a clash of the Titans, no doubt. The Saints are 13-3 and the number 1 seed, the Vikings are 12-4, playing away, and are the number 2 seed. The story is more about Drew Brees vs Brett Favre, though I want to look at it from a hobby standpoint. Im going to go position by position and talk about who has the most to gain this weekend. The Saints may be the better team in terms of record, but are the Vikings a better team in the hobby?

Quarterback

Starter: Drew Brees
Team: Saints
Rookie Year: 2001 (Chargers)
Best Rookie Card: 2001 Bowman Chrome Auto, 2001 Playoff Contenders Auto (tie)
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $400
Autos Usually Sell For: $70
Commentary: Brees has the advantage because he has autographed rookie cards. However, outside of his rookies, his auto can sell for as little as 36 bucks. I think he is one of the more undervalued players in the league, but a win on Sunday could vault his values into a higher value bracket.

Starter: Brett Favre
Team: Vikings
Rookie Year: 1991
Best Rookie Card: 1991 Wild Card 1000 Stripe
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $900
Autos Usually Sell For $150+
Commentary: I know the 1000 stripe is a ridiculously expensive card, but it is so rare that it is hard to even find on eBay. In addition, there are fakes, so im not even sure it can be counted. The regular 1991 Stadium Club RCs sell for very little, so I guess the playing field is even there. Favre has accomplished everything there is to accomplish, so the only room for improvement is in his Vikings cards.

Advantage: Tie

Running Back

Starter: Reggie Bush
Team: Saints
Rookie Year: 2006
Best Rookie Card: 2006 Exquisite Collection
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $600
Autos Usually Sell For: $40
Commentary: Bush was one of the most hyped up players coming out of college, and his cards reflected that. They still hold a ton of value in the rookies, but other than that, he has nothing. He has underperformed on the field as well, but a good game on Sunday can be huge for his values.

Starter: Adrian Peterson
Team: Vikings
Rookie Year: 2007
Best Rookie Card: 2007 Exquisite Collection
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $1100
Autos Usually Sell For: $150
Commentary: Peterson is the biggest star in the hobby, even more so than Manning or Favre. His cards are very sought after, especially the 2007 ones, and his performance still leaves room for more improvement. Its rare that a Running Back can out value the QBs, but in this case, the throngs of Vikings fans have made it so.

Advantage: Vikings

Wide Receiver

Starter: Marques Colston
Team: Saints
Rookie Year: 2006
Best Rookie Card: 2006 Exquisite Collection
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $75
Autos Usually Sell For: Under $10
Commentary: Colston is a good receiver on the field, but doesn’t have much of a following in the hobby. Like many good wide receivers, he is very underappreciated, and a good game probably wouldn’t help much.

Starter: Sidney Rice

Team: Vikings
Rookie Year: 2007
Best Rookie Card: 2007 Exquisite Collection
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $140
Autos Usually Sell For: $20
Commentary: Rice's cards have spiked this year, and its all because of some amazing games. If he does have another game like he did against the Cowboys, he may become one of the most valuable WRs in the hobby.

Advantage: Vikings

Tight End

Starter: Jeremy Shockey
Team: Saints
Rookie Year: 2002 (Giants)
Best Rookie Card: 2002 Playoff Contenders
Avg Sell Value For That Card: $42
Autos Usually Sell For: $15
Commentary: Shockey's mouth gained him a following as a Giant, but his performance forced him to a position with New Orleans. He has had somewhat of a resurgence, but not much. I hated this guy when he was a Giant, and I have a feeling I will hate him that much more on Sunday.

Starter: Visanthe Shiancoe
Team: Vikings
Rookie Year: 2003 (Giants)
Best Rookie Card: 2003 SP Authentic
Average Sell Value For That Card: $10
Autos Usually Sell For: N/A
Commentary: Shiancoe had his second good year in a row with Minnesota, but his cards have done little to nothing. He hasn’t even had an auto recently, and that isnt a bad thing. You can pick up his SPA autos for cheap, and if he has a great game on Sunday, that may not be the case anymore.

Advantage: Saints

Wild Card Player

Starter: Robert Meachem
Position: WR
Rookie Year: 2007
Best Rookie Card: 2007 Exquisite Collection
Average Sell Value For That Card: $50
Autos Usually Sell For: Under $10
Commentary: Meachem finally had an okay year for the Saints, and the people hoarding his cards have responded. As a player with a large college following, he continues to have value regardless of performance. If he does well on Sunday, we could see an explosion.

Starter: Jared Allen
Position: Defensive End
Rookie Year: 2004 (Chiefs)
Best Rookie Card: 2006 SP Authentic (Non-auto)
Average Sell Value For That Card: $20
Autos Usually Sell For: $60
Commentary: Allen has a humongous Minnesota following, and that following pays enormous prices for certified autos in Vikings uniform. His autos out of UD Black and UD Philadelphia have commanded $100 and $40 respectively, on top of the 40 bucks his first certified auto usually gets out of 2005 Score.

Advantage: Vikings

Overall

The Saints and Vikings are dangerous teams, but the Vikings definitely have more hobby power. Although Minnesota is the underdog come Sunday, they still have a pretty good shot just because of the team they have. However, they are going to have to contend with one of the best players in the game in Drew Brees, so who knows what could happen. A 51-50 win for the Saints is not out of the question.

Advantage: Vikings

Divisional Round Royal Rumble: Favre's Purple Reign

What a weekend it was for me, as I got to see one of the best played Vikings games in the last ten years. Its been a long time since 2000's 41-0 loss to the Giants, and even longer since the 1998 biggest disappointment of my young sports fandom. Here are some thoughts.

Vikings/Cowboys

Look out New Orleans, the Vikings are looking like they did in the middle of the season, especially through the air and on the defensive line. After the defense throttled Romo a team record six times, there was little he was going to be able to do to get things to a manageable point. I never would have guessed that he wouldnt have been able to put up a TD, but its exciting to think that a team like the Vikings could stop him. Minnesota has struggled on defense in the latter part of the season, and to think that they stopped the hottest team in the league is amazing. Not only that, but Sidney Rice is quickly cementing himself as one of the best receivers in the game, evidenced by the crazy catches made yesterday for over 140 yards and 3 TDs.

Chargers/Jets

I cant believe this was the closest game of the weekend, and I am even more shocked that the Jets came out on top. Shonn Greene looks like a stud to say the least, and the Jets' defense looks menacing. The Chargers didnt lose on those two elements though, as Nate Kaeding cost them the tie and the win in his first game with three missed kicks ever. I still think the Jets are going to get their asses kicked next week, but who didnt say that this week. I think its also worth mentioning that Shonn Greene's last two games have been unbelievable, and it may have been in the best interest of the Jets to have played him a little more behind Jones and Washington. I dont think that will be an issue next year.

Saints/Cardinals

Drew Brees is like the LeBron James of the NFL, he is amazingly good and makes everyone around him that much better. Hell, even Reggie Bush got into the action too, and that doesnt happen very often. Also, without Boldin to draw coverage away from Fitz and Breaston, the Cards looked flat, especially when Rev Warner didnt look like he had prayed hard enough that night before. In all intensive purposes, the Saints looked poised to be the Champs this year, and if they continue to play the way they did on Saturday, it will be very tough to beat them.

Colts/Ravens

I thought this was going to be the closest game of the weekend, but instead it looked very much like a Colts game usually does. Manning takes control, and the Defense mops up any spills. To hold Flacco, Rice and Mason to under 7 points is a feat in itself, and if we end up with a Colts/Saints Super Bowl, things could get pretty ugly. I do think that Reggie Wayne will need to play like he did at the beginning to have a chance at a championship, because on Saturday, he didnt look like the Reggie Wayne we know and love.

PREVIEWS FOR NEXT WEEK

Vikings/Saints

Oh how I loathe these games. Tons of build up for the Vikings team and they always screw the pooch. I do think they have the best shot of any team in the NFC to beat the Saints, especially after the Cowboy massacre. Remember, the Cowboys beat the Saints at home during the season, and the Saints just beat the Cardinals who killed the Vikings on the road. Luckily for Minnesota, they are on turf again, indoors, where the Purple has cleaned up all year. We will see what Brees can do, as the Vikings defense will leave it up to him. I still say the Vikes come out on top, but its going to be a slug it out win.

Colts/Jets

Even though Revis may be one of the best cover corners in the league, the Colts should make due with the rest of the Jets' defense. That, and I have a feeling that Indy's D will make Sanchez their bitch. Its rare that you see a rookie QB do well in these games, especially against a team as good as the Colts. Should be a pretty big win for Manning, and Dallas Clark is going to go nuts. Just watch.

I sincerely hope I can have another good weekend next week, as so far, I have yet to see the Vikings in a super bowl. Either way, the games should be great, and we should get to see a great super bowl no matter who is in it. How amazing would it be to see a Favre/Manning showdown? That would be epic.

Percy Harvin Named Offensive ROY

This was a pretty expected award for Percy Harvin, as he has been the odds on favorite for more than half the season. He put up great numbers for a rookie, was named to the pro-bowl as the NFC Kick Returner, and has meant a lot to a team that ended up 12-4 and the number 2 seed. He has also benefited quite tremendously from having Favre around, as the two have forged a student/teacher relationship that has made Harvin that much more dangerous. When it came to third down, Harvin caught more balls than any player on the team, and his eight total TDs were the difference in at least two games.

Harvin's cards have already hit their peak as he has slowly become the top producer in the draft class, so there shouldnt be that much of a bump with the news. Oddly enough, Austin Collie and Mark Sanchez did not receive a single vote, with Michael Oher and Knowshon Moreno getting a few of the others.

MVP should be coming either later today or tomorrow, keep checking back.

Percy Harvin is the Ninth Viking To Make The Pro-Bowl

According to the Vikings Blog, Percy Harvin has been named to the team after they realized the roster would be short without a designated kick returner. Although the game matters little, the honor is what really counts, especially in a league where fan Voting only makes up a third of the decision.

Harvin ran two kicks back for TDs this year as a rookie, and averaged over 27 yards per return. It is second all time for the Vikings, and I expect him to be quite dangerous in that fashion for the playoffs. He is the only offensive skill player rookie to be named to the rosters this year, though im sure more will come as the rosters thin out due to so many players turning down their invites.

Hopefully he wont have to play due to the game the week after, if you catch my drift.

Another Squeaker Gives The Vikings a 6-0 Record

Another game that left me standing in front of my TV with hands clasped in prayer. For the second time this season, the football gods smiled upon the Vikings, giving them another victory to add to their resume. Despite the win and beign considerably impressed with Joseph Fucking Flacco and Raymond Ridiculous Rice, I was as disappointed with the Vikings defense. They should have won this game by a lot more than they did, but instead came away with a victory they didnt deserve.

Brett Favre

I am beyond fucking sick of listening to the announcers talk about Brett Favre. I can only imagine how Yankee fans feel about TBS/everyones coverage of Derek Jeter for the last 40 years. Its just fucking annoying to hear them give dick ass platitudes about how much fun he is having, rather than actually talking about interesting parts of an awesome game. Favre did play well again, but this game was not about him. Of course that didnt stop Dan Dierdorf from giving him a relative verbal ass fucking of wonderful tidbits. Shut up.

Adrian Peterson

Glad to see Peterson get a good game under his belt again after failing to break the 100 yard mark for the previous four games. He played in typical AD fashion, grinding out close to 150 yards on the ground against a defense that is known for being rough and tumble. The problem was that he may have sustained an ankle injury that could get worse as the week moves on towards the game at Pittsburgh.

Ray Rice

Ray Rice looked like Adrian Peterson today. He was the bane of the Vikings D the whole game, and just had a ridiculous performance. 2 TDs on the ground, and 10 receptions for 100+ in the air. Unbelievable. I never really put that much faith in Rice after the first half, as he was practically unheard from. I feel bad for the AFC East having to play against him and Flacco together for the next decade, as they are going to be GREAT.

Joe Flacco

This was Flacco's day, even though the announcers had brown tongues from licking Favre's ass. Flacco tore apart a Vikings secondary in the second half, just making Cedric Griffin and Karl Paymah look foolish. Granted, he didnt have to deal with Winfield all day, but he still looked like he was the next golden dick for the announcers to suck.

CBS Football

If I never watch another game on CBS, it would be too soon. Everything about the whole game was horrible. Greg Gumble is annoying, Dierdorf was a gargantuan mouth breathing idiot, and the stuff they talked about made me mute the volume at more than one point. When I saw that CBS was doing the Super Bowl this year, a little part of me died. Seriously, CBS football fucking blows.

Percy Harvin

He looked bad on that injury, makes me worried for him. I am crossing my fingers that it isnt a separated shoulder. That would be BAD.

Antoine Winfield and Benny Sapp

For the ENTIRE fucking game, the announcers failed to tell us why Karl Paymah was playing corner. Not one fucking peep. Winfield actually had turf toe that kept him out of the game, and Sapp had a concussion on the opening kick off. Im sure Griffin shit his pants when he saw he would be the guy, especially with ass fuck Madieu Williams and his flailing arm tackles playing behind him. I guarantee that the Vikings go after a corner in the next draft, because, holy fuck, they need one after seeing the poor play. Griffin was never very good, and their safeties are looking VERY vulnerable. Im dreading next week, because if Winfield doesnt play, the Steelers could put up 60 points. Its that urgent.

Sidney Rice

I love Sidney Rice. What a fucking baller, right? The guy just makes play after play, and may be soon replacing Berrian at the one spot. On top of all of his ridiculous catches, Favre loves him, which means he should continue to have a great season.

Visanthe Shiancoe

Im actually shocked how poorly I talked about him last year, because he is playing like a TE god. Another great game, another Vikings win. Love the way he does what he does. What do you have to say about him Dan Dierdorf? "Shiancoe is just a big target. Favre is just having a ton of fun and is having a fun time throwing to this fun guy. I wish I were out there having fun, too."

I know it seems like I am talking about a loss here, and thats because it should have ended that way. To have a defensive collapse like that is beyond frustrating. They need to pick up their shit or they are going to get killed. Bottom line.

Favre Has More Than One Vikings SPX Card

For those of you who read about the the Favre "red jersey" card that was inserted in 2009 SPX, it wasnt the only one that they made. They also made a super short print "press conference" card that has been selling for around 125 dollars on eBay as of late. Even though the card is a presser and not a game shot, collectors have definitely jumped on it.

Kind of slipped under the radar for a while...

Rumble In Minneapolis: Packers Vs Vikings Rd 1

When the Vikings signed Favre, to tell you the truth, I wasnt even sure if he was going to make it to this game coming up on monday. Now that the game is upon us, and the circus has come to town, anticipation is starting to boil over. Its going to be great, and its going to be a nationally televised event!

Favre, so far, has been great at leading the Vikings. He has been careful with the ball, he has let AD run wild without remorse, and he was responsible for the best Vikings drive in the last 10 years. Great. Now Bretty McWrangler has to go up against the Packers, a team with a new defense, a great offense, and a hankering to put their former golden boy on his ass. That is not great. Considering that Favre is about as fragile as paper thin sheet of glass, to play a team like Green Bay is probably not going to be a good thing for his health.

Not only that, but a loss for the Vikings here would be a complete morale nuclear bomb. Having your biggest rival come into the dome and beat you on national TV is never a good thing, but when you have the best player in that Franchise's history in uniform, its that much bigger. I say this is going to lead Favre to make some bad decisions, and it may cost the Vikings the game.

If you remember back to the Vikings' playoff win in Lambeau a few years ago, Favre had major problems because he tried to do too much. The Vikings came away with one of the bigger wins in their history, and Favre looked horrible. The same type of effect could happen on monday, especially if Childress plays into it. If the Vikings can continue to hand the ball to Peterson, keep Harvin and Taylor involved, all while the defense plays their normal game, its going to be tough to beat them in their house. However, if Favre starts making horrible throws all over the field, a la the New York Jets last few games, its going to be a disaster.

Ill be watching as usual, and I hope that the Vikings pull it off. More importantly, I hope Favre pulls it off.

Its a Great Day To Be A Vikings Fan

Holy fuck, what a ridiculous end to a ridiculous game. The Vikings didnt play that well, but came out ahead thanks to Jared Allen's "Silver Fox." I yelled so loud my neighbors slapped on the wall, and my wife thought I was dead. It got that crazy around the Gellman house today around 1 PM.

A few minutes after the game ended, I couldnt help but think about what happened a few years ago in a typical slugfest between the Pack and Vikes. The Vikings had just marched down the field and scored a touchdown to go up by a point or two on Favre, but there was a problem I saw right away. There was still time on the clock, and with Favre at the helm, any time is too much. He, of course, drove down to field goal range without much effort and they kicked a field goal to win. Today, I cant tell you how great it was to have that feeling going FOR you instead of against.

It wasnt all Favre either, as Greg Lewis just made a ridiculous catch, best I have seen under pressure in a LONG time.I gotta give him credit, what a fucking unbelievable heads up play. Either way, Favre put in a place where he could be the only one to catch it, and the Vikes walked away 3-0.

Leading up to the end of the game, Harvin also showed why Minnesota picked him. He had some clutch catches, including one on 3rd and ten with less than 30 seconds on the clock. I couldnt believe that kick return TD either as he literally made the defense look like they were running in slow motion. He is going to be a monster, thats all I have to say.

Peterson didnt have a great game, but it wasnt 14 carries for 3 yards either. It would have been nice to see him more involved in the scoring, but the Niners' D looked great when the Vikings handed him the ball.

All in all, just a great game to watch. I cant wait for next week, that has potential to be even better.

A Last Comment On Fav-rah

Ok, we are now coming up on pre-season week two, and people are still thinking that Brett Favre may make a decision to play this year with the Vikings. At this point, I am so fucking sick of hearing about the guy that I dont think I could stand a whole season with him at the helm. Of course, both Sage Rosenfels and Tarvaris Jackson suck beyond belief at last check in, but who is to say they cant just be a placeholder until next year?

Really, it comes down to this. Will Farve be a better option right now, having missed most of camp, coming off surgery, and not training the whole summer, than Jackson and Rosenfels? If so, what capacity will he drain the personnel's time trying to get him in place and functioning? How will the other players feel? Those answers will plague the team if he signs, and decision making questions will plague them if they dont.

If Farve decides to sign, I will be excited, dont get me wrong, mainly because I will get to watch more of the games on TV. If he doesnt, its only one year closer to Childress' demise as coach, and possibly a Bradford or McCoy at QB next year.

That, and I can name my fantasy team " The Farve Dollar Footlongs."

UD Blog: 1998 Vikings Revisted

Last week, I had an epiphany about my experience during the 1998 season in Minnesota when cleaning out my DVR. After watching a documentary on the exploits of the team, I sat down and wrote for a few hours about my experience being at all the games. Im really pleased with the outcome, hopefully you guys are too.

Check it out here.

NOTE: Yes, I know the Vikings suck. Its part of being a Minnesota sports fan, and I thrive on the disappointment.

Favre Signs With Vikings?

Wow, looks like one of the most hated people in Minnesota sports history has decided to start sleeping with the enemy. Although this is still in the "unofficial" stage, I have a feeling this is going to become official quite soon.

I already voiced my thoughts on Bretty Madonna, though I am happy to have a QB that can actually work a two minute drive, let alone a whole game.

This does make me question, who will be the first to get a Favre/Peterson dual on the market? How about those lettermen that Icons had last year, are we going to get "Frozen Favre" this time?

If this is going to be as big of a shitstorm as it was last year, count me out. Ill stick with my Harvin and Peterson targets.

On Favre and the Vikings

God, I never thought Favre would ever come close to a place where he could be making the decision on whether or not to play for the Purple. I hate Favre for all the crap he has pulled over the last few years. For fuck's sake, he has been worse than Jordan when he retired. Not only that, but he drags the teams along until the last possible moments and then expects to be welcome back with open arms.

Listen, if you retire, you fucking retire. Its that simple. If you dont want to go, dont. No reason to be a primadonna.

Now, I will admit that a Vikings team with Favre presents two favorable situations that cannot be passed over. First, he is better at 80% than both of our QBs who are at 100%. He makes the team better, regardless of what condition he is in. In my opinion, our other two options suck.

Secondly, I want him to sign up just so I can see what happens when he goes to Green Bay to play in the Jersey that every fan in that stadium hates. I would consider flying to Green Bay just to see that. Nothing would make me happier to see those little children cry for their savior. Just to see the look on the faces of the people who have worn a Favre jersey for every day for 5 years. I would cackle with evil intensity. I think John Madden may explode if it happens.

However, with that second opportunity, comes remorse, as I would only be cheering for Favre to make the Packer fans mad. I would be lowering the standards of my love for the Vikings, because I had accepted the greatest Packer of all time as one of my own. I dont know if I could do that. Fuck Madden, I might explode.

Personally, I want the Vikings to win, but I dont want to cheer for my least favorite player. What to do... What to do...

2009 NFL Draft: Percy Harvin Is A Viking

Im not going to comment on much more about the other stuff that happened in the 1st round, other than Al Davis being one of the biggest fucking idiots I have ever seen. He passed on Michael Crabtree, Jeremy Maclin, among other receivers for Darrius Heyward-Bey, solely based on 40 time from what I can tell. Wow, I had a Ted Ginn shiver run up my back after that.

As the rest of the first round developed, I kept seeing Maclin drop and drop until the Eagles decided to take him, still holding out purple hope until the commish was at the podium. Then, I was shocked to see that with Oher still the Vikings still drafted bong happy Percy Harvin. Originally, I hated it, hated it, because I thought Oher would be the best fit. Then after more consideration, I am much more happy.

See, if the Vikings had drafted Oher instead, it would not affect Peterson facing 8-9 in the box EVERY play. With Harvin's versatility, that will hopefully change. Plus Loadholt is still available in Rd 2, hopefully.

Your guys' thoughts on the first round? I think it was pretty amazing.

SCU Mock 2009 NFL Draft v2.0

Here is the link to v1.0.

We are under a month for the draft, and I wanted to update my original draft with the rest of my first round picks, and to reflect the recent action of the Cutler deal. People would like to think that things have changed, but I don’t really think they have all that much. Im not going to go into much more explanation outside of the top 10, so forgive me for not being a Mel Kiper wannabe.

1. Detroit Lions - QB Matt Stafford, GEORGIA

Well, despite their best interests, I think Matt Stafford is probably going to go number one. Jason Smith or Aaron Curry should be here, but they wont be. Stafford is the best QB in the draft, and the Lions are going to start anew with him. He may start from day one which is a nightmare situation, but I guess there is no alternative. Oh wait, Jay Cutler? No? Well, yeah, you are screwed then.
Prev Pick: Jason Smith, BAYLOR

2. St Louis Rams - OT Jason Smith, BAYLOR

The Rams need a guy that can take the place of Orlando Pace, and Jason smith is going to be better than Pace. He is a strong and speedy tackle, and should be a great asset to a line that has struggled to protect Bulger. It is a Tackle heavy draft, but its always nice to get the best one. These guys are starters from day one, as also said before, and the Rams will need that.
Prev Pick: OT Eugene Monroe, UVA

3. Kansas City Chiefs - LB Aaron Curry, WAKE FOREST

Man, Curry is a beast. The guy just has a ton of potential at linebacker for the Chiefs, especially on a defense that really needs the help. I originally thought Maybin would be here as the consensus pick, but the combine wasn’t as friendly to him as it could have been. Curry has as much upside as Patrick Willis, and should be quicker and and better at a key position.
Prev Pick: SAME

4. Seattle Seahawks - OT Eugene Monroe, UVA

The Seahawks need everything but a WR, and we may even see them reach for a RB or QB here, or trade down to avoid paying for one. Monroe is one of the best tackles behind Smith, and you never pass up a talent at OT, but the Seahawks are hurting everywhere. This is a toss up if Stafford goes #1.
Prev Pick: Matt Stafford, GEORGIA

5. Cleveland Browns - OLB, DE Aaron Maybin, PSU

Maybin was as high as number one on some boards, and I don’t think the Browns could pass up one of the best players in the draft, especially with their ailing defense. Maybin will be a star, and has put on some weight since the combine, so you can expect that many a big hits are in his future. He could be the next big name on defense, I would be shocked if he was a bust.

Prev Pick: SAME

6. Cincinatti Bengals - WR Michael Crabtree, TX TECH

Crabtree is the best player in the draft in my opinion, and the foot injury isnt a bad enough thing to keep him out of the top 10. If he falls this far, he wont get past Cincy, who just lost their best receiver. The guy is a ridiculous talent, and may be on the same level of potential as Calvin Johnson was. I would think this guy could be a 100 catch 15TD player down the road, and boy does this team need him.
Prev Pick: SAME

7. Oakland Raiders - WR Jeremy Maclin, MISSOURI

Wow, what a crapfest the Raiders have become. Thank you Al Davis. The Raiders have no one left in their receiving corps, and Maclin could be that big play guy they are looking for to help out Russell. God knows he needs it. They could also go OLine here, but im not sure if the Raiders draft people are that smart. Maclin is a rocket off the line with a 4.4 40, and you can expect that the upside on him will be enough for the Raiders to take him.
Prev Pick: SAME

8. Jacksonville Jaguars - OT Michael Oher, OLE MISS

Jacksonville needs some playmakers to help Garrard, but they also need to protect him. Their line has been suspect over the years and Oher may be the guy to fix it. I would have put Smith here, but the guy is a washout, much to Oher's benefit. If Maclin makes it down here, the Jags will take him, but I would expect them to definitely want to shore up problems up front as well.

Prev Pick: SAME

9. Green Bay Packers - DE Brian Orakpo, UT

The Packers may be switching to a 3-4 next year, and Orakpo should fit into that scheme from what I have seen. He has the speed and the know how to be a great OLB or DE, and you can believe that the Packers need the help with their awful rush defense from last year.

Prev Pick: SAME

10. San Fransisco 49ers - QB Mark Sanchez, USC

Holy crap, this pick could be the most up in the air for the entire draft. The Niners have a huge amount of holes and a QB that hasn’t had a healthy season since he was drafted. I didn’t think that Sanchez would go here before, but I have a feeling that after his great pro day, he will. Sanchez has the tools to be a good fit in the NFL, pro style offense, etc, but may not be an elite prospect. San Fran may wait one more year for Bradford or the others, but who knows.

Prev Pick: DE BJ Raji, BOSTON COLLEGE

11. Buffalo Bills - DE BJ Raji, BOSTON COLLEGE

12. Denver Broncos - DE Everette Brown, FLORIDA

13. Washington Redskins - OT Andre Smith, ALABAMA

14. New Orleans Saints - CB Malcom Jenkins, OSU

15. Houston Texans - LB Brian Cushing, USC

16. San Diego Chargers - DT Robert Ayers, TENNESSEE

17. New York Jets - QB Josh Freeman, KSU

18. Denver Broncos - DE Michael Johnson, GTECH

19. Tampa Bay Bucs - RB Knowshon Moreno, GEORGIA

20. Detroit Lions - CB Vontae Davis, ILL

21. Philidelphia Eagles - RB Chris Wells, OSU

22. Minnesota Vikings - WR Percy Harvin, FLORIDA

23. New England Patriots - LB Ray Maualunga, USC

24. Atlanta Falcons - DT Peria Jerry, OLE MISS

25. Miami Dolphins - TE Brandon Pettigrew OSU

26. Baltimore Ravens - DT Evander Hood, MIZZOU

27. Indianapolis Colts - LB Clay Matthews, USC

28. Philadelphia Eagles - OT Eben Britton, ARIZONA

29. New York Giants - WR Hakeem Nicks, UNC

30. Tennesee Titans - CB DJ Moore, VANDY

31. Arizona Cardinals - RB LeSean McCoy, PITT

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - C Alex Mack,

That's my first round, so far, and again, I have no experience doing this. Please take that into consideration when looking at this. The draft is pretty up in the air this year, and I hope it goes well for my team. I love watching the draft, no doubt, and maybe ill come close to what I predicted. I don’t think that the teams really have a set draft plan either, other than position needed and their board, so I assume that when the pick comes, they may have just as much of a problem as I did when I was writing this.

NFL DRAFT: Vikings On The Clock

Im going to be focusing a lot on the draft coming up, mainly because there is nothing else. This time, I want to discuss who I think the Vikings should pick for their spot at 22. There is a lot of draft that happens before they get on the clock, and I think there is a lot of people that could be there when they pick. There are some players that I would consider to be a good investment for the team, and a bunch of others who arent. Again, let me state that I am in no way a draft guy, I just like reading about it.

Offensive Tackle - Eben Britton, Andre Smith, or a Plethora Of Others

I always think an offensive tackle is a great investment, especially when you can get top talent in the lower picks of the first round. As it stands right now, the line upgrade we would get from one of the tackles in the draft is invaluable, and would do nothing but help this team. We just lost Matt Birk, which I think was a horrible fucking decision to not throw cash at him for a few more years, and now this position is even more important.

On the other hand, I DO NOT WANT ANDRE SMITH. He may have talent and upside, but the attitude and work ethic has already been shown to be very very poor. If you cant get a good tackle here, there are plenty later in the draft.

Center - Max Unger, Alex Mack

Despite having the name of a long forgotten Nickelodeon character, Mack is a great pick to replace Matt Birk for years to come. He is just what they need, however, you don’t pick a center in the first round. Its not worth it. Center is not one of the positions that make or break a team, but it can definitely hurt if it is not addressed. Vikings need a center, but they need other things more. If they pick Mack or Unger, I wont be angry, I will just think there should have been more thought, as one of these guys should be around when the Vikings pick comes around again.

Wide Receiver - Percy Harvin, Darrius Heyward-Bey, Hakeem Nicks

Hobby wise, I hope they pick one of these guys so I have someone to collect. Team wise, I think Harvin is a great pick if he is there, but I would wait on the other players. See, when it comes to WRs, you either have a legit number 1 or you have a support guy. Sad thing is that the Vikings' receivers are all support guys. Harvin could be great, but he isnt Maclin or Crabtree who will both be #1 guys. Its very easy to be a good RB in this league, its not easy to be a good WR, especially when Sage or Tjack are throwing you the ball.

However, I think this is the best investment for the team based on Childress' current outlook. He doesn’t want a QB, he is also a complete jackass.

Quarterback - Mark Sanchez, Josh Freeman, Pat White

I don’t think there is any question in most of the fan's minds that this is the way the Vikings should go if any of them had a brain. They should have given up their draft for Cutler or at least try to trade up and get Sanchez or Freeman. Childress refuses, but he also has proven that his mind is complete crap when it comes to building an offense. There were two things that prevented the Vikes from going further into the playoffs, first is lack of a QB, and there is no way around it. If Jackson had been Cutler, that last drive against philly would not have been an excersize in futility. You cant deny that Jackson is not an NFL level talent, and both Sanchez and Freeman will be. Good QBs don’t come in the draft often, most other positions do. Next year will be rich in QBs, but it also prevents a year on the bench, something that is needed for most QB draft picks. Normally, I would say its not too much of a problem to wait, but I don’t think the Vikings have that luxury. Without a QB drafted in this round or signed/traded for, the Vikings will be doomed to continual first round mediocrity.

This is where I want them to go. They wont. I hate being a Vikings fan during the draft. Adrian Peterson as the exception, the fans pick never gets the nod, and most of the time, the fans have been right with who they wanted.

Cornerback - Vontae Davis, among others

I do not want them to go corner, but they probably will if not OT. Corners are a dime a dozen, and I actually think this is a better position addressed via free agency, but of course, they wont agree. Vontae Davis is great, he will be similar to Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie from this past year, but honestly, there is one of them in every stage of the draft. First round corners are not as hard to find as first round WRs or QBs. I would avoid this pick as a way to improve the team. Its complete nonsense.

The only advantage to selecting someone like Davis, is you automatically upgrade your return game too. Davis would step in immediately at KR and PR, so that would be great. However, I still don’t support this type of pick.

Linebacker - James Laurinitis (sp?), Others

If they have the chance to draft a good linebacker, you can never have enough good people in this position. Although it is not a direct need, there may not be anyone else worth drafting at this spot by the time the picks come around. I wouldn’t necessarily support going this direction, but drafting best available - corner or not - may be a reality.

Personally, I think this years draft will be a lot of fun, with a lot of trades. Its going to be fast paced, and I think there will be a lot of surprises. Hopefully the Vikings can come out on top.

Now That Its Over...

So, I have been obsessing over a number of different things now that the Super Bowl is done. First is keeping up with completed auctions of the SPA RC patch autos, as I am continually surprised by some of the prices. The other thing I have been monitoring is the Hail Redskins Mock Draft Database. On the site they have a compilation of just about every mock draft out there, and it is updated daily until draft day. I love it. Im obsessed.

It seems that the people who actually know about this stuff are mostly predicting that the Lions are going to go with a QB as the first pick, and that the two best QBs may be taken in the first three picks, or at least by San Fran at number 11. I would say that right now, I agree that this will be the case, but not that it should be the case.

If you look back, there are a number of QBs that were taken number 1 just because they had ridiculous skills, and only a HANDFUL worked out. Jury is still out on Russell, but fading fast. The thing is, that despite having ridiculous skills, they dont always transfer to being a good QB in the NFL. Its a completely different situation than every snap they have taken in the NCAA, and its pretty dumb to take a chance at number one with anything less than a guy with those ridicuskills (<---- that was a typo, but so awesome, I had to keep it). You see, there are certain positions that translate very well from the NCAA to the NFL, mainly WRs, RBs and OTs. Those are who I would expect to be a good investment at that pick. Interestingly enough, there are always quite a few OTs in the draft, and the Lions have drafted a WR in the first round every year since their formation as a team. So, lets go over their choices:

1. Matt Stafford - I like Stafford, but he is only at the top of the list because there is no one else. I dont think he is a good investment at number 1.

2. Matt Sanchez - I like Sanchez too, but he is only coming out because Bradford stayed in school. Why waste your pick?

3. Andre Smith - I think this pick is pretty good here. The lions definitely need an OT, and they can pick up one of the other QBs with their later first round pick.

4. Michael Oher - Another OT, and another good shot at a good Tackle. You can never have too many good tackles, and you know Oher will anchor your line for a long time. Plus, I would think its easier to convince a lineman to play in Detroit than a QB with number 1.

5. Michael Crabtree - Just a beast of a WR, should be amazing. With Roy Williams gone, and only CJ left, it may not be a long shot to see the Lions maybe invest in another WR. It wouldnt be stupid. Maybe hope that Percy Harvin is still around when they come back around.

As for Hobby love, Im sure that Crabtree, Stafford and even Knowshon Moreno and Chris Wells will be the stars of the class. I know that the QBs usually make up most of the worth of the year's RCs, and I dont think this year will be any different.

As for my team, I would love to see the Vikings have a shot at Stafford, Sanchez or even Josh Freeman at their pick at 22, but they really need a vet to come in rather than start fresh with an RC, especially when the top 2 QBs will surely be gone. I think they will either go with an OT from the massive list, or a CB like Alphonso Smith or Vontae Davis, maybe even go WR with Percy Harvin or Hakeem Nicks if they are still around. Personally, I am still fucking pissed they didnt pick Brian Brohm last year, because I think he was a great project for them to have in the wings while T Jack blew it again, but I guess Tyrell Johnson is okay now that Sharper is almost surely gone.

I guess ill have to wait and see.

Vikings Recap: Wild Card Weekend

The season is over, and really, thats fine. I dont need to spend another week waiting for the Vikings' ultimate destruction. They played most of this game quite well, and other than two plays, it was all Vikings. They played above their paygrade for most of the season, a division championship was great, Adrian Peterson's rushing title was great, and that 99 yard pass play was awesome. Thank you Vikings for a fun ride.

Tarvaris Jackson

Tjack made a few mistakes during the game, but sadly secured a job for next year. Crap. I couldnt help but notice that as the game wore on, his passes got worse and worse, making it an obvious assumption that he was losing his composure pretty quickly. The pass that Samuel got for the TD was so poorly thrown, and the decision to throw was so poorly made, that I was ready to give up on him right there. Here's to drafting a QB, giving Jackson one more year, and then calling in the reserves.

Adrian Peterson

All Day was completely ineffective because of a number of reasons. Even though he had 2 TDs, he couldnt get anything going when it mattered. He looked run down, hurting, and showed that the Vikings better not expect that many carries next year if they want a healthy AD down the stretch.

Brad Childress

Looked like he had things under control for 3 whole quarters. The D was hurting before the game with both Williams and Ray Edwards on the shelf, and he managed to keep Philly in check for the whole time. The offense was surprisingly moving the ball and converting on 3rd down, so he must have been happy with himself. Then the wheels fell off. He was so out coached in the 4th quarter that the game flew right out of his hand. He really better get things going next year or he can kiss his ass goodbye.

Jared Allen

Allen has been a force all year, and this game was no exception. I think that we can expect big things from him next year when he becomes a little more accustomed to the dome. For Allen to make the kind of money he does, its fair to expect a little more than he gave us this year, although 15 sacks is nothing short of impressive when it comes to the Vikings.

Bernard Berrian

Berrian put absolutely nothing into this game, and was really quite disappointing. I hope that next year he preforms a little more up to his level, as his inconsistency this year was not where I would have liked. Of course, the QB situation is somewhat to blame, but you can say that a good receiver can do well regardless.

Overall, I liked where the Vikings ended up, as I expected a below 500 year. I guess when you look back at the number of ways they showed they could win, they deserved to win the division, and just got unlucky with who showed up for this game.

Random Musings: Wild Card Weekend

So I am watching the pregame stuff on TV and one of the segments that is done on the NFL network is the weather report for the Eagles and Vikings. What makes this a fail is that the game is indoors, so unless there is a day after tomorrow type freeze, the game is going to happen. What makes this an epic fail is that they actually spend a few minutes talking about what the temp will be when they are leaving the stadium. Listen, if you dont have anything to fucking talk about, at least pick a stupid topic that has something to do with this game. I would rather hear about sock problems on Pat Williams, or Brian Westbrook's pregame meal than the fucking weather for a domed game.

Secondly as I am watching, Adrian Peterson makes a awe befuddling proclamation. His daughter's name is Adeja, which may not seem all that weird until you notice that his nick-name is "All Day." I am shocked that Adeja's mom let him go that far. I guess when you make as much money as he has off being Mr. All Day, you let him go as far as he wants.

As for predictions, I am not even shocked when I say my score is Philly 31, Vikings 7. This game is primed for a blowout. In fact, I dusted off my copy of Madden 09 and played a game with these two teams on the All-Madden setting. Normally I play on the second from the top as I am not that good, but you shouldnt be shocked that my Vikings lost 20-17 on a last second field goal. When I cant beat the Eagles on Madden, its a bad, bad sign.

Watch for Westbrook to destroy the record for receiving yards for a non receiver in a game record. He should have something like 15 catches for 400 yards. Im not even kidding.

Vikings Recap: Week 17

"By the little tiny hairs on our chinny chin chins..."

Thats basically what the whole season was like, and now the Vikings are division champs. I am loving it, and I am loving it even more that Neckbeard and the Bears didnt even have the stones to win in Houston. Its been a wild ride, and if you told me that we would be division champs at this time six in September, I would have told you that you had to go get your head checked. Even though we wont be winning next week, its still nice to be at the table.

Tarvaris Jackson

Wow, he still has a mammoth amount of stuff to make up in order to be a good NFL QB, but he has gotten the job done. After that interception on the goal line, I was chastizing Childress more than him for calling a pass play with the best RB tandem in the league, but I guess it worked out in the end. There sure were quite a few plays he was responsible for that left me with my head scratching, but that was forgotten with the Bernard Berrian TD.

Adrian Peterson

What a season he has had. Just an amazing display of tenacity, even though fumbles again were a problem. Tiki had some problems originally with that, though with experience that should be fixed. The 67 yard blitzkrieg was awesome to watch, and I am happy that he finished as the NFL rushing leader. Hopefully he comes to play next week too, we are going to need it.

Defense

I think this game only showed how bad our defense can be without Patty McFatty. He plugs holes better than his Williams counterpart, and I am sooooooo glad that he could be back next week. That Hixon TD was also one of the worst Winfield plays I have ever seen, so we will definitely need to tighten up if we are even going to have a chance next week.

Ryan Longwell

Longwell, my hero, has been perfect from 50+ this year, and that is so freaking important in this league that you wouldnt even fathom where the Vikings would be without that kind of dependability. I havent mentioned him much in these recaps, but damn, he still has it.

Brad Childress

Childress sucks so bad he was almost taken to school by David Carr and a bunch of scrubs. That takes talent. He has his job for one more year, and that scares the hell out of me. I really hope he isnt stupid enough to let another draft go by without taking a NFL level QB, because he definitely is that dumb to me. If I was sitting in the stadium of Childress' head, I would see nothing but Tjack love, which will suck for many, many reasons.

Overall, I think this seasons win total stops at 10, with Philly coming to town next week, however maybe, just maybe we can pull another one out of our ass. Here's to one more week of torture, watching another 100 fumble game, and screaming loudly into a pillow when Westbrook goes for 200 and 3 TDs.

Green Bay Proves Themselves As Complete Idiots

So, Adrian Peterson (Bears) throws Blackmon out of bounds with a wickedly stupid ass penalty that should have ended the season, but, as usual, the ridiculously lucky ass Bears defense comes through to block the FG attempt.

Fucking Neckbeard and the entire Bears offense cant move the football all night, bailed out by the defense the whole fucking game, and yet they still win. Only in fucking Chicago.

I seriously hope the Vikings kick some Giant ass on Sunday, as it is going to be a cold day in Viking hell for me if they cant even beat the scrubs. 2000 41-donut anyone? I think this looks eerily familiar to many Vikings fans.

WAIT - NATHAN POOLE JUST SIGNED WITH THE GIANTS?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!