Yes yes I realize that we still have one more pre-season game to go and that will be a showcase of the bubble guys trying to find their spot and its possible that someone might make a final case for why he should make the team.  That being said, I believe that on some level, the coaches have already made 90 percent of the decisions and on a talent laden team, there really are only a couple of tough decisions.

Offense:

QB

1. Brett

2. Sage

3. Webb

Yes, This is more a dream of mine than what's likely to happen.  Against all odds, Tavaris keeps finding himself on this team even though in 4 years he has yet to show me that he 1. can read defenses and 2. make the throws.   I posted my theory on the seahawks game thread that Tavaris is basically childress' first serious girlfriend and we all know how we guys are when it came to that first serious girlfriend - it was a doomed relationship because she wasnt the one but we refused to believe it, we stayed too long, put up with her inability to make us happy for no real reason and in the end we realize that on some level we knew it by looking at other girls but just couldnt walk away at the right time. (read Brad Johnson, Gus Ferrotte and Sage Rosenfels)   So I'm really praying here that Brad realizes that if we are serious about being in a win now mode, he'll give up the T-jack experiment and go for the solid pocket passer who makes the reads and gets the ball out quickly for the two slot.  If he wants a developmental mobil QB, he's got webb for that now.

RB:

1. Some guy named All-Day or something.....

2. Gerhart

3. Reynaud

Gerhart has showed is green under gills this pre-season but if you want to draft a guy this high then hes on your roster and he sees the field.  In the 3rd preseason game he showed that what you have him for this year are those third and short situations or on 1st and 2nd down running situations.  If AP has truly developed, he's your feature guy and your 3rd down guy half the time.  Plus, I think Gerhart has decent hands and can provide you with passing outlets on all downs.  Past him, well.....Reynaud just keeps showing again and again why he needs to be on your team.  Quickness, shiftyness, punt and kick return ability plus the experience to come out and play WR and with 2 of our WR's having health issues I'd like to keep as many WR's on the roster as I can and this is an opportunity.  He's the total package and having a 3rd string RB who's the total package? man, thats something a coach has wet dreams about.  When you look at the group, what you have then is a feature, a pounder and a speeder.  That set up worked out pretty well for a Giants team a few years ago. 

WR:

1. Rice  (on Pup)

2. Berrian

3. Harvin

4. Camarillo

5. Walker

6. Jaymar

With Reynaud sitting on the third string RB spot we have more flexibility here and can live with only 6 recievers on the list even if we have one not playing for 6 weeks minimum and another who finds himself down because of a debilitating health issue.  What we'd have in an emergency would be a speedster, a possession veteran, another possession veteran and young explosive talent plus a RB who can slide into the 5th WR slot if necessary.  This means that Lewis, Payne and all the other rif-raf is out.  Lewis pretty much got his job stolen by Cam and payne is a great project for the practice squad.   This group though provides you with the best option combination given having your number one reciever out.  Lewis is just not possessy or explosivey enough to find a spot no matter how veteran he is.....sorry guy, it was a great catch but what have you done for me lately?  Oh yeah, drop multiple passes in the pre-season.

O-Line:

1. Mckinney, Loadholt, Sullivan, Herrera, Loadholt

2. Cooper, Degeare, Cook, Radovich

I dont need to go over this group.   The starters are the starters again and the back-ups are the back-ups for a reason and I doubt any of the developmental guys have shown enough to justify a 10th lineman when our D-line and Linebackers take up a lot of slots.

TE's:

1.  Shank and his wank

3.  Garret Mills

4.  Jimmy K.

Yes, its really three guys...I'd thought I'd make some crack about how shanks got essentially two people stuffed into those pants but I'll leave that for the porn industry to discuss.   Garrett has show he can do it this pre-season and in two TE sets you've got flexibility between him and Jimmy for if you want to show run power or run/pass power.

FB's

1.    D'imperio

This is another me hoping that Brad sees what I see: that Tahi doesnt give you the athletic ability that D'imperio does.  Does Tahi catch that pass and break two tackles for a score? never.  Can D'imperio block? I think so. At least enough that he makes the team OVER tahi when you factor that Jimmy can play FB as well as TE and on a team that is in win now and loaded with talent I want to use every guy on my cramped 53 man roster in every way I can.  As a bonus, D'imperio is earning his money on special teams.....something Tahi isnt doing.  Di'mperio+JK basically gives me a roster with 3 TE's and 2 FB's with only 4 slots taken.

DEFENSE

DLine:

1. Shock and AWWE

2. Robison, Guion, Kennedy, Griffin, Evans

Here's another group that needs no explanation.  I dont like Griffen on this list but you cant just cut your 4th round draft pick on his first year without giving him a chance.  All those other guys show and show again why they are on this list.  It helps having arguably the best position coach in football.

Linebackers:

1. Leber,  EJ, Greenway

2. Onatolu, Erin, Jasper, Farwell

I dont like having this many linebackers but two of them are special teams aces and you have to have them plus you do need depth at this position.  I would love if my LB's never got injured but it seems that they do and while you might think that a linebacker is a linebacker is a linebacker....at the pro-level there are huge difference between weak, middle and strong and you need someone to step into each role.

CB's

1. Antoine

2.  Cook

3.  Asher

4.  Lito

5.  Cedric when he returns

This is exactly why we traded Benny.  Where would he fit?  Nowhere.  So trade him for a reciever that we desperately need right now and what do you know....two birds - one stone.  If we could only trade Greg Lewis for a safety.....*eye roll*.

Anyway, Antoine is Antoine.  Cook really showed his potential and in a passing league you need lots of corners with potential.  The fact he's over six foot is great.  omg the fact he's over six foot is just great.  Asher has showed that he's come along now after a year under the belt and Lito rounds out the field with his veteran experience.....and declining skill.  Cedric gets yourself healed ASAP dude because I want to cut Lito like a bad steak being held by a mofo.

Safeties:

SS -  Madieu

FS - A trained monkey.....or i suppose Abdullah

backup - Tyrell

Dangit Tyrell....why is it that you have so much talent but accomplish nothing?  I know that our defensive scheme means that safety play is more safety valve than playmaker but come on.....what was your 40 time? jeezus man.  The fact that Abdullah is out there starting over you is just sad.......

SPECIAL TEAMS SPECIALISTS

1.  Longwell and Kluwe

2.  Cullen Loeffler

Duh.

Rhys Lloyd sucks.  He sucks.  He sucks.   He sucks.  Oh, did I mention that he sucks?  When your job is to create kickoff touchbacks and you have how many in the pre-season? 1? Zero?  Yeah.  You're in - a - dome!  I'm not saying that just anybody could go out there and do it but its not like there's any shorter football fields in this country that were making you look good.  How the hell did anyone talk us into even wasting time on this guy?

WILD CARD:

Here's the guy that I see making the team based on nothing than childress logic.  Meaning, I dont know how the hell he makes it on the team over anyone else I've named above but he makes it and plays over someone i've mentioned above.

1.  Tahi

I still dont understand how this guy makes the team since AP runs better without him on the field.  However, he makes the team and he starts over D'imperio who ends up running down the field on ST all game and nothing else even though D'imperio catches the ball and gets MORE than two yards on the swing pass.....

Thoughts? Criticisms? Disagreements? Agreements?

I'm being sarcastic by asking a question, fyi. I've never liked him and certainly never had confidence in his abilities as an OC.  He's, imho, one of those OC's that's great early and mid-season but terrible late season and post season after there's enough game film to watch.  He doesnt adjust and it seems like he out thinks himself.

  After watching tonights game I came away with the impression that we lost because 1. we were the visitors playing on grass in open air and 2.  Darrell Bevell called a really stupid game.

1.  3rd and 1:  we are a power run team, they were the 27th ranked rush defense.  Pound right up the gut right?  No, lets toss play.  *facepalm*

2.  3rd and 5 just outside the edge of field goal range:  Screen pass to the left?  No, drop back pass and all recievers going on intermediate routs......*facepalm*

3.  An entire first half of 1 on 1 against Julius Peppers.....*facepalm*

4.  Brett's holding the ball a bit and the CB's are playing off.  Quick slant, Quick screen then a delayed handoff?  No, lets keep taking 5 step drops.

It was excruciating.  Thoughts from the crowd?

No, not the golden state warriors.......screw basketball, stupidest sport ever.

I'm talking about my Junior Football team here in Sioux Falls.  (5th and 6th graders)  My boys have knocked off three higher ranked, undefeated opponents in a row in the playoffs and have made it into the Championship game at the University of South Dakota DakotaDome on Saturday at 4pm.  (Yes, SD has a Dome, I worked out in it while in Law school.  Played in a flag football league in it too, its pretty cool)   After wins of 32-0, 25-0 and 13-0 against previously unbeaten teams, we go into the championship facing the last unbeaten team on the season.

So do a guy a favor and come saturday afternoon, take a minute to root for my boys in your head.  Most of the kids on my team are all vikings fans and I've been using the vikings winning streak as motivation and an example of showing resolve against all opponents.

Skol Vikings and Go Warriors!

Pretty self explanatory.   I came up with a couple of off-the-cuff ideas.  Feel free to suggest some others.  Let's all put our heads together and come up with a really good name.  Let's do it DN fans - we've come up with some good gems in the past like "Farvin" (spelling differential) and "Long Shanks".

So feel free to hit other on the options and then suggest a good name for this play.  Seriously, Brett Favre playing FOR the vikings and his first ever vikings home opener he throws a game winner with 2 seconds left - it deserves a short reference name.

So here we are - in the midst of post apocalyptic Favreageddon.  Not everyone survives Favregeddon.  So who doesnt make it?

Sage: Just got traded for with a contract.  Looked crisp, sharp and in control during the first pre-season game.  He likely makes it as our go to back up if Favre reinjures the shoulder or just plain sucks.

Tarvaris: Last year of his rookie contract.  Has had plenty of time to prove himself but continues to look erratic.  Last game that counted he threw a game swinging pick.  Showed he couldnt win it in the second half.  Doesnt improve in the ensuing offseason, first pre-season game he looks lost, overthrows receivers and drops the ball, literally, on his first snap.  His mobility is both a blessing and a curse: with BF hes outnumbered 3 to 1 in pocket passers to mobile passers.

The Booty: Looked better than Tarvaris.  All the reports are that this kid just needs another year of watching and getting up to speed.  He's cheap with way more potential than Tarvaris.  His play style also falls in line with the rest of the lineup should TJ get cut - all pocket passers then.  As a pocket passer, he can continue to watch and learn from two Veteran PP in Sage and Brett.

The vikings are in the playoffs and the Bears are not.  We got the #3 seed and we did it almost without one of the two guys you tried to suspend. 

I need some more words so......

1. Cowboys suck....so suck it Jerry Jones. You're just a younger Al Davis.  A nosy, bossy owner out of touch.

2. Eagles are gonna be scary.  Purple Jesus, Chester and O-line are gonna need to have huge days controlling the line of scrimmage to keep the blitz off T-Jack. Im really scared about this game.

3. Congrats to the Falcons, Dolphins and Ravens for good turnaround years.

4. Eat schite and have a great play-off time in irrelevant land Bill Bellicheater.  This is your payback for cheating and being a jerk at the SuperBowl......you dont shake the other coach's hand - you deserve what you got.

5. Condolences to the lions.....rough dude.

6. Time to go back to the farm Brett.....and stay there.

7.  Suck it bears......you slid on BS through two weeks and finally Karma caught up with you.   You deserve to be in the off-season now too.

8. Go vikings.  Hopefully phat pat comes back.

.......and have your team kick the ever living schite out of those Goddamn Bears this weekend.

Every team in the league thats had to lose to their BS will thank you.

No ticky tack PI calls, no retarded Punt or Kick returns, and certainly no blocked field goals.

Then put on some old spice, sniper Urlacher after the game and scream out WHO'S LAUGHING NOW?! SWAGGER BITCH!!!.

Just run Slaton off tackle and chuck it deep to Andre Johnson all game and you'll be fine.

Its the only word that seems to adequately describe how this game has gone.  They are stopping the run - we finally spread them out and score a long td pass and then guess what?  Still behind we come out and try running! 

2 times inside the 10 yd line and ZERO points!

Letting Calvin Johnson go deep more than once!

Childress is stupidest, most ignoramus, pile of cow dung i've ever seen.  If we lose and he doesnt get fired then someone should burn down Ziggi's house.

If you were Ziggi and had complete control of the organization - what would you do?

Here's what I would do:

If I was in control:

1.  Fire Childress immediately and promote Frazier to HC.  Fire Bevell.  Hire/bring back Scott Linehan to be O-coordinator.  Promote the assistant DC to the DC spot.  Have my wife spread vicious rumors that Childress is a pedophile so that the rumors are not officially linked to the organization. 

2. Tell my front office and everyone involved in the draft process for the team:  "we are drafting a franchise QB next april in the first round.  I'd like Chase Daniels but will take Holbrook, Harrell or Stafford.  Even Dan Lefavour or Rudy Carpenter would be acceptable if you thought they were good.  Tebow and White are completely off limits.  We need a new Tight End, another good Cornerback and another Wide Reciever. 

3.  Walk into the locker room before the Saints game and boost the teams confidence with an impassioned "put the past behind you and start playing up to your talent.  A winning tradition starts here." speech.

4.  Get a deal worked out with Matt Birk and keep him on the team.

Correct me if i'm wrong, but for the last week I and others kept saying how the Titans and the Vikings were essentially the same team.  Solid run games behind a great offense line.  Quarterbacked by an an old veteran.  Hard to penetrate Defenses anchored by their D-lines.

Yet the Titans controlled the game from the beginning?  Whats the difference?!  If we are the roughly the same team then how did the Titans own the game and go 4-0 while the Vikings looked confused, unprofessional and out of synch and now find themselves at 1-3?

COACHING!  The difference between us and them and is that they have A COACHING STAFF THAT WORKS HARD AND KNOWS WHAT ITS DOING!  A coaching staff that DOESNT DELUDE ITSELF!  A Head Coach that KNOWS HOW TO ADJUST IN-GAME!  A Head Coach who teaches hard hitting physical football!  A Head Coach who shows an ounce of emotion and leads his team on many levels!

FIRE BRAD CHILDRESS!!!!!!!!  GOD-DAMNIT! WATCHING BRAD CHILDRESS COACH  AND CALL AN OFFENSE IS LIKE WATCHING A RETARD TRY TO HUMP A DOORKNOB!

Given how much better the offense looked today as compared to the last two weeks......why the heck was Gus not the starter from the beginning?

The Brad Childress doctrine was just proven today.  When he's forced to go with the more reasonable plan and does not just stubbornly stick with "his guy" - things work out for the better.

What Gus does better than Tjack:

1. Intermediate passing game - his decisions, release and accuraccy from 8-20 yds is clearly better

2. Audibles - this might be more the coaching but if the coaches tell him he cant audible then they clearly dont trust him

3. Game management - Sure, Gus takes a few chances with the ball but they are calculated.  I'd rather have a guy take a chance or two with our D behind behind him than no chances at all.......

4. Throws under pressure - see the packers final 2 minutes vs. todays bomb to Berrian

Again I ask: "How the heck did Gus not get the starting nod?" 

Answer: Chili just had to stick with his guy instead of doing the right thing and having a true QB competition.  You dont go with the young guy just cuz he's young.  See Arizona.

1.  Stubbornly believe that you are on a divine mission from God.

2.  Surround yourself with people who are loyal to you regardless of whether they actually have talent and intelligence.

3.  Delude not only yourself but others into believing something that is total malarky.

a.  A "kick ass offense" that is.......one dimensional

b.  That you "just know" how to evaluate quarterbacks......and develop them

c.  An occasional, low percentage pass will keep defenses honest.

4.  Whenever something that you've stubbornly forced everyone around you to buy into doesnt work.....it must be their fault and THEY need to leave.

5.  If #4 does happen to occur, just pump more money into that something and that will solve the problem.

a.  A new #1 reciever..........that never gets the ball thrown to him

b. A new pass rushing DE........that is on the field way too much because the offense sucks

c. Draft Yet another safety..........when we already have 3 good ones and really needed another good CB and a better TE

6.  Use sophism and semantics to cover the problem.  It isnt a terrible offense if you dont call it a terrible offense.......its just "an issue getting things into a groove".

7.  Always have a scapegoat handy.  see Tjack