Fellow Viking fanatics, my friends and I will be heading up from Lincoln to catch tomorrow's home opener. It'll be my second experience at the Metrodome and their first. My first game was in 2009 - Baltimore, but we didn't have much time to do anything before hand, so I have a few questions:

What are the good local spots to hit before the game? Bars, pubs, dives, food, whatever.

Is there anywhere we should go specifically?

Parking advice?

If any of you veterans can throw me some advice it'll help out a few rookies. I look forward to taking in the home opener and sporting my new Adrian Peterson retro jersey.

Thanks.

Fellow Bobcat enthusiasts, I'm considering purchasing NBA 2K11 but I am waffling pretty hard. I'm normally an EA Sports guy, but there won't be NBA game from them this year.

Can you guys give me what you like and don't like about this years game? Is the Dynasty mode (always my biggest attraction to sports games) long-lasting and fun? Is it challenging or easy? Is there longevity? I've heard a lot about the Michael Jordan mode, and it's not a huge deal because I didn't root for him as a player, is it pretty awesome?

Basically, post your thoughts or dump links in here with your reviews. Try to help out my indecision. Because it's either 2K11 or FIFA. I'm leaning toward FIFA but needed to do due diligence to 2K11.

Thanks.

The Sidney Rice news doesn't come as a complete shock. This hip injury didn't feel right a month ago and at this point it was either a passive contract hold out or far more serious. Unfortunately, surgery is needed. I wish Rice the best with the recovery and rehab.

This brings me to the Minnesota Vikings current best wide receiver and that is Bernard Berrian. This guy has been thrown under the bus or just completely ignored all season. Last year, I felt like he was going to have a huge season but he wasn't truly healthy until late in the season. The New Orleans game he showed flashes of great play that I expected earlier in the year. The Rice injury serves as a chance for Berrian to prove his talents. He's one of the elite deep threats in the game and he's also a fairly solid route runner. His quick burst should prove to be damn near unstoppable on the slant route, which happens to be Brett Favre's favorite throw.

I don't think the Vikings should panic with the loss of Sidney Rice. As others have written and I agree, Rice became a star because Favre made him one. See guys like Greg Jennings, Donald Driver, Robert Brooks and Antonio Freeman. None of these guys were expected to be stud wide receivers. Rice's progression coincided with Favre's talent to create a 6'3 monster. My point here is that Favre has invented and reinvented receivers before Rice and will do it after Rice. Remember, last year Rice was a nice red zone target and that's it. He's coming out party was the one Vikings game I've ever attended, Baltimore in week five.

My point is at this time last year no one was counting on Rice, Harvin's WR ability was still unknown and Berrian was the unhealthy one. Now things have changed. Berrian looks spry and Harvin will contribute when possible. Down on the roster a fellow named Marko Mitchell lurks. I have no idea if he makes the team, but I have a feeling he could be a deep deep sleeper given his size and speed. His hands won't match Rice's, but it might be worth a look.

I know this news is unsettling and the media types will play it up as a huge loss and it is certainly an important one, but remember Rice returns in November, playoff games are played in January and that's when we need this team at full strength.

Thanks for letting me waste some of your time today.

I wasn't going to buy this year's game but then I realized I'd be turning my back against one of the best Viking video game teams of all time. I simply couldn't let that fly. I haven't played the game yet, but I wanted to create this thread so I could get people's assessments of the game thus far.

I'm curious how the new running style works without the turbo, I'm kind of excited to create my own offensive gameplan for the gameflow feature. Also, I always enjoy importing/exporting NCAA 2011 draft classes.

I do have one request. If anyone is good with photoshopping or sees it online, I'd love to get an Adrian Peterson Madden 2011 cover for PS3.

Enjoy your Madden holiday.

I've spent the better part of two hours writing a paper for my class. First, the class is History of Sports (I know, I know) and the paper asks me to reflect on a sports memory in my life that is important to me. Given the teams I root for it would have been really easy to pick a depressing moment and roll with it. But instead I chose an Indians victory in August 2001, Cleveland 15 Seattle 14. To me it might have been the most entertaining regular season game ever played.

Consider the names that lead the comeback: Jolbert Cabrera, Marty Cordova, Eddie Taubensee, Rich Rodriguez and John Rocker even got the win. It is almost surreal to think that a bunch of rag tags managed to not only beat a Mariner team that tied the best season record ever, but erase a 12-run deficit in doing so.

My question to you folks, do you have a favorite game? Not a season, not a series, not a play, but an actual game. Because I think I would take this game and night up against anything else I've ever experienced as a sports fan.

(Apologies in advance if this was an improper use of a FanPost)

The Mavs and the Wizards pulled off their blockbuster deal on Saturday. After reading John Hollinger, it makes sense that the Wizards will try to buy out Drew Gooden for the rest of the year, making him a free agent.

Should this all happen before March 1, are the Bobcats a realistic destination for Gooden? Will the Bobcats spend money despite the sale rumor?

He immediately fills a glaring need at backup power forward. I'm not sure if this makes the Bobcats substantially better, but it does provide depth at the weakest position.

Living in Nebraska I've never had an opportunity to take in a Viking game.

My roommate (fellow Viking fan) and I decided to knock this off the bucket list and choose this game before the season.

Bought tickets in the end zone. Fourteen rows up. On Adrian Peterson's long run it felt like he was running right at us. Incredible feeling.

Here are my thoughts:

• I had never been to any NFL game and thing that stood out the most was how many jerseys were prevalent. Insane. On the same note, why the hell are people wearing any of the following: Michael Bennett, Daunte Culpeper, Chris Hovan, Dwayne Rudd, Erasmus James (could have been personalized) or Gus Ferrotte? If you are willing to spend money on a jersey at least update to someone better. I find Randy Moss, Chris Carter, Randell Cunningham, John Randel and Matt Birk acceptable because they were incredibly important at one time or another.
• Continuing the jersey theme, I wore a Peterson one. I've never conformed so much in my life. Pretty awesome. First jersey I've ever owned. If I were to get another it'd probably be Winfield.
• Bathroom lines are ridiculous. Hell walking in that concourse is ridiculous.
• Cheerleaders looked better far away than up close. 
• The Metrodome is far smaller than I realized.
• My roommate remarked on the drive home, "They have a really dumb chant." I actually really enjoyed Skol Viking and knew going in how often it would occur. Not sure how or why it annoyed him.
• Traffic enraged both of us. The 35-W detour was pretty poorly marked and we struggled to get out of town.
• I can't wait to comeback. I go to and cover the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers football team but the atmosphere after the win on Sunday was just wild.  

Go Vikings!

Last night I played in a 32-person tournament hosted by Wal-Mart with the Vikings. Doing this is not exactly giving one the greatest chance to win.

I basically chose to play in this tournament because I wanted a sneak preview of how good the Vikings would be in the game. 80 overall.

Really rough stuff at QB and the right side of the line. Secondary ratings are pretty bland too. But because of Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin (I may not care for him in real life but he's quite important on the video game) T-Jack (Yes, you read that right) and the defense.

I was able to secure myself a free copy of the game.

Continue reading this post »

David:

Are there any free agents you see the Bobcats taking a shot at? Also my dream is that we somehow land Carlos Boozer. Is there any scenario in which that could happen?

I mean we could have two great low post threats. One better offensively, one better defensively and both tearing up the rebounds. The only other moves I keep hearing is the "threat" of Allen Iverson joining this team. I'm just wondering what you or anyone else has heard.

Just a guess but there probably isn't anyone on the board that is satisfied with the QB situation. This brings me to my question...what QB would you like to see the Vikings take in the draft.

I'm under the opinion that JDB is pretty worthless. I'd like them to take a guy in the 4-6 rounds and work with him. Some guys I like:

Nate Davis
Stephen McGee
Rhett Bomar

I've seen all of these guys play (Live in Nebraska and go to the university) and they all strike me as intriguing players that might be worth a later round pick.

Davis in particular I feel is being thrown under a bus for a supposed learning disability.

McGee is a phenomenal athlete that isn't prone to making mistakes. I really want this guy above all the others.

Bomar has got several tools. He's a strong dude but an unorthodox throwing style bothers me.

So who do you guys want if you can draft anyone at QB?

We all know the details that CC Sabathia won it in 07 and Cliff Lee took the honors while pitching for the Tribe last year. Making it fairly obvious that Cleveland will be the home of the 2009 Cy Young.

Let's examine the candidates-

Cliff Lee- Lee won the award last year with an impressive performance that Chuck couldn't have even seen coming. Chances are he'll fall slightly back to Earth.

Fausto Carmona- Arguably Fausto was a better pitcher than Sabathia in 2007 but he didn't have the name value or the K's to win over the writers. Carmona struggled with injuries all through out 2008.

Anthony Reyes- Reyes was brought over from the Cardinals in the middle of the season. He worked well in the few starts that he had before being shut down due to elbow pain.

Carl Pavano- The greatest wild-card of them all. Pavano has done nothing of note since before he signed with the Yankees. Now the oft-injured pitcher hopes to cash in on an incentive laced one year deal with the Tribe.

Aaron Laffey- The most likely candidate to start the year in the five spot. He's a soft tossing lefty that pitched well at times early last year. Laffey is an LGT favorite

Jeremy Sowers- Another soft tossing lefty, Sowers hasn't reclaimed the success he found in the summer of 2006. He's in the race for the fifth spot. He's the anti-Laffey in that he is also a soft-throwing lefty but few people among the board like him.

Kerry Wood- If stupid K-Rod can get votes why not Wood?