Fan Impatience

Vikings fans are losing their little minds right about now with regards to free agency. I'm sure fans from all teams, excepting the Eagles, are going through this. I just know the Vikings best. Fans automatically attribute lack of transaction news as lack of action. The Internet, and it's instant access to everything, certainly enhances this feeling. If fans don't get news, the teams must be asleep. Every free agent is there for their team to take, so grab them now. It's the typical kid in a candy store reaction. It's kind of sad really. Some fans never seem to grasp the fact that there has to be a mutual interest between team and player to sign a contract. Even if there is a mutual interest, there is a process that takes place. It's called a negotiation. Sometimes a negotiation takes a little time. It rarely magically happens simply because fans want it. I read the timeline of the process that ended with the Vikings trading with the Chiefs for defensive end Jared Allen. It was a process that took three months. Granted, a trade is a bit more complicated than your basic free agent signing. It's just an example of the time involved in a transaction. Lack of news rarely equals lack of work. The rushed time period of this year changes some things, but there is still a process. As for the Vikings during this shortened process, I have an even greater disbelief with the fans anxieties. In a handful of days, the Vikings have traded for Donovan McNabb and signed three free agents. Adding a starting QB is usually considered a fairly significant transaction. You could stop there and most would claim the team as being pretty active. The Vikings didn't stop there. They added another starter with the signing of defensive tackle Remi Ayodele. Receivers Michael Jenkins and Devin Aromashodu were also signed this week. Jenkins will likely start opposite Percy Harvin. Aromashodu has excellent size and speed and brings a nice mix to the recceiving group. Adding three starters and a potentially significant role player doesn't really strike me as being inactive. Too many fans have been raised on fantasy football and Madden.

Musings

When this stunted free agency started, I had two personal priorities for the Minnesota Vikings.

1) Do not add a veteran QB
2) Re-sign receiver Sidney Rice

The biggest news out of Minnesota this week was the Vikings acquiring QB Donovan McNabb from the Redskins. The second biggest news was that Sidney Rice signed with the Seahawks. So much for my priorities. I'm actually warming to the idea of McNabb starting this year. It might be best for Christian Ponder to sit, watch and learn. It's nice to see that Ponder is conceding nothing. He is still going after the starting job. Losing Rice simply sucks.

Did anyone notice that some training camps have opened? It was easy to miss. The opening of camps are typically front page football news. With this abbreviated offseason, they've been shoved to the back page. Opening free agency right on top of everything has really masked the football on the field. It's kind of weird.

The Patriots made some interesting moves this week in adding receiver Chad Ochocinco and defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth for near nothing. Ochocinco could have a few dynamite years with Tom Brady. The Patriots offense got much more explosive. Putting a motivated Haynesworth next to the beast Vince Wilfork could be scary.

The Panthers did a fantastic job of keeping their young playmakers like Jon Beason and DeAngelo Williams. A happy Steve Smith and pilfering Greg Olsen from the Bears should really help Cam Newton's progress.

The Cardinals were taken to the cleaners in their trade for QB Kevin Kolb. Tarvaris Jackson has done more in the NFL. I just don't understand all the love for Kolb.

Percy Harvin is going to blow up the NFL this year.

Coaches Left Out

Throughout the lockout, coaches, personnel people too, simply sat around passing time as productively as possible. They had little to do. What little they had to do, they did over and over again. While the coaches were kept from the bargaining table, the players and owners overhauled their jobs with the new CBA. No more two-a-day practices. If there is a practice in pads in the morning, the most that can be done in the afternoon is a walk through. During the 17 week regular season, teams are now limited to a total of 14 padded practices, 11 of which must be in the first 11 weeks. As a result, only three are allowed in the final six weeks. One padded practice per week is allowed in the postseason. Offseason workouts were cut as well. High school and college practices may now be more physical than a typical NFL practice. And high schools and colleges can have two of those brutal practices in one day. Notorious task master and frequently fired Eric Mangini would lose his mind with these breezy practices, but he was fired again.

I just find it more than a little unfair that this collective bargaining changed the job of a person not at the table. The heavy hitting in football practices was never really necessary. Some coaches, like Mangini, certainly saw things differently. These coaches use brutal practices as a tool, a punishment. Maybe even football coaches and players can evolve. Lose the barbarian. Gain the gentleman. Hopefully we'll keep the pads in the games.

Throwback Thursday: Branch Rickey's Blueprint

I always enjoy finding connections between people thoughout football history. Whether it's coaches that worked together at an earlier time. Or players that were high school teammates or rivals. I often find these links fascinating. I've long known that Charles Follis became the first black professional football player when he played for the Shelby Athletic Club in 1904. Shelby was a solid team in the Western Pennsylvania professional leagues at that time. Like all minorities in the unfortunate "white man's world," Follis saw his share of abuse. He experienced it in life and he experienced it on the football field. On the field and off, Follis had a self-confidence and an inner serenity that helped him through both. He dealt with taunts without ever retaliating. He was always at peace despite the often brutal treatment. This would be difficult anywhere. It's unbelievable in the violent world of football. This example of temperament was apparent to observers at the time and it would make an impact later. When Follis played baseball for the College of Wooster in Ohio in 1901 and 1902, he also encountered physical and verbal abuse. He never retaliated with words or violence. A fellow named Branch Rickey just happened to play baseball at nearby Ohio Wesleyan, and he witnessed Follis' play. Rickey was impressed with Follis' athletic ability. He was even more impressed with Follis' temperament. Years later, it was the model of Charles Follis that Branch Rickey tried to impress onto Jackie Robinson.

Fan Perspective

A San Diego Chargers fan ventured over to a Minnesota Vikings message board the other day. That sounds like the start of a really stupid joke. Anyway, this Chargers fan was responding to a comment about San Diego free agent receiver Malcolm Floyd being mediocre. He was saying that a Vikings fan calling Floyd mediocre is like a Chargers fan calling Minnesota defensive end Brian Robison mediocre. I thought that it was a pretty accurate observation. Since Robison has never played more than a third of the defensive snaps in a season, most people outside of Minnesota know little about him. Good things for the Vikings tend to happen when Robison is on the field. Most Vikings fans know this and is why few Vikings fans are worried about the inevitable departure of Ray Edwards in free agency. It also takes a Chargers fans to really know the skills of Malcolm Floyd. I often visit other teams message boards to gain insight on particular players on those teams. I'm also sometimes curious as to how other teams fans view the Vikings. I form my own opinions on other teams. I assume those guys do the same. I rarely use the media as a base for my opinions because they too often prove to know little. The Detroit Lions, for instance, are starting to scare the hell out of me. GM Martin Mayhew has quickly turned that franchise around following the mess that Matt Millen left. If QB Matthew Stafford can ever stay healthy, this team could be dynamite. Chicago is a puzzle. I wouldn't take any player from that offense, and only Julius Peppers and Lance Briggs from the defense. Devin Hester too. That team of fools is ready for a fall. Last place in the North.

I've always enjoyed football conversations with fans of other teams. I've never really been too thrilled with trash talking. It always seems like a waste of time. I prefer the calm, rational type of discourse. I'd still like to know why that Chargers fan was lurking around. Could he be interested in what we thought of Ray Edwards? He's a strong base end. I can see Edwards fitting in with the Chargers defense.

You Can Come Home Again, Sort Of

Pretty much every Vikings fan would go ballistic if receiver Larry Fitzgerald came home to play football. He's set to become a free agent after this season. Unless the Cardinals fail miserably to come up with a solution at QB (Kevin Kolb?), I really don't see Fitzgerald leaving Arizona. The gifted receiver grew up in Minnesota. His father is a radio personality in the Twin Cities, and is a good friend of former Vikings coach Dennis Green. The Fitzgerald family has long had a close relationship with the Vikings. So close that little Larry was a team ball boy in the late '90s. Cris Carter, Jake Reed and a rookie named Randy Moss took the lad under their wings. Taught him some tricks of the trade. You can see the hands of Carter and body positioning of Moss in Fitzgerald's game.

For the past few years, Larry Fitzgerald has come home to Minnesota for some serious football training. So serious that Vikings receiver Sidney Rice, always in great shape, barely made it through his first workout. Fitzgerald takes young receivers like Rice, Jaymar Johnson and Eric Decker under his wings much like Carter, Reed and Moss did for him a decade ago. These workouts aren't just for receivers. Someone has to throw the ball. This summer, with time to burn, Vikings rookie Christian Ponder was doing some of that. Other Vikings players like LB Jasper Brinkley, DE Brian Robison, TEs Visanthe Shiancoe and Kyle Rudolph and linemen John Sullivan and Jon Cooper have spent time at Fitzgerald's camp this year. Several players from the University of Minnesota take part every year. Old guys like Cris Carter and Michael Irvin have been known to pop in. It's a fun time and well known for the intense work.

I've always liked how Fitzgerald comes back to Minnesota and sets up these workouts. It's always just before training camp. It's a time when most players want to get away. A last breath of freedom before the drudgery of camp. It's a sign of the respect and influence that Fitzgerald has earned throughout the league that the workouts are so well attended. It's also a sign of the quality of football work that takes place. It may not be quite the same to many Vikings fans, but Fitzgerald does come home every year.

Football's Back!

Finally. The player representatives voted unanimously to approve the deal. The lockout is over. 136 days! I truly thought that the lockout would never happen. Way, way back in March, I thought that the one week negotiation extension meant that the owners and players were close. Boy, was I wrong! When the owners shut the doors and the players brought the antitrust lawsuit against the league, I knew that it could be a while. Certainly not this long, but I figured that it could last through the draft. I don't really want to look back at this nonsense anymore, but I did want to mention a few things.

Players' lawyer Jeffrey Kessler is an absolute tool. More than anybody, he made this lockout a nightmare. When both parties kicked the lawyers out of the room progress started being made. Kessler should never have been allowed in the room . Now, he can go kill basketball. That's right. This idiot is involved in the NBA lockout.

NFL Network's Albert Breer was incredible throughout the lockout. He was everywhere they were. Whenever there was breaking news, he was there. He was always the most level headed, most balanced, most realistic of all those providing news. I would have been even more of a wreck without him.

Lastly, Colts player representative Jeff Saturday probably said best when he acknowledged that this deal does not get done without the efforts of Patriots owner Robert Kraft. This was all the more incredible considering that Kraft's wife, Myra, was battling cancer. She lost that battle last Friday. The Flea Flicker sends it's condolences to the Kraft and Patriots family.

Done?!?

I don't want to get too excited about the news that the players will vote today on the deal to end the lockout. I hope that I never have to stutter that word again. These bozos have hit me in the gut too many times. Through the overtime work (finally) of player chief DeMaurice Smith and Commissioner Roger Goodell, all the stumbling blocks have been knocked out of the way this past weekend. Weekend! They finally work a weekend and see what they get accomplished. It's inconceivable! The most significant hurdle being that the ten plaintiffs have signed off on the antitrust lawsuit. Once that was out of the way, the owners were smiling and the remaining issues slid into place. There are still a few issues that can only be resolved upon the re-certification of the players' union. There is still the vote of the player representatives and of the players, but no deal presented to the players has ever been voted down. If they didn't have the votes, the executive committee would never present it to the players.

The time frame for the coming week bothers me a little, but I'm just getting greedy. Once the players approve the deal, the plan is to have them report to the team facilities starting Wednesday. Upon arrival, they will cast their individual votes on the deal as well as to vote to join the union. By Friday, all players, or enough to call it done, will have voted to make it official. Again, at this stage votes in the positive are pretty much a foregone conclusion. Saturday is when free agency and all hell breaks loose. Apparently, teams will be able to negotiate with their own free agents starting Wednesday, but no contracts can be signed until Saturday. I assume that also includes draft picks. I don't understand why things can't start rolling on Tuesday. It's only a day. After five draining months, what's a day? I suppose that I just want NFL things back to normal as soon as possible. Finally, it looks to be on the way.

Silly Punter

Minnesota Vikings' punter Chris Kluwe is making a bunch of fans these days. Outside of family and friends, punters, kickers too, have few fans. It's the outcast nature of the positions. Punters and kickers are rarely seen as football players. Now, there may even be a few #5 Vikings jerseys floating around.

Kluwe has always been a pretty clever guy. Especially clever for a UCLA guy. Part-time rocker, most of the time punter, full-timer joker. Kluwe has been very critical of both sides in this never ending lockout. His criticisms have taken many forms. From cartoon drawings, to "Downfall" parodies, to pointed Twitter comments, he is often hilarious. With colorful language, his comments are not for all ages. His comments have especially found an ear with the fans as he is obviously on their side first, his fellow players second. He will call out players if their words and actions scream greed over reason. He doesn't hold back and has criticized players such as Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, Logan Mankins and Vincent Jackson. The fans have loved it. They can't help but smile to these sentiments:

"It makes all of us look like grasping, blackmailing, money-grubbing jerks whose only care is how much blood we can squeeze from the rock that is the fans-you know, the people who ultimately pay all of our wages."

Both sides, in the lockout, have become so entrenched in the "us" vs "them" that they can't see the other side or the third party, the fans. Both sides say that they are concerned about the fans, but their actions rarely show it. Short work days don't show it. Short work weeks don't show it. Long weekends don't show it. Perhaps business dealings are just so far out of my wheelhouse that I just don't see them realistically. I don't understand how you can negotiate with someone without at least trying to understand their side, and at the same time critically assessing your own. Kluwe is part of one side yet critically acknowledges all sides. It's refreshing to have at least one person do this, even at the risk of his own alienation.

Who's to Blame?

It's human nature to always need someone else to blame. I guess that it makes sleeping a little easier. Seventy-five former NFL players, including Mark Duper and Ottis Anderson, have filed a lawsuit against the NFL and helmet manufacturer, Riddell. Alleging that the NFL knew about the dangers of head injuries dating all the way back to the 1920's and failed to warn it's players. Football players knew about head injuries dating further back than the 1920's. That's why they wore those little leather helmets. That's why many grew their hair long. They tried to create as much protection as possible. Everyone knew that head injuries were possible. I knew about the risk of head injuries when I was a kid. I certainly knew about them after I suffered my first football-related concussion. I played anyway. All seventy-five players, including Mark Duper and Ottis Anderson, would have played no matter how much information they had. The NFL was definitely wrong in not releasing the entirety of their 1994 study into the effects of head trauma. Would the results have changed anything in the desire of kids, teenagers and adults to strap on the pads and play some football? I doubt it. It's not really stopping too many people now. Football is more popular than it's ever been. Playing any sport, let alone simply being active, brings risk. Blaming the NFL for taking advantage of the players is one thing. As any employer takes advantage of their employees, the NFL has taken advantage of the players every day since 1920. They always will. The NFL is guilty of a lot of things, but bringing about head trauma isn't one of them. Playing football does that. The NFL should show a greater interest in the health of former players. That is no admission of guilt. It's simply an admission of respect. Hopefully, the new CBA will have sufficient provisions to assist the players in their later years. They've earned it. It's simply a bit naive of the players to claim that they didn't know the risks. I knew the risks as a kid. The seventy-five adults sure should have known them when they stepped on the field.

Update: Ottis Anderson says that he was never part of the lawsuit.

Simply Stunning

With months of pent up frustration, I was ecstatic to hear that the owners had voted 31-0 in favor of the parameters for a new CBA. It was expected but it was still great to finally see it happen. After so long. It was devastating to learn just hours later that the players didn't see things the same. They didn't ratify the same deal. It's important to note that the players didn't vote against it. They just didn't vote on it. One reason was that they didn't have time to review it. The main reason is that the owners took it upon themselves to tell the players when and how to recertify as a union. I just don't get it. These people have been going at each other for five months and it didn't occur to the owners that the players might not look fondly on being told how and when to recertify. It's that arrogance and lack of respect that started everything. It's mind numbing really. There has been a whole lot of stupidity during this ordeal. This might have taken the prize. Come on, clowns! Get it together. Today!

Throwback Thursday: 1982

The 2011 work stoppage carries little in common with the 1982 work stoppage. As frustrating as the past five months have been, no games were lost. I even doubt that the quality of play will be diminished. Offseason workouts are nice but their importance can be questioned. Not long ago, the NFL had none. 1982 was a whole other story. Fortunately, I started college that fall. I was often distracted. Sundays for two months that fall were still greatly lacking. Following the games of September 16, there was no professional football until Thanksgiving. Just bleak times. Younger football fans probably can't imagine no football for more than a couple of weeks, let alone a couple of months. Can anyone imagine the void this would create in the lives of fantasy football participants? Withdrawals? Nine games were all that were played in '82. I didn't like it then, but the NFL made the right decision in not rescheduling the missed games. Playing the Super Bowl in March would have made a wrong season even more wrong. The Washington Redskins won that Super Bowl. Interestingly, the Redskins won the Super Bowl in 1987 as well. The only other season to play host to a midseason work stoppage. Even more interesting than that is that the Redskins beat the Vikings in the playoffs in both seasons.

Memories of '82 and '87 convinced me that the owners and players, as stupid as they've been, would never allow the 2011 work stoppage erase games. That can never happen again.

Friday Night Lights

It's difficult to adequately portray the phenomena that is Texas high school football. H.G. "Buzz" Bissinger's terrific book "Friday Night Lights" is a great start. So great that it brought a movie, then a TV show. Standing alone, the movie was good. Compared to the book, the movie was a bit lacking. The TV show is simply something special. After five outstanding seasons, it has come to an end. "Friday Night Lights", the TV show, will be missed.

Interestingly, Peter Berg brought "Friday Night Lights" to the big screen and to the little screen. A movie has greater time and development limitations. Berg made fantastic use of the expanded canvas of TV. He filled every inch of that canvas beautifully. I have always been skeptical of TV shows set in high schools. There's a little thing called graduation that shakes up the cast. As with everything else, Berg handled this smoothly. In some respects, he took advantage of it. This was never a show simply about football. It was always about lives, at school, at work, at home. Football was always in the background. The people were always in the foreground. Producers Berg, Brian Grazer and David Nevis did everything right. Excellent casting followed their clear vision. The actors were given great freedom in delivery and movement. There were no rehearsals. Each scene was shot once with three cameras. The actors often didn't know the location of the cameras. Three allowed for greater versatility, freedom and a more natural feel. "Friday Night Lights" was shot on location in Austin and, in particular, Pflugerville, Texas. Small town Pflugerville was ideal for the fictional Dillon. The locals were frequently used as extras. All these efforts produced an amazing documentary-type feel. Executive producer and head writer, Jason Katims perhaps said it best. "This is what I imagined film making would be, before I saw what film making was."

From the first season, "Friday Night Lights" has struck me as the quality of show all producers would target if they only cared enough. It was refreshing to see something crafted with care. Berg and his friends truly cared about their work. They never compromised in the hope for a larger audience. Everyone involved loved their work, loved their creation. It showed. "Friday Night Lights" was art. It was pure. Five seasons seemed far too short, but it may have been the perfect length. It wasn't a show that would have a long life. I guess that it was too good to last. "Friday Night Lights", the TV show, may not have adequately portrayed Texas high school football, but it beautifully portrayed the lives that live it.

Welcome Back

I'm not welcoming football back here. Not yet, but it's coming back. No, I'm welcoming back former receiver and inmate Plaxico Burress. I'm really no fan of Burress. Inconsistent hands on a receiver always bugs me. I've never much cared for his attitude. While nothing like the problem child Terrell Owens, Burress is an occasional nuisance. In the eyes of most, the biggest target on Burress was drawn on him by one particular stupid mistake. Carrying a gun into a nightclub isn't bright. Accidentally shooting yourself in the leg with that gun is really quite stupid. It's just difficult to imagine that ridiculous mistake translating into a 2-year prison sentence. It just doesn't seem right. From the moment the trial started, it seemed that the judge and prosecutors were out to hammer Burress. Make an example of him. They offered no plea bargain and went after the maximum sentence. Michael Vick did similar time and his crime was morally corrupt and vicious. BART cop Johnannes Mehserle kills an unarmed, restrained man and does less time. Burress deserved about a day and forever considered an idiot. He deserves a return to the league. In a recent interview with NFL Network's Rich Eisen, Burress sounded like a new man. Perhaps his cancer-like quailities are a thing of the past. It really does sound like it. I hope that his return to football comes with a team other than the Vikings, but that has more to do with his shaky hands than anything else. Welcome back and good luck Plaxico Burress.

Post-Camp Ponder

Minnesota Vikings QBs Christian Ponder, Joe Webb and Rhett Bomar broke camp a few weeks ago. They spent a decent amount of time rehearsing the new playbook and bonding. Bonding together and with a few of their receivers. A fine time was had by all.

Ponder finally found his way back to Minnesota. He probably hoped to be back much sooner following the draft. The unfortunate lockout kept him away. Kept him from the coaches. Kept him from the facilities. Kept him form all of his teammates. Upon his return, he passed by Winter Park many times while looking for a house. His new home. He found time to work out with Chad Greenway, Steve Hutchinson, Heath Farwell and John Sullivan. Ponder will be ready to go when the Vikings doors open soon.

Joe Webb has spent his time since the QB camp in a little more surprising manner. Instead of heading straight home to Alabama, he decided to pay a visit to Brett Favre. Webb sought the advice of the old man on matters of the quarterback profession. Few QBs have led an offense as well as Favre. At times, few have played the position better. Webb could greatly benefit from Favre. I still see Ponder as the starter as soon as this year. Webb should still play a huge role. Greater than the typical backup QB. His unique athletic skills demand a presence on the field. As an option QB. As a receiver. As a kick returner. He can make plays.

Despite all of two NFL starts between the three, I really like the Vikings QBs. That inexperience and Webb's versatility might call for a veteran presence, yet I hesitate. Not many veterans want to come to a team to be a backup, especially to a rookie. Mark Brunell did an excellent job in that role with the Jets and Mark Sanchez a couple of years ago. He was an extra coach and a mentor. Maybe, Brunell is available.

The question that needs asking, post Camp-Ponder is "Where's Rhett Bomar?

Looking Back

It just doesn't seem right to look back at the lockout as a thing of the past just yet. It might jinx things. I can't help it. I want to put it in the past and treat it as such. There are still things to be settled. The most significant is figuring out settlements in the antitrust and TV money cases. It is my naive thinking that the antitrust case will be settled by the CBA and the reforming of the players' union. The TV money case may actually bring the players a nice little windfall. One non-litigation issue appears to have popped up. I don't see it causing any difficulties except with the coaches, who unfortunately have no say in the matter. The players apparently want less contact during camp and to "basically eliminate" two-a-days. Come on! Are you kidding me? The players complain about the league taking the contact out of the game with rule changes. This plays right in into line with that thinking. This is football.

Anyway, at the risk of jinxing things, I can't help but look back. This mess really started in 2008 when the owners opted out of the 2006 CBA. According to the participants, it truly started in February. I say that it really started in the past month. The players and owners did little before that other than point fingers. In hindsight, I wish that the players hadn't brought the antitrust suit against the league. It's slowing things now. At the time, the players needed the leverage it provided. It was also the natural progression following decertification. The league held all the cards as employers. The players needed to grab a few of them. The biggest obstacle to any progress towards labor peace was the lawyers on both sides. Those idiots were a joke. They still are. Initially, I felt that the league suits, Jeff Pash, Gregg Levy, Bob Batterman and David Boies were the biggest problem. I came to realize that Jeffrey Kessler and Jim Quinn, for the players, were as bad. Probably worse. I truly believe that Kessler and Quinn had objectives that weren't in line with those of the players. They wanted to make a statement, not solve the problem. Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith received a great deal of criticism throughout. The relationship that developed between the two during the ordeal may be the NFL's greatest reward. In the long run, perhaps greater than the agreement itself. I can easily see Goodell and Smith being in their current roles for a long time. I also see it being a far more healthy relationship than that of Paul Tagliabue and Gene Upshaw from a decade ago. Joe Carr, Bert Bell and Pete Rozelle set the bar pretty high for Goodell as commissioner. In all his decisions, even those that are not universally accepted, it is always evident that the good of the game is his objective. Sometimes he tries to come across as every one's buddy. He doesn't need to be. He does need to drop the 18 game season idea. It will make money, which is why I think that the owners are behind it, but it won't make the game better.

There were few stars in the lockout and the labor negotiations. Two were US District Judge Susan Nelson and Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan. In ruling that the lockout was illegal, Nelson opened league operations for a few days. This allowed Minnesota Vikings QB Christian Ponder, as well as players throughout the league, enough time to grab a playbook and meet with coaches. Nelson also appointed Boylan as mediator for negotiations. Boylan may have been the catalyst in getting a deal done. Nelson and Boylan had the least personal investment yet probably did the most.

The people hurt the most, outside the fans, are easily the undrafted free agents. Even in the best of times, the odds are against them. I wish them the best.

Now, I just hope that I didn't jinx everything.

Done Yet?

Sure sounds like the punk lockout is done without officially being done. It's the "i's" and "t's" stage of things. All CBA issues appear to be put to bed. After the "landmark" rookie wage scale hurdle was cleared all that remained was dealing with the retired players benefits, player safety issues related to the offseason (mini-camps) and the owners desire to have the right of first refusal on select free agents. All these fell yesterday.  NFL Network's Albert Breer reported Friday evening that an agreement is expected on a new deal early next week, and there is almost nothing that can stop it now. It sounds like the only remaining issues are closing out the litigation matters and reforming the NFLPA. Both parties are scheduled to meet with, the fresh from vacation, Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan on Tuesday in Minnesota. Perhaps the litigation will be dealt with then. Unfortunately, the plan still seems to include the owners waiting until their meetings next Thursday to vote on the new CBA. I really don't understand wasting any more days. They've wasted enough. It's still a great relief. Football is on it's way back.

Good Stuff

Some real good stuff went down Thursday, Wednesday too. Technically, the good stuff Wednesday went up. The new Metrodome roof was inflated. The roof is back, but not before the Flea Flicker got a piece of the old one. Despite being a fairly atrocious stadium, the raising of the new roof was a beautiful thing. It also happened about three weeks ahead of schedule. This is significant as it seems to be the only thing done on time, let alone early.

Also in Minnesota, the state finally agreed on a budget. The last state to do so. Now, the Flea Flicker's priorities are not so far out of whack to know that this impacts things far more important than football. However, a new budget does pave the way for discussions on the Minnesota Vikings new stadium. It can be done.

Now for the real beast in the room. The lockout roller coaster may be coming to an end. It's been said before, but the negotiations have never been described as having "stunning momentum". The owners and players have agreed on the rookie wage scale. It was a huge obstacle, perhaps the biggest, and it has been cleared. Enough has been agreed upon that the rest should fall into place. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that, at the current pace, a deal could come within the next 24-48 hours. Now, these clowns have frequently proven that progress can regress quickly. They need to stay locked in that room with this "stunning momentum" and get it done. Make today's news even better than yesterday's good news.

Throwback Thursday: December 17, 1978

With all the ugliness and frustration that has surrounded this stupid lockout, I'd like to drift back to a more innocent time. December 17, 1978 is a day that should be honored by all. Marked as a holiday at least. December 17, 1978 was the first time that I saw the Minnesota Vikings in person. This historic event was at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum against the Raiders. I had saved my paper route money for months to buy six prime tickets. They were actually horrible seats, first row on the 10-yard line. The view of half the field was often blocked by the Raiders players. The seats were magnificent! I bought the tickets for myself, my father, my best friend, his father, my brother and his friend. Some of my favorite people then, as now. I found out later that my best friend was running a serious fever that day. A day that did him no favors by raining. From the day that I purchased the tickets in July until December 16, the 17th couldn't arrive soon enough. I even slept with the tickets under my pillow that last month.

Two years earlier, the Raiders had beaten the Vikings in Super Bowl XI. While the Vikings had started to decline since that championship game, they were still competitive. Head coach Bud Grant and most of the stars like Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman, Ahmad Rashad, Sammie White, Jim Marshall, Ron Yary, Mick Tinglehoff, Carl Eller, Paul Krause, Jeff Siemon and Bobby Bryant were still there. Unfortunately, Alan Page was not. Page had been a favorite of mine. He was released earlier that season due to a disagreement over his appropriate playing weight. It was a sad day in franchise history. On game day, my brother brought us closer to the game by catching an errant Ray Guy punt during pregame warm ups. The game started horribly for the Vikings and remained that way throughout the first half. Late in the game, the Vikings stormed back. Two Tarkenton to Rashad touchdown passes in our corner of the field made it 27-20. Sadly, that is where it remained. Happily, the Packers lost to the Rams the same day. The Vikings clinched another division title.

1978 marked the beginning of the end of the Minnesota Vikings glory (minus a Super Bowl) days. Page was released that season. Tarkenton retired after that season. Marshall and Krause retired a year later. Eller went to the Seahawks. Yary to the Rams. Foreman to the Patriots. On December 17, 1978 all the Vikings greats were right there in front of me. It was beautiful.

Being for the Benefit of Crippled Players

I have never understood the disregard that each current crop of players and NFL leaders have for the retired players. Especially considering that current players are one play away from being retired players. Many former players are so broken down that they can not work and are essentially uninsurable on their own. It's the nature of the sport that players become old at about the age that most people are just kicking their careers into gear. Football players are way too young to be old.

I suppose that my greatest disbelief is due to a retired player leading the players association's disregard for the retired players for so long. The late Gene Upshaw was the players association president for three decades. Perhaps money made him forget where he came from. Upshaw was paid about 10 million dollars/year. He was a fool when he claimed that he only represented the interests of the current players. His own former teammates were breaking down and he didn't care. Upshaw wasn't the only voice in the room but his was an important one. It's a big pile of money. There's enough to share. Some of the current players will be former players soon. They might see things a bit differently in a few months. They can do something about it now.

Good News, Bad News

ESPN noodleheads Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter are reporting that there is growing optimism that the labor negotiations are nearing an end. That is most certainly the good news. The agreement should be in place so that it can be ratified at the July 21 owners meeting in Atlanta. Even that part of it sounds pretty nice considering how long this hot mess has gone on. The bad news is that they are waiting until July 21. Why wait any longer than you have to? It can be ratified before the owners meeting. This sort of thing is what has bothered me from the moment the owners opted out of the 2006 agreement. Why wait to start negotiating? Why wait to ratify an agreement. There has been absolutely no sense of urgency to get this settled. They waited until late February, early March to start serious negotiations. Even then it didn't seem that anyone took these serious negotiations seriously. Even at this late date, four months into the lockout, the seriousness of both parties can be questioned. I certainly question it. The main sticking points now surround the expected rookie wage scale, more specifically the length of the first round player contracts. The owners want five year contracts. The players want no more than four. I see a compromise of four with a fifth year option thrown in. Another point of contention deals with a possible right to match any contract offered to a team's free agents. This would probably be limited to 2 or 3 of a team's free agents. This may also only be for the chaos that might happen as soon as the floodgates open this year. I actually like this rule as it would enhance the Vikings' chances of re-signing receiver Sidney Rice. The players are certainly against this as they don't want anything that might limit their free agency. It may limit movement but it's doubtful that it would limit money. This doesn't really seem like a significant hurdle. Mortensen and Schefter also reported that the league has a structure of rules for the transition into the new league year upon the lifting of the lockout. That is also some pretty dandy news. I didn't want to see another handful of days get wasted debating something that should already have been done.

Despite my angst over these clowns possibly wasting time waiting for July 21 to arrive, this is all pretty sweet news. It was made sweeter when another ESPN noodlehead, John Clayton, reported a 98-99% chance of an agreement by Friday. Get 'er done.

Cal Football in the NFL

It's kind of a special time for Cal football in the NFL. In about a month, Les Richter will become will the first Cal player to be inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame. That, by itself, would be significant. Considering Cal's early gridiron success, it's also a little surprising. Even Cal's less than competitive teams of the '80s and '90s produced quality NFL players. In addition to Richter's long overdue honor, Cal placed four players in the NFL Network's Top 100 Players. Aaron Rodgers, DeSean Jackson and Nnambi Asomugha were all in the top half. Tony Gonzalez, well on his way to becoming Cal's second Hall of Famer, also made the list. Rodgers and the unfortunate Jackson are ascending players. Rodgers seems especially destined for greatness. Jackson, no matter how gifted, is in greater need of a beat down than honors. Asomugha is simply one of the top cornerbacks in the league.

Cal has crafted a nice presence in the NFL. The Flicker hopes that it continues and translates into better days for Cal. Rose Bowls, National Championships, those sorts of things.

Pondering

The more I hear about Minnesota Vikings rookie QB Christian Ponder the more I like. Since the pathetic lockout has kept the players off the field, most of what I have heard is off the field as well. Ponder has embraced Minnesota. The are some sacred figures in Minnesota sports as with most places. Harmon Killebrew is one of them. When Killebrew passed away earlier this year. Ponder acknowledged it and expressed his condolences. It's a small jesture, but it's one that I've never seen before. Certainly not from a freshly drafted, first round QB. He didn't have to do it. He has also pledged his allegience to the Twins, Timberwolves and Wild. He recently went to a Texas Rangers game sporting a Twins cap. If his actions at Florida St. are any indication, he is sincere in his appreciation of all sports in his new home. In college, Ponder was a frequent fan at Florida St. basketball games and other sporting events. In an interview, he was quick to point out that Florida St. was the only school to have a player drafted in the first round of the football, basketball and baseball drafts. In a place like Minnesota where most players dart off  to warmer lands as soon as the season ends, it's nice to be embraced and appreciated. Ponder looks and sounds like a keeper. I can't wait to see him on the field.

Come On!

I know that I'm not the only one that takes the settlement of this ludicrous lockout seriously. There's a bunch of us. I'm sure of it. Unfortunately, none of us are in that room. It really seems that those that are in the room thinks this is a damn joke. They certainly aren't taking it seriously enough. How else can you explain the frequent breaks, the short weeks and short hours. The only person in the room that is working is the one with the least at stake. The appointed mediator, US Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan, cracked the whip last week. This brought about the first session to last past sleepy time. Unfortunately, Boylan is on vacation as of today. It's fitting seeing as the players and owners have been on vacation since March. Everybody, but Boylan, is at fault. Everyone needs to suck it up and do their jobs. Get it done. Perhaps they are waiting for Boylan to leave on vacation just to show that they can get it done without him. I really don't care what motivates them. I'm sick of the games. I thought (hoped!) that the lockout wouldn't pass into July. Now, it can not last past July 15th. That's the wall. Don't pass it.

RIP John Mackey

The football world has lost another star. John Mackey has joined fellow Hall of Famers Ollie Matson, Joe Perry, and John Henry Johnson as the most recent additions to the football team in the sky. Mackey once said "Playing with Johnny Unitas is like being in the huddle with God". He'll have the chance to make that comparison real.

John Mackey was one of the greatest tight ends to ever play the game. He helped make an already great Baltimore Colts offense better. Before Mackey, tight ends mostly blocked. They were an extra lineman far more often than a downfield threat. Mackey spread the field. Scoring from anywhere, his plays were often exrtaordinary. My favorite Mackey story explained his excellent days against the 49ers in San Francisco. If it rained, the field at old Kezar Stadium became much like a bog. Worms came to the surface. Mackey hated worms. He could not, he would not be tackled. Not with the worms on the field. Mackey also made an impact off the field as the first president of the players association. The players could have used his leadership right about now.

Mackey battled dementia in his latter years. His wife, Sylvia, moved the family to Baltimore in the hopes that something familar might trigger a memory. It didn't, but Baltimore remembered him. The city embraced John Mackey.

Throwback Thursday: Karras, Hornung and Rozelle

Pete Rozelle was starting his fourth year as NFL Commissioner in 1963. He had yet to truly make his mark on the league, but that would all soon change. Gambling will always be a great concern of any professional sports league. The public has to be able to trust what they see on the field. Those concerns were reaching a boiling point in the late '50s and early '60s. Rozelle had to make a move. He did.

Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung and Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alex Karras were two of the biggest stars in the NFL at the time. They also had some questionable, in the eyes of the league, friends. Those associations put both stars under the microscope. They were being watched. Hornung even had his phone tapped. Karras was about to become part owner of a Detroit bar called Lindell's AC. His partners were brothers Jimmy and Johnny Butsicaris. Jimmy Butsicaris was a known gambler. Nothing too substantial but he knew some people. Karras, always on the hunt for fine Greek food, was a frequent diner at the Grecian Gardens. An establishment allegedly owned by underworld people. These associations put Karras square in the sites of Rozelle. The FBI and local law enforcement were watching. All of this was purely innocent to Karras. If he even knew what his friends were up to, he didn't seem to care. They were his friends. He loved the food, drink and atmosphere at these places. Both Lions management and Rozelle warned Karras about his associations and the Lindell's venture, in particular. Karras continued to care little since he wasn't doing anything wrong. With Lindell's, he was looking to make some money, legitimately, beyond football. Karras did make casual bets with Butsicaris on football games. There may have been no turning back when Karras befriended known mobster Tony Giacalone. This friendship included a "party bus" ride back to Detroit after a preseason game against Cleveland in 1962. Giacalone was at the wheel. Other Lions were on board, but the league zeroed in on Karras. Following the '62 season the Lions were in Florida preparing to play the Steelers in the short lived Playoff Bowl. While there, several Lions including Karras, John Gordy, Gary Lowe, Joe Schmidt, Wayne Walker, Sam Williams and Night Train Lane were watching the Packers-Giants NFL Championship game. They placed bets. A few weeks later at the Pro Bowl, Karras was invited to appear on the Brinkley Journal news program about gambling in the NFL. He mentioned his casual gambling. Instead of the entire interview which painted a bland picture of his gambling, an incriminating, edited version of the interview appeared on the Huntley-Brinkley Report. Rozelle exploded.

Hornung's gambling and associations were much more blatant and severe. From his days at Notre Dame, everyone wanted to be around Hornung. He had no filters or reservations. If it was fun, he was doing it. Hornung openly gambled. He even had a steady bookie, Barney Shapiro. Hornung's gambling was mild compared to many. He never won or lost more than $2,000 in a year, but it was certainly far more serious than that of Karras. Hornung also hung out with serious gangsters like Manny Skar, Gil Beckley and to a lesser degree Sam Giancana. Hornung was walking on the ledge and the league knew about it. He was about to fall off. Shortly after the '62 Championship game, which Hornung's Packers won, Rozelle met with several players. Hornung and Karras were at the top of the list. On April 17, 1963 , Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were suspended from the NFL indefinitely.

 Players must not enter drinking or gambling resorts or associate with gamblers or other notorious characters.

This was in every player contract in 1963, probably still is. Karras and Hornung were clearly in violation of this. Karras may not have been aware that his friends were a bit shady. Hornung knew it and liked it. The two players were suspended for gambling not for their associations. Pete Rozelle had made his mark. Karras and Hornung were big fish among the players. No one was safe and everyone had to follow the rules. The suspensions lasted exactly one year when both players were reinstated April 17, 1964.

Hornung was clearly heading toward a fall, but Karras receiving the same punishment was a bit severe. Even Hornung was surprised that Karras was suspended. So many players were betting on games and everyone knew it. It didn't seem fair to single out Karras. At worst, his betting was casual. Some of his contacts were suspect and he certainly made some questionable decisions, but he was mostly guilty of being naive. His offenses were nowhere near the level of Hornung's. The repercussions of the suspensions were huge. The most obvious at the time was the line that Rozelle had drawn in the sand. He had the power to punish and showed that he would. Other repercussions are more speculative. The Packers had won the two previous Championships. Hornung was a large part of the offense, the team. It's likely that a Hornung led team could have won in '63 and possibly even in '64. That would have resulted in the Packers winning seven straight championships. Unbelievable. The most unfortunate result of the suspensions is the apparent blacklisting of Karras from the Hall of Fame. He may have been the the most dominant defensive tackle of his generation and one of the best of all time. Both teammates and opponents alike are shocked that he is not honored in Canton. Even Hornung had to wait about 15 years to be inducted. But you can't keep out the Golden Boy. Finally, this set Rozelle on his path. The Commissioner has to make tough decisions for the betterment and protection of the game. This was one. Rozelle is arguably the best commissioner in the history of professional sports. This was his opening volley.

Colorful Bills

I hope that everyone caught the exciting news of the Buffalo Bills changing their uniforms. I know that I can't wait to see the new look in action. With that announcement came a little nugget of trivia. In the early '80s the Bills changed their white helmet to red mostly due to one player. QB Joe Ferguson was color blind. At the time, all the Bills' division opponents (Jets, Patriots, Dolphins and Colts) also wore white helmets. The new Bills helmet made it easier to separate friends from enemies. Always a good thing. That was sure nice of the Bills management, but Ferguson had been the QB since the mid-70s. Why did it take so long? The first few years, Ferguson only had to turn around and hand the ball to OJ Simpson every play. He rarely had to throw. After Simpson was shipped to San Francisco, there was all this needless suffering. All because of the color of the helmet.

NFL Network's Top 100

NFL Network has finished their countdown of the top 100 players. Tom Brady and Peyton Manning were #1 and #2 respectively. It's difficult to argue their presence at the top. It's a quarterback-driven league and they are the best. Personally, I'd switch the order. Vikings' runningback Adrian Peterson at #3 was nice to see. I have always thought that the players had a greater appreciation of him than the media and the fans. The players know that tackling Peterson is no treat.

It's difficult to question any rankings made by the players. If bias is removed, they simply know best. There were four rankings that really did surprise me. It's difficult to ever question a very high ranking for Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis. He's been an amazing football player for a long time. One of the best of all time. His play has declined slightly. Enough that I was surprised that he was at #4. I think that New York Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis is a top-5 player. In a passing league, he routinely shuts down half of the field. #8 seems low. San Francisco linebacker Patrick Willis is phenomenal. His uniform number isn't the only thing that draws comparisons to Ray Lewis. He is ascending, but I was still surprised that he only came in at #23. The ranking that surprised me the most was way down at #83. Tamp Bay receiver Mike Williams had a great rookie year last year. That is not enough, and he certainly shouldn't rank ahead of his excellent QB Josh Freeman.

It was fun watching this list unveiled each week. The media routinely crams their inaccurate thoughts down our throats. It was nice to see the more accurate thoughts of the players. It was nice to see what they thought of each other. While I'd like to see more than two Vikings (Peterson and Jared Allen) on this list, last year killed any chance of that.

Are You Kidding Me?

I was listening to the recent Rich Eisen Podcast and he and his pals, Kara Henderson and Michael Lombardi, were defending the casual attitude of the owners and players in the labor negotiations. Lombardi would never criticize the league or the owners. Some were his boss. He was a suit and still is. He is way to biased to even regard. Henderson is merely reporting with little to no agenda. Eisen simply sounded frustrated and worried. He sounded like a fan. They all struck me as the employees of the NFL that they are. No room for criticism when there was a room full of reasons to criticize. They even went so far as to criticize Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio for being very critical of both parties. I agree with Florio. Both sides have left themselves wide open for criticism. They have looked to the courts to make decisions for them. Over 100 days of dancing around each other. Only a handful of days with face to face meetings. Never truly working toward a solution. Only once have they worked into the night. They have just been way too casual. It's pathetic and well worth any and all criticism.

The Curious Free Agency of Antoine Winfield

With the long delayed free agency spending spree hopefully starting soon, I think back to March 2004. The Minnesota Vikings had never been big players in free agency. The owners, Red McCombs in particular, never wanted to come up with the big bucks. They certainly never wanted to get into a bidding war. Still, every year I would make a wish list of players that could help the team. The Vikings cornerback situation was so horrible in those years that they moved receiver Robert Tate over to defense in the middle of the season. Within a couple of weeks he was a starter. Needless to say, cornerback was at the top of my list.

It was often easy to be impressed with the cornerbacks on other teams in those days. The Buffalo Bills tandem of Nate Clements and especially Antoine Winfield were particularly impressive. It just so happened that Antoine Winfield was a free agent in 2004. Despite the desperate need at the position, the Vikings would never pursue a player with that kind of talent. Too expensive. As the gun sounded to start free agency 2004, I learned through the marvels of the Internet that Winfield was scheduled to meet with the Vikings. The only problem was that he was scheduled to meet with the Jets first. The longer that visit lasted the less likely it became that Winfield would make it to Minnesota. It looked bleak. It looked dead when the Jets scheduled a press conference to announce the signing of Winfield. The Jets jumped the gun. Just before the announcement a private plane, arranged by head coach Mike Tice, picked up Winfield and brought him to Minnesota. The next day, Antoine Winfield signed with the Vikings. Word around the campfire was that Winfield got cold feet with the Jets. He had apparently promised his former coordinator in Buffalo, and then coordinator in Minnesota, Ted Cottrell that he would visit Minnesota before signing anywhere. Winfield kept that promise.

Antoine Winfield quickly became and remains one of my favorite players. His leadership, effort and talent make for an incredible football player. Despite his relatively small size, he is possibly the most complete cornerback in the league. Since 2004, at least one cornerback spot has been a strength of the team. The Vikings sweeping in and plucking Winfield from the grimy grips of the Jets in 2004 is proof that it is never over until the player signs his name.

Stadium Musings

The Minnesota Vikings have been fighting for a new stadium for nearly ten years. Since the Wilf family bought the team in 2005, they have really stepped up the fight. Some positive steps have been taken lately to make the possibility of a stadium a bit more real. The Minnesota government shutting down has stalled things a little, but it has never looked more promising. If it finally happens it will be the culmination of a long and frequently frustrating fight. It has never been easy. The San Francisco 49ers are also hoping to get a new stadium. They have done little more than saying that they want a new stadium. They are even pledging little towards the total cost, about a tenth of the total. The Vikings are putting up 40-45% of their total. Now, I see that the 49ers have already sold $138 million in luxury suites. Luxury suites that currently don't exist in a stadium that doesn't exist. Things should not be rolling along like this with so little effort being put into it. It shouldn't be this easy. Everywhere but Minnesota, stadiums seem to build themselves.

Crap!

Well, my guess that this asinine lockout wouldn't pass into July was horribly wrong. Four days and nothing. I suppose that it was good to see that the fistful of idiots stayed up past their bedtime last night. It wasn't good that they decided to break for the Fourth of July weekend. This has gone on long enough. They get no weekends. They get no holidays. They get no sleep. They've had enough of all of that. The only thing that they need to get is the desire and the urgency to get this thing done.

After the always refreshed are refreshed from another long weekend, they will reconvene for another short week. If I had my way, which would go a long way in settling this, the new meetings will begin without players lawyers Jeffrey Kessler and James Quinn. The most productive meetings have generally been without the lawyers. These two clowns are the worst of the bunch. Both are more interested in their own legacy in bringing a huge antitrust decision against the NFL. Reaching an agreement and ending the lockout is secondary. Anyone that thinks that the sales tax on tickets should be included in total revenue, as these two idiots do, needs a new job. They should be delivering the pizza to the meetings, not in them.

Everyone in that room has failed. If the two sides truly wanted to end this, they would. They would put in the time that it takes. They would put in the effort that it takes. So far, they haven't.