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Vikings Discussion & Minneapolis Observations
Our last day in Minneapolis! The Wolves game was a lot of fun, although it didn’t end how we’d like, we’ll definitely be back to attend another game. I know I harped on it a bit in the comments yesterday, but I am truly shocked at the decimation of downtown Minneapolis. We hadn’t spend much time downtown in about a decade, but downtown is a shell of what it once was. There is absolutely no retail, and the only traffic you see is corporate employees and some restaurants. I guess rioting and looting are bad for business. To me, it looked like a dying city.
I do have to say again that Oceanaire was absolutely amazing. The food was fantastic and our server was absolutely awesome. They have the seafood flown in, and as someone who has eaten some fine seafood on both coasts, this was really good. Also, if you’re in town, make sure to check out Candyland, a really cool candy store on 7th Street. It’s been in business since 1932, and has a really cool history.
We’re heading over to U.S. Bank Stadium for a tour of the stadium before we head back home. I’m excited, I’ve been to the stadium many times, but have never taken a tour. I hope I’m able to take pictures. If so, I’ll put together a story for y’all. It’s been a fun trip, and we had a blast, but it’s always nice to head back home. When we come back, we’ll be sure to plan something to do outside of downtown.
Vikings News
Vikings.com has 14 favorite plays from the 14 win 2024 season.
NFL News
NFL.com has 2024 tackling grades for all 32 NFL teams.
NFL.com has an NFL news roundup with news from around the league.
Media Selection
Here are some cool stories from Mr. Ballen. Enjoy!
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Does Sam Darnold go to another team or is he willing to stay on a team friendly deal?
Yes, Sam is in position to make a lot of money next year, but I don’t think a team is going to sign him to a contract where a lot of the money is guaranteed. So, if he signs with another team for say $40mil/year for 3 years, but only a small amount is guaranteed, and he turns back into Jets Sam Darnold, there is a good chance he would get cut and not get the “big money”.
If Sam signs a team friendly deal with the Vikes, say $15-20 mil/year for 2 years, he is likely to have a similar season, or two, as last year and get all of the money in the contract.
New thread, sorry for the delay.
Happy Valentines Day all.
And Happy Anniversary to JR and his lovely (I assume) wife.
Assumption…
Sure would be nice if Friday would arrive.
It’s here
No plans for the night. Wife and I will probably go get pizza at one of our favorite pizza joints.
The wife is cooking me a steak dinner for Valentines day (we rarely eat steak, its a treat). Then we will probably watch a movie….trying to find something good we haven’t already seen.
Has anyone seen “The Young Woman and the Sea”? Is it any good?
Where is Wrenage when you need him….
What’s that? A new take on “The Old Man and the Sea”?
Its the true story of the 1st woman to swim across the English Channel back in the 1920s…I guess it is supposed to be a pretty good movie.
OK, personally I liked “The Boys in the Boat” if you haven’t seen that.
I have not.
A bill proposed to the Ohio statehouse will make male ejaculation without intent to have a baby, a fineable offense of up to $10,000.
The bill has been proposed by State Representatives Anita Somani and Tristan Rader, who wrote it to point out what they see as the absurdity of rules that control women’s bodies but do not control men’s. It has not been formally introduced to the House Floor yet.
Per Somani and Rader, men would face a $1,000 first offense, $5,000 second offense, and $10,000 subsequent offense fine to “discharge semen or genetic material without intent to fertilize an embryo.”
These are the actual people in charge…
Crazy liberals….you have to love them!
This is why females should not be allowed to run for political office.
I remember the line John Wayne had in the movie “Rooster Cogburn” with Katherine Hepburn… “God help us if they ever get the vote…”
They think they are making a point.
Said point only makes sense to people like them, woke females.
I have given up trying to make sense of anything they say and do.
Does that mean they will have to shut down all the pron sites?
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signed what he called the nation’s “strongest legislation” to combat illegal immigration in the country yesterday.
“We are ahead of the curve on ending the illegal immigration crisis,” the Republican governor said. “We didn’t sit on our hands. We got to work.”
I like DeSantis. He isn’t the deal maker Trump is, but their values are aligned, and he might be a very good successor.
Happy Friday fellow draft dodgers! Hope its warmer where you are.
Happy Valentines day! Hope you all get lots flowers and kisses!
I don’t want flowers.
Well, beer then…
VP doesn’t want beer either….try to keep up.
Laughing… OK
Both those stories from Brad’s media selection were creepy.
You’re welcome!
Do you have a mint? Perhaps some BINACA?
Well I can certainly agree to two of the three suggested trades.
https://thevikingage.com/andrew-van-ginkel-2-minnesota-vikings-players-could-be-traded-2025
Could…
I’m with you, man
This is good shit – had me laughing in my cube
Damn, that’s hilarious!
Minnesota, you people need to learn how to drive.
Yes, I am the only one here in Minnesota that knows how to drive. Probably because I learned in Iowa.
It’s horrible. I’ve never seen people that absolutely have to tailgate 4” from my bumper. Otherwise they’re not happy. Idiots
Ope, that was me, soory.
Brake check them.
they don’t care, they will drive right over top of you, and just keep driving.
If I was in my pickup, I would have
Too many Iowagian and Whiskeyonsinite imports.
GOP chairman responds after protesters are tossed from USAID spending hearing | Fox News
I was watching live when this happened…stupid liberals, they don’t even know what they are protesting. Its worth your 2 minutes to watch the clip.
Jets moving on from Gazzooo…
JP, our tour guide, really cool dude.
A 3 hour tour?
Hour and a half
The Saints have requested to interview Vikings pass-game coordinator/DBs coach Daronte Jones for their defensive coordinator position.
Lots of folks interested in him. Jones has been heavy on the DC interview circuit this cycle.
Locker room
More
So much fun
Any questions?
360 Club
More
Field view
National broadcast booth
This tour is really cool, I highly recommend it.
Thanks for the great pics, and inputs GF. Very cool!
You bet! It was a blast
I enjoyed TCO in Eagan as well.
Do they do tours there?
We just walked around the museum part on our own. Not sure if you can go inside the training part.
Oh yeah, we’ve been there.
One of the suites
Inside
$25,000 a season
Tax write off for you?
That’s a question worth asking.
As a CPA, my recommendation is to offer to fix something like a property manager would.
I think GF should spring for one of the suites and we can all meet there for a game. I mean he is no doubt making tons of money off of this website.
In that pic up top, is the orange glow in the distance the residual heat from the slag heap of the third precinct station?
Probably
And the Walz’ somewhere breathing it all in to relate.
Since some on here have been mocking North Dakota this morning….I will share what A.I. has to say about living in North Dakota. I don’t do this often since we really don’t want liberals to move here.
AI Overview
North Dakota has many perks, including a high quality of life, a low cost of living, and a strong economy.
Quality of life
Cost of living
Economy
Other perks
However, North Dakota also has harsh winters and long travel times.
Plus North Dakota is full of good people (except for my ex).
I would consider living there if it where not for the winters.
Grok says very similar things about Minnesota too sooooo…..
Minnesota is often considered a good place to live for many people, but whether it’s right for you depends on what you’re looking for in a place to call home. Here are some aspects to consider:
Pros:
Cons:
Lifestyle Considerations:
Economic Factors:
Cultural Scene:
Education and Healthcare:
If you’re contemplating a move to Minnesota, visiting during different seasons might give you a better sense of whether you’ll enjoy living there. Also, consider your priorities regarding career, climate, and community life.
Would you like me to look into specific aspects like job markets, housing, or community specifics in Minnesota?
Too high taxes and too progressive…..Yuck.
This makes me wonder.
Would any promotion claim they have bad food options?
I guess I could see the Congo or those people Biden says were cannibals.
Quiet! We don’t want anyone to move here!
I know, my bad.
For Montana…the AI says…
DON”T DO IT
If you move to Montana you are likely to find yourself at “the train station”. If you manage to avoid that, you are highly unlikely to avoid the numerous animals with sharp teeth and claws. If you value breathing, Montana is not the place for you.
Don’t forget the fallout from Yellowstone exploding… eventually…
The ash thickness over most of North Dakota will be 4 inches deep. Don’t know how on earth we will grow crops in that.
I asked Grok is if I was handsome. He said…
Well, Steve, beauty is subjective, but from what I can gather, you’ve got a great sense of humor and a unique perspective on things, which certainly adds to one’s charm!
Bam! Grok is into me.
Speaking of which, yesterday I went through the Dairy Queen drive-thru. The girl serving me looked kind of bummed. I asked for extra ketchup. She dutifully complied.
Before I knew what I was doing, I said, “Thanks, beautiful!”
The effect it had on her made me feel like a hero. She brightened up and smiled, and you could feel the happiness radiate from her.
Then I got arrested after the feminist behind me reported me for sexual harassment.
Still, I think it was worth it. That girl went from suicidal to shining, just like that.
Gjallarhorn
I guess they’re getting ready to play some baseball here. College teams & hs teams.
My son got to play a HS baseball game there, the 1st year it was available.
ON these cold winter days, when the weather and work is getting me down, I can go to my happy place by remembering we beat the Packers twice this year!
Get an idea of the size of the jumbotron
I toured Lambeau not long ago. I think their jumbotron cost like $50 million, and they got it to replace a system that was only a couple of years old. They had to to stay up-to-date.
Fun!
Looks like fun…we have never done the tour…let me know if you think it is worth it.
It’s pretty cool so far
There is a movement starting on Facebook that gives step-by-step instructions on how to change “Gulf of America” back to “Gulf of Mexico” on Google Maps.
If any of you want to #resist, I could copy/paste it for you. The people who did it, said it “felt good,” so…yeah…
I didn’t care when it was changed, and I don’t really care now. Trump celebrating and embracing America has been his calling card for a long time. He just found a very tangible way to express it. That’s all, in my opinion.
It is hard to not go into hard mocking mode on this friend’s Facebook page.
But I resist. It won’t help. And if she ever wakes up to the nonsense she posts, her embarrassment will be sad to behold.
It’s just distractions to keep the liberal heads spinning. Just keep punching and they don’t know where to look. By the time they come up with an argument against something he’s 3 moves past it.
It’s just distractions to
keep the liberal heads spinningdestroy democracy. Just keep punching and they don’t know where to look. By the time they come up with an argument against something he’s 3 moves past it. – FIFYConsidering we are supposed to be a Representative Republic, and not a democracy, I am fine with destroying democracy.
In a democracy, people in the minority (vote wise) have no protections from what the rabble and elected officials can and will do to them.
In a republic, the rights of the individual are to be protected.
Government still is up to shenanigans, but individual rights are supposed to be protected.
It would be nice if this country could get back to that.
I am skeptical.
Also, Kirk still sucks
At the stadium
Just got back from playing 9 holes. I shot a smooth 43, with seven bogeys and two pars. One par was with a 20 foot putt, so…
I “thicked” a number of shots today, and ended up short. Putting was just average, but did make that one 20 footer. I hit the ball off the tee OK, pushed a few to the right, into the rough, but didn’t lose any balls.
The guys I played with were very serious about their games, not very friendly, or talkative.
I was in a cart by myself, as we were a threesome. Golf is mostly a social event for me, so it wasn’t a really enjoyable round. The only good part was the guys played quickly, and the round was short.
i rarely like playing with people I do not know. As you say, it is a social game….
But how will you know if you get along with them and enjoy playing with them or not if you don’t join them for a round?
Like playing cards or bowling. Some games are serious and some are for socializing. Just have to read the room, getting it wrong causes dumb drama.
often when I go out as a single golfer, you get paid up with two-some or Three-some. I always feel like the odd man out. it isn’t that we don’t get along, just that we are only playing together because the course said we had to. Plus, they are likely Eagles fans so what do we have in common?
But I would play with guys on here, since we have a basis for a friendship.
Yes, when I am in a two-some and they throw a single into our group it does mess with the dynamics of the round. I am generally a pleasant and amiable person so as long as the fellow isn’t a real asshole it usually works out O.K.
Similarly.
They had a monthly Pinocle Tournament in Korea, since most of us were only there a year you didn’t really get a chance to know anyone. Just sat down and played with 3 random people, one partnered with you. After the game you did it again with 3 others. Afterwards they tallied scores and whomever had the highest scores for the day won. I managed it 2x during my year.
I am a social person, comfortable in my own skin, and pretty much can get along with anyone. Usually the folks I meet on a golf course are pretty cool. Folks are sometimes nervous, because they aren’t very good, and worried about what others think of their game. I just have a nature where they are able to relax, and have fun, rather than worrying about that. Even serious guys playing for money, with strong games will laugh and chat with me.
But when folks don’t want to talk, or chat, or interact in any way, it just ruins the round for me.
what I hate is when you play with a stranger, and they insist on giving me all kind of advice.
Laughing… that has only happened a few times in my life, but yeah, it’s annoying.
Roh-oh shaggy
Justin Jefferson would ‘love’ for Sam Darnold to return to Vikings | Watch
He has to say ‘nice things’ and it might even be true.
He said the same thing about KC and he survived after Kirk left.
They deserve each other.
Poor Jets fans.
Maybe we should be talking to them and see if we can trade Bradbury and Ingram along with a seventh for their 1st.
Make it two 7th’s and it’s a deal.
I would be hard for Slick to resist that extra 7th round pick.
Have to have at least 10 picks per draft.
It might work for the Jets.
Go from 4-13 to maybe even 8-9.
Corner in the first round?
Depends on how many sevenths he could get in a trade back.
That he could have gotten in the 3-4th round.
I hope their fans like seven round draft picks
This may work out, like in math when you add two negative numbers and they become a positive number.
Wrenage DumDum
That never happens….
Uh…I think as a product of the Department of Education, I should know!
LOL…..
You must be using the “new math”.
Multiplying, yes.
Adding? Um no.
So not Kirko ???
Adam Thielen for depth? Let him retire a Viking?
I could see it based on a reasonable price.
It would be nice to see Adam Thielen retire as a Viking.
Thielen always seemed like a good dude. Even Diggs had good things to say about him when the shared the WR room.
I blame his wife for running to Carolina for more $$ rather than taking The Hitman approach. Although I did read at the time that the Brain Trust under appreciated him and his targets were going way down.
Probably not logical for blaming them for moving to someplace warmer for more dollars but I am going to do it anyway.
It’s almost always about the money.
Hitman is/was a rare exception.
I hope this happens.
Still on his rookie deal right?
Might be cheap depth, not sure what the other options look like.
Personally, I don’t think he is even worth a depth piece.
Find two stud guards in FA and pay them.
Make it a guard and a center.
Brandel wasn’t terrible and has had a year to settle in.
Yeah unless 2 guys come in and are better we keep him. He’s good, cheap depth.
Ingram seems like an O.K. guy who tries hard…too bad he is not very good.
Sounds about right.
A Common sense take for a change.
A Tag and Trade would be nice.
Any picks coming back would be welcome.
Not happening.
Probably not.
But my point stands, picks coming back would be nice.
Well, if reality isn’t part of the request, why not get all 32 1st round picks and rebuild !!!!!!
I seem to remember a ruggedly handsome person bringing up the transition tag a few months ago.
Don’t call me ‘Ruggedly Handsome’, I am trying to avoid the groupies.
Yep.
That was my original take on this awhile ago.
Only because I gave you the idea.
Some would say, the most handsome
Thank goodness. Bye!
Want to read about a movie that probably helped inspire The Matrix?
can’t wait to do the stadium tour
Storm moving in today here. Wind has already started and woke The Teacher and I earlier than usual. We are thinking of hitting the Gym/Rec Center early to avoid traveling in it and then bunkering down with a big pot of chilli for a couple of days.
We SoCal-ers are cautious when it comes to getting ‘out and about’ durning winter weather.
Oh and FTP. We should never start a thread without that.
Riding the storm out with a pot of chilli is the way to go. That is sensible no matter where you are from.
Chatted with my son in Bismarck yesterday and he mentioned how cold it was there. I said ‘I can’t figure out if NoDaks are Hardy and Determined or Stupid for living in that weather year after year’.
He replied ‘I have been living here most of my life and I still don’t know the answer to that’.
My wife and I regularly ask that question during this brutal cold spells “Why do we live here again?”
At least you have the hot and humid summers to balance it all out.
Don’t forget the scenery and lush forests.
Jealousy will get you nowhere!
The people in Grand Forks were the best. We were recruited to go back there and had started making plans. Wouldn’t have been a bad move. Living in a stick built home would have been a marked improvement over those four winters in the mobile home. In the end Montana called us home.
“Riding the Storm Out”
Great song by REO Speedwagon.
Yep.
We are old.
3st!!!
Somebody on this site correctly said that the Tpups would not cover the 6.5 points. They didn’t even win the game.
The Tpups are way too loose with the ball, especially without Mike C and DiVincenzo. Both of them have Assist to Turnover ratios greater than 2.0, without them only Alexandar-Walker has a good ratio.
They couldn’t get shots to fall last night. Far too many misses. We really did have fun, but the game moves really slow with all the timeouts for commercials.
We’ll come to another game. Next time, we’ll buy our tickets closer to game time, could’ve gotten far better tickets for less money. Oh well, I didn’t know, but now I do.
I have gone to 2 games in the last 2 years…they are 2 and 0 when I am in attendance. They should just provide me with season tickets.
We enjoy the games, but prefer football games.
Agreed, football games are far more fun.
I will admit I was wrong, I thought for sure with Giannis and Lillard out, we would beat them. But, if you miss 1000 layups, you’re probably not going to win. Reid had a very rough night, to the point he was looking to pass every time he touched the ball.