Ask Gonzo from The Daily Norseman

by Christopher Gates on Oct 3, 2008 1:18 AM CDT

It's time again to utilize all the tools we have been bestowed here at SB Nation. Once again, instead of the 5 questions format we have decided to go with the unlimited Q&A FanPost. So below I present to you a FanPost by SB Nation's Vikings blogger, Gonzo, of Daily Norseman fame. After reading, ask away and Gonzo will check in when he has time to answer all of your queries.

Of course I have posted my own FanPost over at Daily Norseman and I am fielding questions from Viking fans. Be sure to stop by to help me answer some questions and add your own opinions.

Rec and Buzz away!

Well, folks, Monday night is getting closer. Unfortunately, due to some issues that have come up in the real world, I'm not going to get to attend this game as I had hoped to, but you can bet that I'll be sitting and watching it on ESPN (with the sound muted) like most of the rest of you.

As you (and everyone else that follows the NFL) knows, the Vikings haven't come close to living up to the expectations that had been placed on them in the pre-season to this point. The Vikings have only managed one victory in the first four weeks of the season, and frankly the Saints scare the crap out of me.

Defensively, the Vikings are probably the NFL's best unit against the run, although that unit will take a hit this Monday, at it appears that MLB E.J. Henderson won't be playing due to a couple of dislocated toes on his left foot. The Vikings should still be pretty stout against the run, however. Against the pass is an entirely different story, and exactly why the Saints scare me to death. Drew Brees has been on such an incredible roll here in the early going, and the Viking pass defense to this point has given me no reason to believe that said roll is going to stop on Monday night, despite the injuries that the Saints' receiving corps has suffered to this point.

On offense, Minnesota's one true threat is Adrian Peterson. He's young and he's had his share of injuries to this point, but there's not another running back in the entire league that I'd rather have. The indicators I've seen show that the Saints aren't terribly strong against the run, and if Peterson can get himself going early, the Vikings might stand a chance in this one. If Peterson doesn't get it going. . .well, the passing offense is pretty bad. Whether it's Gus Frerotte, Tarvaris Jackson, John David Booty, or someone from the 15th row of the stands at the Superdome, the Vikings pass offense is terrible. Much of that is the fault of Vikings' coach Brad Childress, whose offense shows all the creativity and originality of a Dane Cook marathon.

So, if there's anything that you folks would like to ask me about my favorite football team, go ahead and feel free. Saintsational has already done something similar to this over at The Daily Norseman, and you all are invited to come over and have a talk, too, if you'd like. Looking forward to it!

This FanPost was written by a reader and member of Canal Street Chronicles. It does not necessarily reflect the views of CSC and its staff or editors.

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Brad Childress

Do the fans have him on the hotseat? How badly does he need the Vikings to win on Monday Night? Has Zygi Wolf issued the deadly vote of confidence yet?

by stujo4 on Oct 3, 2008 10:08 AM CDT reply actions

Umm.. should have looked at your blog before I typed this question

I encouraged everyone to go to the the Daily Norseman and enjoy Gonzo’s colorful language as he discusses the head coach. Here’s a good start:
http://www.dailynorseman.com/2008/9/28/623843/screw-you-brad-childress

by stujo4 on Oct 3, 2008 10:18 AM CDT up reply actions

What's up with the Purple?

I’ve never seen a Vikings game in person. I’m colorblind but my long suffering wife is not. She says the Vikings colors on the helmet and uniform appear to be blue on TV, but probably are purple. I always thought the helmet looked blue but the jerseys were definitely purple.

by stujo4 on Oct 3, 2008 10:11 AM CDT reply actions

I hear the same thing

People seem to think that that came about when the Vikings went to their new uniforms, but I’ve got one of the jerseys hanging up in my closet right now, and it is most definitely purple. But I understand what you’re saying about it. I’m not sure if it’s just the lighting at the Metrodome or what it is, but I agree that the uniforms DO have a tendency to appear blue on TV. Other than the lighting, I can’t really give you a good reason as to why that is.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Oct 3, 2008 1:02 PM CDT up reply actions

Saw a 1975 game on NFL Network recently, in the old outdoor stadium in Minneapolis

In December. Snow piled behind the benches. That must have been fun. What is the status of the Hubert H Humphrey metrodome? New stadium in the works or not?

by stujo4 on Oct 3, 2008 10:13 AM CDT reply actions

Unfortunately

Met Stadium was before my time. The game you reference there was a year before I was born, and every Vikings home game that I can remember since I’ve become a fan has taken place in the confines of the Metrodome.

I, personally, would love to see an outdoor stadium in Minneapolis again. Everything I’ve ever heard or read about it tells me that it presented the Vikings with a HUGE home field advantage, particularly when teams would come in from the warmer climates. Unfortunately, if Zygi Wilf wants to get any help getting a new stadium built from the People’s Republic of Minnesota, he’s going to have to have a roof on it, whether it’s permanent or retractable. With the current economic state and the way things have gone for the Vikings in negotiations thus far, I’m not holding my breath for it to happen any time soon, and that’s really pretty sad.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Oct 3, 2008 1:07 PM CDT up reply actions

Sidney Rice and what's the deal with Tarvaris Jackson?

How is the long term outlook for Sidney Rice? Is he projected to be a star sure thing, or is that up in the air? I just cut him from a fantasy league. He’s hurt now, but I couldn’t afford to wait.

When Tarvaris Jackson got his first couple of starts, he took some knocks but I remember telling a guy at the office that I thought he had some good potential, that he could be a good QB and the guy agreed with me. Well, that didn’t pan out. Who drafted him, whose project is he, who takes the blame for T Jack (assuming his career is in permanent decline now)?? Zygi or Brad?

I’d like to add that I hope the Saints win a superbowl in my lifetime, and after that, the Vikings. Bud Grant was a great coach and never got the true credit or recognition he and his teams deserved, not like they would have if they’d won a championship. I made what was probably one of my first bets (age 12) on the Chiefs in Superbowl IV and I clearly remember being very afraid they would lose to the Vikings. That was an entire team of badasses.

by stujo4 on Oct 3, 2008 1:38 PM CDT reply actions

I like Rice a lot

I think Rice has all the potential in the world. This year should be his senior year at South Carolina (he came out as a red-shirt sophomore), and when the Vikings drafted him, he hadn’t even hit the legal drinking age yet. He’s big, he’s got freakish leaping ability, and he’s got pretty darn good hands.

But I’ll transition this into the Jackson analysis by saying that I don’t know how much success offensive players can have in Brad Childress’ system. Granted, there’s Adrian Peterson, but he’s got so much God-given talent that it’s damn near impossible for even Brad Childress to screw that up. But, as someone from the Star-Tribune said the other day. . .the Vikings have had five different starting quarterbacks in the 36 games that Brad Childress has coached for Minnesota, and the passing offense has been terrible for basically his entire tenure.

For example. . .Gus Frerotte threw for 266 yards last week against Tennessee. That’s the most passing yards by a Viking QB in the Brad Childress era. Guys like Drew Brees go out and throw for 300 yards every damn week like it’s no big deal. . .we haven’t had a guy throw for 300 yards in a game since Childress ran Daunte Culpepper out of town. (And that’s a whole other rant right there.)

There eventually comes a point where you have to say to yourself, “You know, maybe the quarterback isn’t the problem here.” Because there’s no excuse for an offense that has the best rushing attack in the NFL to be this awful at throwing the football. I just don’t think any quarterback can be truly successful in the Brad Childress system.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Oct 3, 2008 7:29 PM CDT up reply actions

Do the Daunte Culpepper rant

I was going to bring him up, but it’s old news. But interesting, I think. What was the conflict with him and Childress?

by stujo4 on Oct 3, 2008 11:10 PM CDT up reply actions

To sum it up

Culpepper blew out his knee during the ‘05 season, right when it looked like he was turning things around after a rough start. Mike Tice finished out the season as Vikings coach, and then Brad Childress was hired shortly after the season ended. Here’s a basic summary of the relationship between Childress and Culpepper:

Childress: “Hey, you should be rehabbing that knee injury up here in Minnesota.”

Culpepper: “The doctors told me to stay in Florida to rehab.”

Childress: “Oh. . .I see.”

Culpepper: “So, do you suppose I could get a copy of the playbook?”

Childress: “Well. . .no, probably not.”

Culpepper: “Ummmm, okay. . .could you guys trade me, please?”

And they traded him, and our QB position has been terrible ever since.

Something tells me we should have gone after Drew Brees during the ‘06 off-season if we knew we weren’t bringing Culpepper back. But that would make sense and stuff.

The Daily Norseman - The greatest Vikings' site on the Internet!

by Christopher Gates on Oct 3, 2008 11:31 PM CDT up reply actions