MVN: Most Valuable Network

Anthony Chergosky from DailyNorseman.com gives us a look at the 2009 Minnesota Vikings.


When you think of the 2009 Minnesota Vikings, two words probably enter your mind: Brett Favre. But when taking a look at the team, its chances of repeating as NFC North champs, and its opportunity to go further in the playoffs than it did last season, Favre is just the tip of the iceberg. All over the field and on both sides of the ball, the Vikings are a team built for success this season.

This team's bread and butter is still its ability to run the ball and defend the run.  We're not sure what remains to be said about the NFL's leading rusher (Adrian Peterson) and his sidekick (Chester Taylor) -- and despite the uncertain status of both Pat and Kevin Williams, who could be suspended for the first four games of the season, the Williams Wall remains just as solid as its been over the last several seasons.  The biggest question mark when it comes to the running game is, like last season, the offensive line -- the departure of Matt Birk leaves John Sullivan (a sixth round pick in the 2008 draft) as the team's starting center, while rookie Phil Loadholt will likely be replacing Ryan Cook on the right side of the line.

Another significant change on the roster comes in the secondary, with safety Tyrell Johnson stepping in for the departed Darren Sharper.  Johnson, a second round selection by the Vikings in 2008, saw the field quite a bit last season and was solid but not spectacular.  The Vikings will also need Johnson's counterpart, Madieu Williams, to stay healthy -- he missed seven games due to injury last season.  Back up front, Jared Allen racked up 14.5 sacks last season and unquestionably lived up to lofty expectations.

The most intrigue, of course, surrounds the passing attack -- because of both the selection of Percy Harvin in the draft and the probable addition of Favre.  Harvin is a player who can be used in a plethora of ways, and we're more concerned about the coaching staff's ability to use him creatively than we are about any of the so-called "character concerns" that damaged his draft stock.  Meanwhile, Favre's recovery from surgery on his throwing arm is ongoing, but he figures to be ready for training camp.  He'll be surrounded by weapons, from Peterson out of the backfield to Bernard Berrian and Harvin in the receiving corps.  The stage is set for the 39-year-old quarterback to excel this season, and we're especially excited about the newly-revamped passing attack's ability to take pressure off of Peterson.  Though he led the league in rushing yards last season, Peterson was nonetheless hampered by relentless defensive pressure -- which both Tarvaris Jackson and Gus Frerotte failed to loosen.  This season should be a much different story

With Favre at the helm, we're anticipating a second-consecutive NFC North title for the Vikings -- an 11-5 record sounds about right, which will be enough to fend off a challenge from the Chicago Bears.  As for the playoffs?  Well, by now, we're smart enough to not even get into that.

Hey gang, great to see ya'll again!

I'm not dead.  I haven't forgotten about you.

I wasn't planning on doing this for my first post, but the more I think about it the more I realize that this situation needs to be addressed.  And while I know that many of you have reached a level of Brett Favre saturation that seems impossible given that we're still in the month of May, I'm still going to talk about him.

I really need to get this off of my chest.  I also promise that barring some kind of worthwhile news, this will be the last time I bring this guy up.  Don't expect me to respond to every little piece of turd breaking news story that gets reported.  If he gets signed, expect my comments.  But until then, once this post is complete, I'm finished.

Seriously.  I promise.

There really is no effective way to preface this so I won't even bother trying.

I hate Brett Favre.

And no, I don't mean hate like I would gladly smack the hell out of him if I ran into him at the supermarket hate.  I don't hate athletes in that way and I don't think any other sane people do.  I would never wish ill will on the guy or his family, and I guess I would say that I respect him for the contributions he's made to the game... but I still hate him.

I have been rooting for the Vikings since I was young enough to know what I was doing, and I have been a full-blown fan since 1998.  The Vikings have gone through many changes since then; we've seen quite a few players and coaches come and go.  A cowboy from Texas bought the team and tried his best to run it into the ground.  A Jewish guy from New York bought the team and looks as if he's trying to put together a winner.  Writers from all over the country seemed to be nominating the Vikings as the team most likely to fill the vacancy in Los Angeles.  Some shitty playoff losses.  A few nice wins.  They drafted Randy Moss and traded him six seasons later.

But there has always been one constant in the life of the Vikings.

Brett Fucking Favre.

Brett Favre has been a Packer for every season that I've been a fan of the Vikings save for one.  He was a bad-guy in the NFC Central, and he was a bad-guy in the NFC North.  He won MVP awards and a Super Bowl.  The Vikings had neither.  The Packers became one of the better teams year in and year out, meanwhile the Vikings remained mediocre.  The bastard even made me choose a new favorite color.  I used to love green, but after enough years of watching this guy and listening to the media talk about how great he was for years on end, green became only one half of green and yellow.  And green and yellow meant the Packers.  They meant Brett Favre.  And I hated Brett Favre. 

And now, here we are in some kind of alternate reality where it appears Favre will ultimately be a Viking.  My arch nemesis, the guy who made a chunk of my football-loving life just a little bit shittier, is on the verge of spending his last year in Purple.  I hate this.  It stinks.

Now I know that in an era of modern economics and free agency, developing any kind of long-term feelings towards players is foolish.  We're basically rooting for laundry and a fancy logo.  I understand that.  And it's true... most of the time.

Brett Favre is one of those transcendent players who's identity is firmly entrenched with one team.  Like Larry Bird and the Celtics or Dan Marino and the Dolphins, when you think of him, you think of his team.  And that team is Green Bay.

That's why this sucks so much.  Football reasons aside, Brett Favre just isn't a Viking.  It's wrong on a cosmic level.  It should be one of those universe-ending paradoxes or something.

I mean in football terms, I suppose Favre even at his advanced age and with a gooey arm, could potentially be an improvement at the quarterback position.  Supposing I could look past all of the problems I have with seeing this guy in Purple, which I can't, I can see what Childress and Speilman are thinking.  Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels are currently in the stable.  Those two names don't strike fear into the heart of anyone; let alone professional football players.

But suppose Favre steps in and succeeds, and through some act of cruel irony, leads the Vikings to their first championship.  How would you feel?  I know, I know.  It's a title, who the hell cares?  But after the shock and pure elation wear off, and we sit back and really reflect, would the joy of the team's first championship really be worth the deal we made with the devil?  It would be like Derek Jeter leaving the Yankees and helping the Red Sox snap the curse of the Bambino before retiring.  It would be like the rebels borrowing Darth Vader to help destroy the Death Star and then giving him back to the Empire.

Could we really live with ourselves knowing that BRETT FAVRE was the guy that lead this team to the promised land?

I can just see him at his induction ceremony in Canton now, talking about his Green Bay years and how they were the best in his life.  And how he feels badly now because that little stint in Minny was just a jab at his old boss.  Water under the bridge.  Forgive and forget.  Favre and Thompson hug on stage and he puts those horrid colors on one more time.

Ugh.  Just writing that feels disgusting.  I think I need to take a shower.

I know that some of you would be perfectly fine with that scenario.  And I don't fault you for it.  But to me, it just stinks.  I would rather battle all season with guys who want to be here for the Vikings and miss out on the playoffs than watch "the 'ol gunslinger" run around the Metrodome in Purple.  Even if it means waiting another 40 years for a title, it will make that day that much sweeter.  The Vikings did it on their own.  They didn't need to rent Green Bay's resident hero to get the job done.

You can throw numbers at me all day.  I don't care.  I know what he's capable of and I know what he's done.  I've been watching him do it in Green Bay since 1995.  I know he makes plays.  I know that most of the time, he gets the job done.  I've been watching him do it in Green Bay since 1995.  I know he's a winner.  That's why his jersey will be retired in Green Bay once he's really done.  That's why he'll have a street named after him (if he doesn't already).  Success or failure, wins or losses, he's not our guy.  He's theirs.

Not to mention the money the Vikings would be saving if they avoided him.  $10 million dollars for a guy that has thrown two POSTSEASON OVERTIME INTERCEPTIONS?  Wouldn't that money be better spent on a guy that has been a cornerstone of this team's defense for the past five years?  Or maybe the team needs some new weights or towels or something.  Or maybe they could get a draft pick or two signed before camp.

Anything but him.

Just stay home Brett.

Just say no Childress.

We've got this on our own.



(PS-- Welcome back Kenechi.  Damn good to see you on the field again.)

Howdy gang. 

As most of you are aware, today is my first day on the job, so go easy on me.  And no, this post isn't going to be about the blog's namesake.  We currently find ourselves in the belly of the off-season with ample time for me to rant and rave about the god-forsaken Vikings.  Instead, I wanted to take this opportunity to give you, my loyal and adoring readership, an idea of just who the hell I am, and what to expect over the next few weeks (and if anyone actually reads this, months).

So here it goes.

You can call me Zig. I have a real name, but for a number of reasons mostly involving my job and certain rules that my employer may or may not have stating "Freelance writing contributions of any kind to any other company or media entity are strictly forbidden and such contributions will result in immediate termination."  I'm not going to reveal it.  My friends have been calling me Zig since 5th grade, and it's served me well thus far.

I'm a 25 year-old guy that lives in New England and works at a fairly-popular sports news television station that is headquartered in Bristol, Connecticut (you know, the job with the rules).  Some of you are probably wondering how exactly a kid that grew up in New England wound up with an undying love for the Minnesota Vikings, and lucky you, I have an answer for that question.

I blame it all on my father.  During some of my younger and more impressionable years he would buy me Vikings posters and force me to watch Vikings highlights on SportsCenter on Monday morning.  Before long I was hooked, and while live Vikes games were a rare treat back then, I fell in love with a football team that was 1500 miles away.  I watched the 1998 debacle on television with dear old dad and had my guts ripped out like so many other Vikings fans across the country.  I still consider that game my official initiation into the club.  From that day forward, my father and I stopped having "bad days" and started having "days that are slightly better than that day."  I'm sure many of you know exactly what I'm talking about.

If I was smart, I would have ejected then.  This team would bring me nothing but pain and despair.  I knew it.

But, I'm not all that smart, as you will soon see.  I hung on, and then another terrible thing happened:

DirectTV released Sunday Ticket, and suddently I could watch every Vikings game as if I lived in Minneapolis.

I've seen 99% of the games this team has played since.  At my older age now I can even catch the games at a bar.  This is my usual course of action.  For some reason, the Vikes seem to play better when I have six beers and a cheeseburger in me.  The alcohol also makes the inevitable overwhelming stupidity easier to manage.

But enough about me.  I'm not all that interesting and I'm sure many of you have already stopped reading this.  If you haven't, then I apologize, because it's not going to get any better. 

Onto what you can expect from the War Cry.  As of right now, given that I am the sole contributor and we're in the middle of the slowest time of year, I'll be doing two column-style posts a week.  Topics and length will vary (sometimes greatly) from post-to-post.  As news picks up and we march closer to the regular season my posts will increase in frequency (and hopefully) quality.  As other writers join up they will announce their own schedules accordingly.

This will not be a news site.  I don't have the time, resources, or frankly inclination to try to break any kind of news ahead of the army of writers that cover the NFL for a living.  What you will be getting here is my opinion and commentary on many things Vikings-related.  I can get pretty worked up, and there will occasionally be profanity.  I don't swear like a sailor, but be forewarned, the content here may occasionally be Rated-R.

This site will have some interactive features (mailbags and things), and for the love of all things holy, PLEASE COMMENT.  I'M NOT WRITING THIS FOR MY HEALTH, I'M WRITING IT FOR YOU, THE READERSHIP.  Comment frequently.  It doesn't even matter what you say, just say something.  You think I'm a genius?  Comment it.  Would you like to see me jump face-first into a bonfire?  Comment it.  You want the secret recipe for my famous meatball pierogis?  Comment it.  The War Cry is a site operated by Vikings fans, for Vikings fans.  Let's talk football.  You are officially invited to participate.

That's all I have for now, at least about me.  Vikings-talk is just around the corner.

So, do you think we can be friends?

Whelp, this is it -- after 539 articles, 61 game recaps, three NFL Drafts, and more than a few Favre/Childress/T-Jack rants, I'm heading over to Daily Norseman starting this weekend.  Thanks again for all the good times here over the last several years.

I leave at one of the stranger moments we've ever seen in franchise history -- with a long-time rival seemingly on the verge of wearing purple for the 2009 season.  And yet, perhaps stuff like this isn't terribly unusual.  Of all the teams in the league, few are better than the Vikings at throwing their fans curveballs, breaking hearts, and doing the unexpected.

And ironically, that's why I've always stuck by this team and always will stick by it.  There's something irresistible about the constant twists and turns we're forced to ensure as Vikings fans, even though those twists and turns often involve gut-wrenching defeats, stunning letdowns, etc.

Why do so many of us remain loyal to the team?  I'm convinced there's a certain charm involved in rooting for a team that has never reached the top.  A certain "Charlie Brown" quality to it -- the football has been yanked from us countless times, and yet you're still here reading a Vikings blog and I'm still here writing one.  We're a persistent bunch, us Vikings fans. 

I remember overhearing a dad talking about his son, a new Vikings fan.  His son was apparently devastated by the 2003 holy-crap-what-just-happened Vikings-Cardinals game that knocked our squad out of the playoff picture (you suck, Nate Poole!).  He told his son that "this isn't the first time they'll break your heart" -- and he was speaking the dang truth.  Nevertheless, there's not another team in the National Football League I'd even consider rooting for over the Vikings.

Here's to a Lombardi Trophy during our lifetimes -- I've always convinced myself that the Vikes will win one while I'm still around, despite all the things they do to make me doubt it.  They're gonna win one eventually, right?  Uh...right, guys?

With that, I'm outta here -- I'll see you over at DN in the coming days.  And, of course, a very warm welcome to Zig!

Oh... hey there.

I'm Zig, and I'm the guy that will be taking over for our esteemed Mr. Hall when he rides off into the sunset on Thursday night.  Now, I'm sure some of you are wondering, "what kind of a name is Zig?" and it is a good question.  Truth be told, I have real name, but due to some potential issues involving my current job and what I may or may not be allowed to do on the internet, I can't reveal it.  It's super-secret.  So, for now at least, Zig will have to do.

I'm not going to go into too much detail about myself, at least not while Anthony is still with us.  This is still very much his ship, and I don't want to get into his way during his last day or so aboard.  But don't you worry, once he's gone, I'll fill you in.  By the time all is said and done and they're playing football in Minneapolis this September, we'll all be very well acquainted.

So now that you've all seen my face, I'll return to the shadows so that Anthony can spend his last day where he belongs; sharing his insight with all of you.

But once he's gone, you're mine.  And I mean that in the nicest way possible.  Really, I do.

More to come on Friday.  Stay tuned.

(Oh, and for anyone that is interested, the War Cry is still looking for a few good men.  So, if you read at or near a fourth-grade level, can form somewhat coherent sentences, and love Vikings football, drop a line to (vikingswarcry@gmail.com) and we'll see if we can find a home for you.)

Over at The National Football Post, Andrew Brandt raises a point about Favre that should probably be taken seriously.  Brandt speculates that there is one factor that will influence Favre's decision more than any others -- it's not his injury nor his chances of winning a championship, but instead, it's how much the Vikings can boost his ego:

If the Vikings woo Brett the way he wanted to be wooed in Green Bay last year and was not, and the way he was wooed last year by the Jets, he will likely play in Minnesota. If they don't and express lukewarm interest, he will probably stay retired.

Yes, Brett was hurt by the Packers' decision to move on with Aaron Rodgers last year, but that alone will not make him return to play for the Vikings. The Vikings have to court him with the enthusiasm and passion that would make him feel like he's truly the missing piece. Then, and only then, will he return.

Well, I guess this would reinforce Chad Greenway's suspicion that any attempted comeback by Favre would be a self-centered one.  That's the big question about this saga -- is Favre's desire to potentially play for the Vikings a result of him wanting to win a championship, wanting to improve his legacy, wanting to get some revenge on the Packers, waiting to pad his ego, etc., etc.?  It's an impossible question to answer because the only one who can answer it is Brett Favre himself -- and hell, he might not even know what his motivations are.

Though I've been a staunch advocate of doing whatever it takes to lure Favre back for another season, it's perfectly legitimate to raise the questions that Brandt and Greenway are raising.  There's little doubt that the enthusiasm with which the Vikings express interest will impact Favre's decision -- the guy's ego-driven to a large extent, and if he's approached as the final piece of the Vikings' Super Bowl puzzle, I completely agree with Brandt that Favre will be in purple this year.

Of course, I wouldn't go so far as to discount other factors such as the team's assessment of his partially torn biceps, how willing Favre is to participate in offseason activities, and if the Vikings ultimately grow tired of him dragging his feet.  In fact, the sudden inactivity in this storyline is likely a result of Favre doing just that -- dragging his feet -- to either gain leverage on the Vikings or avoid the team's offseason programs.  The continuation of this saga for the foreseeable future is frustrating, but it's just part of the Brett Favre dance.

Another day of silence on the Favre saga from the all-knowing unnamed sources, but Chad Greenway has caused a bit of a stir this week with some comments he made after a Monday appearance at a Minnesota middle school.  Greenway's standing up for T-Jack and Rosenfels, and he wonders where, exactly, Favre's loyalties lie:

"So we have Sage [Rosenfels] and Tarvaris [Jackson], who are in there as great quarterbacks, great experienced quarterbacks who we are going to be behind. ... Unless something happens or changes, there is really no speculation about it. We should move on and go on with Sage and Tarvaris like we have been."

"[Favre has] retired a couple of times, so you wonder where his loyalties lie," Greenway said. "For us, it's about we're moving forward with what we've got here. We have a team that can obviously win at a high level and we have a team that, moving forward, we think can really compete for an NFC North title again and get to the championship game and hopefully further. As good as something may sound, we have a great team to play with right now, and there is no sense in looking outside of what we have within our 53 [-man roster]."

Well, I certainly appreciate the fact that a prominent member of the team is showing support for T-Jack and Rosenfels -- two guys who have to be extremely discouraged by the Favre rumors.  It is, however, a stretch to say those guys are "great" quarterbacks, as they often fail to reach the "adequate" level much less the "great" level.  Chad's just being a good team player, and although I completely disagree with him, it's good to see him standing up for his guys -- even if his comment about Favre's loyalties is a tad bizarre.

I do see what he's referring to -- the possibility that Favre is doing this purely for personal reasons and would be unconcerned with the rest of the guys in the locker room -- and based on the reports of Favre being a distant presence in the Jets locker room last season, he might not be terribly off-target.  Still, you take the quarterback that gives you the best chance to win, and that's where Greenway misses the point.  He might need to do a bit of backtracking if the Favre deal comes to fruition.

Once again, there isn't a whole lot new in the Brett Favre saga, so the mainstream media found its way to Mark Wilf for today's nugget of Favre news.  Wilf dodges the Favre-related questions just as you'd expect him to, and in the end, this is the most noteworthy bit of information that emerged from his appearance at a community luncheon:

"The reality is we understand everyone's curiosity about it," Wilf said. "This is something that every day we are working on making our team better and we are going to evaluate every player that comes through the door and that would include Brett Favre as well. ... That process continues every day and a player like Brett would be included in that evaluation. Just like any other player. He's a Hall of Fame quarterback and great competitor, and ultimately you have to ask Brett Favre what his plans are. Sure there is interest in Brett Favre but that's part of the process in general."

Well, it's hard to "ask Brett Favre what his plans are" when he isn't saying anything to the media.  Of course, Brett's not the only one keeping his mouth shut as the circus continues to unfold in Winter Park -- not a soul is saying anything meaningful on-the-record about the Favre ordeal which has fueled the firestorm of rumors that have relied on unnamed sources.

Guess the only other thing worth noting today is a tidbit from a recent Souhan column -- Jim appears to have been the first to report that Favre is once again working out with the Oak Grove High School football team, something that's become a regular offseason ritual for him.  Here's what J.D. Simpson, a friend of Favre who observed the workouts, said to Souhan:

"His arm is there. He's had the same problem with his left arm that he's having with his right. He told me John Elway had the same problem in his last year. It's a certain throwing angle or motion that hurts. It doesn't hurt all the time, though, and just looking at him throwing, you can't tell there's anything wrong with it."

Just another aspect of the story that has to raise your eyebrows, even if the news of Favre working out with a high school football team isn't exactly earth shattering.

Finally, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has been engaging in an interesting dialogue with Rick Schwartz, the Yahoo! Sports writer who reported last week that Favre was not making a comeback.  Jeremy Schapp broke the x-ray story a day after Schwartz's story ran, which has prompted this big question: Why did outlets like ESPN, SI and Fox Sports hype Schwartz's story so much when the report ended up being contradicted roughly 24 hours later?  I doubt many people take seriously Schwartz's claim that he is "100% accurate" in reporting that Favre is not coming back, as his attempt to make a splash in the NFL media appears to have failed miserably.