MANKATO —
Another week?

Really?

Twelve to 14 more practices?

Really?

The Minnesota Vikings announced this week that they will return to Mankato for summer training camp, making it 47 years that the community has endured and catered to the state’s most popular sports team.

But over the last few years, their time here had dwindled to about two weeks.

Painful? Yes. Boring? Yes.

Tolerable? Yes.

There was some hope a few months ago that the state might build the Vikings a new stadium and adjoining practice facility at Arden Hills. Then there was the possibility that the state Legislature would balk at the new stadium, and the team would flee for the riches of southern California.

But now, it appears inevitable that the team will be staying in Minnesota for at least the next four decades, certainly longer than a grumpy sportswriter will be detailing summer practices.

About 25 years ago, these practices seemed interesting, even exciting, but the more times you stand on the sideline, sweating under a hot sum, watching adult males go through these drills, it become a little tiresome.

Really.

There are so many things you can be doing instead of watching a Vikings practice. Golf, fishing, happy hour, mowing the yard, watching paint dry … it might be more interesting to watch a Minnesota Twins doubleheader.

It will be fun to see some colleagues, a few of whom have been doing this for nearly as long. But most of them will be here a couple of days, then move on to something more interesting and maybe return in a few days.

The fans have fun because you take in one practice or maybe two, then fight for a half-hour to get autographs from the players, another venture that seemed so much more exciting back in the late ’60s.

And the local businesses will get another week to prosper, which is nice. Anytime that busloads of outsides drop a few coins into the local economy, it’s a good thing, but that economic impact number tossed around by local officials seems greatly inflated.

But if you have to attend nearly all of the practices, the allure wanes, feet quickly become sore and the brain goes numb. Something about these workouts that brings out the whiny side.

There are only so many interesting things to write about, and even fewer Vikings who care to talk about them.

Three weeks is about two weeks too many. The Timberwolves come to Mankato for a week and somehow figure out a way to prepare for their season, though in fairness, recent teams could’ve practiced for months and still not been relevant.

The Vikings are coming back. Into every sunny day, a little rain must fall.

Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353, e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com, check out his local sports blog or follow his Twitter feed @ChadCourrier.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

MANKATO —
Another week?

Really?

Twelve to 14 more practices?

Really?

The Minnesota Vikings announced this week that they will return to Mankato for summer training camp, making it 47 years that the community has endured and catered to the state’s most popular sports team.

But over the last few years, their time here had dwindled to about two weeks.

Painful? Yes. Boring? Yes.

Tolerable? Yes.

There was some hope a few months ago that the state might build the Vikings a new stadium and adjoining practice facility at Arden Hills. Then there was the possibility that the state Legislature would balk at the new stadium, and the team would flee for the riches of southern California.

But now, it appears inevitable that the team will be staying in Minnesota for at least the next four decades, certainly longer than a grumpy sportswriter will be detailing summer practices.

About 25 years ago, these practices seemed interesting, even exciting, but the more times you stand on the sideline, sweating under a hot sum, watching adult males go through these drills, it become a little tiresome.

Really.

There are so many things you can be doing instead of watching a Vikings practice. Golf, fishing, happy hour, mowing the yard, watching paint dry … it might be more interesting to watch a Minnesota Twins doubleheader.

It will be fun to see some colleagues, a few of whom have been doing this for nearly as long. But most of them will be here a couple of days, then move on to something more interesting and maybe return in a few days.

The fans have fun because you take in one practice or maybe two, then fight for a half-hour to get autographs from the players, another venture that seemed so much more exciting back in the late ’60s.

And the local businesses will get another week to prosper, which is nice. Anytime that busloads of outsides drop a few coins into the local economy, it’s a good thing, but that economic impact number tossed around by local officials seems greatly inflated.

But if you have to attend nearly all of the practices, the allure wanes, feet quickly become sore and the brain goes numb. Something about these workouts that brings out the whiny side.

There are only so many interesting things to write about, and even fewer Vikings who care to talk about them.

Three weeks is about two weeks too many. The Timberwolves come to Mankato for a week and somehow figure out a way to prepare for their season, though in fairness, recent teams could’ve practiced for months and still not been relevant.

The Vikings are coming back. Into every sunny day, a little rain must fall.

Chad Courrier is a Free Press staff writer. To contact him, call 507-344-6353, e-mail at ccourrier@mankatofreepress.com, check out his local sports blog or follow his Twitter feed @ChadCourrier.

What do you guys think about this.

Running low on time today, i’ll be back tomorrow hopefully with some more news.

Gotta run!.

Subscribe to our feed!.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Read More: Jared Allen (DE – MIN), Christian Ponder (QB – MIN), Minnesota Vikings

Supporters of a bill for a new Minnesota Vikings stadium project, including Gov. Mark Dayton, spent the weekend engaged in a furious round of fourth quarter lobbying to save the plan and possibly the team’s future in the state. The Minnesota House will vote on a $1 billion compromise plan, of which the state will pay roughly $400 million through gaming revenues.

Gov. Dayton and Vikings defensive end Jared Allen, who led the NFL with 22 sacks last season, held a rally at the Mall of America on Saturday urging supporters to press their legislators to support the bill. On Monday, Vikings fans and others supporting the bill, including the state’s labor unions and representatives of the business community, will rally on the capitol lawn. Second-year quarterback Christian Ponder will be on hand for that event.

Right now, Gov. Dayton believes the bill to be a few votes shy of passage, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune. That should make for one of the most watched floor debates in this year’s legislative session, as supporters and opponents twist and turn to sway a handful of voters on the fence.

Behind the scenes, an unusual alliance of business and labor leaders have taken on a more direct lobbying effort. The Governor has also met with legislative leaders to press their support.

Complicating matters is a Republican tax bill that Gov. Dayton vetoed Friday. The tax bill could return, in some form, as part of a compromise to bring in Republican votes for the stadium bill which is the Governor’s top priority for the end of this legislative session.

If the bill passes a House vote on Monday, it would then go the Senate for approval before landing on Gov. Dayton’s desk for a signature.

The Vikings’ lease on the Metrodome lapsed at the end of last season. The team will play there again in 2012, but is under no obligation to stay beyond that.

That’s all the news for today.

There is the quick update of the day.

Thanks for reading! .

Minnesota’s Kyle Rudolph, left, celebrates his one-yard touchdown catch in the fourth quarter with teammate Visanthe Shiancoe, right, against the Raiders. (Pioneer Press: Sherri LaRose-Chiglo) (Sherri LaRose-Chiglo)

THREE THINGS

Here is Vikings second-year tight end Kyle Rudolph â ¦

On entering his second season: “I compare it a lot to going into your sophomore year in college. You’ve already been through the whole (gamut) of things. You’re familiar with practice. You’re familiar with the routine. There’s a comfort level of being around all the people, especially us coming in last year without an offseason program (because of the lockout). Our first crack at it was training camp. Everything is new to you, and the rookie season itself – we’ve never had a season that long. I feel a whole lot more comfortable going into my second year.”

On the tight end position: “I think the tight end position is one right now that has taken off. People are realizing how much you can utilize a tight end and the mismatch problems they can pose on defenses. We want to do the same thing. We feel we can make a huge impact on our offense.”

On the Vikings signing fellow tight end and Notre Dame alum John Carlson: “(The Vikings) came to me and asked about John and my relationship with him. I probably was one of the people most for the decision. I can learn a ton from him, and I’m really excited to play alongside him. John can only make our offense better. John recruited me every time I was up there (at Notre Dame). He hosted me during all my visits.”

Thanks for visiting our blog =).

Was it really just two years ago that the Minnesota Vikings were coming off an overtime loss in the NFC Championship Game and appeared to be a team stocked with talent?

That sure seems like a long time ago.

The Vikings went 3-13 last season and will be picking third in the first round of this year’s draft. The 2011 Vikings were plagued by a lot of problems.

Among them:

• Bad quarterback decision to sign and play Donovan McNabb, who was eventually benched after six games.

• Bad defense. The Vikings were 21st overall and 31st against the pass.

• Bad offensive line play. The Vikings were 25th in sacks per pass play.

• Injuries. They were hit with a ton of them, the worst a late-season knee injury suffered by star running back Adrian Peterson, one that could slow him to open the 2012 season.

Coach Leslie Frazier faces a big challenge to turn this team around. There are a lot of holes, especially if Peterson can’t bounce back.

QB: The Vikings drafted Christian Ponder in the first round last year and many people scoffed. But he did some good things once he took over for McNabb. He is a smart player who understands the passing game and will get better as the people around him improve. He had 10 starts, but seemed to struggle as the season moved on. Joe Webb took over late when Ponder got hurt and also impressed. Webb is much more mobile, and that helped playing behind a bad offensive line. But if the Vikings are to make big strides here, it has to be with Ponder.

RB: The Vikings have one of the game’s best in Peterson, but how effective will he be coming off the torn-up knee? Peterson is one of those players who will put in the work, but there is no guarantee he will be the same player. He’s also entering his sixth season. Backup Toby Gerhart is also coming off a knee injury, but a lesser one. He was hurt in the team’s final game but is expected to be ready by late May. Gerhart impressed at times last season, rushing for 531 yards. Percy Harvin carries from the backfield at times and gained 345 yards. Lex Hilliard, Caleb King and Jordan Todman are the backups as of now.

WR: Harvin is this unit’s best player, but he averaged just 11.1 per catch on his 87 receptions. He has too much speed for that number to be that low. The problem is there isn’t much around him. Michael Jenkins has never played to his 40 time and had 38 catches for 466 yards. Devin Aromashodu caught 26 passes, but he did average 18 yards per catch. There isn’t much experience behind those three. Stephen Burton did catch two passes for 38 yards last season as a rookie and has some ability.

TE: Kyle Rudolph flashed future star potential as a rookie. He caught 26 passes but will increase that number a bunch this season. He is a big target who has decent speed. He will become one of Ponder’s go-to guys this season. The Vikings signed John Carlson from Seattle as a free agent. He is also a former Notre Dame tight end who is a capable receiver. Look for more two-tight sets. Mickey Shuler is listed as the third tight end.

OL: The line struggled in a big way in 2011. Left tackle Charles Johnson was overmatched by speed rushers and really was a problem. They need an upgrade there in the worst way. Johnson could slide inside to guard. Steve Hutchinson, the team’s left guard, was released for cap reasons and signed with Tennessee. Johnson could move to that spot to battle Joe Berger if a tackle were drafted early. Brandon Fusco is also in the mix. John Sullivan is a good center, although big players on his nose can give him problems. The right guard will be Geoff Schwartz, who comes over from Carolina. He was mostly used as a tackle with the Panthers. The right tackle is Phil Loadholt, who needs to amp up his game. He looks the part, but seems to coast at times. DeMarcus Love is the top backup at tackle. They will certainly use one pick and maybe two to upgrade this line.

DL: Jared Allen had a special season with 22 sacks. He proved that he has good football left in his body. He plays with a relentless style and has a great knack for getting to the quarterback. Brian Robison took over as the starter at left end when Ray Edwards left and did a nice job with eight sacks. It has to help that teams focus on Allen first. Everson Griffen is an athletic reserve at end who had four sacks. Christian Ballard, a rookie last year from Iowa, had eight quarterback hurries and should have a bigger role this season, maybe even some at tackle. Kevin Williams didn’t look as good last season as he had in previous years when he was dominant. He could be slowing down at the age of 32. Remi Ayodele wasn’t the answer next to him, so Letroy Guion will get the first shot there. He’s been a capable backup, who had three starts last season. Fred Evans is a good backup.

LB: Chad Greenway remains a steady player on the defense and led the team in tackles. He isn’t flashy, but gets the job done. Erin Henderson, who was fourth in tackles last season, will start on the weak side. The change will come in the middle where E.J. Henderson, Erin’s brother, is no longer with the team after being second in tackles last season. Jasper Brinkley, who spent last season on injured-reserve, will get the first crack to win the job if E.J. Henderson, who is still unsigned, doesn’t return. Marvin Mitchell and Tyrone McKenzie are backups inside with Larry Dean outside.

DB: The secondary was terrible. Teams threw all over the Vikings as they finished second-to-last in pass defense. Injuries crippled this unit. Only strong safety Jamarca Sanford opened as a starter and finished as a starter. He led the team with two picks. Two. Mistral Raymond started five games as a rookie and made a lot of mistakes. But he is expected to be the first one to get a shot to start opposite Sanford. Eric Frampton and Andrew Sendejo are the reserves. The Vikings added Zach Bowman and Chris Carr as free-agent corners to give this unit some help. Veteran Antoine Winfield, who played just five games because of injuries, is also back. Chris Cook, who had some off-field issues, is expected to be one starter. Asher Allen is a top reserve.

If you like reading our blog, remember to bookmark it.

Read More: 2012 nfl mock draft, Matt Kalil (OT – Southern Cal)

Offensive tackle Matt Kalil of the USC Trojans is definitely the best offensive line prospect out there in the 2012 NFL Draft. Andrew Luck of the Stanford Cardinal and Robert Griffin III of the Baylor Bears are almost a guarantee to go first and second overall regarding the Indianapolis Colts and the Washington Redskins. So it’s very likely that the Minnesota Vikings will end up grabbing him next.

DraftTek releases his latest mock, and the Vikings end up taking Kalil third overall with their first round pick .

In a recent article , Clark Judge sums things up pretty well. In short, if you have the QB, and the Vikings believe they do, then give him the protection he needs to succeed. I’d add that, in a worst-case scenario, if Ponder fails and the Vikings are picking in the Top 5 again next year, there will be a number of solid QB prospects available like Matt Barkley or Landry Jones. At least with a solid OL, they’ll find out much quicker whether their QB has the ability to succeed or not.

To discuss the mock draft with Vikings fans and figure out whether they should pick Kalil, go to Daily Norseman. To talk about how good Kalil is with USC football fans, check out Conquest Chronicles. Hit up Mocking the Draft to learn more about mock drafts.

Check out the SB Nation NFL Draft YouTube channel below and see if you’re interested in subscribing to the videos.

Leave any suggestions in the comment box.

If anybody needs tickets to games, remember to click the tickets link at the top.

Subscribe to our feed!.

Leave your comments on the news below.