The refs are alive and well in Green Bay.

That was a quick hook...

my sweet kid, who turned 16 yesterday, is in critical contition and will be operated on tomorrow.  she has sonething called TEN syndrome--a vicious auto immune disease brought in by an allergic reaction to a medicine.  affects 6 in 1 million.  she is at the Grossman Burn Center here in LA.  we are here because the disease attacks the skin and lining of the mouth throat esophagus, and stomach.  the skin falls off in sheets.  therefore it is treated like a burn. the operation is to remove affected skin, cover with temporary skin and then try to keep infection ar bay.  this has all happened in the last 3 days.
please pray for this wonderful child.  she is loving, fierce and strong.  she has been through so much--as if our house burning was not enough--now she has this.  im frightened but turning it over to God.  

hug your loved ones

ivar (Caactorvike)

When the 2016 season began, there was a consensus around the NFL that Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr was among the best at his position and one of the most exciting young defensive players in the league. But a down year pushed Barr and Mike Zimmer to search for answers this offseason.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/0...provement/

The circumstances could not have been more difficult for Sam Bradford a year ago. Unhappy in Philadelphia, and destined to fall behind first-round pick Carson Wentz on the depth chart, Bradford was dealt to Minnesota eight days before the regular season after Teddy Bridgewater suffered a catastrophic knee injury.
While Bradford was granted his wish to be the unquestioned starter, he also had to learn a new offense in a matter of days. He did not play in the opener in Tennessee in an attempt to give him more time to absorb the Vikings’ scheme.
A year later, things could not be more different for Bradford.
Because of that the 29-year-old finds himself entering a career-defining season in which we will learn whether the top-overall pick in the 2010 draft  is destined to be considered a game manager or whether circumstances and misfortune held him back during his time with the St. Louis Rams and Eagles.
To put it simply: Bradford has never had it as good as he will this season.
This is not to say that everything is perfect, but any NFL quarterback who expects his surroundings to be perfect likely has found another line of work by now. 
The Vikings have bent over backwards to put Bradford in a position to succeed...
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/0...situation/

The NFL analytics website Football Outsiders is not impressed by the Minnesota Vikings’ changes on offense.
In their 2017 projections, FO ranked the Vikings as the 22nd best offense in the league in DVOA – a stat that adjusts yards to situations. Last year, Minnesota finished 26th in DVOA.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2017/0...s-offense/

Vikings general manager Rick Spielman does plenty of research on draft prospects. When it came to center Pat Elflein, some of the information Spielman got was from his niece.
Spielman’s brother, former NFL linebacker Chris Spielman, lives in Columbus, Ohio. His daughter, Maddie, was roommates at Ohio State with Emily Lachey — Elflein’s girlfriend — and took classes there with Elflein.
When Spielman asked his brother about Elflein’s character, he relayed what he had heard from Maddie.
“My daughter is the same age (23) as Pat and she says he’s a great kid,” said Chris Spielman, a two-time All-American with the Buckeyes. “She speaks very highly of him. I just know that if my daughter says he’s a great guy, then he’s a great guy.”
Elflein is also a pretty good football player. After being taken in the third round of the April draft, he is set to be the first rookie center to start a Vikings opener since Mick Tingelhoff in 1962 in Monday night’s game against the New Orleans Saints at U.S. Bank Stadium.


http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/08/con...ng-center/

Nick Easton started the final five games last season at center for the Vikings, and now he’s at left guard.
So what will be the key for Easton in Monday night’s opener against New Orleans at U.S. Bank Stadium?
“Just got to focus on not snapping the ball and blocking my guy,’’ Easton said Thursday.
vikings-offensive-line-coach-confident-in-nick-easton-moving-to-left-guard

Laquon Treadwell hasn’t felt this way since the days leading up to Jan. 1, 2016.
That’s when Treadwell was getting ready for Mississippi to face Oklahoma State in the Sugar Bowl. Treadwell caught six passes for 71 yards in his final college game, a 48-20 Rebels victory.
After being taken by the Vikings with the No. 23 pick in the first round of the 2016 draft, the wide receiver barely played as a rookie, catching one pass for 15 yards. But Treadwell should have a role in Monday night’s opener against New Orleans at U.S. Bank Stadium, and the anticipation has been building.
“I’m very excited,” he said. “You know, I haven’t played since college. So it’s just that whole thrill of game week, getting ready, getting antsy and knowing you’re going to be out there.”

http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/08/vik...-lifetime/

In previous years, the Vikings often have elected their captains by a vote of players. This season, the choice was made by head coach Mike Zimmer.
Selected as captains by Zimmer were quarterback Sam Bradford, tight end Kyle Rudolph, tackle Riley Reiff, defensive ends Everson Griffen and Brian Robison and cornerback Terence Newman. That’s three on offense and three on defense.
Rudolph, Griffen and Robison are holdover captains from last season.
“It’s obviously a great honor,’’ said Rudolph, a seven-year veteran. “I’m going to be the same person I’ve been since I got here, a guy that tries to lead by example.’’
Bradford joined the Vikings last September when they had already chosen captains for the season. Reiff has become a captain in his first year in Minnesota.
“Riley, he’s mean and nasty and he brings that mentality to that offensive line and really to our whole offense,’’ Bradford said.
It’s the first time Newman has been a captain in his three years with the Vikings. Newman turned 39 last Monday and could be playing his final NFL season.
“It goes without saying that Terence is one of the leaders of this team,’’ Rudolph said. “He’s been around, he’s seen everything (in the NFL).’’
http://www.twincities.com/2017/09/09/vik...n-defense/