Minnesota Vikings: Start Pat Elflein…Somewhere20 of 32

1. Jim Mone/Associated Press

   The Minnesota Vikings got a gift in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft in the form of Ohio State center Pat Elflein. When they traded up to select him, Mike Mayock of NFL Network hailed the pick.
   "One of the most technically advanced offensive lineman in this draft," Mayock said. "He's not the best athlete in the world, but he's technically proficient. He's one of those guys that will play 10 years in the NFL. I love the fact that he can play center and both guards. Really solid pick by the Vikings."
   However, Minnesota head coach Mike Zimmer isn't one to just hand starting spots to rookies. In that respect, it wasn't surprising that Nick Easton spent the majority of OTAs as the team's starter in the middle of the offensive line, per Matt Vensel of the Star Tribune.
   The same Nick Easton who ranked 36th at the position (per PFF) in 400 snaps and change a year ago.
   According to Football Outsiders, the Vikings had the third-worst run-blocking line in the NFL last season. Elflein happens to be an excellent run-blocker with starting experience at both center and guard.
   This shouldn't be rocket science.
   
   http://bleacherreport.com/articles/27214...ended_pool

Vikings Camp Preview 2017: Quarterback
With a little under a week until rookies report for camp, it’s time to take a look at the Vikings 90 man roster (currently at 89) and how camp will have a significant impact on who makes the final …

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Nah, I didnt think so. Me neither. 

But I'll say this, I have a feeling the next CBA discussions arent going to be all puppies and unicorns.

NFL players have to be looking @ NBA with a lot of envy. 

@JimmyinSD might find this interesting since he is my Q brother. I have become something of an enthusiast over the years and am constantly looking for validation of my techniques and reviewing against others. Jimmy probabaly knows every time I cook, or at least a good number of times I cook as I usually drop him a text asking him "what was the the how you did that thing with the chicken/ribs/beef etc again?" I reached my pinnacle achievment of validation recently when a friend of my wife's from Austin TX told me that my brisket stood up to anything she had ever had before. 

So something that I find satisfying is looking at a list of local BBQ joints and reading the reviews to see things like "AMAZING! BEST BBQ in the MIDWEST" and other such raving reviews, only to try it and find out your own is like 10 times better. 

Today I went to a little local hole in the wall called "Smoke In The Pit BBQ" in South Minneapolis... And I mean that's all it was, a hole in the wall your order through and get your food out of. I actually usually take that as a good sign. So I talked to the people running it for a bit.Saw a pic of their pit and sure enough it was a drum.... but sideways. Told them they had their drum knocked over.... I think they were taken aback by a white guy that looked like he could be Andy Griffith's deputy chatting them up about their Q. But they were friendly folks. 

Anyway I got a pound of their brisket and a tub of slaw.... Well the brisket was decent. It had moke flavor and there was a bit of a smoke ring but nothing to write home about. It had ok bark for how moist the meat was but you could tell it was sliced and set in beef broth for keeping. I suppose that's how it goes for serving as a restaurant. The only real problem with the product was that every other bite had a big piece of fat in it. I don't mind fat but you gotta trim your fat caps on your brisket. I can imagine if you are a restaurant trying to stretch the product that it would be easy to leave a bit too much fat on but honestly the product would have been markedly improved if there wasn't sooo much fat flavor in there never mind the texture that too much fat provides. Then again there is so much room for opinion in Q as to what people like. But in my opinion fat imparts a flavor of it's own and too much of it takes away from the flavor provided by the meat fibers. 

The slaw was a creamy mustardy slaw that for my preference had too much "juice" to it. I like a creamy slaw but not when it is too soupy. This would have been great on a pulled pork sandwich as a topper, but as a standalone was a bit too soupy for me. 

Anyway I gave them 3/5 stars in my review. If you are in Minneapolis and haven't been there I would recommend giving it a try. And then after that let me serve you dinner sometime. 

http://www.vikings.com/news/lunch-break/article-1/Lunchbreak-Stefon-Diggs-Equates-Running-Routes-to-Painting/f6fe51a9-1236-4b0f-9b2e-f232ac34b73b

Stefon Diggs Equates Running Routes to Painting

Stefon Diggs recently repped the Vikings in London, spending time with youth and connecting with NFL fans across the pond.
While there, Diggs also spoke with Peter Carline of Daily Mail, a UK-based publication. The wide receiver has scored seven touchdowns in two seasons, all of them against NFC North opponents – and he hopes to change that statistic this season.

“I’ve got to open it up a little bit and have more fun out there,” Diggs told Carline. “I feel like I haven’t touched the [end] zone as much as I would like to. And it’s my job to do it.”Never one to shy away from responsibility, Diggs also vowed to be more intentional about in avoiding injury. 

Full article at link.

Why have them if their not going to use them.  Minneapolis Police are having a rough one.....

This time it's a Blonde 40 year old White lady, that called 911.

https://patch.com/minnesota/southwestmin...s-shooting

Starting to see a pattern? Link

Mike Zimmer cleared to resume flyingPosted by Josh Alper on July 16, 2017, 5:12 PM EDTGetty ImagesVikings coach Mike Zimmer has reportedly gotten the go ahead to return to the friendly skies.
Zimmer has been grounded since having an eighth surgery in hopes of repairing a torn retina and there was some doubt recently if he would get cleared to fly back to Minnesota from Northern Kentucky for the start of training camp. A gas bubble inserted to stabilize the retina had not dissolved as quickly as expected, which necessitated another visit to an ophthalmologist in Cincinnati.
Brian Murphy of the Pioneer Press reports that Zimmer passed another test during that visit and was given the green light to fly as a result. He’s expected to be fitted for contact lenses after ruling out surgery to have a permanent lens inserted on his right eye.
Zimmer is due back in Minnesota later this week. Rookies are due to report to camp on July 23 and the whole squad will be in on July 26.


Hopefully he doesn't get bumped from his flight...

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