Wednesday Blizzard

Tom Powers on playing Tarvaris Jackson: "you can't flush an entire season down the drain while you try to develop a quarterback. [...] OK, they screwed up. Everybody makes a mistake. But do they have to pretend they didn't? There's no reason to live with this error week after week." Hey, if I read a lousy columnist long enough, eventually he'll write something I agree with.

Tarvaris Jackson says he can "play around" his injury, but if he's a 46% passer with a good hand, what's he going to do with a broken finger (Pioneer Press)?

PFT's Mike Florio writes at the Sporting News of Adrian Peterson: "the real question moving forward for Peterson and the Vikings is whether he is going to be a great player on a winning team. Or whether he is going to be the next Barry Sanders, who could run like no other but never really won? [...] Far too many great running backs -- Sanders, Gayle Sayers, O.J. Simpson, etc. -- never had a capable quarterback who could take advantage of defenses loaded up to stop the run." The article focuses on the short-term, so there's no need to hammer it, but it's pure speculation whether Adrian Peterson will be a great RB wasted on a bad team. He's a rookie, and we don't know who the coach or quarterback of the team might be in 2008, much less in the period 3-7 years from now when Peterson could be in his prime (and it's worth noting that the Lions went to the playoffs in 5 of his 10 seasons--pretty impressive since they have a total of 9 playoff appearances since their last championship in 1957. But this perhaps proves Florio's point about Sanders more than negates it).

Outsports writes on a former Gopher basketball player coming out.

Cold Hard Football Facts writes that the Patriots are chasing not the 1998 Vikings' scoring record, but the 1950 Rams' scoring record (I agree--and we need to take note of more per game records to recognize the players and teams from the 12 and 14 game eras).

I take care of my son at home two days a week, and often while we play around with toys on the floor I have the TV on (this is my attempt at an excuse for watching Dr. Phil). Yesterday I saw Mitch Albom on the show, sharing the wisdom of Morrie to help save peoples' marriages.

To further explore my TV watching, last night's Cavemen episode featured one of the cavemen substitute teaching at a high school whose nickname was "The Fighting Savages." Students ran around with clubs saying "Ook! Ook!" and the mascot was a big caveman with exaggerated features. I think it was actually relevant to the controversy over sports teams and Native American mascots: the show presented a member of the offended group attempting to express his concern, and those in power and the majority essentially ignoring and dismissing his complaint.

Finally, there may be a few changes coming at this blog soon. The content will be largely the same, but I'm going to tweak with the visual presentation. Better get your popcorn, I guess.