distracted blizzard

Cold Hard Football Facts looks at Thurman Thomas and, unfortunately, focuses on what he didn't do (didn't win a rushing title, didn't win a Super Bowl). But while we're speaking of Thurman Thomas, tell me how many players have led the league in yards from scrimmage four straight seasons? CHFF also looks at Marc Bulger, Daunte Culpepper, and Vince Young.

I thought we had escaped Irrelevant Controversy season, but ESPN examines what current NFL players are HOF-worthy.

Training camp fights are amusing, unless your star quarterback takes a swing at somebody's helmeted head. Centuries ago, people figured out that if they're going to go out and try kill each other, then others are going to try kill you too, so you should put something hard over your head. Mere fists mean nothing. And we've always loved Jerry Seinfeld's bit about helmets: people are engaging in behavior that crushes their heads, and instead of abstaining from such behavior, they put on a helmet so that they can continue to engage in such behavior. And you still shouldn't punch at these helmets.

Footballguys lists the players with the most 30+ yard plays in 2006.

What's happened in a year? Daunte Culpepper goes to a new team, and I don't bother writing about it for a few days? And when I do write about it, it gets four sentences in a different post? And these sentences are all questions providing no meaningful insight?

Hashmarks looks at the RBs on the Viking roster.

I want to follow my own rule on training camp injuries, but Adrian Peterson, Adrian Peterson! (Star Tribune, Pioneer Press).

And finally, we know that a bridge in Minneapolis has collapsed. While we spend time talking about sports, let us remember how we're talking about fun and games, and that random chance still controls our lives. These sort of random accidents remind us of Hazard, that indifferent force that uncaring guides so many events. While we make our way through this unstable, dangerous world, let us at least try have peace with each other. And enjoy our games, for in them we both give in to and resist the power of Hazard.