I apologize for not having anything up earlier than this about mini-camps. I woke up several times overnight with the sensation that someone had poured kerosene down my throat, set it ablaze, and used a fire hose full of tabasco sauce to extinguish it. I'm the only person I know that can pick up a head cold (or even worse) when the temperature outside is 90 freaking degrees. But I digress.
The Vikings are one of four teams holding mini-camps this weekend. There have been numerous sites with updates from the camp, including
Sean Jensen at the St. Paul Pioneer Press
Judd Zulgad at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Adam Doctolero from KFAN.com (Day 1 and Day 2)
Chief among the stories from Vikings' camp this weekend is that CB Antoine Winfield, as anticipated, did indeed show up at camp after having missed some of the Vikings' voluntary workouts. People really need to find some more important things to get worked up about.
"That's so far from the truth," Winfield said of the reports of his angling for a new contract. "I haven't went upstairs and asked for any money - any extensions - so that's not it."
That sound you heard was a bunch of opposing quarterbacks and wide receivers yelling "DAMN!"
Tony Richardson summed it up best.
"Everyone's not Antoine Winfield," Richardson said. "If you're a young rookie free agent, you better not pull that, or you'll be gone. With Antoine, I don't have to worry about him. I know where his heart is at, and I know when he lines up on the football field, he's going to lay it out there. He may not be the biggest guy on a football field, but he has the biggest heart."
Richardson noted that when he was with the Kansas City Chiefs, running back Priest Holmes and tight end Tony Gonzalez skipped OTAs and worked out on their own.
"Those guys never missed a beat, and neither did Antoine," Richardson said. "He's in great shape, and he didn't miss a beat out here."
So yeah. . .this isn't Lance Briggs whining and crying about his contract after not really having proven anything, or that guy over in Wisconsin skipping practices because he's under the impression that he's the son of God or something. When the season comes around, Antoine Winfield will still be out there laying the smack down on people and being one of the best CBs in the NFL, just like he's been every season since he got to Minnesota.
Have I mentioned recently that I'm excited about this team? Because I am, in case I hadn't said anything yet. Thank goodness it's only about 9 1/2 weeks until the pre-season opener.
Apparently there's another pre-season rag out there already. . .I believe someone said it was Lindy's. From my understanding, they're also picking the Vikings to finish 4th in the NFC North. It's just as hilarious when they do it as it was when Pro Football Weekly did it. On the other hand, Lindy's has also allegedly put 3 Vikings at the top of their respective positions in their league-wide player rankings. Which ones?
Next time, folks.