The Holy Trinity Late Monday/Tuesday Round Up

It's Tuesday, which means we need to peek in and see what the Holy Trinity and their Evil Corporate Overlord are writing about.

'But Ted', you say, 'don't you write for an SB Nation blog, which is one of the fastest growing Internet companies in the world...making you an evil corporate overlord yourself?'

Damn you people and your keen insight.  Nothing to see here, move along.

And no, to answer your question.  Seifert is a respected member of the media, I blog from my basement, eating cheetos in my underwear.  Usually.

Anyway, there's a lot to get to, the first being some housecleaning matters, like re-shuffling who The Holy Trinity actually is.  Last week, it was Zulgad, Pelissero, and Fowler.  Well, Zulgad is now over at ESPN 1500 (or is it 1500 ESPN...whatever) and is no longer writing Vikings only stuff, so he's now dead to us here at the Roundup.  In his place is Strib beat guy Mark Craig.   Welcome to the jungle, Mark.  It's not personal, just business.

First up is Pelissero over at ESPN...after the jump.

Those storm clouds on the horizon aren't from an oncoming autumn cold front, it's the looming expiration of the Metrodome lease for the Vikings.  The last thing I want to do is talk about this damn stadium bill with football so close, but you can't help but notice the more...ominous...language coming from the Vikings.

Let's compare and contrast what VP for Stadium Affairs Lester Bagley told Pelissero in this article about what happens when the lease expires, and what he told The Daily Norseman back in May.  Yesterday, when asked if the Special Session doesn't happen and/or the stadium bill doesn't get passed, Bagley said:

"I am concerned," about the future, said Lester Bagley, the Vikings vice president of public affairs and stadium development. "There is growing concern within our ownership, there is no doubt, about where this is headed and the fact that every year, we get to the end of the session and there's a different reason why (it didn't get done)."

Bagley acknowledged there have been valid reasons the Vikings stadium issue has remained on the table for this long -- the most recent being the state shutdown and the lack of an appetite to address that issue in the special session that was called to put Minnesota back in business.

"But now we're down to the end of the lease, and if we don't get it done this fall, we get to February (and) we will be the only NFL team without a lease," Bagley said. "The only one. There's already been knocks on the door about, 'Hey, we want to talk to you guys when your lease is up.'"

On May 23rd, I had this less than ominous exchange with Bagley, during our wicked awesome exclusive interview I had with him.  DId I mention it was wicked awesome?  Sorry, I digress:

DN:  If no bill is passed this year, but you receive assurances from key people in the government that a bill endorsed by the Vikings will be done next year, what will be the course of action for the Vikings?  Will that be satisfactory?

LB:  We hope we don't see that.  Our lease is up, the (Metrodome) roof has collapsed, which underscores the fact that that building is not a viable NFL facility or a long term solution.  It will not sustain an NFL team, and our state leaders know that this issue has to be resolved, and it's in position to be resolved.  Our intention and hope is to get it done this session.  I'm not sure what the Wilf's plans are for next year.  There have been commitments made to our ownership group and organization from state leaders and previous governors that have not necessarily been followed through on, so we need to get this done this year.  We've done what's been asked of us, we're in position to get it done, so we're in pretty good position to close it out this year.  There is no next year in terms of our view or in our planning.  We are 100% focused on getting it done this year in Minnesota.  

DN:  Will Mr. Wilf relocate the team or sell to an ownership group that will if there is no stadium bill passed this year?

LB:  I don't want to speculate on what their plans are.  What I will say is we gotta get it done this year.  I think the leadership in our state, and our business leadership, understand the urgency.  The governor has been a tremendous influence on bringing this to the table and getting it to the brink of being resolved.  We're on track and our energy is focused on getting it done this session, be it the regular or special session.

So, in three months, the Vikings have gone from a 'let's not speculate on it' opinion to 'we're pretty effin' concerned'.

In about a month, we will move to 'well, we're talking to other ownership groups' to 'we have an offer on the table from a Los Angeles ownership group' a month later, to 'Goodbye, Minnesota.'

Seriously, Mr. Governor, twist some arms, make some threats, get the votes, call the special session, and PASS THE FREAKING STADIUM BILL.  In other words, do your job.

Oh, and thanks for pissing in my Wheaties, Mr. Pelissero.  I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.  (A little Happy Gilmore Billy Madison quote for your Tuesday morning).

Oh, and the Pioneer Press has this little nugget about the stadium, too.  I'm really beginning to lose faith in Gov. Dayton on this issue.

Over at the Star Tribune, Mark Craig throws out some observations on the Cowboys game, and I think he's pretty much in line with what we're all thinking, for the most part.  He's feeling better about the offensive line, the receivers, and the kick coverage.  Not feeling so good about the secondary depth, and he feels that based on how Jamarca Sanford and Tyrell Johnson played Saturday, Sanford won the job.

Across the river, Pioneer Press beat guy Jeremy Fowler says the Vikings love the new offense and the coordinator, Bill Musgrave:

The reaction from players to offensive coordinator Bill Musgrave and the direction of the offense is significant because of how those same players were feeling 10 months ago.

This reclamation project has 17 weeks worth of hurdles to clear before it can be considered a success, but last year's offense left players like Percy Harvin not-so-subtly hinting of predictability under former coach Brad Childress and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell.

Now you can find this reaction from Harvin:

"Musgrave did a great job. We all love him," Harvin said. "I think it's going to be good this year."

The KAO is dead!  Long live the KAO!

Over at the Everything Satan Propaganda Network (ESPN), Seifert let's us know that Aaron Rodgers and Donovan McNabb won't play in the final pre-season game, and the Bears...oh, those silly Bears, really didn't release Chester Taylor after they announced that they, uh, had.

He makes a good point (well, he makes 6 of them, actually, but who's counting?) that once the Bears signed former Gopher Marion Barber, the writing was on the wall for Taylor.  He had a bad 2010 season, but he was missed here in Minnesota.  Losing Taylor wasn't the only reason the Vikes went from the NFC Championship to 6-10, but there was a glaring hole behind Adrian Peterson.  That said, I don't think the Vikes would, or should, kick the tires on Taylor.  I respect the hell out of that guy, and he put in some good years for the Vikings, but I like Gerhart and Booker behind AP.  Bringing in Taylor at this point doesn't make the team better, but Coach Frazier isn't ruling out a return.

So, there's The Roundup for Monday/Tuesday.  Let's get ready for the Texans, and then the regular season, shall we?