Minnesota Vikings News And Links, 7/26

Well, everybody, today is the day that Minnesota Vikings fans have been waiting for since January. For today, our favorite football team takes the field for the first time for the 2013 edition of their training camp. And, if I may channel our good friend Jim Ross for a moment. . .

Ladies and gentlemen, the Minnesota Vikings are on the field, doing their warm-ups and preparing for today's practice. Looks like the usual assortment of reporters are here and. . .what the. . .BAH GAWD, KING, THAT'S THE DAILY NORSEMAN'S MUSIC! WHAT IN THE HELL ARE THEY DOING HERE!? AS GAWD AS MY WITNESS, MANKATO HAS BEEN BROKEN IN HALF! STONE COLD! STONE COLD! STONE COLD!

Alright, now that I've got that out of my system. . .

Yes, Arif is going to be at Training Camp today and Saturday, as well as most of next week. Eric is going to be down there from August 11 to August 14 (basically the close of camp), and Skol Girl is going to fill in when she's able to do so. We'll have Open Threads for Training Camp every day (yes, even the Saturday sessions), and our folks that are down there are certain to bring you a lot of great stuff over the next few weeks. You have no idea how much we're looking forward to this, folks. . .it's going to be great.

The Training Camp open thread will be separate from this one. . .can't decide where to hang out? Why not both?

Since the last time we brought you an Open Thread. . .

-All three of the Vikings' first round draft picks got their contracts signed on Thursday, as Sharrif Floyd, Xavier Rhodes, and Cordarrelle Patterson all put pen to paper on their rookie deals.

-The newly-acquired Desmond Bishop will begin training camp manning the weak-side linebacker position.

-Coach Leslie Frazier said that only receiver Greg Childs would begin camp on the Physically Unable to Perform List, meaning that rookie linebacker Michael Mauti is apparently clear to practice.

-We finalized the Sweet 16 of our Greatest Viking Of All Time Tournament. The third round will kick off on Monday.

From some other places around the internet. . .

-The Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority is going on tour to find vendors for the new Vikings stadium.

-The Seattle Seahawks have placed their big off-season acquisition, former Viking Percy Harvin, on the PUP list, and he may need hip surgery. (Maybe he's been getting medical advice from former and current teammate Sidney Rice.)

-Receiver Adam Thielen, who played his college ball on the same field the Vikings will be practicing on, gets a look from the Mankato Free Press.

The rules of the Open Thread are the same as always, ladies and gentlemen. No politics, no religion, no feeding the trolls, and keep the bad language to a minimum. . .or, at least, use the spoiler tags if you feel the need to curse.

As we conclude "Dog Week" for our ambient music this week, the starting of Training Camp can really only mean one thing. . .

With that, the beer light is on and the bar is open for this FIRST DAY OF TRAINING CAMP FRIDAY, ladies and gentlemen! Enjoy the day, and we'll have the Training Camp Open Thread up for you here at about 10 AM Central time.