Thoughts before Kickoff

This is going to be an interesting season, regardless of how the Vikes finish. It's an opportunity to see how AD has expanded his game, and whether the coaches trust his growth. It's an opportunity to see how so many young receivers (Rice, Harvin, Johnson, Reynaud) can make plays behind the primary veterans. It's an opportunity to see if the defense's point-prevention (13th in the NFL) can match their yard-reducing prowess (6th in the NFL). It's an opportunity to see if Childress still has any respect in his locker room. And yes, it's an opportunity to see Brett Favre continue to look strange in purple.

Brett's effect on locker room chemistry is debatable. His reported speech to the guys has helped in that regard, and I think the chemical problems stemming from Favre's signing have been overblown for the most part. Everybody seems to like Favre once they get to know him, but then again the problems were never with Favre. They were with Brad Childress. He played it coy throughout the summer, continued with the "QB competition" (which T-Jack won, makes you wonder...) but allowed Favre to finagle his way out of training camp, which I think a 39-year old needs more, physically, than younger veterans. The wounds from that seem to be bandaged, but how about Bobby Wade's release?

He's been the leader in receptions for two years, and always seemed to be the guy on third down. Wade wasn't great, but he was solid despite having a couple of younger guys who could fill his role. Not to mention that he was liked in the locker room, and by fans. So they release him, piss off the locker room, for Greg Lewis. No you've never heard of him. Apparently, he's more versatile and makes the team "better." We'll see how that works when Childress tells the team to get "fired up," and the team asks him, "like you fired Bobby?" What I'm wishing for, if a super bowl run doesn't happen? Childress fired, Leslie Frazier promoted.