The Minnesota Vikings already had nine Pro Bowlers.
Now they have 10.
The Vikings have announced that cornerback Antoine Winfield has been added to the NFC team. Winfield qualified despite missing six regular-season games with a foot injury, and despite being limited in several others after returning from the injury.
Though the announcement doesn’t identify the player Winfield will replace, he’s undoubtedly standing in for Cardinals cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who suffered a knee injury in Saturday’s playoff loss to the Saints.
The other NFC cornerbacks are Asante Samuel and Charles Woodson.
Of course, the Vikings are hoping that Winfield and his nine teammates will have to be replaced for the Pro Bowl, which will be played a week before the Super Bowl. Pro Bowlers who are also Super Bowlers won’t be playing in the All-Star game.
OVERRATED!
he would be a good FS though
There was about 10 guys that should have gone before Winfield.
WTH he hasn’t done a thing all season
No need to add him none of them will be there! Vikings will be at the Super Bowl!!!
good they will all be there to play in the game……Saints 34 vikes 3 ,,,,,,, ( last score on a 4th and 3 with under 2 minutes to play ) NICE
Now go get your SHINE BOX !!!!
I’ll be the first to say it’s not deserved given his injuries this year. Then again, given his exclusion based on the reputations of other less deserving CBs in the past, maybe it’s not so bad. With his injury, I’d be suprised if he played anyhow. If the Vikes make the Super Bowl, they’ll have to replace half the frigging NFC team.
Vikings Super Bowl appearances: 4
Vikings Super Bowl wins: 0
Vikes fan here, he shouldn’t be in the pro-bowl. Agreed plenty of others were more worthy, would make a good safety.
Charles Woodson most likely won’t be there as well. Hes got that shoulder injury
He will be at the Pro Bowl with bells on since the Saints are gonna win.
Now if this doesn’t serve as reason #250 that the Pro Bowl is flawed. Winfield in the Pro Bowl? LMFAO!!! He should be able to play in it though after this Sunday.
Charles Woodson has opted out because of a shoulder injury he played with most of the season.
How the hell do they have 10 pro-bowlers?
HAHA ridiculous. 10 bitches!
What’s the Pro Bowl? A post season yawn now shoe-horned between the CGs and the SB. Nothing but an inconvenience for the players and a fake football game for the fans. I would rather have no game between the two real games than this. Well, at least it will give us yet another chance to see Donovan McNabb throw a few more passes at receivers’ feet. Yes, he will likely be a late replacement.
Devin Aromashodu disagrees with this selection.
Du-umb. Realpervy is an imposter. Someone who has no friends in the real world and has to steal a fake identity and talk tough to feel better about himself. That’s fine with me but I’d beat you silly if we were face to face.
On Viking fan calendars: countdown to the SuperBowl
On Packer fan calendars: Countdown to the Pro Bowl for 4 players HAHAHA
dpa6 says:
January 19, 2010 12:08 PM
Vikings Super Bowl appearances: 4
Vikings Super Bowl wins: 0
Saints super bowl apperances -0
Saints super Bowl wins – 0
Man I am glad I am not a Packer fan anymore.Some of us do come to our senses even if it takes years to do so.To bad the Packer fans parents didn’t use condoms,what a disgrace packer fans are to their familys.It must really suck to have to live in the past,they have a name for that its called regression.Where are the Packers and Cowboys?
Sorry Pervy_Harvin,everyone ignores you. I am the real deal tool.
Sheldon Brown is the 2nd alternate, but the funny thing is he played better than asante samuel.
I don’t get how Saints Fans can be so cocksure about a victory this Sunday against the Vikings ? You did lose the last three games of the season and one of those Teams was Tampa Bay.
Vikes all the way baby! Packers drool, Saints suck
how is that undoubtedly the guy he replaces?? Woodson isnt playing either due to his injury.
Fix.
He won’t play either due to injury… so they’ll name someone else to replace him.
NFLPA must be voting here
vikes will have to pull their own pants off the ground…
winfield hasnt done jack in over 2 months.
How does Winfield get into the probowl over……
1. Sheldon Brown
2. Jabari Greer
3. Mike Jenkins
4. Aqib Talib
5. Chris Gamble
6. Richard Marshall
And several others.
Again, apparently people in Minnesota have nothing better to do than ice fish and vote for the probowl.
The Saints would do well to not even show up.Save themselfs some face.
Man I am so mad first somebody tries impersonating me now I find out that even when we are good, nobody likes us. The Packers and Bears are ten times as popular as the vikes. Oh well LA seems nice.
He might not have been the most deserving this season, but if nothing else it makes up for multiple seasons where he should have gotten in but didn’t. Odd are he doesn’t go no matter what, either the Vikings are in the SB or he doesn’t go because of his foot injury.
Man I am so mad first somebody tries impersonating me now I find out that even when we are good, nobody likes us. The Packers and Bears are ten times as popular as the vikes. Oh well LA seems nice.
Here’s the proof: (you can’t argue with this)
http://www.seathound.com/news/2009/10/2009-harris-poll-nfls-most-popular-franchises-cowboys-1-jaguars-32/
Seems to me that the pro bowl selection is always one year behind. This year is absolutely on reputation because right now, he’s not even a start on the Vikings.
That said, some times you give the honor to a nice guy and a solid football player, even if he’s battling a nagging injury. If you had a team full of players like Winfield, you’d be in excellent shape.
It’s pretty lame the Vikings are taking so much heat, but hey, does most teams good heading into the Super Bowl. Keep hatin!
“Man I am glad I am not a Packer fan anymore.Some of us do come to our senses even if it takes years to do so.To bad the Packer fans parents didn’t use condoms,what a disgrace packer fans are to their familys.It must really suck to have to live in the past,they have a name for that its called regression.Where are the Packers and Cowboys?”
The disgrace is your English composition. At the end of sentence a space is followed. “To bad” in English would actually be spelled “Too bad”. The plural of FAMILY is spelled FAMILIES not FAMILYS. Maybe you should set your goals a little lower, like maybe obtaining your GED.
Dont understand why Saints fans wanted to face the Vikings. You guys should have prayed to face the Cowboys because you stand NO CHANCE of winning against the Vikes! You called down the thunder well now youve got it!
Alot of jealousy of the vikings,which is nothing new,other teams fans are always jealous of us.
Jimmysmith. says: January 19, 2010 12:28 PM
dpa6 says:
January 19, 2010 12:08 PM
Vikings Super Bowl appearances: 4
Vikings Super Bowl wins: 0
Saints super bowl apperances -0
Saints super Bowl wins – 0
Man I am glad I am not a Packer fan anymore.Some of us do come to our senses even if it takes years to do so.To bad the Packer fans parents didn’t use condoms,what a disgrace packer fans are to their familys.It must really suck to have to live in the past,they have a name for that its called regression.Where are the Packers and Cowboys?
———————
When are you going to give it up with your dumb Jimmy_Smith(.) imposterism? Nobody on here is that stupid (Well maybe some Vikings fans like Pervy_Harvin) to not see the period at the end of the name you’re trying to forge…but not the average person with a brain.
Teddy Bruschi today on ESPN picked the Vikings to win. He is always right…………….
I agree that he shouldn’t have made it on the merits of what he dd this year.
My guess is it’s just a way to make up for all the years he should have gone to the Pro Bowl but was snubbed. Name him to only his second Pro Bowl, then replace him again (he’s only playing limited minutes in the playoffs due to being slowed with a lincsfracture, there’s no way he’ll play in the Pro Bowl) with the guy who should have been given the honor ahead of Winfield.
On a side note. That’s 10 Vikings on the Pro Bowl team. That’s one out of every 5 guys on the roster and almost half of all starters! Not to mention guys like Visanthe Shiancoe and Chad Greenway were good enough to make it too.
Wow a board full of Nostradamuses. I’m sure your parents and family members are proud.
hes an average cover corner but a good all around player..n how does he make it over Sheldon brown when he missed 6 games
First of all Winfield is not deserving of this for this year, but a lot of guys get into the probowl based on there careers, and nottheir crrent status. Secondly I hope everyone picks us to get slaughtered again this week, because it worked out so well last week.
When healthy he’s an all pro corner. But missing 6 games I don’t think a guy should be in there. Plus if the Vikes lose this weekend Winfield could very well sit out of the pro bowl to start recovering from the injury he is playing with.
But I will say that he has been snubbed in the past when he has been worthy so perhaps this is karma coming back around. And as a Vikes fan I like that we have 10 pro bowlers this season. Half of our starters practically are considered elite by coaches/players/fans. Man we are spoiled over here.
No wonder our team draws so much hate in these boards.
Wow ,look at all these people being so jealous of the Vikings again.If you dont like the selection then take it up with the NFL.
i almost hope the vikings make the bowl just so the 10 spots open up. i still think sheldon brown absolutely deserves a spot.
I’m not jealous of the Vikings at all, and I enjoy watching them win from time to time. Still think this selection is unwarranted. Based on rep only, apparently.
wow this dude made the team? im a redskins fan and even i think that mike jenkins from the cowboys should’ve been next in line to make the pro bowl honestly he should have made it over rodgers-cromatie
They will all get to play in Miami but it won’t be for the Super Bowl….Who Dat!!!!
@chosen2
Bruschi was also right when he picked the packers to beat the cardinals. Oh…..wait….
Jealous of the Vikings? I am!
I wish my favourite team’s players could take steroids, mask it with a substance, be suspended and have their state court create laws to protect the team and it’s players.
I wish my team could tamper with numerous players over a five year period and not have draft picks taken away.
Apparently the Vikings are above the NFL, who wouldn’t be jealous?
No way Winfield shoulda got in. Solid player but the was banged up for most of the season and hasn’t been right. I think in last week’s game against my ‘boys he was only used in nickel situations….steve smith, aromashadu and others disagree with this decision…lol
Keep in mind the pro bowl isn’t selected by Florio or some random Vikes fans. Winfield was selected by 1/3 internet vote and the rest hypothetically unbiased players and coaches and such.
It is no secret that the pro bowl is often a year behind. Antoine got in because how good he’s been over the years and the fact that he was in last year.
And in his defense, he was having a pretty great season before injuring his foot, which he still hasn’t recovered from.
And the really funny thing in all this is that Woodson and Winfield might both sit out the pro bowl with injury (or in Winfield’s case possible playing in the super bowl).
So there is a very good chance that two more starters will be picked yet. Maybe it will be your player of choice.
Winfield has missed half the season and has played terrible since coming back. No way he deserves the spot more then Sheldon Brown.
I honestly think Antoine Winfield is a hell of a corner but no player that misses 6 or more games in a season should be voted to the Pro Bowl. There are far more deserving players that should of gone.
“On Packer fan calendars: Countdown to the Pro Bowl for 4 players HAHAHA”
At least the Packers put deserving players in the Pro Bowl unlike the Vikings where at least 3-4 of their 10 ‘Pro Bowlers’ didn’t even deserve a spot. Antoine Winfield is one of them right along with Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson.
and the only way the Vikings are preparing for the Super Bowl is ordering the food for the Super Bowl party and watching it at home.
After getting toasted by the Saints on Sunday he will be available to play in the Pro Bowl, but will have to knock off the burnt crust off of his toasted body if he wants to play in the game……
“Antoine Winfield is one of them right along with Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson.”
McKinnie and Hutch deserve it for their shutting down of DeMarcus Ware on Sunday.
Pro Bowl used to be fun to watch players from all over the league compete against one another.
It then devolved into the equivalent of a high school popularity contest. The pride and competitiveness vanished and it turned into a yawner to watch, and just a nice vacation, playing around, for the players.
Moving it from HI, is merely for Goodell and his cronies in FL’s benefit. Look up his connections there. It was fishy from the start.
Moving it to a completely different time and putting it before the Super Bowl, will make it even more boring, than before. Some players will not even have the chance to play in it, since they may be in the now, true “final game” of the year.
Goodell is worse than a sophomore in high school, with his thought process. He’s the worst thing that’s ever happened to the league, between this fiasco and the ludicrous fines to get him in good with the charities. I’d almost rather see Matt Millen commissioner, than him. (I said “almost”).
When someone told me that the Vikings would be playing one more game after they play New Orleans, I thought “no way.” I guess I was wrong.
Its gotta suck to be a Packer these days What with the Vikes goin to the Champ game, the sweep, the 9 now 10 Pro-bowlers.
And of course the biggest of all, their hero becoming a Viking. And to top it off, having his best season ever!
Not to mention it could get worse. They have no choice but hope and pray the Saints can beat us. Of course they wont admit it, but we all know how jealous they are.
TRAIN WRECKS COMING!!! You hear me! Its coming! Just wait, you’ll see! I cant wait, Favre & the biqueens will choke at the end of the year……….oh wait.
They’ll choke in the playoffs…. yea thats it!
You’ll see!! ITS COMING!!!!
Winfield has not had a year worthy of the pro bowl but the other 9 did. I see a bunch of Saints fans bellowing the Vikings upcoming failure and the blowout victory.
It will be a blow out all right but the Vikings will be on the winning side. The Vikings will take a page out of the Bucs gameplan and run all day over the Saints and thats when Farve will carve them up. Sharper will try to make showboat plays and miss leaving Harvin & Berrian & Rice to waltz into the endzone.
Andrian Peterson will then finish the game with 10 straight carriers for the 90 yard game clinching drive. He will have 2 td’s and 180 yards rushing. Farve will throw for another 3 td’s. Vikings win 38 to 17.
That’s the bottom line because Mr Steve said so.
c.carterhof says: January 19, 2010 4:10 PM
Its gotta suck to be a Packer these days What with the Vikes goin to the Champ game, the sweep, the 9 now 10 Pro-bowlers.
And of course the biggest of all, their hero becoming a Viking. And to top it off, having his best season ever!
Not to mention it could get worse. They have no choice but hope and pray the Saints can beat us. Of course they wont admit it, but we all know how jealous they are.
—————–
Please tell me how this is his best season ever? The two biggest measures….Passing yards? Nope. TD’s? Nope. Oh…yeah, those INT’s. Better late than never to try to figure out how not to throw into triple coverage. It looks like his time spent with Rodgers wore off on him.
# WarrenMoonGOAT says: January 19, 2010 12:03 PM
WTH he hasn’t done a thing all season
————
funny, deion sanders had plenty to talk about in regards to winfield prior to him breaking his foot.
The ProBowl is great for players on teams that exceeded expectations, like the Packers. If the Vikings lose on Sunday to the New Orleans Saints, how many of their league-high crown-us-now ProBowl selections do you think will still feel like playing the following weekend? Try none. Do you know why? Because they not only want to win a SuperBowl (like every other team,) they HAVE TO WIN IT, or their season is a bust. If it is OK to hand Favre one of the best teams in the league (which he does not deserve) on a silver platter, because he is the “missing piece”, then they sure as hell aren’t concerned about the future. If the players themselves do not feel that the season will be a waste if they lose to New Orleans, they’ll show up for the ProBowl. If they don’t, then everyone will know what the higher-ups were intending…….to hell with the future. Get ready for a “boatload” of phantom injuries preventing participation in the ProBowl. Can’t say I’ll blame them. They will probably all have neck injuries from hanging their heads so close to the ground. Can’t wait.
Ambrose says: Because they not only want to win a SuperBowl (like every other team,) they HAVE TO WIN IT, or their season is a bust.
————————————————–
All good teams think SB or bust. Except the Packers. They just want NFC North 2nd place over the Lions and Bears! That take was retarded Amby Pamby.
Whoever voted him into the pro bowl over Sheldon Brown is retarded. You can’t miss almost half the year and make a pro bowl
This thread may contain the largest number of idiotic posts I’ve ever seen. Where to get started…
dpa6 says:
January 19, 2010 12:08 PM
Vikings Super Bowl appearances: 4
Vikings Super Bowl wins: 0
—————————————————-
1) While both words contain a “p” & an “r”, “Pro” & “Super” are actually two different words with two different meanings. So your post has no bearing on this article.
2) Five teams have never even been to a Super Bowl. 15 teams, or nearly half the league, have never won it. Better to have been there and lost than to not even get there.
3) The Denver Broncos were also 0-4 at one point and then won two in a row – so what’s your point?
Next…
TNicks says:
January 19, 2010 3:16 PM
Jealous of the Vikings? I am!
I wish my favourite team’s players could take steroids, mask it with a substance, be suspended and have their state court create laws to protect the team and it’s players.
I wish my team could tamper with numerous players over a five year period and not have draft picks taken away.
Apparently the Vikings are above the NFL, who wouldn’t be jealous?
——————————————–
Your ignorance knows no bounds.
First the Vikings fans had nothing to do with Winfield’s selection.
Second, the league itself has stated steroids has nothing to do with the Vikings players you are referring to. Third, the courts didn’t create the law, they interpret it. Fourth, the law wasn’t created to protect the team and it’s players, it was on the books long before and is designed to protect employees from being punished for buying a legal over-the-counter product, and false positives tests. Fifth, the league also investigated the tampering charges and found no guilt. Probably because Favre talked to many teams and coaches (Vikings included) during and after the season for many years. The Packers in their effort to throw the spotlight off of their own bungling ways in the Favre ordeal tried to drag another team into their slop. What the he11 are you talking about a five year period?
It’s okay though, keep making things up if it makes you feel better, most loons do!
“McKinnie and Hutch deserve it for their shutting down of DeMarcus Ware on Sunday.”
And for also shutting down Julius Peppers too? And Tommie Harris?
“And of course the biggest of all, their hero becoming a Viking. And to top it off, having his best season ever!”
Sorry but his best year came in 1996 and his MVP award proves it. And if Favre was so dominant and better than he was in 1996, then he would of won the MVP award this season, don’t ya think?
Onto…
whatthehellisgoingonoutthere says:
January 19, 2010 1:36 PM
When are you going to give it up with your dumb Jimmy_Smith(.) imposterism? Nobody on here is that stupid (Well maybe some Vikings fans like Pervy_Harvin) to not see the period at the end of the name you’re trying to forge…but not the average person with a brain.
==============================
Wow! I never knew “imposterism” was a word, probably because it’s NOT! Of course an average person with a brain would kow that.
Jimmysmith. (just like Pervy__Harvin and Bob_Nelson) aren’t trying to be imposters, they’re mocking the originals. You may find it clever & funny or stupid and immature; the choice is yours. (I probably agree with your choice).
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
whatthehellisgoingonoutthere says:
January 19, 2010 4:58 PM
c.carterhof says: January 19, 2010 4:10 PM
Its gotta suck to be a Packer these days What with the Vikes goin to the Champ game, the sweep, the 9 now 10 Pro-bowlers.
And of course the biggest of all, their hero becoming a Viking. And to top it off, having his best season ever!
Not to mention it could get worse. They have no choice but hope and pray the Saints can beat us. Of course they wont admit it, but we all know how jealous they are.
—————–
Please tell me how this is his best season ever? The two biggest measures….Passing yards? Nope. TD’s? Nope. Oh…yeah, those INT’s. Better late than never to try to figure out how not to throw into triple coverage. It looks like his time spent with Rodgers wore off on him.
==============================
Favre’s best year in yardage and best in TDs happened in TWO DIFFERENT YEARS – 1995 & 1996. Here’s Favre’s accomplishments THIS YEAR:
(these are for his career)
Highest QB rating
Highest completion %
Best TD to INT ratio
Lowest INT total
Lowest INT %
Highest yards per attempt
4th highest TD total
6th best TD %
3rd best total yardage (1o yds behind 2nd best, 211 behind best year with 40 fewer attempts)
All of this while joining the team less than a month before the season opener(clealry effecting his totals) coming off of arm surgery and turning 40 freaking years old! You may not like him or his behavior, but ignoring the facts just make you look childish.
packers4life says:
January 19, 2010 3:34 PM
At least the Packers put deserving players in the Pro Bowl unlike the Vikings where at least 3-4 of their 10 ‘Pro Bowlers’ didn’t even deserve a spot. Antoine Winfield is one of them right along with Bryant McKinnie and Steve Hutchinson.
and the only way the Vikings are preparing for the Super Bowl is ordering the food for the Super Bowl party and watching it at home.
===============================
Agree with you on Winfiled’s worthiness of the Pro Bowl. Even though he’s been slighted in years past I still don’t believe that makes up for him getting it this year – that just means someone else now got slighted.
You’re off target though with McKinnie & Hutchinson. While I don’t think Hutch belonged on the AL Pro team he definately deserved the Pro Bowl. McKinnie played well this season until he had a few games where he had a rough patch. Besides, who would you put in his place? Down year for tackles in the NFC.
I guess if you are going to single out a particular performance (against Peppers & Harris) then Rodgers would be left off the Pro Bowl squad for his perfomance against the Bucs. The guy mentioning McKinnie’s game against Ware was simply doing so to give him props for a good game against a stud defensive player, not really saying that alone should get him in.
Even as a Viking fan, your last line about ordering the food was absolutely freaking hilarious!!! I may have to steal that from you someday.
Tompadre made some of my point for me.
The other is that 1996 was watered down compared to 2009.
http://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/1996/leaders.htm
packers4life says:
Sorry but his best year came in 1996 and his MVP award proves it. And if Favre was so dominant and better than he was in 1996, then he would of won the MVP award this season, don’t ya think?
————————————————–
The MVP award means he was considered the most valuable player to his team. It doesn’t even mean a player had the best year of those playing that year. Manning this year wasn’t as productive as Brees or Favre, yet he won.
The MVP is judged against the year the other candidates had, not on whether or not it was the player’s best year in their career. Each year obviously has different worthy candidates and this year they found Manning to be more valuable to his team. Thus a players best year doesn’t guarantee an MVP award.
Using your view, next year Chris Johnson could rush for 3/4 of the yardage, 2/3 of the reception yardage and score 1/2 the TDs he did this year and win the MVP, and you would consider it better than this year. Talk about silly!
Ambrose -
You continue to say the Vikings are “ALL IN”. What the he11 dows that mean? Aren’t all teams “ALL IN”? The Vikings won the division last year with Frerotte & Jackson at QB, so it’s not like all will be lost when Favre calls it quits. Besides, other QBs may become availabe.
Why is the season a bust for the Vikings if they don’t win the Super Bowl? Is it then a bust for all teams, including your Packers, that don’t win the Super Bowl? How are the Vikings different? They still have a roster full of talent (quite a few outstanding players besides the 10 named to the Pro Bowl) to keep them competitive for quite awhile. They have some veterans who will need to be replaced in the coming years, but that is no different than the Packers – Woodson, Harris, Driver, Clifton, Tauscher, Barnett, etc..
The bottomline is the Vikings brought in Favre because he gave them the best chance to win – period!! This is the reason all players are put on a roster – the team feels they give them the best chancce to win. Would you have considered it a failure if the Pack had not won the Super Bowl after it added Reggie White?? Or did he just give you a better chance to win?
Tompadre-Being that you probably agree with my imposter that he thinks he is clever and funny….pathetic dude.
Tompadre-Think I got it wrong. Think you saying it stupid and immature? In that case forget my last post,I don’t relish in attacking Viking brothers! My bad.
I have to say Winfield did not have a pro bowl year because of the injury and his stuggles in his first games back. I also agree with some other posters here that he may have been selected because of the snubs in years past. This isn’t the Hall of Fame, its a fake football game where neither team really tries too hard and the biggest victory is coming out 60 minutes later uninjured. So did some more worthy CB get snubbed, yes…does the snubbed player care? Probably not, especially since the game isn’t in HI any more. Winfield will likely say something like he’s honored but if the Vikes aren’t in the Super Bowl, he will take his name out of the hat. McKinnie probably shouldn’t be there either but Hutch certainly deserves to be along with the rest of the Vikings who made it.
You will not find a bigger Vikings fan than me but the final play against the Bears (even if he is injured) will tell you every reason why he did not deserve this position.
He had other years that were much more deserving than this year. It is an insult to give him the right to go to the Pro Bowl this year but not other years.
Consider it a lifetime achievement award!
Tompadre…all-in means there is no back-up plan. If this Favre-led team fails to win the SuperBowl, can you honestly feel good about the “progress” the Vikings made this year? Is that the plan….making “progress?” Will the “progress” carry into next year? No. The plan was to win it all, at any cost. That’s the difference….at any cost. The Vikings were already the defending division leaders. I am honesly think they could have done as well as they have with the other quarterbacks on the roster…that’s how strong the supporting cast is. There is so much more riding on their desired success that few other teams have to deal with. No stadium. Threat of private ownership relocation. No QB for the future. Running game is 1/2 of what is used to be. Childress may have saved his job at the expense of his own integrity, so he’s covered. All-in means right now, at the expense of the future. You know that. I shouldn’t have to explain.
TomPadre……Courts create laws with every decision that is made in those courts. The state law you’re referring to was in place prior to the League’s decision to suspend numerous players for their actions but it doesn’t mean that the laws aren’t here to protect athletes in the state of Minnesota. If I go to the store and purchase a bottle of whiskey, drink and then go to work I am still guilty of working while intoxicated and should be punished under whatever agreement I have in place with my employer. Or lets say that I’m part of a union. I’m obligated to abide by the rules of the union to keep my job. That law is in place to do exactly what it did. Protect athletes.
Ambrose -
“The Vikings were already the defending division leaders. I am honesly think they could have done as well as they have with the other quarterbacks on the roster…that’s how strong the supporting cast is.”
================================
This very statement contradicts your view of the Vikings being all-in. If they would have been just as good without Favre now, then why won’t they be just as good without Favre later?
Progress is measured in many ways – developing young players, young veterans producing, finding & adding players to fit your schemes, all of which happened for the Vikings this year.
Perhaps the team determined Jackson wasn’t the QB of the future, thus they added Rosenfelds last off season. Adding Favre had no negative bearing on the QB of the future then since one wasn’t on the squad anyways. Or perhaps Jackson learns from Favre, as Rodgers did in GB, and it helps his developement, as it clearly has helped Rice, Harvin and Shancoe. I agree the QB issue needs to be addressed, but it wasn’t by Aug 18th when Favre joined the team, so itwasn’t going to be for this season. Adding Favre then did not delay it. It just gave the Vikings a better chance at winning this year, and isn’t that what a team should be doing?
The running game was affected by two first time starters and the other three lineman dealing with varying degrees of injury. They sure looked aweful too often this year though didn’t they?
By the way, you didn’t answer my question about Reggie White. Would it have been a bust if the Pack hadn’t won a Super Bowl after adding him to their squad? He was 32 when he joined them (a time when D-lineman start to fade) and perhaps stunting the developement of young DL. They also added a 30 year old Woodson when they already had a 32 y.o. CB in Harris on the other side. This too had some risk involved since players over 30 often start losing their speed, and having two at the same position with no CBs of the future at the ready. Or did GB simply add players to their squad that they felt gave them a better chance at winning – just as the Vikings have done with Favre?
TNicks -
I’m not saying the laws aren’t there to protect athletes, I’m disputing your claim (or at least the way you worded it) the law was created to exclusively help athletes. I would care to venture if you had the resources to look up such cases you would find for years it has protected many employees throughout the state that have nothing to do with sports.
The whiskey analogy doesn’t work in comparison to what is going on with the Viking players. The whiskey can impare your ability to do your job effectively, can alter your behavior at work and there would be safety issues for you and your co-workers involved. In other words it creates liabilities that would not otherwise exist. The diaretic the D-lineman took doesn’t create the same issues.
The law however, would protect you from drinking the night before, arriving to work the next day, no longer under the influence, being tested when you arrive at work and found to have alcohol in your system.
Your agreement with your employer or union cannot ever supersede state or federal laws – ever! Any agreement or contract that violates a law is considered invalid. This is why the NFL wanted Congress or the appellate courts to step in and declare the CBA is not accountable to state laws. They know they stand a great chance of losing if it is determined that it is.