Viking News

Here is some information HOT off the presses on the Minnesota Vikings web site. This is the newest information on our Vikings community programs. These are two very worthy community projects of the Minnesota Viking owners Zygi Wilf and the Wilf family, as well as Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress and players like Jim Kleinsasser and Marcus Johnson,.The Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders will also play a big role in these beneficial programs.

Information on the Vikings Children's Fund Will be posted when made available. The Vikings do take donations for the Children's fund all year round, and have fundraisers at the Metrodome during Viking games. Please read the information below and let me know if you think this is valuable to this site, or if you would rather see a link made available to the Viking web page for you to access this information there.

Thank you

Mike

Vikings In The Community:
Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, along with players Jim Kleinsasser and Marcus Johnson, and Vikings cheerleaders, gathered with youth athletes, community developers and city officials on Tuesday to celebrate a $200,000 investment into the refurbishment of Parade Stadium. After the award presentation, a youth skills competition took place at the fields alongside the Vikings players.Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board member Jon Gurban, president of the Minneapolis City Council Barb Johnson, Wilf and others addressed those in attendance.“Normally on a day like today I wouldn’t have a smile on my face,” Wilf said, referring to the Vikings loss on Monday night combined with the blistering cold conditions during the celebration at Parade Stadium. “But today I do have a smile because I’m proud of the class of our team, of our partnership with the city of Minneapolis and of the refurbishment of Parade Stadium.”Parade Stadium is a major community asset, serving many youth football and recreation programs in Minneapolis. The NFL’s Community Youth Football Field program is part of the NFL Charities Youth Football Fun, a multi-million dollar effort of the NFL and its individual franchises – such as the Minnesota Vikings – in partnership with the NFL Players Association to ensure youth across the country have the opportunity to enjoy the game of football. Project for Pride, represented by Steve Cramer and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, represented by Deanna Foster, are also teaming in the effort. “I learned from people in this neighborhood that Parade Stadium has a history that goes back to when the Vikings played an exhibition game here,” Wilf said after the celebration. “We’re very proud to join the NFL, the city of Minneapolis and the LISC to refurbish this field so this community and the surrounding area can enjoy the benefits of having such a wonderful facility that encourages youth activity.”With the Minneapolis skyline in the backdrop, Gurban orchestrated the celebration on a portable stage, with youth football players and others in attendance looking on.“This event is huge because we’re going to start recreating and refurbishing an athletic facility for our kids, and frankly I don’t think we have one right now,” Gurban said. “We’re back on the right road and this is a beautiful setting to start improvements. People like coming down to Parade Stadium and to have this facility cleaned up and looking nice will be a huge boost for the community and the entire city.” “It’s great having a partner like the Vikings to help these children have positive recreational opportunities because that is so important in their lives,” Johnson said. “To have the Vikings help support the mission of the Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board is fantastic, we’re delighted to have them in our community.” After the check was presented on the stage, Wilf, the community developers and city officials were joined by the youth football players, Vikings players and cheerleaders in a ground-breaking ceremony. The cheerleaders remained after the ceremony to sign autographs while Wilf and other members of the Vikings organization visited briefly as the youth football players and Kleinsasser and Johnson went to the adjacent fields to participate in the skills competition.Remember that…On Sunday, November 12, before the Vikings-Packers game, the Vikings Women's Organization and Second Harvest Heartland Food Bank volunteers will be collecting non-perishable food from 10 a.m. until kick off.Other community newsSince 1997, Campbell’s and the NFL have partnered together through the Campbell’s Chunky/NFL Tackling Hunger™ program to help fight hunger in America by generating much needed food donations. As part of its ongoing commitment to tackle hunger in NFL communities, Campbell’s Chunky soup will once again conduct Click for Cans, our popular on-line food drive, on http://www.chunky.com/ from October 12th – November 16th. Fans across the country will be invited to click on the helmet of their favorite NFL team to cast their vote and help make a difference in their local community.The team that receives the most clicks will be crowned the Chunky Soup Click for Cans Champion and will receive a soup-er donation … their official roster’s total weight in Campbell’s Chunky soup for the local food bank of its choice. Campbell’s Chunky soup will also reward the team with the “Most Improved Clicks” as compared to last year with a donation of 2,006 cans to the local food bank of its choice.

Viking Football Clinics:
Over 150 youth coaches are expected to attend a youth football clinic that will be hosted by the Minnesota Vikings and USA Football at Winter Park on Saturday, April 21. The clinic’s aim is to prepare youth football coaches with the ability to teach the game of football and create a positive experience for their players, parents and assistant coaches.Top high school and youth coaches will be brought in by USA Football and Event Organizer Jim Taylor to teach coaches the best way to develop their team, organize their season, teach proper fundamentals by position, execute the best drills and implement a successful game plan. USA Football, with the Vikings consultation, will develop the day’s agenda.Possible topics of discussion and points of emphasis include developing a coaching philosophy, team/program management, understanding field position and positive motivation techniques. Clinicians will also conduct “chalk talk” sessions and go over strategies of attacking and implementing zone and man-to-man pass coverages as well as the basics of a 4-4 Defense, short yardage and goalline scenarios, and the Wing “T” formation, among other topics.USA Football’s youth coaching curriculum is designed specifically for youth coaches teaching the game to players between the ages of 7-14 and the clinics are administered in a particular manner to ensure quality standards are met. USA Football staff member Deno Campbell will review talking points with each clinician prior to the camp. The guest clinicians selected to appear have not yet been determined.Coaches in attendance will be provided a box lunch midway through the clinic and a current NFL player or coach will serve as the keynote speaker. The Winter Park indoor field house, where the Vikings practice, will be used for the clinic. Additional meeting rooms inside Winter Park will also be used.Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and runs until the camp begins at 8:30 a.m. Cost is $50 for walk-ins and $30 for early registration. You can register online at usafootball.com or by calling the USA Football Coaching School at 1-877-5-FOOTBALL.

Vikings Win Pre-Season Finale; Prepare for Home Opener

What a game last night at the Metrodome. The Minnesota Vikings took on the Dallas Cowboys in the pre-season finale, and defeated them 23-14. Most of the starters from either team did not play in last nights game.

Viking back up quarterback Brooks Bolinger did real well last night. Bolinger played the first half of the game, passing for 109 yards, throwing 15 times, and completing nine passes. One for a touchdown. Bolinger threw no interceptions, as he basically solidified the back up roll for the Vikings this season. Minnesota's third string quarterback, and recent pick up from Philadelphia, Kelly Holcomb, threw eight passes, completing five for 59 yards, and one interception. Tyler Thigpen, will make the Vikings practice squad this season, so he can be developed by our coaches for future use. Thigpen made it into the game last night, throwing four passes, completing two for three yards.

The Dallas Cowboys would score the game's first touchdown, when Jerheme Urban ran back a 95 yard punt return with 10:31 left in the first quarter. The Vikings offense would respond with a touchdown of their own in the second quarter, on an Artose Pinner one yard run into the end zone with 14:24 left. Minnesota would score again in the second quarter, this time on a Brooks Bolinger four yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice, giving the Vikings a 14-7 lead at 5:31. Dallas would tie the game with 1:56 left in the half, on a Matt Moore five yard pass to Tony Curtis. However, Minnesota was not done yet. The Vikings would move swiftly to mid-field, setting up a Ryan Longwell 47 yard field goal, to give the Vikings a 17-14 halftime lead.

Ryan Longwell would kick two more field goals in the second half. The first would be for 27 yards, at 5:17 of the third quarter, while his last kick came with 8:28 left in the game, securing a 23-14 Viking victory.

Ryan Longwell kicked three field goals, and two extra points in last nights game. Longwell's field goals were at distances from 47, 27, and 37 yards respectively.

The Vikings kept their final pre-season game very interesting. Minnesota's offense gave Viking fans something to cheer about, and hopefully something to look forward to in the upcoming season. The win helped Minnesota to finish their pre-season at 2-2. With the loss, Dallas fell to 2-2.

The Vikings will now work throughout Saturday's cut deadline, trimming their roster to 53 players for opening day. I will post the Viking roster as soon as it's available, and will add a copy of the Vikings 2007 season schedule as well.

Til then.

SKOL VIKING FANS!!! LET'S SKOL !!!!

Vikings vs Cowboys in PreSeason Finale

The Minnesota Vikings and Dallas Cowboys will face off tomorrow night at the Metrodome in Minneapolis Minnesota for a 7:00pm start. This will be the final preseason game, before the home opener on September 9, against the Atlanta Falcons.

The Cowboys will host many return players like Terrell Owens, and surprise quarterback Tony Romo. Dallas is coming off a disappointing playoff loss in the first round last year, and are 2-1 this pre-season. Dallas has had impressive wins over Indianapolis Colts (23-10) and Denver Broncos (31-20), then a loss to the Houston Texans (28-16). Dallas will be hoping to come to Minnesota to spoil the Vikings pre-season finale. However, the Vikings will have other plans for the visiting Cowboys.

The Minnesota Vikings are coming off a disappointing 2006 season, where they were 6-10. Minnesota is also coming off a loss to the Seattle Seahawks last week 30-13. Minnesota has also lost to the St. Louis Rams 13-10 in the pre-season opener, but defeated the New York Jets 37-20. The Jets came into Minnesota last year and defeated the Vikings 26-13 on December 17th. Minnesota was able to avenge that loss in the pre-season.

This pre-season finale could be a pre-view of their match up later this season. Minnesota will travel to Dallas on October 21, for a 12 noon start. The Vikings lead the overall series against the Cowboys 12-9, and have won the last 5 meetings between the two teams. The Cowboys will be looking for a little revenge, and the Vikings will be looking to keep on their winnings ways against Dallas.

SKOL VIKINGS!!!!!!

Viking Mania Is Underway

Hi Viking fans, and welcome to Viking Mania, home of your Minnesota Viking updates and player information. We will be posting a few times a week, to daily, all the Viking information we can, including player updates, injury reports, game previews and recaps, and all other breaking news concerning the Minnesota Vikings.

The preseason will be coming to a close in the next week or two, as players will be cut to finalize the 2007-2008 Viking roster, as they head into the regular season. Minnesota Viking players and coaches will be working very hard, as they get geared up for the season kick off on Sunday September 9.

This year, the Vikings will kick off the season at home, and will play the Atlanta Falcons. Atlanta's starting quarterback will be Joey Harrington, formerly of the Detroit Lions. Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, is no longer with Atlanta, as he prepares for sentencing on the charges for dog fighting. This story has been beat up in the news so much, and on other web sites, that this site will not mention it from now on.

Hopefully, our boys in purple will give us something to cheer about this season. No matter how they do, we here at Vikings Mania, always support our team, and will post in a very positive manner. We will post all the highlights we can, and even post the struggles our Vikings face, as the season progresses. Lets all put our hands together and cheer on our favorite team, as they begin the 2007-2008 season, in hopes of reaching the post season.

Please take note of the side bar information to the left of the blog. I have made available for you special links, pictures, and polls for all to vote on . I will try to provide other links, and will make up other polls as we move along during this funtastic season.

If you have any suggestions for me, please feel free to e-mail me at carlos-silva--fan-club52@googlegroups.com. Thank you for taking the time to visit us, and we hope you like our site.

GO VIKINGS!!!!!!