Great story about Louie Sirian, owner of Lee's Liquor Lounge , located where the latest preferred Vikings stadium site is. Some call it the Basilica site. Others the Linden Ave site. Whatever you call it Lee's may be a distant memory if the stadium does get built there. Would be sad to see it go. But if it means a new Vikings stadium, then some things must go.

It's become a ritual to stop in at Lee's before (and sometimes after) Twins games. Cool place. It's like stepping back in time. One night the musical entertainment included belly dancers. I once met a deaf gal eating a banana there. Who eats a banana at a bar? She does.

The last sentence of this story cracked me up. Louie always tells it like it is that's for sure.

Kinda feels like being at a bowling alley in Hamburg, Minnesota, circa 1959. Minus the bowling.

Hoping for a trade-down tomorrow night.

Why would you like to see a trade down? I understand we need to replace 20 of 22 starters and have a need at every position, but do you trade down to get a couple guys that might pan out, or do you stay at #3 and get a guy you know will pan out? Although the Vikings history is such that you never know what will happen ...

Trade down one slot and pick up three extra picks? Smart move I say.

Exciting day for Vikings fan. Drafting the next great OT to follow in the shoes of Ron Yary, Gary Zimmerman, Todd Steussie, Steve Riley, Grady Alderman,and Tim Irwin. Nothing fills the seats better than a good OT. Kalil's footwork is worth the price of admission and his jersey is sure to be a big seller. Loadholt and Kalil will be some good bookends. Bookends, bookends, bookends.

Trading up to get a safety was another nice move as today's Joey Browner would have been better than any of the safeties on the Vikes. The big plus here is that Harry Smith is another Notre Dame guy to go along with Carlson, Rudolph, and Sullivan. We all know how well Notre Dame has been of late so it's understandable wanting guys from such a successful program. Maybe it's just me but it seems like Notre Dame is playing for the national title every year. Winners!

Wow, what a draft. Fastest guy in the draft - the Vikings got him. SI is giving the braintrust an A for obvious reasons. Drafting 2 Notre Dame guys is unbelievable. Most teams are lucky just to have a couple of those guys on the roster and now the Vikes will have 5. Just think how much smarter the team will be now. Can you spell wonderlic?

The smart thing was drafting college teammates. The Vikes played it smart and got both wideouts from Arkansas. Not only does Arkansas routinely crank out pro players (David Palmer) but they follow in their coach's footsteps by being upstanding individuals.

Don't forget the other USC guy the Vikings drafted too - amazing to be able to get 3 college duos. It's a proven fact that drafting college teammates leads to more familiarity. From familiarity we get contempt which translates into: There's a time to pet the pig and a time to run and catch with the pigskin. Give this draft a couple years and one will see this contempt bear fruit as it blooms into frustration.

The Vikings plan is starting to make sense. Sign a bunch of no-names to one year contracts, then draft a bunch of fellas. Then throw them all into a heap, see who can chop the forest through the woods and who will become underbrush, then you burn through the underbrush and Miracle Grown the trees and in the second year of this process the roots start to take hold. Great job, both with the free agents and the draft, I agree with Norton. And when the pig pettin' stops and the whistle blows, the first blow in the pigskin game is that of boot to ball, and our choice in the 6th round of that kicker from Georgia was pure genius.

OVERVIEW
Walsh is a three-year starter with an active and strong leg. He consistently puts the ball in the end zone on kickoffs and has been reliable enough that a team with a need may select him to keep him off the free-agent market.

STRENGTHS
Walsh is a confident kicker who will let it rip from beyond 60 yards. He is most reliable in mid-range kicks. He is a good athlete who is capable of making a tackle as a last resort.

WEAKNESSES
Walsh has been inaccurate at times when he tries to drive the ball too hard.

Walsh was extremely accurate as a sophomore, hitting 40 of 46 tries during those two seasons. He was 15 of 23 as a freshman and 21 of 35 as a senior, with 14 of his misses coming from 40+ yards. He led the nation in FG tries last year, and converted a 56-yard try as well.

Nice scouting report on the NEW kicker for the Vikings. Longwell gets cut so the Vikes shed his 3 million a year contract. If the team isn't going to go to the playoffs paying 3 mil for kicker doesn't make sense but drafting the best kicker does make sense.

My sources tell me that Bobby Felder, signed as an undrafted free agent, has a good shot of making the opening day roster. He is a CB/punt returner. The Vikes were shocked he went undrafted as they projected him as a late 6 to middle 7th round draft pick. Absolutely shocked he made it through.......

Vikings cornerback Asher Allen announces retirement at the young age of 24. Gettin' out before the concussions get him.