May 22nd, 2013 
Matt Loede 
Posted in 
Hey Vikings Fans! Be at the new Champs Sports for a special appearance from Christian Ponder!
Ponder will be on hand Thursday, May 23, 6 to 7 p.m.
The Champs Sports is at 205 East Broadway
Stop by for an autograph and photo op with the Vikings QB!
Vikings waive OT Mark Jackson.
The Vikings made a roster move on Tuesday, releasing offensive tackle Mark Jackson.
Jackson was a 6-foot-6 undrafted free agent who played his college ball at Glenville State. The team signed him to a free agent contract on April 30th. Jackson had participated in the team’s rookie camp.
The Vikings roster now stands at 89 players, one below the offseason limit. This includes 86 players under contract as well as tenders out to their three unsigned first-round draft picks.
Urlacher announces retirement
Click on this ! OUCH !
Ok, the drama is over. Brian Urlacher will not be joining the Minnesota Vikings and we can put all talk to the contrary to bed. This morning he released the following statement below through his Twitter account saying that after 13 seasons, he’s calling it quits after Eight Pro Bowl seasons and being named Defensive Player of the Year in 2005.
”After spending a lot of time this spring thinking about my NFL future, I have made a decision to retire,” Urlacher said in a statement. ”Although I could continue playing, I’m not sure I would bring a level of performance or passion that’s up to my standards. When considering this, along with the fact that I could retire after a 13-year career wearing only one jersey for such a storied franchise, my decision became pretty clear.”
”I want to thank all of the people in my life that have helped me along the way. I will miss my teammates, my coaches and the great Bears fans.”
Bears fans loved him, Vikings fan’s feared him, and this writer held him the highest esteem. I can’t say I’m gonna miss seeing his scary face on the opposite sideline, but I will say that if he’d been a Viking, I’d be mourning as we speak !
Vikings new digs will be very unique !
Ok, first of all, the new place is going be different, really different from any other NFL stadium in existence. We’ve seen the projected photos in all their surreal glory. But check out some of the amenities that visitors to Vikingsland will be enjoying.
First, the new stadium will hold about 65,000 screaming fans. That’s nice, but the important thing to note is that there will be far more bathrooms within the new confines then in the Mall of America Dome. Not only that, but there will be no more troughs to stand in front of when relieving one’s self. I understand that this may make for a bit less camaraderie, but seriously, did anyone find the moment to be a bonding experience?
Another thing that makes the future homestead different is all that glass! But not just ordinary glass! This state of the art stuff is called “Ethylene tetraflouroethylene” or “ETFE”. Just the name alone makes one feel unique!
So, Coach, what makes ETFE so gosh darn special?
Answer: ETFE is a co-polymer resin which is pressed and formed into a thin film. It is transparent, lightweight and durable, and resists corrosion.
Want more? Well, UV light will not degrade it, nor does environmental pollution, harsh chemicals or extreme temperatures. (Hello??? it’s Minnesota, land of 10,000 snowstorms!!!). The Surface is non-stick and non-porous. Dirt and dust will not attach itself and rain will suffice as a cleaning agent, so it is in essence, a self-cleaning entity.
ETFE was introduced almost 30 years ago, therefore the life expectancy of the new roof is an estimate based on the oldest examples. But since there has been little or no replacement on the earliest uses, it is expected to last 30-50 years with minimal maintenance.
The roof will be steeply banked to prevent snow build-up. 40 % of the roof will be non-ETFE, with catwalks and gathering areas. But the glassed in South side will cover the remaining roofing area. Because of the unique angle of this roof, the 60% that is glassed over will allow enough sunlight to cover the entire field.
The natural lighting and heat generated by the south side of the structure will be significant. But, if it gets too hot, there will be five, 95 foot tall retractable doors to allow air flow.
Finally, the zinc alloy in the metals used in the structure will actually change color in different lighting.
With a total area of 240,000 sq. ft., the new stadium will be the largest ETFE roof in N. America and will also be the 1st and only stadium in United States with 
a clear roof.
So, Viking fans, if you wanted something different, you gotta be loving it. This Dawg can’t wait till 2016 as the front office is angling for the Packers to be the opening game opponent.
- Bring it on !
New Vikings Stadium Roof To Be Self Cleaning
The Vikings new stadium will have the largest transparent roof in the world.
The roof will use ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE), which is a polymer, not glass. It’s like a pillow, and light is diffused that goes through there. It’s not direct sunlight, so shadows will be diffused. ETFE will be above the whole playing field.
“The ETFE product is self-cleaning,” Vikings vice president Lester Bagley said. “It’s the largest clear roof in the world and the first on a stadium in the U.S. There are some in Europe.”
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“There’s a basin that catches the snow and prevents it from going down to the street,” Bagley added. “It slides off the roof into a gutter, essentially, and it breaks up from there. It will be very safe.”
Urlacher close to signing ? He says yes, while Vikings say no.
The Minnesota Vikings and former Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher seem to have a distinctly different take on current negotiations between the two. According to Urlacher, both the Vikings and the Broncos have made firm offers that he is currently mulling over. Urlacher also told sources that he is stromgly leaning towards signing with the Vikings.
So, done deal, right ? ……..Not so fast ! The Vikings are not only saying that they have NOT made an offer, they are saying that they have no interest in Urlacher at all. So what’s the deal ? Is Urlacher and his agent blowing smoke in an attempt to garner interest in the former Pro Bowler ? Or are the Vikings simply playing their cards close to the vest just in case Urlacher changes his mind.
One certainty that the team doesn’t want to risk alienating Erin Henderson by giving him the impression that the team is trying to replace or upgrade the position he has been told is his. Speaking of which, sources close to the team are saying that Henderson is furious over the fact that the team is reaching out to the Urlacher camp at all.
Even if the team does bring Urlacher in, it is doubtful that he would be a three down back. He has been fighting various leg injuries over the past three seasons, and it is clear when watching film that he has lost a step. It is likely that Henderson would still be used as a strongside linebacker on first and second downs, then switch to the middle on passing downs. If this is the case, this move would still be a major upgrade over Jasper Brinkley.
The Dawg has his ear to the ground on this, and updates will be posted as they develop. SKOL !
Vikings Fans! Enter The New Era Photo Day Contest!
New Era, the official on-field headwear of the National Football League, is teaming up with the NFL to launch the Back to Football Photo Day contest. So what this means is that Vikings fans will now have the chance to join the ranks of Adrian Peterson to also become THE face of the Vikings.
The contest, which is live at www.speakwithyourcap.com or through New Era’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/neweracaps?fref=ts) will require Vikings faithfuls to submit photos of themselves showcasing how you personally “speak with your cap.” Whether you wear your cap sideways, backwards or flexed at the brim, show how you are bringing your own style to the game.
32 fans (1 per team) will ultimately be chosen and win a complimentary trip to New York City for two. The winners will enjoy a four-day VIP experience and will be professionally styled in their favorite team’s looks for a New Era photo shoot that may be used for a year-long advertisement and promotional campaign.
Fly Through The Minnesota Vikings New Stadium Design
Take a virtual fly through the design for the newly released Minnesota Vikings stadium!
Check Out The New Vikings Stadium Design Reveal Tonight
The Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority, in collaboration with design firm HKS, will reveal the design for the new Vikings stadium tonight at an event at the Guthrie Theater, beginning at 7 p.m. CST.
While tickets for the event are limited, fans can watch the event via live stream on vikings.com–> click here.
Speakers at the event will include:
- Governor Mark Dayton
- Mayor of Minneapolis R.T. Rybak
- Head Coach Leslie Frazier
- General Manager Rick Spielman
- Vikings Tackle Phil Loadholt
- Vikings Center John Sullivan
- Legendary Vikings Coach Bud Grant
- Voice of the Vikings Paul Allen
Don’t miss this chance to get the very first look at the new home of the Vikings.
Coach Is Back!
Hello Vikings Gab fans. This is Coach B, back from wherever it was I was at. Our fearless and omnipotent leader, Matt Loede, has (some might say foolishly) given me the keys to the Limosine by offering me the opportunity to become the new editor and administer of Vikingsgab.com. I have to say that I am glad to accept this position and am so happy to be back and writing for this site again !
Since we last talked….The Vikings have: 1. drafted a new franchise left tackle. 2. Gotten new uniforms. 3. Found out that Joe Webb isn’t the answer, and 4. made a tremendous haul (some might go as far as say Heist) in the 2013 draft !
Needless to say, things in Vikingland have taken a happy and very optimistic turn ! In the near future, I will be discussing the draft, and looking at what is ahead for the 2013-14 season. As always, I am happily waiting for your feedback, ideas and thoughts.
In addition, we will be featuring a new weekly segment called: ” The Bigg Dawg’s weekly fan forum” where fan’s can write in their ideas, questions, thoughts, comments, etc. to be addressed by Buford Tiberious Humphries Alias……………………… ” The Dawg “. ** See photo above **
So be sure to touch base with us, because this year, we are gonna blow the lid off the old, cranky Metrodome, remake , Mall of America Stadium ! While we await the time when we can move into our new State-of -the -Art facility. ( I suggested naming the new field the ” Boynton Colluseum ” I will keep you up to date on how that goes ! : )
-Skol
