Thursday, March 18, 2010

luke harwell
1. Is there a clear point of view? (position)
yes open the gate
2. Does the Op-Ed state the problem and solution simply?
yes very simple
3. Does the piece address the counter arguments?
yes he proved them wrong
4. Is the Op-Ed interesting?
yes it effects me
5. Are the paragraphs organized logically?
yes it flowed nicly
6. Does each paragraph develop an idea to support the thesis?
yes
7. Is the writing clear?
yes
With recent mores from the Minnesota twins and the Minnesota gophers the metrodome is a one team stadium. At one point the metrodome was a modern marvel now it is one of the least valuable stadiums in the National football league. Some say that the stadium will cost taxpayers to much to build. Taxes for the twin’s stadium only cost 20 dollars a person in taxes this may seem like a lot but it’s not considering the benefits. Building a new stadium will make a lot of jobs the cowboys stadium gave jobs to 2000 people. This is very important considering unemployment is at 10 percent.
Secondly it will bring a lot of profit to the state of Minnesota. The metrodome will never host another super bowl with a new stadium we would host a super bowl in the next five years. The economic impact for hosting a super bowl is 300 to 400 million dollars. That would be a huge boost to our economy. With a new larger stadium more fans will be able to enjoy the game. With great fans the games will always sell out no matter how many tickets there are.
With a great nucleus of young players the Vikings will be good for years to come. Imagine hosting a super bowl in five years, that we are in. the Vikings are the best home team in the league this would be a huge advantage and also allow more fans to go.
A new stadium would also be great for events like concerts, high school games and charity events. Another great benefit would be getting a retractable roof for when the temperature was nice out. A new stadium would also attract free agents to the Vikings. Players want to play in the grandest of stadiums.
The positives far outweigh the negative and I see no reason why the Vikings should not get a new stadium. Hopefully Tim Pawlenty or some other politician will realize the multiple value that a new stadium would bring to the state of Minnesota.
interview
jon cobb
1. do you think the vikings need a new stadium
yes the metrodome is outdated
2. what are some advantages to getting a new stadium
stimulate the economy provide jobs
3. what would you say to the people who have to pay more taxes
it will help you in the long run
4. why don't politicans pass this
because politacans don't do much
5. would you like a retractable roof
yes i don't think we would use it a lot though
steven rikess
6. are the vikings your favorite team
yes
7. if we got a new stadium how long would it take to host the super bowl
2-5 years
8. would it be a advantage to play a superbowl in our own stadium
yeah if we got there it would be a huge home field advantage
9. with a new stadium would you buy season tickets
yeah probaly
10. do you think more seats would be benifical
yeah its always sold out
arne king
11. how many games did you go to last year
4
12. would you become a season ticket holder in the new stadium
if it is affordable yes
13. will the new stadium boost the economy
yes it will provide a lot of jobs
14. where would they put the new stadium
i don't know
15. does a nice stadium atract free agents
It can only be a positive

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

As I sat on the hard concrete I thought about what I had gotten myself into. All of our future drill sergeants stood at the front of the formation. As I sat I turned to take a drink out of my camel back a bag with a long straw. As I turned back there was a short but extremely muscular drill sergeant in my face.
“Why the hell are you talking in my formation private. “He asks bent down and got in my face.” I knew I couldn’t tell him I was getting a drink that would just piss him off even more.
So I frantically said “It won’t happen again sergeant,” wrong answer, he was a drill sergeant.
“What the f*** did you just call me,” he yelled getting even closer, “in five minutes you are mine private King,” he said as he looked down at my name tag. “I am going to f*** your world up.” Sure enough we got onto a bus and made the very short ride to basic training. I was the first one to get of my bus and as I did a smoke grenade blew up right next to me. It made my heart leap up to my throat. What is going on, they told us that we would be doing paper work for the first couple of days.
“Put your f***ing bags over your heads!” One older redheaded drill sergeant with a deep voice yelled! “Now run over there and back in ten, nine, eight, seven.” The time limit was impossible Usain Bolt couldn’t have made it there and back in thirty seconds. “Put your F***ing bags over your head,” He repeats in an even deeper tone. Kids are getting yelled at by three drill sergeants. One kid passes out in front of me. I want to help him. But I knew I couldn’t. Finally drill sergeants found him. They poured some water on him, yelled at him and told him to get back up. Finally they called us to our individual platoons by social security numbers I was afraid I would miss mine. I have never been more focused in my life. Finally I hear my number called I sprint to where my platoon is forming up. As I run there they spray me in the face with water. After everyone is got in our platoons we meet our drill sergeants and when I say meet I mean get yelled at by them. They all wore the same thing every day long sleeve camo, camo pants, and a big brown drill sergeant had that had a round rim. Our head drill sergeant in our platoon was drill sergeant Ramos he could only be described as a bada**. He once told us a story about killing a man in Iraq who charged him with a sword while he was peeing. He was a short Latino man who had a napoleon complex. The first day was probably the worst we got smoked (military term for muscle failing exercise) all day. On the second day we got our m16’s everyone was so excited to get it. Till we realized that the drill sergeants now had five new ways of smoking us. On the fourth day we walked two miles to get our rucksacks. We would have to march back with them. I don’t know how labor feels but I imagine it is comparable to a rucksack march. You have to carry a hundred extra pounds of weight on your back in a hundred degree temperatures. At basic we will always be with a “battle buddy” this was a member of your platoon. Without a battle buddy they would yell at you and make you do pushups. There isn’t much to basic training basically had the same schedule the whole time we were there. Get up at four clean for an hour. Stand in formation for forty five minutes. Stretch for ten minutes. Do what we called pt or exercise usually running. Eat breakfast at seven. Get all our stuff, stand in formation, leave to a firing range, shoot, eat lunch. Shoot some more, then leave go back to the barracks. Clean our m16s, eat clean, free time eight to nine. Start over the next day. It sounds easy but it is not. The stress piles on like you couldn’t imagine. It is hard to put it into words everyday life. But the bond you make with the other people there is so strong. I rember meeting all my battle buddies. There was Allenye a Trinidad rocket scientist, Belske an overweight kid with glasses, Cheney my best friend who was the fastest kid there, Jones my black friend from Alabama, LeClaire who went to sick call for the littlest things, Licht who looked like a little rat and acted like one too. Murphy my enemy, a know it all, and Tysican an Asian with a temper, along with other normal people.
Our bay was a square with beds and lockers on the perimeter. There was a colored square in the middle of the room it was called the kill zone we were not allowed to go on it.
We had about two minutes to eat meals one day there was cake, everyone knew not to eat it, but Tysican, Murphy, and Belske eat the cake. Prompting Licht to go tell on them to the drill sergeant this caused a civil war. “Why would you tell the drill sergeants you know they are going to pt everyone?” Every one asked Licht angrily. Licht was crying in the coroner. “Wow,” I thought to myself, “that was a pretty messed up thing to do, but there is nothing we can do now.”
“It’s not his fault you guys ate the cake,” said Magruder
Murpy wouldn’t quit seeing the fact that he could pick on one of the few kid who he was bigger than he kept at it, yelling, “Your nothing but a little snitch.” With one swing Magruder knocked Murphy down. I pulled Magruder off Murphy even thought it was great seeing Murphy get punched. Magruder got discharged. The barrack was split, till we discovered that if we all work together that basic training would be easy. We had enough problems without fighting amongst ourselves so we banded together. Two weeks passed without problems and we got to blue phase it meant that the drill sergents didn’t have to hang around all the time. Drill sergeant Ramos appointed leadership he choose Jones as the platoon guy and Appleton a twenty four year old to be the platoon leader. They were the only ones that could ask the drill sergeants questions. We helped each other with things did each other’s laundry, helped on pt, and encouraged each other on ruck sack marches. I now under stood the sole purpose of the drill sergeants were not just to be mean to use it was to drive us together.
I kept a secret calendar in one of my notebooks. Day after day I crossed a day off. The thought of graduation pushed me onward. The time seemed so fast yet so slow. I was one of the few that could go home because I needed to go back to school. Others were going to go on to AIT or advance individual training. The night before I left I couldn’t go to sleep. When It finally turned to morning we had a graduation ceremony where donning the beret. The beret signified when we gained the right to be called soilders. Graduation was the happiest day in my life No one else understands what it is like to be a battle buddy.

Thursday, March 11, 2010

With the NFL draft coming up in forty nine days, the Vikings have to thinking about the upcoming draft. There selection has largely to do with free agency and the choice of Brett Favre looms in their head. In recent years the Vikings have been known to trade up and down this may happen yet again if no top player of need drops to them. With not too many dire needs the Vikings will probably look to take the best player. Since 2005 when the Vikings drafted a South Carolina speedster without hands named Troy Williamson and the massive defensive end Erasmus James. Rick Spielman has done a great job drafting. In the last three drafts we drafted Adrian Peterson (ROY), traded for Jared Allen, and drafted Percy Harvin (ROY). Last year every rookie started that was drafted. But the past is the past and the Viking are drafting in a much higher spot this year. Twenty ninth to be exact. Although, there should be plenty of value there with an especially deep draft. The biggest needs for the Vikings are cornerback, safety, quarterback, and defensive tackle.
Here are some possible situations to solve these needs outside of the draft. Cornerback is a very hard position to find but Dunta Robinson is a very good corner. He is only twenty seven and has proven he can fit into any scheme. He is unafraid of stepping up in the run and would be a great cover two corner. Jon Cobb a avid Vikings fan since the day he was born thinks that the Vikings biggest need in at safety. “ Madieu Williams can’t make a takle and Tyrelle Johnson looks lost in coverage.” There is only one safety available but he is a very good. Antrelle Rolle made the Pro Bowl for the cardinals but was cut because he was due a four million dollar bonus. The quarterback position would be filled if Brett Farve comes back to play. Tavares Jackson has shown improvement playing with Brett. If number four decides to retire Jackson could expect to see a lot more plating time. Another concern for the Vikings could be Pat Williams may retire and Jimmy Kennedy has changed his title from first round to productive contributor
Recent poll on vikings.com which position should the vikings focus on
Cornerback 48%
Middle linebacker 7%
Defensive tackle 5%
Quarterback 32%
Other 8%

Although it is important to get other teams free agents it is more important to keep our free agents unrestricted free agents include Chester Taylor. Other restricted free agents include Ray Edwards, Natufu Tahi and Tavares Jackson. This year free agency for the top eight NFL teams will be a whole lot different from years past and may hinder those clubs in the pursuit of signings that would help them get to the superbowl .
This year fans cannot assume that New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens or the San Diego Chargers can just sign whatever player they want in this years off-season. Although they can sign any player if they lose the same amount in free agency they give that player.

Monday, March 8, 2010

With the NFL draft coming up in forty nine days, the Vikings have to thinking about the upcoming draft. There selection has largely to do with free agency and the choice of Brett Favre looms in their head. In recent years the Vikings have been known to trade up and down this may happen yet again if no top player of need drops to them. With not too many dire needs the Vikings will probably look to take the best player. Since 2005 when the Vikings drafted a South Carolina speedster without hands named Troy Williamson and the massive defensive end Erasmus James. Rick Spielman has done a great job drafting. In the last three drafts we drafted Adrian Peterson (ROY), traded for Jared Allen, and drafted Percy Harvin (ROY). Last year every rookie started that was drafted. But the past is the past and the Viking are drafting in a much higher spot this year. Twenty ninth to be exact. Although, there should be plenty of value there with an especially deep draft. The biggest needs for the Vikings are cornerback, safety, quarterback, and defensive tackle.
Here are some possible situations to solve these needs outside of the draft. Cornerback is a very hard position to find but Dunta Robinson is a very good corner. He is only twenty seven and has proven he can fit into any scheme. He is unafraid of stepping up in the run and would be a great cover two corner. Jon Cobb a avid Vikings fan since the day he was born thinks that the Vikings biggest need in at safety. “ Madieu Williams can’t make a takle and Tyrelle Johnson looks lost in coverage.” There is only one safety available but he is a very good. Antrelle Rolle made the Pro Bowl for the cardinals but was cut because he was due a four million dollar bonus. The quarterback position would be filled if Brett Farve comes back to play. Tavares Jackson has shown improvement playing with Brett. If number four decides to retire Jackson could expect to see a lot more plating time. Another concern for the Vikings could be Pat Williams may retire and Jimmy Kennedy has changed his title from first round to productive contributor
Recent poll on vikings.com which position should the vikings focus on
Cornerback 48%
Middle linebacker 7%
Defensive tackle 5%
Quarterback 32%
Other 8%

Although it is important to get other teams free agents it is more important to keep our free agents unrestricted free agents include Chester Taylor. Other restricted free agents include Ray Edwards, Natufu Tahi and Tavares Jackson. This year free agency for the top eight NFL teams will be a whole lot different from years past and may hinder those clubs in the pursuit of signings that would help them get to the superbowl .
This year fans cannot assume that New Orleans Saints, Indianapolis Colts, Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Arizona Cardinals, Dallas Cowboys, Baltimore Ravens or the San Diego Chargers can just sign whatever player they want in this years off-season. Although they can sign any player if they lose the same amount in free agency they give that player. the vikings will look to improve in the off season and bring a championship back to the great state of minnesota.

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

jon cobb
1. what do you feel is the vikings biggest need
safety
2. what do you think the vikings should do with there draft pick
trade up get eric berry
3. who would you draft with the 29th pick
earl thomas
4. do you trust rick speilman with the teams pick
yes hes a good gm
5. do you think the choice of brett farve to come back or not will effect the draft
no not really
arne king
6. do you believe in taking the best player avaliable or reaching a little for a need
bpa
7. does the combine effect your opionion on players
yes want to see
8. do you watch the whole draft
1st round and 2nd
9. do you want the rival teams to pick someone who you think is a bust
yes I always rut for the lions ro pick a wide reciever
10. what is your most memrable draft moment
getting a high five from zigy wilf after drafting adrian peterson at the vikings draft party
steven rikess
11. do you fell you know a lot about the draft
yes
12. where did you learn about the draft
watching a lot of looking online
13. what do you think was the vikings best ever draft pick
randy moss was a great pick he made such a impact from day one
14. what position should a team build around
quaterback it is a pass first league
15. mel kiper or todd mcshay
mcshay kiper is annoying