REPORTING FROM ... VIKINGS CAMP

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This man has G.I. Joe Kung-Fu grip.

[Ed.'s Note: The Mag's Eddie Matz is currently reporting from Vikings camp. Here are a few of his observations from his trip so far.]

• Adrian Peterson has the strongest handshake this side of The Thing. I found this out after I had to cut short a live interview for The Mag's radio show so that I could chat with Peterson for the upcoming NFL preview issue. Five hours later, I'm just now getting the circulation back in my right hand.


• How much do Vikes fans love AP? Enough that when he emerged from the locker room after the morning session, it was to chants of: "MVP…MVP…MVP…"


• In terms of square mileage, the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport is only slightly smaller than the entire country of Greenland.


• If you passed rookie QB John David Booty on the streets of Mankato, you could easily mistake him for your friendly neighborhood accountant.


• I'm the same age as Gus Frerotte (37), but darting around the University of Minnesota-Mankato campus on his red bicycle and rocking a backwards Pittsburgh Pirates cap, the veteran backup QB looks and acts at least 5-10 years younger than me. Perhaps that explains why even after 15 years in the league, he's like the villain in a bad horror flick who just won't go away.


• Yes, the Vikes added free agent speedster Bernard Berrian to go along with promising second year man Sidney Rice, but the best catch of the day goes to Jaymar Johnson. The sixth-rounder out of Jackson State hauled in a 40-plus yard bomb from Brooks Bollinger along the left sideline, and did it basically one-handed, as his other mitt was handcuffed to a molesting DB.


• Some of the local media here seem to think that it's not if Brett Favre ends up in purple, but when.


• Judging by camp drills, QB Tarvaris Jackson will be more accurate than last year. Especially if the league institutes a no-rushing-the-quarterback rule.


• Purple and gold are awesome uni colors. It's a mystery to me why more teams don't go that route.


• If you gave him a haircut, Sidney Rice would be a dead ringer for Chris Rock.


• Even if you don't give him a haircut, Sidney Rice is still a dead ringer for Chris Rock.

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