Friday, February 09, 2018

Open thread

There's all manner of things to talk about, but I got so busy reading this morning that I ran out of time to write anything. So we'll open up a thread and see what happens. Meanwhile, have some b&w photography, something I've been dabbling in lately:

Sun going down in Burnsville, MN

Bell Pole Yard, New Brighton, MN

Rice Creek, New Brighton, MN
Nordeast Minneapolis

7 comments:

Gino said...

Who will be the Vikings QB next year? I'm hearing they might make a play for Foles. How much do you think he would now?

W.B. Picklesworth said...

Tried NPR again the other day (I try listening every month or so.) It's unlistenable. Everything in the news is framed as, "How might this hurt Trump?" It's a transparent Hack Festival with production value. On a side note, I love the microphones they use. Wonderful sound.

Bike Bubba said...

Film or digital with B&W filter? I remember having a lot of fun with B&W film, noticing that somehow it seemed different in character from the color film pictures. Sadly, I'm afraid that the camera needed a better operator to get a little more out of the experience. :^)

Mr. D said...

Film or digital with B&W filter?

Digital with B&W filter, so far with just my crappy Android phone. I'm having great fun with it. I am planning to buy a camera in a week or two, because the camera on my phone has significant technical limitations.

Who will be the Vikings QB next year? I'm hearing they might make a play for Foles.

Could be. Note well -- the Vikings just hired the QB coach from the Eagles to be their new OC. That makes such speculation seem more plausible. Would not be surprised to see Foles and Keenum change places.

Gino said...

Keenum is a free agent, isn't he? He should be getting paid by somebody after this season.

3john2 said...

FA QB salaries were already set to explode, but the deal SF gave to Garafalo - a guy who has played in, what, 6 NFL games? - is really going to blow things up. Cousins will likely get $30 million a year at least, and Keenum - who I'd pegged at around $15-18 million - will likely get $20 mill. The safest thing for the Vikings to do if they don't want to pay Cousins and aren't that sure about Keenum, is to franchise Keenum next year. They'll pay a premium annual cost, but will just have a one year obligation and no dead money going forward if they don't extend him. They can afford Cousins this year, but it's really going to squeeze the cap going forward and they've got a couple of key guys coming up for new contracts. Cousins would be a "win now" approach, which probably isn't that bad an idea in today's NFL where two years is considered a "dynasty" anywhere but in New England. Foles could be in play - if Spielman is willing to give up draft picks to save cap space (and I doubt he is). Draft picks, ultimately, are how you keep the cap manageable. Foles contract is very affordable for another year - little more than Teddy Bridgewater money, IIRC - so that's a factor. If I were to bet, though, I'd guess that MN QBs next year will be Keenum, Bridgewater (on a new, one or two year "prove it" contract while he reestablishes marketability) and Sloter (who might end up #2 if they cut Teddy at the end of pre-season.

Gino said...

Keenum has proven himself a legit starter. Not bad for somebody who went undrafted.