VIKINGS: YOU AIN'T SEEN NOTHING LIKE THE MIGHTY (FEARS OF DRAFTING BRADY) QUINN

Tap your toes together three times and repeat: It's just the media running a story into the ground ... it's just the media running a story into the ground.

So the Minnesota Vikings -- my Minnesota Vikings -- could be so lucky to have a chance to draft Notre Dame quarterback Brady Quinn (pictured) in tomorrow's NFL draft. Louisiana State's JaMarcus Russell is going to the Raiders with the No. 1 pick. That makes it only natural to guess how many places Quinn, the other top QB in the draft, might fall. The Vikes are picking No. 7, and hey, didn't Matt Leinart fall all the way to the Arizona Cardinals with the No. 11 pick in 2006?

The Vikings probably aren't taking Quinn -- the hometown Star-Tribune's Access Vikings is emphasizing they're likely to take a pass rusher such as Clemson's Gaines Adams or Arkansas' Jamaal Anderson in the first round. A defensive back such as LaRon Landry, the Louisiana State strong safety, is a possibility. Given the Vikings' history with the Dallas Cowboys back in the '70s, it would help their karma to have a standout with the last name Landry.

Since Quinn has become a kind of straw man for people who are wise to the NCAA hype machine, it is kind of hilarious that this is in play. Besides, the NFC North is deficient in starting quarterbacks with inflated college reputations now that Joey Harrington has left the division. Long story short, when the story linked above moved on the wire last night, a colleague peered over with a slight grin that was a Webster's-worthy illustration of cryptic: "Neate, you're a Vikings fan, aren't you?"

Guilty as charged. The notion of Quinn ending up in purple and gold -- colours which remain next to godliness even post-Fred Smoot -- is slightly nightmarish for this Vikings diehard. It was so jarring that it's taken two weeks to get around to posting on it since a regular reader who also cheers for the Vikes suggested it here. There is an off-chance Quinn turns out to be the modern incarnation of a Notre Dame passer of yore, Joe Montana. (Probably not. We're thinking Brady's a little more down -- just a little -- toward the Rick Mirer/Ron Powlus end of the quarterback spectrum, and if you never heard of those guys, that's the point.)

Why is it a minor nightmare? Picture this: Brady Quinn and his brother-in-law, Green Bay Packers linebacker A.J. Hawk, both in the NFC North. Last summer, Minnesota-based blog 10,000 Takes expressed a plaintive hope that Quinn and Hawk would both end up playing for the Packers, since it would eliminate the need for the TV cameras to show Laura Quinn-Hawk (pictured) in the stands rocking the split Vikings/Packers jersey, just like she did with the joint Notre Dame/Ohio State jersey when her brother and her future spouse played against each other in the 2006 Fiesta Bowl. Now she could have a chance to do it twice a year, although she would have to pull it on over a parka when the Vikes visit Lambeau Field in December.

By the way, in that bowl game, Brady Quinn threw 45 passes, none of which went for touchdowns. One shouldn't draw too much from that, but that sounds a lot like what Brad Johnson did last season.

There's a good chance the Vikings will take a D-lineman or possibly a defensive back such as Landry or Michigan corner Leon Hall. A quarterback hasn't been in the picture, the only running back, Oklahoma's Adrian Peterson, has injury issues, and the best wideout, Georgia Tech's Calvin Johnson, is too good not to go before the seventh pick. Cleveland picks third and its coach, Romeo Crennel, used to work with Quinn's college coach, Charlie Weis, so it seems like a natural.

Still, the reality that Brady Quinn could become a Viking is very alive and well for the next 24 hours. It's going to be a nervous night.

That's all for now. Send your thoughts to neatesager@yahoo.ca.