>> Eric: THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS OPEN THE SEASON ON MONDAY NIGHT IN CHICAGO.

THE TEAM MADE BIG NEWS JUST LAST WEEK BY BRINGING ADAM THIELEN HOME TO MINNESOTA.

WHEN WE ASKED OUR NEXT GUEST ABOUT THAT POSSIBILITY JUST TWO WEEKS AGO AT THE STATE FAIR, LARRY FITZGERALD, SENIOR, SAID THIELEN "WILL NOT PUT ON A PURPLE UNIFORM AGAIN."

WHEN HE IS NOT TALKING SPORTS WITH US HERE ON "ALMANAC," FITZY DOES RADIO WORK FOR THE NATIONAL PROGRAMMING NETWORK.

I WASN'T SURE THAT THIELEN WAS GOING TO TURN DOWN A BUNCH OF MONEY TO COME BACK.

>> I KNEW CAROLINA WOULD TRY TO STICK IT TO THE VIKINGS, A FOURTH AND A FIFTH ROUND BACK, THAT'S A LOT FOR A GUY WHO WASN'T DRAFTED AND THE VIKINGS CUT HIM BASICALLY, YOU KNOW?

BUT THEY FEEL LIKE THEY NEED HIM AT THIS TIME BECAUSE OF, YOU KNOW, THE JORDAN ADSON STUFF AND -- >> Eric: HE'S MISSING THREE GAMES.

>> YEAH, AND A COUPLE OTHER RECEIVERS GOT SOME HEALTH ISSUES IN TERMS OF INJURIES ON THEIR HANDS OR ELBOWS.

SO THEY SAID, HEY, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE THIS MOVE BECAUSE WE NEED TO GET OFF TO A GOOD START.

HAVE YOU YOU SEEN THEIR SCHEDULE?

THEY GOT TO BE READY.

AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THEY'VE HAD A QUARTERBACK THAT'S GOING TO START A SEASON, A CAREER, THAT WAS PICKED NUMBER ONE BY THE VIKINGS.

YOU GOT TO GO ALL THE WAY BACK TO DAUNTE CULPEPPER.

THEY WANT TO MAKE CERTAIN HE'S GOT ALL THE PIECES AROUND HIM JUST IN CASE THE RUNNING GAME DOESN'T WORK.

THEY WANT HIM TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO THINK THROUGH THE GAME AND FIND PLACES TO GO WITH THE FOOTBALL.

>> Cathy: GETTING BACK TO THIELEN, BECAUSE PEOPLE LOVE HIM, UT IS HE STILL IN GOOD SHAPE?

>> YEAH.

HE HAS NEVER BEEN BURNER.

WIDE RECEIVERS ARE CATEGORIZED AS EITHER, YOU KNOW, SPEED GUYS OR POSSESSION GUYS.

HE'S BEEN MORE OF A POSSESSION GUY.

BECAUSE HE JUST FINDS A WAY TO PUT THE FEAR IN A DEFENSIVE BACK WHO DOESN'T WANT TO LET HIM GET BEHIND HIM.

SO THEY GIVE UP ALL THAT ROOM UNDERNEATH AND THIELEN HAS MADE AN INCREDIBLE CAREER OUT OF DOING THAT.

>> Eric: WHERE ARE YOU ON J.J. MCCARTHY?

>> I THINK HE'S READY.

YOU LOOK AT HIS RECORD FROM THE TIME HE START, HE'S BEEN A WINNER.

AND HE'S GOT THE MICHIGAN ADVANTAGE ON MONDAY NIGHT.

YOU GOT LAKE MICHIGAN RIGHT THERE.

HE'S A MICHIGAN GUY.

THERE'LL BE SOME FANS THERE PULLING FOR HIM.

BUT THIS IS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR HIM TO STEP OUT AND SHOW THAT HE CAN EXECUTE THE OFFENSE OF KEVIN O'CONNELL.

AND HE CAN DO IT IN A WAY THAT THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED IN TERMS OF THEIR OFFENSE.

THEY'VE GOT TERRIFIC RECEIVERS.

THE OFFENSIVE LINE IS MUCH STRONGER HIS YEAR.

THE RUNNING GAME SHOULD BE EVEN BETTER.

JONES RAN FOR A THOUSAND LAST YEAR.

SO I'M LOOKING FOR THIS OFFENSE TO BE ABLE TO PICK UP WHERE IT LEFT OFF LAST YEAR AND THEY WON 14 GAMES.

GRASES YEAH, THEY DID, BUT THEN THEY DIDN'T DO ANYTHING IN THE PLAYOFFS.

>> THAT'S CORRECT, BUT THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE GOTTEN KIND OF USED TO AROUND HERE.

>> Cathy: BUT WE CAN'T.

>> I'VE BEEN HERE SINCE '78 AND I'M STILL WAIT PEAKING FOR THE VIKINGS TO TAKE ME TO A SUPERBOAMPLET.

>> Eric: CAN THEY GO INTO SOLDIER FIELD AND WIN?

>> ABSOLUTELY.

BUT THE BEARS ARE COMING IN WITH JOHNSTON -- >> Eric: DETROIT.

>> AFTER ALL THAT STUFF IN DETROIT.

HEAFD AN OFFENSE THAT PUT UP 564 POINTS LAST YEAR AND THEY DIDN'T WIN THE SUPER BOWL.

>> Cathy: SAY, THE TWINS, THEY'RE JUST HAPLESS.

CAN WE JUST STICK A FORK IN THEM NOW.

>> THEY GOT PABLO LOPEZ BACK.

AND HE'S THEIRST PITCHER.

AND THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT WHERE THE TWINS ARE RIGHT NOW, GOING THROUGH ANOTHER MISERABLE SEPTEMBER, I'VE TOUCHED ON THIS BEFORE, BUT FOR THEM TO ALLOW THE WHITE SOX, A TEAM THAT'S 12, 13 GAMES BEHIND THEM, TO COME IN AND JUST DRAG THEM THROUGH -- I MEAN, THEY BEAT THEM FOUR STRAIGHT, IX STRAIGHT GAME.

AND SO NOW THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SWEAT IT OUT DOWN THE STRETCH AND SEE IF THEY CAN KEEP CHICAGO FROM CATCHING THEM.

>> Eric: LYNX, NUMBER ONE SEED.

>> VEGAS HAS BEEN HOT.

THEY'VE WON CHAMPIONSHIPS BEFORE.

THEY'VE GOT AN MVP TYPE LAYER IN AJA WILSON.

>> Eric: THEY'RE PHYSICAL TOO.

>> SHE IS AWESOME, MAN.

30 POINTS AND 10 REBOUNDS.

BUT THE LYNX GOT TO GET NAPHEESA BACK, PLAYING THE WAY SHE'S PLAYING AND I DON'T THINK SHE'S GOT HER LEGS BACK TO HER UNDER HER YET.

>> Eric: I'M GOING TO GO TO ONE MORE TWINS GAME AND PUT A PAPER BAG OVER MY HEAD AS A PROTEST.

>> THAT MIGHT BE GOOD.

MAYBE THEY'LL PICK UP ON THAT AND SEE THAT STUFF IS HURTING.

IT'S BECOMING PERSONAL THAT YOU CAN'T GO OUT AND SEE YOUR TEAM HOLD A THREE-RUN LEAD IN THE NINTH ANNE EGG.

THEY LOST THREE GAMES WHERE THEY GAVE UP THE LEAD IN THE