Draft day

Today is NFL draft day and as this is usually the first step in the Minnesota Vikings demise, I'd like to offer up new coach Leslie Frazier and the rest of the Vikings draft gurus some quick advice.
Here are the top 5 things they should do with their No. 12 pick:

1. Trade down: preferably back to late first round or early second round to take Ryan Mallett or Andy Dalton
2. Trade up: And take Blaine Gabbert, this is kid is for real and has the best chance to make a positive impact immediately
3. Take a cornerback, because anyone who watched Frank Walker or JaMarcus Sanford play corner, knows we need a good one. Plus Winfield's best years are behind him, and Lito Sheppard is not far behind that. Best options: Prince Amukamara  or Jimmy Smith
4. Take one of several talented Defensive Lineman including: Nick Fairley, Cameron Jordan, Robert Quinn, Aldon Smith.....the list goes on.
5. Take an offensive lineman. An underrated option for the 12th pick, but the Vikings' OL could use another young star to solidify the wall that will block for Peterson. Likely available will be Tyron Smith, Mike Pouncey or Derek Sherrod.

Most likely scenario (knowing the Vikings): They will wait until the last second and fail to trade their pick, end up taking a stone-handed wide receiver (Julio Jones) or 'Bama running back Mark Ingram, because he was "the best available" player at number 13 or 14, while the conference rival Lions' snatch up a great pick and fail to adequately develop him.

Please Vikes, change your imbecilic and disorganized draft ways and use some common sense this year.

Floods

I chose the song "Floods" by Pantera this week, not only because it has a wicked guitar solo in it, but the main focus of my coverage this week dealt with the coverage of the rising waters in Bottineau County.

I was able to travel all about the county on last Tuesday and Wednesday and see the flooded roads. The worst of it came this past Monday, however, as the state shut down Highway 5 the main road between Bottineau and Minot.

Wednesday was also an exciting day, because I was able to go in a plane for the first time in my entire life. It was really fun and super exciting, plus, I got some sweet pictures as well.

I have a flood of pictures this week to share of, well, the flood.

An aerial shot of a farm that deals with some overland flooding west of Willow City, N.D..

Fields on either side of this road North of Gardena, N.D. are submerged last Tuesday afternoon.

A ditch and field plum full of water north of Gardena.

Water creeps up onto this rural road near Omemee, N.D.

Water comes nearly to the bottom of a railroad bridge last Tuesday north of Willow City.

Strong currents flow underneath Bottineau County Road 60 just north of Willow City last Tuesday.

A field road disappears into a flooded field north of Willow City last Tuesday.

Flooded land near Overly, N.D. last Tuesday.

Many barriers like this one north of Overly were constructed to help keep people away from washed out roads.

Water laps against a sign warning hunters to stay out in southern Bottineau County last Wednesday.

Deep River fills a basin with flood water in southern Bottineau County last Wednesday.

Someone either doesn't know how to spell or ran out of room when they made this homemade sign.

Many county roads are muddy or water covered in Bottineau County due to flooding.

A backyard is flooded last Wednesday in Maxbass.

Water surrounds playground equipment in Maxbass last Wednesday.

Ducks enjoy the rising water over this road east of Maxbass.

County Road 20 between Russell and Kramer diappears into the Mouse River last Wednesday. Kramer is in the background.

Water creeps onto the road near Deep River church last Wedensday.

Water approaches County Road 14 two miles north of Upham last Wednesday. The road was later closed as water rose.

An aerial photo shows the large amount of water north of Gardena.

Large amounts of water remained north of Willow City last Wedesday afternoon.

Winters End

This week I chose the little known song "Winters End" by Texas, because hopefully it is finally over.

I did spring previews on both college and BHS baseball this week. I went to some indoor practices and chatted with the coaches and snagged a few pics.

Here they are:

A BHS player practices off an indoor mound last Thursday.

BHS junior Justin McCloud throws to first during groundball practice.

BHS senior Taylor Milbrath practices grounders.

A BHS player hits in the batting cage.

DCB freshman Patrick Shinskie throws while practicing grounders.

Lumberjacks freshman Cody Benson fires home.