US Bank Stadium, the Minnesota Fightin' Vikings new stomping grounds, is flying through construction and the new addition to the Minneapolis skyline is nearing completion. We had our man Sam Ekstrom (@SamEkstrom) -- Cold Omaha and 105 The Ticket -- back on the show to talk about his recent media tour of the new digs as well as squawk about our favorite local professional football team as the Vikings are set to invade Mankato at the end of the week.Counting Down the Days Topics Include• Purple FTW! T-Shirt Available for Pre-Order!• Amazon, Baby• No Vikings arrests so far this "offseason"• ESPN is becoming a daytime infomercial• Media Tour of US Bank Stadium (aka The USB)• New features of the stadium taking shape• Ultra-lounges? Cool.• Say something nice about Mankato• What's the buzz heading into training camp?• Will any safety (besides Harrison) pass the BTB (Better-Than-Blanton) Scale?• How will the offensive line battle shape up? #TeamAustinShepherd• Will Babatunde Aiyegbusi make the 53?• Wide receivers: Who will make the cut? #TeamThielen• Cordarrelle = Josh Cribbs until further notice• NFC North: Who do you fear?• Matt Miller ranks Blanton as the 7th best safety in the NFL (Dohkay)• "Russell Wilson probably has a necklace of ears"• McKinnon's usage with Adrian back?• Sam's STONE COLD HOT TAKE 2.0 (This one is HOTTTTT)• Surprise cut of camp will be who?• Surprise riser of camp will be who?• Do we care that the Pluto mission cost less than the new stadium?• I got followed by Blanton on Twitter• What's coming up from Cold Omaha?All that and other "This is the only camping I like" chatter on this edition of the Purple FTW! Podcast!An Andy Carlson Joint.Follow us on Twitter: @PurpleForTheWin - http://twitter.com/purpleforthewinVisit the Website: http://purpleftw.comSubscribe to Podcast on iTunes: http://purpleftw.com/itunesWe're also on Stitcher! http://purpleftw.com/stitcherMusic for the Purple FTW! podcast is created by & produced by deeB.To hear more of his tracks, check out http://soundcloud.com/deeb

I was multi-tasking today and got Uncle Nick (@nickasun) on the phone to ask me Minnesota Fightin' Vikings related questions while I cooked some homemade General Tso's Chicken & Lo-mein. Yes. This really happened and it turned out damn good. The food that is!Sweet & Spicy Questions Include• Which team or teams outside the NFC north poses the biggest threat?• What do you think will be the vikings record verses the NFC north this season• Which QB will have a better statistical record this year? Teddy or Wilson• Will the home record be better or worse this year compared to last? (5-3) last year• Which WR/TE will receive the most yards?• Which WR/TE will receive the most touchdowns?• Who will be the better back up RB? Mckinnon, Aisiata, banyard• Most points Vikings will score in a regular season game?• Who will last longer with the vikings? Wilfs, Zimmer or Speilman?• Which player seems to be most likely traded mid-season?All that and other "Kikkoman soy sauce is the ONLY soy sauce" chatter on this edition of the Purple FTW! Podcast!An Andy Carlson Joint.Follow us on Twitter: @PurpleForTheWin - http://twitter.com/purpleforthewinVisit the Website: http://purpleftw.comSubscribe to Podcast on iTunes: http://purpleftw.com/itunesWe're also on Stitcher! http://purpleftw.com/stitcherMusic for the Purple FTW! podcast is created by & produced by deeB.To hear more of his tracks, check out http://soundcloud.com/deeb

What do you do when you're out of material & have no guest lined up? A MAILBAG! We put it out to you the listeners and we came back with some great Vikings, food, and life related questions.Andy Was Lazy and Did a Mailbag Questions Include:• What to watch for in this year's preseason?• Even after the draft, are there concerns with the roster?• How do I convince my gf to go to a Vikings game when we do Honeymoon drive around the US?• F-Marry-Kill: Zimmer, Spielman, Teddy• Gas or charcoal?• Realistically when can we hope to take back what is ours? The NFC North?• What fruit do you not have with breakfast?• Who wins in an arm wrestling contest: Everson Griffen or Danielle Hunter or [me]?• 2015 Statline predictions for the major Vikings• Would you rather the Vikings win the Super Bowl this year & in 2018, or [my daughter] get into an Ivy League school?• Game Day Food?• What 80s rock song best describes your feeling about the 2015 season?• Also promo our Mankato dates, support us on Amazon!, and listen to the Dad Mode PodcastAll that and other "Is it Mankato Time Yet? on this edition of the Purple FTW! Podcast!An Andy Carlson Joint.Follow us on Twitter: @PurpleForTheWin - http://twitter.com/purpleforthewinVisit the Website: http://purpleftw.comSubscribe to Podcast on iTunes: http://purpleftw.com/itunesWe're also on Stitcher! http://purpleftw.com/stitcherMusic for the Purple FTW! podcast is created by & produced by deeB.To hear more of his tracks, check out http://soundcloud.com/deeb

Vikings linebacker and all-around great guy Chad Greenway (@chadgreenway52) joins the show to talk football, philanthropic work with his Lead the Way Foundation, the #MoreThanWords campaign, and his upcoming Day to Reach football camp. Other "Chad Could've Been a Gopher" Talking Points Include• The Regional Boy Done Good backstory• Glen Mason didn't offer Chad a scholarship• The genesis of the Lead the Way Foundation• Day to Reach: A well-rounded football camp• The Lake Minnetonka boat rescue story• The #MoreThanWords campaign in concert with Vikings Territory, The Daily Norseman, Vikings Journal, Vikings Corner & The Vikings Age• Breakdown of the Chad's Locker Program• Chad's thoughts on the 2015 Vikings• Is Mike Zimmer the "ZIMMER" we see in the media?• Impact of Adrian Peterson's return• What's different about Teddy Bridgewater• Eric Kendricks assessment• Coolest moment giving back: TendHER Heart Luncheon• What will Chad do after he retires from football?• When is retirement?...• "The Andy & Chad Show"???For more information on the programs run by Chad Greenway's Lead the Way Foundation, visit chadgreenway.org.To donate to the #MoreThanWords campaign & help us reach our goal of $10,000, hit it here!All that and other Vikings & Giving Back chatter on this edition of the Purple FTW! Podcast!An Andy Carlson Joint.Follow us on Twitter: @PurpleForTheWin - http://twitter.com/purpleforthewinVisit the Website: http://purpleftw.comSubscribe to Podcast on iTunes: http://purpleftw.com/itunesWe're also on Stitcher! http://purpleftw.com/stitcherMusic for the Purple FTW! podcast is created by & produced by deeB.To hear more of his tracks, check out http://soundcloud.com/deeb

Matt Vensel (@mattvensel) of the Star Tribune joins the show to talk about our Minnesota Fightin' Vikings as we count down the days until we're back in the hood in Mankato ready to launch this 2015 season into orbit. This year's version of 4th of July has come and gone (without any Vikings pulling a JPP, FTW), so grab some leftover BBQ, toss some aloe on the sunburns, and listen to some Purple FTW! goodness!Other "Clark Griswold was a Vikings Fan, not a Bears fan" Talking Points Include:• Training Camp dates for us (July 31st - Aug 2nd)• 2015 Sponsor Prospectus• Chat with Matt Venzel• His background, why Minnesota?• What was it like meeting Sid for the 1st time?• How was the 1st year covering the Vikings? Teddy/Zim/NORV• Thoughts on the Adrian drama "ending"• Adrian/McKinnon Backfield split• Mike Wallace - Run Fast & Shut Up• Preview of Mankato• Week 1 Offensive Line is ____?• Position battles to watch for (Blanton vs... ANYONE, one time?)• Matt Kalil takes• Matt's STONE COLD HOT TAKE• Over/Under 1300 Rushing Yards for Adrian Peterson this season?• When does Harrison get extended?• Bigger Impact in 2015: Trae Wayne or Eric Kendricks?• Who has a longer stay in Minnesota: Mike Zimmer or Matt Venzel?All that and other "Josh Robinson tore a pec holding back history" chatter on this edition of the Purple FTW! Podcast!An Andy Carlson Joint.Follow us on Twitter: @PurpleForTheWin - http://twitter.com/purpleforthewinVisit the Website: http://purpleftw.comSubscribe to Podcast on iTunes: http://purpleftw.com/itunesWe're also on Stitcher! http://purpleftw.com/stitcherMusic for the Purple FTW! podcast is created by & produced by deeB.To hear more of his tracks, check out http://soundcloud.com/deeb