"The Team to Watch: Vikings Can't Lose With Peterson and Harvin"

As a Giants fan living in New York, selecting a team to cover for the Bleacher Report should be relatively easy.  The Giants roster is filled with talented players. 

They've proven to be a successful franchise over the years.  They've produced their share of compelling controversy through their high profile, highly troubled, former star receiver.

And of course winning perhaps the most thrilling Super Bowl in a decade could only heighten their appeal.  For me, the choice was clear.  I simply had to cover the Minnesota Vikings. 

The interest in the Vikings had little to do with the overall team and everything to do with Adrian Peterson.  But there is no "I" in team they say. 

No one individual can make up an entire team.  No man is an island. 

Blah, blah, blah. 

Though Peterson isn't the entire Vikings team, he is the sole source of the attention focused on the franchise for the past two seasons.  Peterson is pure excitement. 

Fans turn out and tune in to see just what he'll do to keep them coming back for more.  He almost never disappoints. 

In 2007, Peterson rushed for over 1300 yards, breaking the NFL's rookie rushing record and took the prize for Offensive Rookie of the Year.  2008 saw his season ending with 1,760 yards and a second consecutive Pro Bowl appearance. 

But his stats are a after-thought.  How they were achieved, was nothing short of spectacular. 

Peterson's strength, speed and amazing running skill left fans cheering and opposing players struggling to catch up.  But this was simply a normal day at the office for Adrian Peterson. 

As a fan of the sport, my interest includes college football as well.  I followed Adrian's college career at the University of Oklahoma. 

His abilities as one of the NFL's top running backs were clearly evident as a Sooner.  In three seasons at Oklahoma, he rushed for over 4,000 yards. 

As a first round pick in 2007, the Vikings could not have made a better selection.  But in the 2009 draft, there was apparent attempt to replicate that accomplishment with their selection of Florida Gator, Percy Harvin in the first round. 

Like Peterson, Harvin has proven to be a tremendous talent.  Whether this talent can be transferred to the NFL, remains to be seen. 

Yet, he delivers excitement, additional speed and quite possibly a new playbook to bring more focus and fans to the team.  It appears Vikings management has an understanding of the word growth. 

They're building a team based on talent, success and drawing power.  The sport has many fans. 

We all have our favorite teams.  But whether a Jets fan or Cowboys fan, we all want to be entertained. 

At present, the Vikings may have cornered the market with the addition of Harvin.  For that reason, covering the team would be an absolute pleasure. 

There are no crystal balls here.  But the opportunity to watch the season unfold for this team and write about it, is one that I would gladly welcome.