No hidden meaning for song, just a cool jam. "Greasing the wheels of a nosiy bad dream" prohibits me from spending as much time as I would like with the show page and chilling with You Tube numbers, but had some time today and wanted to listen to this number. Decided to post it so new-school Rubes can learn more about a simplistic cut executed "live" by a bunch of hippies on the chill. Pretty well written for my money, if you don't dig it sorry and the vocals are terrific.

Things are not terrific for our first regular-season opponent, and I cannot shed a tear for said 'Cats because we have our own problems and won just three freaking games last year. The Jags are without POCKET HERCULES still and have a bunch of injuries. Their QB BLAINE GABBERT wasn't much last year and we should start 1-and-0.

Bad became worse for the Jags today, too, when it was learned OT EUGENE MONROE had to "be carted off" due to injury. They are a mess and I expect us to prevail.

Not sure what to expect Friday night against the Bills. It's our preseason home opener and there are a couple of things I absolutely need to see. With the return of WINFIELD, WILLIAMS and JARED ALLEN the run defense has to be markedly better. Rookie CB JOSH ROBINSON is scheduled to debut, too, and I want to see him ascend the depth chart and pass CHRIS CARR for the third CB spot. That bit needs to be full speed ahead.

Secondly, CHRISTIAN PONDER looked good at San Fran. and needs to repeat the effort against Buffalo. Most of his passes were on time, he stuck one deep, hit on third down and jettisoned the rock at the right time. He kept his eyes down the field, which was not always the case last year.

JASPER BRINKLEY needs to sell some hope. He's the starting MLB and didn't play a down last year. He needed last Friday, didn't stand out and is forgiven in my book given he was off a long layoff. This is the second race post injury and he needs to make some plays in the run game. Given there's not a ton of "nickle" in the preseason he should play a fair amount of the first half, and when the starters leave he should stay an extra series to become more comfortable.

The 54 part of the equation is important because I envision teams passing into our 4-3 "base" and running when we go "nickle." They will make the MLB and safeties prove they can cover and make make CB's who don't wear 26, the safeties and ERIN HENDERSON prove they can stop the run from three-wide sets. You'll see.

I had a Vikings' employee who I respect and who listens to the show tell me post 9-to-Noon today I am too obsessed with the safety spot next to HARRISON SMITH and spend too much time worrying about it. I strongly disagree and am the one Monday's at 9 a.m. who gets to hear Rubes bitch about sub-standard safety play, the slow-footed coverage and bad angles taken. I hope MISTRAL RAYMOND makes some plays Friday night because they want to start him in the Jacksonville game. JAMARCA SANFORD is a non-factor in the safety scenario to me because he's incapable of playing full-time defense. ERIC FRAMPTON is a special, special-teamer and rookie ROBERT BLANTON is hurt, which sucks.

ANDREW SENDEJO is a second-year safety who was dynamite at San Francisco and is solid on special teams. He at least looks like he knows the plays and where to go. I say give him a fair shot to not only make the team but to play safety next to Harrison. It's not the long-term answer at FS, Blanton is, and my offseason take we should start both rookies back there is the right answer. Too bad Blanton tweaked his hamstring because my people tell me "he's smart, plays with an edge, tackles well and has some nasty to him." Let's play. That's good enough for me.

I think it would be cool to start two rookies at safety and raise them together. Yep, ARODG and STAFFORD et al would zap us over the top every so often but we'd at least have a true starting point with restructuring a problem point for our defense. Harrison Smith is going to be a stud.