Charles Rogers? Really?

Noted flop Charles Rogers has been in the news recently thanks to a rumor planted by, of all people, his former high school coach, who says that the Minnesota Vikings have been in contact with the wide receiver. The story's been picked up by several sources, but most people rate the chances of Rogers actually making it to training camp somewhere between slim and none.

Which is how it should be. As bad as the Vikings' receiving corps has been recently, there shouldn't be any interest in a player who hasn't even taken a snap in nearly three years and possesses a total of 36 receptions in 15 games as a pro. Most people (myself included) probably weren't even aware he was still in football, but he apparently tried out with the Dolphins, Patriots, Bucs, and Chiefs since his release by the Lions in September 2006. As if being rejected by four teams shouldn't be enough to put a team off signing a guy, Rogers also reportedly ran a lineman-like 4.8 40 in a 2007 workout with Kansas City. He's supposedly also received interest from the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League, so maybe he just got sidetracked and passed through Minnesota on his way north. Let's at least hope that's what it is.

(And speaking of the Alouettes, I think it's great that CFL teams have cheerleading squads. I wonder if they still wear the skirts when it's below zero in October? And you have to love some of those French-Canadian names, like Marie-Noelle, Andrée-Anne, Eve Lyne, and not one, but two Marie-Eves. My official favorite Alouette cheerleader is Nathalie. She builds airplanes for a living. Insert "Mile High Club" joke here.)

UPDATE: Looks like Rogers might have actually gotten lost on his way to Montreal, or at least his former coach was confused about it. It's understandable, I mean, how many football teams up north that start with "M" are there?

And yes, I still think the CFL should get more air time in the United States.