Oh boy, the sidebars from the Randy Moss contract extension tour just keep coming. Yeah, we’re sick of them, too, but they could be important in the coming months.

More fallout from the Randy Moss contract "talks" that really haven’t even started yet:

* VU heard rumblings at last week’s minicamp that Randy Moss is starting to take his contract more seriously and, considering he could blow an Achilles playing quasi-celebrity hoops tournaments and has the potential to bring in $100 million playing a sport he’s actually good at, he likely isn’t going to play much more basketball this summer — if any at all.

* Also on the Moss front, a Vikings source of VU said the concern over the attitude and numbers being thrown around by Moss could have a backlash effect. While Dennis Green and Red McCombs are still solidly in Moss’ corner, the primary concern is his statement that, if franchised, he’ll never play for the Vikings. With worries over keeping Daunte Culpepper as high as keeping Moss, if he continues to play hardball in the offseason after this campaign, the stance McCombs has made that he will "never trade Randy Moss" may be forced to change for the good of the franchise.

* Being lost in all of the hoopla over signing Moss and the impending signing of Culpepper after the 2002 season to long-term deals, the Vikings still have to concern themselves with how to address Matt Birk and Kailee Wong — both who will be eligible for free agency after the 2001 season and neither of which can be franchised unless Moss is already signed and the team has some assurance that the tag won’t be needed for Culpepper.

The fun just continues, huh?

SUNDAY NOTE
* When Ron Yary joins the NFL Hall of Fame at the Aug. 4 induction ceremony, he will have John Michels introduce him and give a speech on his behalf — a custom at induction ceremonies. Michels was an offensive line coach for the Vikings from 1967-93 — coaching Yary during his entire Vikings career.