The Harvin situation

The most pressing question today will be whether wide receiver Percy Harvin is able to return to the practice field after missing the past four practices -- and a game -- because of migraine headaches.

As Chip and I wrote today, there is obvious concern from the Vikings about this situation and figuring out why Harvin's episodes seem to have become so frequent. It is interesting that he seemed to have a similar issue with the migraines becoming severe in 2007 during his sophomore season at Florida. He missed back-to-back games that year.

Harvin has proven himself to be a very tough player this season, so this isn't a question of him not playing through this. Coach Brad Childress said Wednesday that Harvin has to shut down when he gets migraines and anyone who has had them says there is nothing you can do when they occur.

Harvin was at Winter Park on Wednesday morning and tried to go through the walk-through but eventually had to leave when he started getting sick to his stomach. It sounds like the problem is that one minute Harvin is doing much better and the next he can barely function.

The frustration for everyone associated with the Vikings, is the lack of answers. Childress has been very good about admitting that football people are control freaks and want answers. Doctors have been doing tests on Harvin but right now they don't have any definite answers. That means it's impossible for Childress or anyone else with the Vikings to provide any answers on when Harvin might return or if something can be done to control the migraines.

On a more upbeat note, wide receiver Sidney Rice will get a chance Sunday night to play in front of plenty of familiar faces when the Vikings play at Carolina. Rice wrote on his blog Wednesday that while Charlotte isn't his home, it's only about 25 minutes from Gaffney, S.C., where he grew up. Rice will be getting about 70 tickets for the game.