Don't worry everyone, I am still alive. I haven't been blogging too much and some have questioned my existence. My handsome and witty Canadian brother in law called me last night to check up on me. I am OK. I have to blame kid's homework, kid's swimming lessons, Facebook and general laziness for the lack of blogging. Not surprisingly though, it is the Minnesota Vikings that have given me the urge to rant once again.
I want to know what the hell has happened to the Minnesota Vikings. When I was growing up, the Minnesota Vikings stood for something. They played outside in the elements in Metropolitan stadium. They were coached by no-nonsense, steely-eyed Bud Grant. The players (many with crew cuts) were not allowed to use heaters during cold games for reasons of intimidation. Grant thought it took their minds off of the game and caused them to focus on "getting warm." Growing up in Eau Claire, we always subscribed to the St. Paul Pioneer Press and watched Twin Cities media so I was inundated with information about these Grant-coached teams. When my sister moved to St. Paul in the late-'70's, she bought us tickets and we started attending Vikings games at the Old Met, including the Hail Mary pass to Ahmad Rashad against Cleveland in 1980. My "Viking Fandom" was cemented at that point.
Since that time, the Vikings have moved indoors, have not participated in another Super Bowl, been owned by multiple entities, have hinted multiple times at moving, taken a boat cruise, drafted Randy Moss, traded Randy Moss, traded FOR Randy Moss, released Randy Moss, had a player with a Wizzanator, etc., etc., etc.
And I didn't even bring up Brett Favre. Or the 1998 choke. Or the 2009 choke. Or Les Steckle. Or Denny Green. Or Mike Tice. Or 41-doughnut. Or the new "Arena-football-looking" uniforms.
Really, what the hell is going on with this franchise? Personally, I believe this franchise has "sold it's soul to the devil" on several fronts over the years, which has led us to where we are today. These events might have made the team better in the short-term, but I believe each took away from the aura that was created through the first decades of their existence.
The first time they sold their soul is when they decided to move indoors, from the frozen tundra of the Old Met to the cozy, 70-degree confines of the Metrodome. This team simply lost their aura. The Vikings biggest ally in the '60's and 70's was the frigid Minnesota weather. Most visiting teams simply could not handle the cold and snow, and the Vikings generally won those games. In 1982, that ally left as the Vikings became in indoor football team. That is fine in Atlanta - not in Minnesota.
The second time the Vikings sold their soul is when they drafted Randy Moss. Now, I am not going to lie to you. I had some fun watching Moss play over the years, and will say that he is arguably the most talented wide receiver to ever play the game. He is also arguably the single biggest jack-ass to don football equipment, and a franchise-killer. The guy is bad karma. There are reasons that the Vikings let him go the first time, and Oakland traded him, and New England traded him mid-season. And the negative impact that he had on the Vikings in the last 4 weeks was immense. Lots of "Jack-assery." Moss will be in the Hall of Fame some day, but I guarantee he will never have a Super Bowl ring. Good luck, Tennessee.
The third time I believe the Vikings sold their soul may surprise you. It's when they acquired Brett Favre. I can't blame them for this move, mind you. When T-Jack is your starter, and Brett Favre is basically begging to play on your team, you pick him up. He is arguably the arch-rival Green Bay Packers most beloved player in history, for Cliff's sake. With Favre, however, comes Favre's ego and baggage. Along with his touchdown passes and late-game victories, come his off-season "I am retired" escapes and his soul-crushing interceptions. And now, a healthy dose of (alleged) penis photos sent to a female Jets employee can be thrown in. Much like with Moss, I fully admit that it's been fun watching Favre, especially in 2009. Something, however, just does not seem "right." That is because when you sell your soul, you get the bad with the good.
All of this has led to the place the franchise is in today. A 2-5 record, players arguing with the much-disliked coach and a expiring stadium lease after the 2011 season. Something has to give with this team. This reminds me, to a certain degree, of where the Minnesota Twins were back in 2001-02 with no stadium and talk of being contracted. The Twins, of course, did not have the baggage the Vikes have, and they had two World Championships under their belt. As we know now, everything worked out fine for the Twins. The spot the Vikes are in right now is not good. In order to restore any type of order and attempt to regain their aura, I believe the following must happen (and it's not easy stuff):
1. They need a new stadium, preferably outdoor. I realize that the outdoor part is a pipe-dream.
2. They need a new coach. They really missed the boat (bad analogy) by not hiring either Tony Dungy or Mike Tomlin when they were Defensive Coordinators. Is current Defensive Coordinator Leslie Frazier in the same league?
3. They need to strip the roster of high-priced veterans and start over. Adrian Peterson and Percy Harvin are the only "untouchables" in my book.
4. They need to (somehow) find a young QB, preferably through the draft, and stick with him. This really hasn't happened since Tommy Kramer.
5. They need to return to their old-school uniforms. This may be the most important of the 5 points.
I don't know if any of these 5 points will happen in reality. For all I know, this team will be in a different city in 2012. I do know this - a lot of the enjoyment that I derived from watching the Vikings as a youth is gone. I hope that it comes back some day.
Until then, I am looking forward to baseball season.
As can be seen, the purple is darker, the facemask is grey and the stripes on the sleeves are old-school. The new uniforms, in fact, don't have stripes on the sleeves. Also, the stripes on the pants are old school instead of looking like a little purple tornado. The new uniforms are not progress, folks. I am only looking out for the best interests of the team. Basically, here is the look I am going for:
This, to me, is as important as a new stadium. Something needs to be done, and I know Zygi Wilf is reading this.....
