The Vikings. is there a plan?
By Tom Grout
November 25, 2008
The thing about the Vikings that I have been so confused about is, just where are they going, and how they plan to get there? There just doesn’t seem to be any direction to the organization. The Wilf’s don’t seem to know what they really want and the coaching staff doesn’t seem to have any ideas what to do with what they have got.
The Twins and Wild organizations may sometimes frustrate their fans but they both seem to have some kind of plan and they have been successful. They both try to develop their players, sign a few free agents, make a trade here and there and try to do it with as small a payroll as possible, and oh yeah, try to put a good team on the field or ice. The coaching staffs are also similar in that they both stress defense and playing the game the right way. They both struggle on the offensive part of the game sometimes but they insist that they are trying to be offensive. Bottom line though, is that both franchises and both front office and coaching staff’s have been successful. Do we want more? Sure, we are fans and always want more but these two teams at least provide the fan with hope and an entertaining team.
Even the Timberwolves who have drifted aimlessly with no idea what is going on in the Kevin McHale era have finally figured a few things out. They are now trying to build a team through youth and with their dismal records they have tried to get good players in the draft. They certainly have a long way to go as a franchise, but there at least is a resemblance of a plan going on now and a little bit of hope that the light bulb may have finally gone off even if it ever so dim.
The Vikings are caught between trying to rebuild and trying to win it all right now. They have some good young players like Adrian Peterson, Chad Greenway, and Sydney Rice along with a few others, but they are also a team with a lot of veterans. Pat Williams, Kevin Williams, Darrin Sharper, Matt Birk, Antoine Winfield, and Ben Leber are players that are in the win right now part of their careers.
The biggest area of confusion position wise is at quarterback. Tarvaris Jackson was supposed to be the Vikings quarterback of the now and the future. At least that is what Coach Brad Childress said. T-Jack struggles early and then the win right now plan went into effect and now 35 year old Gus Frerotte has taken over. Gus hasn’t been spectacular but the Vikings are tied for first in the Division. If the big free agent signings in the off season are to give us an idea what the plan is, it must have been to win now. Gus at quarterback proves that but what do we have at quarterback in the future? The benching of T-Jack makes it appear he isn’t the guy, is it this Booty guy? I don’t think anyone in the organization has a clue to this question.
The Vikings do seem to have taken a page out of the Twins and Wild book when they have tried to build a good defense and try to win on a mediocre offense. So maybe there is some kind of plan there but why do they seem to be so unorganized compared to these other teams? The hope doesn’t seem to be as strong.
Football is a different game though. They play far fewer games and their fans seem much more unforgiving. These fans have suffered through many seasons without a Championship. These fans also suffered through the tale end of the Red McCombs era when he really didn’t give a rip about how the team did and depleted the Viking talent to the bare bones. In that respect, the Wilf’s have brought the team back to where they are no longer embarrassing. The Wilf’s have seemed to listen to their fans and have tried to get the players in a win now mode, but I think the Wilf’s and the coaching staff have to be on the same page and I don’t think they are even in the same book. Maybe the Wilf’s should listen to the fans again and start over with the coaches.
-Mike Mussina retired this week after winning 20 games for the Yankees this summer. So already they are talking Hall of Fame. I may not be against that as Mussina has always been one Yankee that I have liked and he has had a good career. The only thing is I think the Hall of Fame stuff has come up already because he is a New York Yankee. If Mussina is to make the Hall of Fame fine, but guys like Bert Blyleven, Jim Kaat, Jack Morris, and Tommy John better be there first to welcome him into the Hall.
Interesting take on the Vikes, and I don't really disagree with your view. What I see is an ownership group that has selected the management team and are giving them the resources, time and support to build a quality team. I see a management team that is committed (with one exception) to upgrading each position the best they can, whether through the draft, trade or free agency. We have seen tremendous infusion of talent in the last 3 years. EXCEPT at QB. That is the position that has me puzzled. Its the most important position and has gotten the least emphasis. Unlike closing out a major league baseball game, not everyone can quarterback. The slugs the Vikes have run through that position more than proves the point. That's what I'm confused about.
I think the Vikes had a plan, but I think their drafts have been so bad that they haven't gotten to where they wanted to. They have wasted how many draft choices on d-line (Udeze, James)and wide receiver (everyone's favorite boxer, Williamson) and didn't get it done. K Williams and maybe S Rice are working out. Greenway is outstanding, Adrian is more than that. After that though, I'm not impressed. They tried to draft d-backs and have succeeded alittle (good-Griffin, bad-McCauley). I think they didn't plan on free agents but just plain had to. They have some great free agents, Leber, Pat Williams, Winfield, Sharper, and J Allen come to mind. They have a serious qb problem now, and they are headed for o-line troubles as well as the on-going wide receiver problems. They are going to be a couple o-line and a couple receivers short in the near future. Wade and Allison won't be around much more, and Birk is aging while McKinnie is stagnating. They've got a base for their offense but they need to hit on the draft there pretty soon. Cook will be alright in time, he got forced in too fast, and hopefully that Notre Dame center can turn into something, but they are weak after that. As for qb, I don't think they have time to develop a good one for this group of players. They will only be able to upgrade by free agency or TJack gets it together.
I agree with your assessment, RL -- holes that you identified are looming. Vikes are suffering from poor drafts pre-Wilf -- I think the last 2-3 have been a lot better, but time will tell.
I've been listening to a Chicago sports talk radio show in the morning and its all the Bears. They say that this is the make or break game for them for the season. They seem to have more respect for the Vikes than I (we) do. In my view its shouldn't be a close game, but probably will be.
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