5 Questions with the Vikings

It's not good enough to know your team. You have to know their team. Starting this week, we'll be posting a new feature called 5 Questions With..., where we trade questions with fellow bloggers covering the opposing team. Nothing out of bounds.

For this first week, I traded questions with Chris at Daily Norseman and Thomas at The Ragnarok. You can find my responses to Daily Norseman's questions here and Ragnarok's questions here. Get over there and leave them some comments. Read on and get ready for the game!

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Curly R: What's your take on Brad Childress and the new coaching staff? Was he the top candidate? Who else was the team looking at? What's your take on the dismissal of Mike Tice?

Daily Norseman: I like the attitude the new coaching staff has displayed to this point, by and large. The only thing that I didn't like thus far is the way Brad Childress handled the Daunte Culpepper situation. I thought he could have worked things out with Daunte had he wanted to, but to be honest, it didn't seem like he really wanted to. But he seems to be serious about bringing the pride back to the Vikings' franchise, and outside of the Culpepper situation, I think he's done a pretty good job. Looking at the rest of the coaching staff, the defensive guys really seem to like new DC Mike Tomlin, the former DB coach in Tampa. From what I've seen of the Vikings' defensive schemes in the pre-season, I like him too. Don't know quite as much about Darrell Bevell, who was the quarterbacks coach in Green Bay before coming here to be the OC. Being the QB coach in Green Bay for him must have been a lot like being the principal in The Breakfast Club. . .sure, he's an authority figure, but I doubt anyone was listening to what he was saying. I don't think he'll have that problem in Minnesota.

As far as other candidates. . .I don't think there really were any other serious candidates. They may have brought some other folks in for "token" interviews (and man, I hate using that term), but Childress was the first guy they interviewed, and he wound up with the job. To be honest with you, I can't really remember the other names that were even mentioned, other than Childress.

Concerning Tice, I definitely think that he's a better coach now than he was when he took over the Vikings in 2002. The former owner, Red McCombs, refused to do anything that resembled serious spending, and outside of Culpepper, Moss, and a few other players, the team was largely comprised of sub-par talent. Despite that, after a bad 2002 season, Tice had the Vikes at .500 or better the last 3 years he was a head coach. I wouldn't be surprised to see him get another head job in the near future and be much more successful.

Ragnarok: I think that Brad Childress might not have been the Vikings’ first choice at the beginning of their coaching search, but supposedly they were so impressed with him that they hired him before he left to interview with Green Bay. He brings a lot to the Vikings that Mike Tice never did—discipline, organization, a great coaching background, including lots of experience as a coordinator, and most importantly, he brings intelligence. Unlike Tice, he also has an owner willing to pay for a top-notch staff, which he has in brought in, including defensive coordinator Mike Tomlin from Tampa Bay and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell from Green Bay. Tice needed intelligent coordinators to cover for him, and Red McCombs wasn’t willing to shell out for them. Childress is smart enough to run the team himself, and he has the backing of an owner willing to bring in the best coaching talent available. I expect Zygi Wilf, Childress and his staff to have the Vikings’ franchise righted within a few years.


Curly R: First it was the sexual assault at a fundraiser, then the coaching DUI , then the Original Whizzinator, then the Boat Ride. Now it's Koren Robinson and Dwight Smith. Where is this going? Is there a light at the end of the stairwell?

Daily Norseman: I've long said that no team gives their fans more value for their entertainment dollar than the Minnesota Vikings. Pre-season, post-season, off-season, on the field, off the field. . .hell, even draft day is an annual adventure for Vikings' fans. This off-season, they haven't proven me wrong.

However, I honestly think that if Tank Williams were still healthy, Dwight Smith would have gotten cut. Zygi Wilf is serious about turning this franchise around. He shipped Koren Robinson out of town, got rid of Onterrio Smith, and wants this team back on the straight-and-narrow. But I think he also realizes that a lot of the guys that play in the NFL aren't exactly Boy Scouts. I think he'll weigh the risk vs. the reward of signing certain players, and will make the decisions that are best for the Minnesota Vikings.

Ragnarok: Dwight Smith is hopefully the end of the string of scandals. Or at least the last in a while, thanks to the hiring of the disciplinarian Childress and a new, progressive (and considerably less frugal) ownership in the person of Zygi Wilf, who’s replacement of cheapskate Red McCombs could not have come at a better time. Though, to be honest, I’m not sure that any franchise can avoid some type of scandal these days, but they should be able to avoid having one after another like the Vikings have over the last decade. While the scandals don’t bother me as much as those who get moralistic about football, the distractions they cause hurt the team’s chance of winning. Then again, they do spice things up a lot—I’m planning on giving a “Wisconsin Woman” as the prize to whichever player is most responsible for each Vikings’ victory this year.


Curly R: What's the deal with the new Vikings stadium? The Vikings' lease ends in 2011, enough time to barter a new field and have it ready on time. I've heard there's one plan to put the stadium in the 'burbs and one to put a new stadium in downtown Minneapolis. What's your take and where does it look like it's heading?

Daily Norseman: The folks in Anoka County, about an hour north of the Twin Cities, have already approved a sales tax to build a new stadium in the city of Blaine. And what Zygi has envisioned isn't just a stadium, but an entire sports and retail complex in that area, too. What the Vikings are looking for now is for the state to allocate money for road construction in that area that the state is going to have to do eventually anyway. I think the stadium IS going to end up in Anoka County eventually. As far as when. . .well, I think they'll get something worked out before the end of the Metrodome's lease in 2011.

Ragnarok: No matter how much effort the Vikings put into a getting a publicly financed stadium, it won’t get approved for a few years. As for location? Your guess is as good as mine. The people and the legislature don’t want to pay for it, especially since they just approved new stadiums for the Twins and the Gophers. Minnesota is stadium’d out right now. Zygi is going to continue campaigning for it though, which means he’ll probably be able to get one, but not before the lease is almost up. My guess is it gets approved in 2009 or 2010, similar to the Twins not getting their new stadium until the last year of their lease. If I have to speculate as to where the stadium goes in 2010, I would say Anoka, a suburb an hour north of Minneapolis, since they seem to be willing to pay for it. If the stadium gets built, it will be without any state funding, like the Twins’ stadium, which is only receiving public funds from Hennipen County.


Curly R: Brad Johnson, the once and future Viking. He spent two seasons in Washington, taking them to the playoffs in 1999 for the first time since 1992 (see bonus question below). All he did was get run out of town for having a spaghetti arm after the 2000 season, then go to the Bucs and win the Super Bowl the next season. What's your confidence level in the 38yr old? I heard there was maybe some controversy around Brad getting promoted to the starter position, but not getting his contract upgraded to starter money. Dude's getting old (he was drafted in a round that no longer exists in the draft - 9th) and needs the money. Did that ever get resolved? Will it be an issue this season? And how about the backups? Looks like Tarvaris and Bollinger are going into the season not really knowing their status. Kind of like the Redskins backups. Who's the quarterback of the future there?

Daily Norseman: Brad remaining upright and mobile is a key to this season, sure. . .but I do feel much better about the Vikings' QB situation now than I did a week or so ago. Bollinger is a huge upgrade over Mike McSuck and J.T. O'MyGodYou'reTerrible, IMO. As far as the QB of the future, Tarvaris Jackson is the long-term answer, but I think that Bollinger will actually serve as the backup this season. I envision the Vikings handling Jackson the same way they handled Culpepper. . .give him a full year on the sidelines to watch and learn and prepare, and then let him see if he's ready in '07. And if he's not, and Johnson is determined to not be a serviceable option, then Bollinger can step in for a year.

As far as Brad "needing the money," he doesn't strike me as the kind of guy to be spending his paychecks on hookers and gin or anything. I think he's set financially. (-:

Ragnarok: I’m not worried about Brad Johnson, but I’m not excited about him either. I think that the Vikings are going to regret losing Daunte, but luckily for them, it looks like they managed to draft the quarterback of the future already: Tarvaris Jackson. Tarvaris has been dominant against opponents’ second team defenses, looking like Michael Vick crossed with a quarterback. Brad Johnson, however, is the unquestioned starter, even after the media attempted to drum up controversy regarding his salary. He is underpaid, but that’s because he’s a stopgap, similar to Mark Brunell; a veteran whose job is to make good decisions and manage the game. Childress’ offense will help too, since the West Coast offense plays to Johnson’s strengths, and minimizes the effect of his awful arm. Just like last year, the Vikings will be relying on their running game, defense and special teams to score points this year, because Brad Johnson is no longer good enough “to lead an offense, but he is smart enough to manage one.

The backup situation is very similar to the Redskins’. Tarvaris Jackson needs experience, but he’s still a rookie from a 1-AA school, which is why they brought in Brooks Bollinger. My guess is that if Johnson gets hurt, Bollinger would relieve, and Tarvaris would start if he had a week to prepare.


Curly R: What's your safe prediction of the Vikings' record this year? Your honest prediction?

Daily Norseman: I see no reason why this can't be at least a .500 team. Honestly, I'm picking them to go 10-6 and win the NFC North. The first 3 games are brutal (@ Washington, Carolina, Chicago) and the entire first-half schedule is a bit rough. . .but the second half of the schedule looks to be pretty easy, and if the Vikes can get to the half-way mark at 4-4 or better, they SHOULD be able to put together a pretty strong second-half run.

Ragnarok: I see the Vikings going somewhere between 10-6 and 8-8. They are a better team than last year, especially their offensive and defensive lines. They’re not so improved that they are a lock for the playoffs, however. Luckily, they have an easy schedule, including two games against the Packers and Lions, a game against the Jets at home and two road games against the 49ers and Bills. If they were in a real division, they would be in trouble, but since the NFC North is so bad, they have a shot at the playoffs and a first round exit.


Curly R: BONUS QUESTION
In 1992, Dennis Green was a rookie coach and brought over Jack Burns from the Redskins to be the Vikings offensive coordinator, where they installed the 'Joe Gibbs' offense. If you watched the CBS pregame coverage from the Vikings-Redskins regular season game that year, they did a whole piece on Minnesota implementing that offense, and who would get to be 'whom.' Cris Carter, Jake Reed and Anthony Carter got to argue about who would be Art Monk, Gary Clark and Ricky Sanders. Terry Allen, who went to the Redskins two seasons later and set a season record there, was pleased to be in the Earnest Byner role, where he racked up a franchise record of 1201 yards rushing that season. On their way to an 11-5 record, the Vikings lost 15-13 at home to the Redskins in week 7. The Redskins won on 5 Chip Lohmiller field goals, no touchdowns, and finished the season 9-7. Beating the 49ers and Redskins that season would have given the Vikings a bye going into the playoffs. Instead, they played the Redskins in Minnesota, again, and lost 24-7.

Does this memory make you bitter, or truly bitter?

Daily Norseman: There are so many other things to be bitter over as a Viking fan. . .this doesn't really rate all that high. Besides, the Vikings started Sean Salisbury at QB that game. That pretty much killed any shot we had at winning right there. Also, that was in the era when the NFC was basically 12 teams playing for the right to get their heads stomped in by Dallas and San Francisco on the way to another Cowboys/Niners NFC Title Game. So yeah, I'm not nearly as bitter about it as I probably should be.

Ragnarok: I’ll be honest—that game was a little before my time. Even if I did remember it, it would be hard to be bitter about that particular loss when I could be bitter about the 1998 NFC Championship game, in which the Vikings blew a second half lead, losing in overtime after Gary Anderson missed his only field goal of the year – culminating in the Vikings’ only loss at home. Or if I didn’t want to think about that one, I could be bitter about the Giants embarrassing the Vikings 41-0 at the Meadowlands in 2001. Or even Tyrone Poole’s last second catch in the final game of 2004, giving the Cardinals the victory, handing the NFC North title over to our archrival, the Packers, and knocking the Vikings out of the playoffs. So no, I’m not bitter about the loss in 1992, but I am bitter. It kind of comes with being a Vikings’ fan. Thanks for asking.

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Thanks to Chris and Thomas for answering our questions. Head over to their sites to read our answers to their questions, and drop them a comment (Daily Norseman requires registration, which shouldn't stop you). While you're at it, head over to Hogs Haven and get an account there. Like Daily Norseman, Hogs Haven is a community site. Three days until gameday!