Zimmer prepping for TCF Bank Stadium

[Cliff]

I think the poor record the team will likely have over the next two years will have far more to do with the team learning completely new systems of offense and defense.

Of course the Vikings haven’t done well outdoors … they haven’t done will in away games in general and every single game played outdoors is an away game. I think this gets a little lost when you talk about teams and their record outdoors.

Is the Vikings record outside remarkably different from their record in away games? I can’t find the stats for away games but I’m guessing the “6-28-1 in their last 35 outdoor games” stat will look similar to it.

[KSViking]

This is a might be a really dumb question, but...why couldn't the Vikings just play in the Metrodome until the new stadium is built? It's not being built in the exact same place, right? Sign a 2 year lease and play in the dome until then...I'm sure the answer has something to do with taxes.

They are building the new Facility on the same ground as the Metrodome "used to be at"

They already have demolished it.

http://www.vikings.com/media-vault/vide ... 64d6dba1ff

[King James]

Denny Green wet his pants EVERY time he got into an important moment, especially in the playoffs. if it was fourth and short, especially in the redzone, he ALWAYS went with a run up the middle...always. It cost us way too many critical games. He had no guts to call anything remotely risky and the whole league knew it.

I wasn't alive during the Bud Grant era but looking at the historic games, Grant got outcoached in the post season as well. We finish 1st in the NFC Central like 10 times. 6 of those games we lost the divisional rounds and the other four is of course the super bowl. Now I'm not discrediting Bud Grant at all. He IS the best coach we ever had and one of the best coaches of all time in the NFL.

But to say that Denny Green is not a good coach because the team couldn't win in important situations, I don't know. You can make the same argument about Grant. I recall some games where the Vikings played in warmer climates and got mauled. I don't think that makes him a bad coach.

I really don't know how to explain this because I feel like both coaches should have won atleast one super bowl with us. I don't wanna put our shortfalls on the coaches though. Some players no matter how good the team is as a whole, can ruin a team when they can't handle the big moments. I don't think it was Green's fault that Gary Anderson missed that FG. Especially when your FG kicker hasn't missed a kick all season long.

[Demi]

It might actually be a homefield disadvantage with the way the Vikings usually play in the cold.

Zimmer should be focusing on that. Not worrying about the next couple years in TCF and the locker rooms not being the right color...or whatever he is worried about. Sounds like he's over thinking it...

[Eli]

Zimmer should be focusing on that. Not worrying about the next couple years in TCF and the locker rooms not being the right color...or whatever he is worried about. Sounds like he's over thinking it...

Meh. It's a filler piece that took longer to write that it did for Zimmer to do his research.

[mmvikes]

It would be great if we won the Super Bowl while we were playing our home games outdoors before the new Ziggy Dome is finished. Highly improbable, I know, but I would thoroughly enjoy that.

[Texas Vike]

Meh. It's a filler piece that took longer to write that it did for Zimmer to do his research.

I think that's the most accurate take yet, honestly. I don't think there's too much Zimmer can do to help w/ the transition. We've sucked outdoors for a long while. Anyone have any idea of how well AD's done outdoors in his career? That's about the only potential advantage I can imagine.

[JellyBean2144]

Pretty cool idea by Coach Z. No point in being surprised. Plan now and be ready for what ever comes our way.

[PurpleKoolaid]

I like reading stuff like this by Zimmer. And I think he will have the team prepared to play outside, which I don't think Ive seen in my lifetime. It will toughen them up. I don't think they will go anywhere the next 2 years. But I think year 3, we may be very good. Better then we have been since the Wilf's came to town. Rickie is still the big part of the puzzle that bothers me. And then once we start doing well, people will want our coaches, like Tomlin. I am really excited for the first time in a while. I am also excited to see what Cassel is like getting the starts right from the OTA's. Hes going to love Jenning, Kyle, Patterson, and Simpson. That's isn't a bad lineup of receivers for any NFL team.

And comparing Bud Grant to Denny Green? Really?

[tnvikesfan]

There will be a lot of prep involved in changing stadiums, especially for the tenured veterans who are used to playing indoors and with the noise. It will be very different. I think the biggest challenge will be learning HOW to play outside, especially once it gets freezingazzcold like it does up there. BTDT, so I do know how harsh it is.

Outside of coaching staff and player personnel quality in general, having a team who plays indoors prep for a road game outside has got to be a nightmare. There are so many factors that come in to play when you go outside. Now our boys get to do this for an entire season.

The good is that we're doing this from the beginning of the year. The team will have the chance to acclimate and practice outside so that they can 'toughen up' with the weather like GB and Chi do. Odd man out will then be Detroit (but whatever!) having to play all their road division games outside. I'm very interested in how Zimmer handles all this, and how the players make the adjustments. There will be a learning curve.

What kind of field is TCF stadium? Is it grass or artificial?

[S197]

There will be a lot of prep involved in changing stadiums, especially for the tenured veterans who are used to playing indoors and with the noise. It will be very different. I think the biggest challenge will be learning HOW to play outside, especially once it gets freezingazzcold like it does up there. BTDT, so I do know how harsh it is.

Outside of coaching staff and player personnel quality in general, having a team who plays indoors prep for a road game outside has got to be a nightmare. There are so many factors that come in to play when you go outside. Now our boys get to do this for an entire season.

The good is that we're doing this from the beginning of the year. The team will have the chance to acclimate and practice outside so that they can 'toughen up' with the weather like GB and Chi do. Odd man out will then be Detroit (but whatever!) having to play all their road division games outside. I'm very interested in how Zimmer handles all this, and how the players make the adjustments. There will be a learning curve.

What kind of field is TCF stadium? Is it grass or artificial?

FieldTurf. It's artificial turf that's supposed to mimic real grass more closely than astroturf.

[Eli]

They'll be putting in a new field soon at TCF. Adding underground heating to the field is one of the required upgrades that the Vikings need to do to the field. TCF had FieldTurf previously, but I'm not sure they've said for certain what will be installed with the renovations.

http://espn.go.com/blog/minnesota-vikin ... grades-set

http://www.fieldturf.com/ru/artificial- ... nk-stadium

I don't see the preparation that players will need to do to adapt to playing seven more games outside. You can't "prepare" for outside conditions, beyond selecting the right cleats and clothing, and these guys already play outside a certain number of games every season. For the first half of the season, cold whether isn't even likely to be a factor. Rather than preparing, it's more like they'll have to just resign themselves to using college-level locker rooms and facilities, having fewer fans in the stands, and having almost no noise advantage.

[Mothman]

They'll be putting in a new field soon at TCF. Adding underground heating to the field is one of the required upgrades that the Vikings need to do to the field. TCF had FieldTurf previously, but I'm not sure they've said for certain what will be installed with the renovations.

http://espn.go.com/blog/minnesota-vikin ... grades-set

http://www.fieldturf.com/ru/artificial- ... nk-stadium

I don't see the preparation that players will need to do to adapt to playing seven more games outside. You can't "prepare" for outside conditions, beyond selecting the right cleats and clothing, and these guys already play outside a certain number of games every season. For the first half of the season, cold whether isn't even likely to be a factor. Rather than preparing, it's more like they'll have to just resign themselves to using college-level locker rooms and facilities, having fewer fans in the stands, and having almost no noise advantage.

It won't be the kind of noise advantage they had in the Metrodome but 50,000+ people should still be able to make enough noise to help the home team.

[Eli]

It won't be the kind of noise advantage they had in the Metrodome but 50,000+ people should still be able to make enough noise to help the home team.

It will be minimal, unless you're talking about the moral support of cheering, same as found at a little league game. The noise-so-loud-you-can't-hear-the-QB is a much more recent phenomenon limited to indoor football stadiums. Seems highly unlikely to me that opposing offenses are going to be rattled much by 52,000 fans in a completely open bowl. Even indoors, the design of the stadium plays a huge factor in how loud the crowd can get.

http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2013 ... darn-loud/

[Mothman]

It will be minimal, unless you're talking about the moral support of cheering, same as found at a little league game.

Do you attend a lot of little league games that draw 50,000+ people?