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Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:08 am
by Mothman
Here's a link to a great read from Jim Souhan:
http://www.startribune.com/sports/vikin ... 41801.html
I've covered the Minnesota Vikings on and off since 1990. For much of that time, the team has underachieved and sometimes simply choked while wearing a snarl on its collective face. Those who spent copious time in the locker room were right to think of a 41-0 loss in the NFC Championship Game as a function of karma.
This year's team is different. This year's team is the most likeable set of overachievers to wear purple since 1992, when Tony Dungy was just starting to try to prove he could be an NFL defensive coordinator.
So why do so many Vikings fans view this season the way economists view the Fiscal Cliff?
"You're right, the people around you can sometimes drain the energy, and make you feel like things are worse than they are," coach Leslie Frazier said.
With the Vikings at 6-5 and heading to Green Bay for a renewal of the best rivalry in Minnesota sports, Minnesota fans should feel they're playing with house money instead of holding losing lottery tickets.
More at the link...
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:24 am
by Just Me
at Souhan's last line of the article. (Or
I'm not sure which)
Good read...
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 9:46 am
by Eli
If the Vikings can do better today at Green Bay than losing 45-7, then the season will have been an overwhelming success.
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 10:45 am
by Mothman
Just Me wrote: at Souhan's last line of the article. (Or
I'm not sure which)
Good read...
I thought it provided a good perspective on the season so far.
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the last line either. I guess that quandary describes the Vikings fan experience as well as anything could...
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 11:32 am
by Texas Vike
Mothman wrote:
I thought it provided a good perspective on the season so far.
I'm not sure whether to laugh or cry at the last line either. I guess that quandary describes the Vikings fan experience as well as anything could...
Very solid article by Souhan. I enjoyed hearing his perspective on the personality of the team. In particular, I thought his line about the NFC championship blowout loss to the giants back in 2000/2001 (?)--that some who knew the team felt like it was karma--was very interesting.
Spielman's approach to assemble high-character guys might just make a difference. Call it the anti-Randy Moss/Bryant McKinnie/Mr text my junk approach.
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 12:45 pm
by LA Viking
I tend to agree with that; we are doing better than what I thought we would, and some young players are sure stepping up. However, I think the most distressing thing is the inconsistent play of Ponder. He started out doing well and impressing, but then just started to slide and just hasn't looked that well since week 5. He seems to be doing the same thing he did last year - locking in on his primary receiver, and his pocket presence has gotten worse. Now, our WR corps is terribly subpar with Harvin out and our line hasn't been that great, but we just can't seem to pass the ball down the field at all. I think we need to see some solid improvement in Ponder in these final weeks, otherwise we will have some serious questions to answer this offseason.
All that said: Go VIKINGS! destroy the cheeseheads.
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 2:40 pm
by LA Viking
Valhalla wrote:This is a good article, key in on what is going right instead of complaining. Except for a few weak spots, the team has often performed well this year.
Tampa Bay and the Bears are the only ones to really blow the Vikes out. If MN. keeps it to within two scores of GB, think that will be a decent result...
Ugh, I hate moral victories.
Re: Souhan: Vikings winning on many fronts
Posted: Sun Dec 02, 2012 4:07 pm
by Texas Vike
Souhan side steps a key things about fans' frustration w/ Frazier in this article: the most important decision (Ponder) has been terrible and they've handcuffed themselves, scheme-wise, because of his lacking abilities. He's been WAY too tolerant with #7's incompetence and way too passive with the most important position, by far, in football.