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Thursday, June 2, 2011
The Vikings had a up and down season last year. After signing Brett Favre to a second season, Minnesota got out to a 0-3 start before beating the equally desperate Cowboys. Both Favre and the Vikings faded down the stretch despite another strong season by their all-pro running back Adrian Peterson. 2011 will be a rebuilding year for the Vikings and new coach Leslie Frazier helped get the new face of the future in the draft, Christain Ponder. Even though the Vikings had a rough stretch last season, they have had a great history. Most notably as the "Purple People Eaters."
The man of no emotion. That is what Bud Grant was known for when he coached the Minnesota Vikings. Grant took over as head coach for the legendary Norm Van Brocklin in 1967 and helped install discipline in his teams that could of been fit for a military boot camp. Despite Grant's brutal practices as coach, he helped lead the Vikings to Super Bowl IV in only his third season. It was the last game before the merger and the Kansas City Chiefs won 23-7. In the 1970's, Grant led the Vikings to three more Super Bowls and would become the first coach to lead his team to four Super Bowls. Of course, the Vikings are more well known for losing all those Super Bowls then getting to them. After a short comeback with the Vikings in 1985, Grant retired for good and is the eighth winning coach in NFL history with a record of 161-99-5. Grant is no doubt the most successful coach in Vikings history and I doubt anybody will come close to him anytime soon.
On top of being an incredible passer, Fran Tarkenton was an insane scramble, probably the first one ever. The Vikings drafted Tarkenton in the third round of the 1961 NFL draft and was also drafted in the fifth round of the AFL draft. Tarkenton chose Minnesota and in his career he went to nine Pro Bowls, was a two time first team all-pro selection, and was also the 1975 NFL MVP. Early on in his career, Tarkenton locked heads with head coach Norm Van Broklin due to his mobility. Broklin preferred a pocket passer and Tarkenton was traded to the New York Giants in 1967. When Tarkenton returned to the Vikings, he helped the team go to three Super Bowls in the 70's. Only the Pittsburgh Steelers went to more Super Bowls during the decade. While the Steelers won all of their Super Bowls, Tarkenton and the Vikings lost of theirs. Tarkenton's best season was probably in 1975 when he won the leagues MVP award and was elected to another Pro Bowl thanks to 25 touchdowns and 13 interceptions with 2,994 yards. Even though Tarkenton was known for his incredible scambling ablities and forever changing the dynamics of a QB, he is one of the greatest QB's of all time and helped the Vikings to four Super Bowls. Click here to look at Tarkenton's stats.
The anchor of probably the greatest defense who never won a Super Bowl, John Randle had a terrific ten year career with the Vikings. In the 1990 NFL Draft, Randle went undrafted and was picked up by Minnesota out of Texas A&M. Randle went to seven Pro Bowls, was a first team all pro six times, and is apart of Minnesota's Ring of Honor. In 2010 alongside greats like Jerry Rice and Emmit Smith, Randle was inducted into the Hall of Fame. Despite becoming a Hall of Famer, Randle's career had a rocky start. It included being cut by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for being to "small." Randle signed with the Vikings and would record double digit sacks during eight different seasons. While becoming one of the greatest defensive ends of his era, Randle created an ongoing rivalry with Brett Favre, the QB who he made eat turf the most. In 1998, Randle helped lead the Vikings to the best record in the NFL at 15-1. Randle recorded 10.5 sacks and helped the Vikings to one of their best seasons in franchise history. Randle is the greatest defensive end in the past 20 years and the best thing, the Vikings got basically nothing for him. Click here to look at Randle's stats.
I am going to avoid any jokes of this draft bust because he was actually proven mentally unstable. Anyways, Dimitrius Underwood was selected 29th overall by the Vikings in the 1999 draft. Underwood signed a five year $5.3 million contract with the Vikings, but never played a game. Underwood walked out of training camp one day and never returned due to a conflict with playing football and his religion. The Vikings cut Underwood a month later and Underwood would go on to have a very depressing and unsuccessful NFL career. Even though Underwood's poor play is credited to the fact that he was mentally ill, the Vikings had some other options at #29. Dre Bly has been a fairly successful CB in the NFL and could of been a sweet relief from Underwood. The real gem that went in the 1999 draft was Joey Porter, which the Vikings should of chosen. Click here to look at Underwood's stats.
If there is one thing that is consitent in Vikings history, defense always dominates. In the 70's Minnesota built one of the greatest defensive lines in NFL history which became known as the Purple People Eaters. The four members, Alan Page, Carl Eller, Jim Marshall, and Gary Larsen combined for 19 Pro Bowl selections. Along with the Fearsome Foursome, the Steel Curtain, and the New York Sack Exchange, the Purple People Eaters are one of the greatest front fours in NFL history. The building of the Purple People Eaters, began in 1961 and ended in 1967. In their first year of existence the Vikings picked up Marshall from the Cleveland Browns in the expansion draft. Eller was drafted in the first round of the 1964 draft. Larsen was then acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Rams. Finally in 1967, the Vikings drafted Page in the first round to complete a defensive line that would dominate over the next ten years. The same defensive line that helped the Vikings go to four Super Bowls. When the Purple People Eaters were brought together, it forever changed what the Vikings do and what they do is defense.
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