Stadium

Links Of The Bye Week

November 15, 2012, by 12 comments

Coming off of a big win, the Vikings bye week has not been completely quiet, and I have plenty of great reads to share with you:

How About A Post-Stadium-Battle Stadium Battle? How Does That Sound?

November 13, 2012, by 15 comments

“The People’s Stadium” is named as such simply because it will be constructed entirely of the nerves and patience of Vikings fans.

With nothing left to do but design and build the damned thing, Minnesota’s Governor Mark Dayton opened a can of worms on Tuesday by sending a scathing letter to the Vikings organization regarding the team’s intent to use Personal Seat Licenses as a funding avenue.

“I strongly oppose shifting any part of the team’s responsibility for those costs onto Minnesota Vikings fans,” Dayton said in the letter sent to the Wilfs. “This Private Contribution is your responsibility, not theirs.”

The legislation passed to build the stadium does include provisions allowing the team to levy PSL’s, as has been very well laid out here by 1500 ESPN, but Dayton appoints the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission and could potentially have enough pull to throw a big wrench into everything.

The truth is that this whole issue came about because the team sent out a survey seeking input on the new stadium, and one of these questions was about PSL’s, a commonly used fee around the nation.  The Vikings were not very happy with this issue being the news of the day, and made a statement later on Tuesday.

“The Minnesota Vikings greatly appreciate Governor Mark Dayton’s support for the new multi-purpose stadium for the Vikings and the State of Minnesota. However, we are disappointed by his recent letter to the team, which does not recognize a key component of the stadium agreement struck by the Vikings, State and Local leaders this past spring.

The stadium bill, and the prior term sheet, that was negotiated with the Vikings over the last two legislative sessions by the Governor’s own representatives and legislative leaders, includes provisions that expressly authorize the sale of stadium builder’s licenses and include the proceeds of any sale in the project budget. Stadium builder’s licenses were vetted by the Legislature, testified to by Vikings and State of Minnesota negotiators, and most importantly, specifically reflected in the stadium legislation that was passed and signed by the Governor.

The Vikings look forward to discussing this issue and moving forward with the agreement that was completed after many long years of effort.”

I’m not sure what exactly Dayton is trying to accomplish here.  If the Vikings now gouge extra dollars out of Minnesotans through the use of PSL’s, via the stadium legislation he endorsed, then he looks foolish.

However, if he now backs down after creating such a stir, then looks, umm… foolish.

Oh, and all of this has really only come up because he drew attention to it which makes him look… well, you get the point.

The truth is that I have yet to hear an NFL observer or Vikings fan that is really surprised by the fact that the team could utilize PSL’s.  In the world of new NFL stadiums it is pretty much the norm.

Unfortunately for America in general, politicians opposing the very things they campaign for (or campaigning for the very things they oppose) has also become the norm.

It is too bad that more people don’t find red tape interesting, because then Dayton could sell PSL’s at the State Capitol to pay for the $60 million in improvements to the building that were approved around the same time as the stadium.

If he could, I’m willing to bet he would.

Links Of The Week: Moving Towards Seattle

October 30, 2012, by 15 comments

First off, I want to give a genuine and heartfelt welcome to Gil, our newest writer.  I admire Gil’s ability to write for so many different outlets and produce such interesting content, and I think he will bring another fresh perspective to VT as we wade through this very intriguing 2012 season.  Glad to have you aboard, sir!

Second, happy birthday Brett!

Okay, after a very disappointing home loss to Tampa, the Vikings will soon pack their bags and head to the Pacific Northwest to take on the Seattle Seahawks. Whether we are talking about the loss that is in the past, or the game that is in the future, there is a ton of great content out there right now and I wanted to round up the best of the best for you:

  • The Vikings have brought in a punter for a workout which is interesting because the Vikings have one of the most popular/unpopular punters ever.
  • An update on how the whole stadium thing is progressing.  SPOILER:  At this point, it kind of looks like a breakfast danish.
  • Throughout his career Adrian Peterson has set a lot of bars very high, but this one is a new accomplishment.
  • I know this is predictable quarterback-speak, but Christian Ponder has the right attitude right now.
  • There are at least two very good reasons to expect that the Vikings will qualify for the postseason.
  • 17 missed tackles.  That is one stat that will jump out to you in this article about Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay.
  • A “source” told PFT that opposing defenses have figured out Christian Ponder.
  • Super famous Viking Territory writer Gil Alcaraz IV takes a look at just how explosive Percy Harvin has been in 2012.
  • The topic of this article is so outlandish I can’t even bring myself to type the general subject description to tell you what it is about.
  • Some took Thursday night’s performance as verification that Christian Ponder is not, I repeat: is NOT, the franchise quarterback the Vikings have been looking for.
  • While the Vikings lost Chris Cook last week, Mistral Raymond appears to be making his way back to 100%.
  • Sidney Rice is healthy and looking for a big game against his former team.
  • Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson may prove to be a tough combination for a struggling Vikings defense.
  • This is just simply cool.  Check it out.
  • Leslie Frazier refuses to single out his quarterback and says the entire offense needs to step up.
  • According to my math, Bryant McKinnie has to pay up for about 3,750 lap dances.
  • Route running was a point of emphasis during this week’s practices.

Links Of The Week: Tampa Bay Coming Up

October 24, 2012, by 7 comments

I don’t like this short week stuff.  The Vikings only get one practice to prepare for their next opponent, and hack bloggers only get three days to speculate about the outcome.  Then, after tomorrow night’s game, it will feel like forever before we get to see our Vikes play again.

Hey, by the way, lets plan on meeting right here at kickoff for a game time Live Chat!

Okay, onto this week’s links:

Checking In With Packer Joe

May 26, 2012, by 12 comments

Dear Packer Joe,

I know it has been quite a while since we last spoke.  After all, we can barely stand each other, but I thought I should pass along some good news that is now officially official.

After almost a decade of rumors surrounding my parents’ desire to move our family, it turns out that the youngest kid on the block will be hanging around for quite some time.  Dad decided to build a new house on top of our current one, and while we’ll have to live out of a university dorm room for a while, we are staying in the neighborhood.

Now, I am sure you have mixed feeling about this, but I’m writing this letter to you because our love/hate relationship gives us a special bond.  Sure, we only play together twice a year (three if we’re both having a particularly good year), and it always ends with one of us crying as we take the football and stomp home, but those are still the best of times.  Our snowball fights, our mud battles, and our down-to-the-whistle wars are the stuff legends are made of and I am glad they will continue.

So, get your popcorn cheese curds ready you stinky, old bum.  It’s going to be a fun thirty years!

I’m looking forward to it… especially those two days out of every year that you and I cross paths.

Sincerely,

The Vikings

A Fantastic Must-Read Account Of The Stadium Happenings

May 24, 2012, by 16 comments

Nothing makes me like a Vikings article more than when I get to end and I say to myself, “damn it, why didn’t I write something that cool?”

That’s when I know I found something I have to share with the rest of you.

Now, as you have already gathered, this is a stadium related article I’m about to point you towards.  If you are like me, you are more than a tad stadiumed out and have grown tired of the dry accounts of the daily “twists” and “turns” and perhaps have even grown tired of the endless attempts at humor and wit regarding the situation.  This article involves none of the above.

I had never heard of Grantland.com (apparently a Bill Simmons offshoot of ESPN), or writer Steve Marsh, until today.  However, Mr. Marsh has produced an account of the stadium bill’s rise to certainty in an article that will fit quite nicely with the group of readers we have here at VT.

The article is entitled “The House That Christian Ponder Built” and I strongly encourage you to go to the bathroom, grab a high quality root beer, and settle in to read it.  Click right here for the full article.

It is bar none the best stadium article I have read ever.

Minneapolis Continues Support Of Stadium Bill

May 24, 2012, by 1 comment

On Thursday, the Minneapolis City Council held a vote on the Vikings stadium bill.

It wasn’t the vote that makes their commitment official, that will come tomorrow, but it still seems to hold a majority support by a count of seven to six.

The six opponents of the bill seemed to sense the inevitability of its passage, but that did not stop them from making some very strong statements about what amounts to, in their assessment, fiscal irresponsibility on the City’s part that subsidizes a billionaire’s ability to get richer.

“To me this is a very sad day for our city,” said Councilwoman Lisa Goodman.

“I don’t like making rich guys richer,” expressed Councilman Don Samuels. “But in this case, while the rich get richer, the poor will get richer too.”

“I just think this is a deal that generations to come will criticize us for,” Councilman Gary Schiff stated.

The City is on the hook for $150 million in construction costs and another $159 million in operating costs over the course of the stadium’s life.  Construction is expected to begin in the spring of next year.