Pondering Purple Peculiarities (pre-camp musings)
Jul 25, 2022 8:07:38 GMT -6
Reignman, Funkytown, and 3 more like this
Post by CAMartin on Jul 25, 2022 8:07:38 GMT -6
Pondering Purple Peculiarities
"Let's go, little brother. It's beginning." -the 13th Warrior
It IS beginning.
The rookies, rehabbers, and various other Minnesota Vikings players have begun arriving at the Eagan facility, in preparation for another season of NFL noise and glory. The players, the fans, the media, and all involved are steeling themselves for months of passes, sacks, blocks, tackles, miracles, hearbreaks, and referees that can be anything from boring as paint drying to maddening enough to require security when leaving the field. We're nearing seasons of shouting, singing, screaming, shaking our heads, pumping our fists, and snarling profanities that would get us all 30 day bans across social media.
Ain't it grand?!
All that said, this offseason came with more than the usual drama. The combined firings of General Manager Rick Spielman and Head Coach Mike Zimmer guaranteed widespread changes throughout the team's culture. The fans have had many widely varied opnions about both men for years, most of them thoroughly earned, but now will have to watch as Kwesi Adofo-Mensah takes the reins as GM, with Kevin O'Connell assuming Head Coaching duties. Each brings experience and new staff, and are reportedly joined at the hip in their combined mission to bring the Vikings their first Super Bowl victory.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...just like every coach was gonna do, before, and every QB, and every coordinator, and so on. We've been a player, a coach, a culture shift away from greatness more times than I can count, and I've been watching since Fran handed the offensive keys to Tommy. The Vikings have always had the curse of competence, but not greatness...at least, not team-wide greatness. We could never put the whole thing together.
SO...new GM, new HC, players already hailing the new, more positive culture...but, let's just get the early questions on the table before things really get started:
1. HAVE THEY FINALLY FIXED THE ****ING O-LINE?!!?
Let's face it, this question looms as large as any. For the last decade (minus 2017, where mid-pack ratings were briefly attained. Viva mediocrity!), the offensive line has been rated in the bottom quarter of the league. This has had a tragic effect on our QBs, likely amplifying any weaknesses in their play. The good news is that there were moves in both the draft and free agency to address the notorious interior line issues, the bad news is we don't know if it worked 'til we see the results.
2. ABOUT THAT 30TH RATED DEFENSE...
(or 31st, depending on whose ratings you read) Yeah, this is a huge issue, as well. Like the line, there were players added in both FA and the draft, including the safety Cline that appears to be a real monster...but, questions involving the new scheme and player health (cough cough Hunter cough) won't go away until the games are played.
3. THE ONGOING COUSINS DRAMA
Admittedly, this drama is more about the people keeping it a drama than the player(s) involved. The QB produces, but not enough to elevate the whole team. Then again, the line and the defense were both in the gutter with terrible regularity...so, is that on him? So the debate rages on, while he rakes in the kind of money that could feed Argentina for a year. All that said, the new offensive system is essentially built for/around him, so Vikings fans might finally see their high-dollar QB put to good use this season...!
4. KIRK'S WEAPONS
This season will be very important for the skill players around the controversial QB. Adam Thielen is an excellent receiver and an even better success story, but time is brutal and he's missing time with injuries. The same is true with Dalvin Cook, who misses games each season. Justin Jefferson is entering the end of his "affordable" years, and will want to perform in a way to attract that monster contract. Kendrick Osborn came on last season, but nipping at all their heels for receptions will be the healing Bisi Johnson and Irv Smith Jr, both of which had promising campaigns cut short with injuries. Behind all of the above are backups and rookies that are chomping to make their own cases for more/better playing time and pay.
5. THE NEW CULTURE
This is kinda the clincher, isn't it? We had a slew of changes, since Denny Green's long run with the team. We've had coaches beloved by the players, beloved by the ownership, hated by one or the other, but again...none has ever put it all together. In this case, we're going from a curmudgeon who seemed incapable of liking any QB not named "Teddy" and his GM who couldn't seem to draft an interior o-line to save his life to...
...well, we don't know, yet. The players seem upbeat, the offseason interviews are all positive, but they usually are. We're gonna be kinda cynical, because we're Vikings fans. We've seen defeat pulled from the jaws of victory in more ways than anyone but Lions fans. We've been beaten, humiliated, and even cheated out of returns to the Super Bowl over the last few decades, and we're more than a little twitchy.
It looks damned good on paper, though. I think I'm gonna mix up another strong glass of Purple Kool-Aid (I make mine with Finnish Vodka) and watch for camp highlights, just like the rest of you...
...SKOL!!!
"Let's go, little brother. It's beginning." -the 13th Warrior
It IS beginning.
The rookies, rehabbers, and various other Minnesota Vikings players have begun arriving at the Eagan facility, in preparation for another season of NFL noise and glory. The players, the fans, the media, and all involved are steeling themselves for months of passes, sacks, blocks, tackles, miracles, hearbreaks, and referees that can be anything from boring as paint drying to maddening enough to require security when leaving the field. We're nearing seasons of shouting, singing, screaming, shaking our heads, pumping our fists, and snarling profanities that would get us all 30 day bans across social media.
Ain't it grand?!
All that said, this offseason came with more than the usual drama. The combined firings of General Manager Rick Spielman and Head Coach Mike Zimmer guaranteed widespread changes throughout the team's culture. The fans have had many widely varied opnions about both men for years, most of them thoroughly earned, but now will have to watch as Kwesi Adofo-Mensah takes the reins as GM, with Kevin O'Connell assuming Head Coaching duties. Each brings experience and new staff, and are reportedly joined at the hip in their combined mission to bring the Vikings their first Super Bowl victory.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...just like every coach was gonna do, before, and every QB, and every coordinator, and so on. We've been a player, a coach, a culture shift away from greatness more times than I can count, and I've been watching since Fran handed the offensive keys to Tommy. The Vikings have always had the curse of competence, but not greatness...at least, not team-wide greatness. We could never put the whole thing together.
SO...new GM, new HC, players already hailing the new, more positive culture...but, let's just get the early questions on the table before things really get started:
1. HAVE THEY FINALLY FIXED THE ****ING O-LINE?!!?
Let's face it, this question looms as large as any. For the last decade (minus 2017, where mid-pack ratings were briefly attained. Viva mediocrity!), the offensive line has been rated in the bottom quarter of the league. This has had a tragic effect on our QBs, likely amplifying any weaknesses in their play. The good news is that there were moves in both the draft and free agency to address the notorious interior line issues, the bad news is we don't know if it worked 'til we see the results.
2. ABOUT THAT 30TH RATED DEFENSE...
(or 31st, depending on whose ratings you read) Yeah, this is a huge issue, as well. Like the line, there were players added in both FA and the draft, including the safety Cline that appears to be a real monster...but, questions involving the new scheme and player health (cough cough Hunter cough) won't go away until the games are played.
3. THE ONGOING COUSINS DRAMA
Admittedly, this drama is more about the people keeping it a drama than the player(s) involved. The QB produces, but not enough to elevate the whole team. Then again, the line and the defense were both in the gutter with terrible regularity...so, is that on him? So the debate rages on, while he rakes in the kind of money that could feed Argentina for a year. All that said, the new offensive system is essentially built for/around him, so Vikings fans might finally see their high-dollar QB put to good use this season...!
4. KIRK'S WEAPONS
This season will be very important for the skill players around the controversial QB. Adam Thielen is an excellent receiver and an even better success story, but time is brutal and he's missing time with injuries. The same is true with Dalvin Cook, who misses games each season. Justin Jefferson is entering the end of his "affordable" years, and will want to perform in a way to attract that monster contract. Kendrick Osborn came on last season, but nipping at all their heels for receptions will be the healing Bisi Johnson and Irv Smith Jr, both of which had promising campaigns cut short with injuries. Behind all of the above are backups and rookies that are chomping to make their own cases for more/better playing time and pay.
5. THE NEW CULTURE
This is kinda the clincher, isn't it? We had a slew of changes, since Denny Green's long run with the team. We've had coaches beloved by the players, beloved by the ownership, hated by one or the other, but again...none has ever put it all together. In this case, we're going from a curmudgeon who seemed incapable of liking any QB not named "Teddy" and his GM who couldn't seem to draft an interior o-line to save his life to...
...well, we don't know, yet. The players seem upbeat, the offseason interviews are all positive, but they usually are. We're gonna be kinda cynical, because we're Vikings fans. We've seen defeat pulled from the jaws of victory in more ways than anyone but Lions fans. We've been beaten, humiliated, and even cheated out of returns to the Super Bowl over the last few decades, and we're more than a little twitchy.
It looks damned good on paper, though. I think I'm gonna mix up another strong glass of Purple Kool-Aid (I make mine with Finnish Vodka) and watch for camp highlights, just like the rest of you...
...SKOL!!!
... and neither is this Chris guy.