Alto's All-Time All -Viking Team

Assembling my all-time Viking lineup was more daunting than I had expected.  So many great players have come through this franchise that I didn't know who to include and who not to.  Players like Joe Kapp, Hugh McElhenny, Stu Voight, Sammy White, Lonnie Warwick, Adrian Peterson.  The list is pretty impressive.

What really didn't impress me was my memory.  I thought I could name every player at every position by sheer recall.  Without much research.  Man, was I wrong.  Looking up the past rosters was way cool and brought vivid memories back that I had forgotten.  Which was a lot.  Football is not individualistic, but in recent years it has become just that.  My team is 98% from the Super Bowl teams.  Most of them played together for most of those years and had deep chemistry.  I loved Chuck Foreman but I couldn't name his blocking back that opened up the holes.  But Bill Brown and Dave Osborn.  Now that was a backfield. 

I have picked obvious choices that all Viking fans would probably agree with.  I also picked one team - one year that was the complete package that shoulda/coulda won a champeenship.  So, here is a slight stroll down memory lane.

Coach- Bud Grant

OFFENSE

Quarterback- Fran Tarkenton

Running Backs- Dave Osborn and Bill Brown

Wide Receivers- Gene Washington and Paul Flatley
Tight End- John Beasley

Offensive Line : Grady Alderman, Ron Yary, Milt Sunde, Randall McDaniel and Mick Tinglehoff


Kicker- Fred Cox
Punter- Bob Lee




DEFENSE

Defensive Line : Alan Page

                              Carl Eller

                            Jim Marshall

                           Gary Larsen

Linebackers : Wally Hilgenberg, Roy Winston, Dale Hackbart

Secondary : Karl Kassulke, Earsell Mackbee, Paul Krause, Nate Wright


My pick for the most powerful team that probably should have had at least a chance to win the Super Bowl was the '98 team.  They went 15-1.  Players: Randall Cunningham, Robert Smith, Cris Carter, Jake Reed, Randy Moss, Todd Steussie, Korey Stringer on offense and John Randle, Dwayne Rudd, Ed McDaniel, Jerry Ball and Corey Fuller on defense, Gary Anderson, placekicker and Dennis Green, coach.  As a team, at least for one year, they crushed teams and, on the first FG miss all season from Anderson and an overtime loss (sound familiar?), didn't quite make that game against Elway and the Broncos.  As they say, the rest is hysteria.

 

A Timeline of a Lifetime of Pro Football

This is a chronological rendering of my life in relation to the team that I grew up with, cheered for, cursed at, loved, hated, disdained, abstained, wept for, laughed at and still follow: The Minnesota Vikings.  It hasn't been easy.  Nor should it be.  Being of strong, noble, stubborn heritage, as the moniker is identified with, I also wish to conquer and vanquish all who stand in the way.  Of course, every pro football fan feels the same way as each season begins.  But this year is different, isn't it?

1955-1960
The first few years were a barren time for football.  I rarely stood up at first but as I arose and took small steps, it became apparent : What the hell is football?  I had no clue, or for that matter, why I crap my white thingies.  As I matured, I knew that the word 'ball' combined with the word 'catch' hurt my head.  Maybe my first concussion.  At age five, I think I was introduced to a football.  Not quite sure of the bizarre shape and the way it bounces crazy.  Kinda fun till you fall on it.  Maybe my first spleen injury.

1961
A banner year.  Minnesota has a pro football team.  Yahoo.  We go 3-11 but win our first game as some guy with a women's name pulls off the upset.  Don't really know what is happening, though.  Probably better that way.  Where's my Corn Flakes?

1962
A crazy season for the home team.  We go 2-11-1.  Still not quite sure what that means but I remember hearing Dad mumble something about bums.  Not sure what that meant, either.

1963-1967
Ok, things start heating up.  I'm beginning to understand all the running, throwing, grunts, groans and crunching noises.  But what's with those obnoxious whistles?  I'm grasping what it means to cheer.  And boo.  Age nine: Cheering becomes quite fun.  Going 8-5-1, I think, meant we won more than we lost.  But isn't a tie worse than kissing your sister?  Yuck.  Age ten: Sundays aren't just for church anymore.  But now my newly born sister interrupts the game frequently.  Shouldn't she be sleeping?  Give her a bottle already.

1968
Only seven seasons of life and our Vikings win their division.  I begin to hate the Bears, Lions and Packers.  "Hate is not a nice word", Mom would say.  "And booing is unsportsmanlike conduct.  Fifteen yards."  Ya, Mom is a crack-up.  It's only ten.  The Purple People Eaters arise.

1969
This year was a serious ride.  The Super Bowl?  Are you kiddin' me?  The Vikes are rolling and the 'Almost Football League' (AFL), represented by the Kansas City Chefs, er, the Chiefs, will be a cherry turnover.  Halftime: I am upstairs, in my room, door locked, doing homework.  "You come down here and watch the rest of this game", Dad yelled.  "What kind of sport are you?"  What's with all the good sport references?  We got whupped.  Can't I swear?  Can't I throw shit?  I sit and watch calmly, after which I go and pummel anything red.

1970-1972
Much pouting.  The Stupor Bowl loss still hurts.  Who cares?  The North Stars are more fun.

1973-1976
Three out of four years the Vikes go to the Bowl.  Nothin' to show for it except losses to Miami (I still hate, yes Mom, HATE you Greasy), Pittsburgh (ditto Bradshit) and Oakland (everybody hates, yes hates, the Raiders).  The term 'ViQueens' becomes popular.  My attention is turning towards girls.  That doesn't turn out much better.

1977-Present
Aside from a boatload of division titles, playoff appearances and playoff wins, Minnesota has not been back to the Super Bowl.  That might be a blessing in da skies.  I really don't want to be associated with the only team to go 0-5.  In 1981, I found myself in new football territory: Denver Broncoland.  Here was a chance to start fresh.  But the Norse Gods followed me and I had to experience three more Bowl whuppins by the Giants, Redskins and 49'ers.  So now, as of the '97 season, I am a combined 0-7 in Super Bowls.  How does that feel?  I almost got excommunicated to Detroit or Cleveland.  But wait sports fans.  The cloud was lifted as the Broncos won two consecutive championships in the '97 and '98 seasons.  Don't get me wrong.  I am still a Viking fan first and a Bronco fan second.  This year marks my 30th season as an alien (legal) football fan. 

So, here we go for another stab at a hopeful Viking season with Brat Favre, Adrian (what, me fumble?) Peterson, a high octane offense and a stout 'D'.  Our head coach, Brad 'Egghead' Childress, just may find a way, in spite of himself and his horrendous coaching decisions, to finally win one for The Land of 10,00 Lakes.  I wouldn't put too much money on it, though.  As Marlon Brando once said, "I coulda been a contenda".  Or is that pretenda?

PS  If the Vikes win a Super Bowl, I vowed to (gulp) get the above tatoo.  I guess I'll take some pain for the team.  Not that they haven't given me enough already.