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There was Mike Tice on April 26th, Draft Day 2003. Minutes had passed since the Vikings, selecting within the top 10 for the second consecutive year, had called the name of Oklahoma State DT Kevin Williams as their first-round choice.
Tice went before a national TV audience, but not to celebrate his selection as other coaches and general managers had. Tice was there to bat down criticism and defend why exactly, for the second consecutive year, his Vikings stumbled on the way to the podium, failing to beat the clock and secure the player they had targeted.
Unfortunately for Tice, disorder does not bode well for his future or the Vikings’ future.
Since Minnesota wrapped up a 6-10 season, one from which plenty of distractions arose, a more recent string of events could leave the franchise with a black eye. It started with the drunken-driving arrest of executive vice president Mike Kelly and allegations of a team player involved in a sexual assault, each alleged to have occurred at a fundraising benefit in February. Last month, starting RB Michael Bennett suffered a fractured left foot working out at the team facility.
Finally, the draft miscue. Now, consider that it could get much worse, with the greatest of off-the-field distractions.
Owner Red McCombs wants to sell the team, and though he’s turned down two low-ball offers, he could be forced to accept a bid from an out-of-state buyer with intentions of relocating. McCombs met with commissioner Paul Tagliabue the day after the draft. Tagliabue has publicly encouraged McCombs to keep the Vikings in Minnesota, but McCombs could have asked for the meeting to explain his bind: His product is unattractive to bidders. The Minnesota legislature has made a state-approved stadium bill for the Minnesota Twins its priority and is unlikely to give its blessing on a new football building. It isn’t the only option, but one scenario that is too obvious to ignore is a recent proposal for a $500 million renovation to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where a Los Angeles-based franchise could settle
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Tice went before a national TV audience, but not to celebrate his selection as other coaches and general managers had. Tice was there to bat down criticism and defend why exactly, for the second consecutive year, his Vikings stumbled on the way to the podium, failing to beat the clock and secure the player they had targeted.
Unfortunately for Tice, disorder does not bode well for his future or the Vikings’ future.
Since Minnesota wrapped up a 6-10 season, one from which plenty of distractions arose, a more recent string of events could leave the franchise with a black eye. It started with the drunken-driving arrest of executive vice president Mike Kelly and allegations of a team player involved in a sexual assault, each alleged to have occurred at a fundraising benefit in February. Last month, starting RB Michael Bennett suffered a fractured left foot working out at the team facility.
Finally, the draft miscue. Now, consider that it could get much worse, with the greatest of off-the-field distractions.
Owner Red McCombs wants to sell the team, and though he’s turned down two low-ball offers, he could be forced to accept a bid from an out-of-state buyer with intentions of relocating. McCombs met with commissioner Paul Tagliabue the day after the draft. Tagliabue has publicly encouraged McCombs to keep the Vikings in Minnesota, but McCombs could have asked for the meeting to explain his bind: His product is unattractive to bidders. The Minnesota legislature has made a state-approved stadium bill for the Minnesota Twins its priority and is unlikely to give its blessing on a new football building. It isn’t the only option, but one scenario that is too obvious to ignore is a recent proposal for a $500 million renovation to the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif., where a Los Angeles-based franchise could settle
more
