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Watching the memorable Minnesota Vikings go to the playoff, is like seeing the New York Yankees win the pennant. You are witnessing another historic event, from one of the greatest dynasties in their respective sports. The Vikings have produced some of the most electrifying players and teams in NFL history dating back to 1960.
Starting off with the first teams ever to put on a purple and gold jersey, along with the founding father of the Vikings Max Winters, Max Winters was the first owner of the Minnesota Vikings and the former owner of the Minnesota Lakers, who are now the Los Angeles Lakes and have just won the NBA title. It wasn’t easy to get permission to start a team in the NFL and Max Winters knew all about that. He sent numerous requests to the commissioner of the league asking for the ability to make a team in Minnesota. Time after time Winters was rejected of his request and eventually he got the okay in 1961. After there was a team in Minnesota, the next job was finding a coach for the team, which didn’t come easy either. The man Winters wanted running the team, Bud Grant, declined the offer, which made him choose Norm Van Brocklin. It was a rough start for the Minnesota Vikings team: Having a rough couple of years in him time as the head man for the Vikings. Many of the seasons ended in only a few wins and almost all ended under a 500 record. Finally the early Vikings era was coming to an end when Max Winters brought in his first choice Bud Grant to coach the team and start a way of winning in Minnesota (Nelson).
Although the Vikings team started off rough, there was winning to come when the Purple People Eaters arrived in town during the late 1960 and early 1970s. Opposing offenses dreaded facing the terrorizing defense of the Vikings, with their run-stopping and sensational sacking ability, it was almost and un-fair match. Even if it looked to the opposing offense that they were going to score; The Vikings defense had different plans with their big play ability that seemed to come at the right moments. They had the big play ability to turn a game from a losing effort into a victory, with just a couple plays of the game. It wasn’t unusual to witness Alan Page tip a pass in the end zone and see one of the cornerback run back a interception for a touchdown, completely changing the story line of the game. Onto a couple of the star defensive players for the bone-chilling defense of one of the best teams in the league in the Vikings. One of the two studs up front on the d-line was Jim Marshal, a tremendous talent with a phenomenally quick first step and specialized in blowing plays up in the backfield. Rounding off the d-line was defensive tackle Alan Page and his explosive ability. Page was so fast that sometimes he would hit the running back in the backfield, before the quarterback even handed him the ball. If there was ever a loose ball Alan Page was usually “Johnny on the Spot”, once recovering six loose balls in a season in 1964 (Purple People Eaters).
“In the golden years”, the Vikings weren’t just a terrorizing defense; they also had one of the best quarterbacks of all time in Fran Tarkenton; who racked up points like it snowed in Decemberin Wisconsin. Starting off. Fran Tarkenton shattered records like the defensive line went through food during a team meeting. He was a two time pro-bowler in 1973 and 1975 and won the league’s most valuable player honors in 1975. Also the wasn’t the only highlight of Takenton’s exhilarating career with 47,003 passing yards and 342 touchdowns in his time with the Vikings and Giants. These were all NFL records for quarterbacks until Dan Marino and now Brett Favre came around. Onto Fran Tarkenton’s life; He was born February 3, 1940 in Richmond Virginia and was a very talented quarterback in high school. Out of high school Fran Tarkenton went to Tulane University and was the number one pick overall in the NFL draft to the Minnesota Vikings. While he was with the Vikings he helped lead the them to three super bowls, but unfortunately losing all of them. He also arguable led the most dangerous and dominate Minnesota Vikings team in history with a 15-1 record. Not to mention re-writing the record books by scoring 556 point in a single season, until the New England Patriots broke the record two years ago . Although that year they fell short of the super bowl by losing in the NFC championship game in overtime, it was still one to remember in sports history. Topping off Tarkenton’s historic career, he was inducted into the pro football hall of fame by unanimous vote (Info please).
Those team lead by Frank Tarkenton and his high powered offense where great, but the modern day Vikings are starting to bring back their winning ways. It always help to have the best player at their position in the league, and the Vikings have that in Adrian Peterson. Like Frank Takenton Adrian Peterson has already started to re-write the record books, already holding the record for the most rushing yard in a game by a singles player with 296 yards. After they run all over a team, they also have some great stars at wide receiver in Percy Harvin, a rookie out of Florida who has already become the quarterbacks favorite target. Their defense is also reliving the days of the “Purple People Eaters” , With three potential pro-bowlers up front in Pat and Kevin William and Jared Allan. Not to mention one of the hardest hitting corner backs in the league and maybe the best pound for pound player in the league in Antwan Winfield. They also have done something that no other team in the NFL has done by averaging 71 yards or less yards a game given up rushing for the past three seasons. Also every team in the NFL knows that when the play the Minnesota Vikings that they will have to bring there A game, because it won’t be a walk in the park (History).
While producing some of the most exciting electric teams and players in NFL history the Vikings have also dominated their divison in the procces. They are the team with the most exciting players. They are the team that is going to win the superbowl. They are the Minnestota Vikings.