08-01-2018, 02:03 AM
EAGAN — NFL owners approved Zygi Wilf’s purchase of the Vikings for $600 million in late May 2005. It only took four months before Wilf was introduced to the dysfunction for which the franchise had become so well known.
The infamous “Love Boat” cruise on Lake Minnetonka set sail on Oct. 6 during the team’s bye week, leaving Wilf fuming about the conduct of his players and causing embarrassment for the entire organization.
Thirteen years later, Wilf and his brother, Mark, are veteran NFL owners and the Vikings, now valued by Forbes as being worth $2.4 billion, are in many ways an unrecognizable organization when compared to that time.
So who deserves the credit for the Vikings being in this position?
Spielman, who was hired as the Vikings’ vice president of player personnel in 2006 after Fran Foley’s brief and forgettable tenure, pointed to the changes made by ownership following a 3-13 finish in 2011. Spielman was promoted to general manager and given final authority over the roster after he and then-coach Leslie Frazier had spent an unsuccessful season sharing authority.
The Vikings had success under Frazier in 2012, going 10-6 and making a surprise playoff appearance, but Frazier was fired after a 5-10-1 finish in 2013. It was at that point the Vikings hired Zimmer — the no-nonsense, football-focused coach who had been passed over by a handful of teams.
Spielman and Zimmer have combined with Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings’ longtime executive vice president of football operations, to build a roster, develop players and keep them around with shrewd management of the salary cap. Spielman spoke Tuesday about how much time he spends in Brzezinski’s office discussing contract matters and in Zimmer’s office talking football.
“We spent a lot of time together before (Zimmer) was hired on what we envisioned,” Spielman said. “Hopefully, we’ve had some success — not the ultimate success that we’re looking for — and we’re going to continue to strive for that. But everybody knows what direction we’re going, what we’re looking for and I think the continuity and stability that we have — not only on the front-office side but the coaches and working together as one — hopefully will benefit us.”
Spielman is right in that the Vikings haven’t reached their ultimate goal, but 12 years into his tenure, and 13 years after Wilf bought the club from Red McCombs, the Vikings are at least now the type of franchise of which ownership can be proud.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2018/0...es-behind/
The infamous “Love Boat” cruise on Lake Minnetonka set sail on Oct. 6 during the team’s bye week, leaving Wilf fuming about the conduct of his players and causing embarrassment for the entire organization.
Thirteen years later, Wilf and his brother, Mark, are veteran NFL owners and the Vikings, now valued by Forbes as being worth $2.4 billion, are in many ways an unrecognizable organization when compared to that time.
So who deserves the credit for the Vikings being in this position?
Spielman, who was hired as the Vikings’ vice president of player personnel in 2006 after Fran Foley’s brief and forgettable tenure, pointed to the changes made by ownership following a 3-13 finish in 2011. Spielman was promoted to general manager and given final authority over the roster after he and then-coach Leslie Frazier had spent an unsuccessful season sharing authority.
The Vikings had success under Frazier in 2012, going 10-6 and making a surprise playoff appearance, but Frazier was fired after a 5-10-1 finish in 2013. It was at that point the Vikings hired Zimmer — the no-nonsense, football-focused coach who had been passed over by a handful of teams.
Spielman and Zimmer have combined with Rob Brzezinski, the Vikings’ longtime executive vice president of football operations, to build a roster, develop players and keep them around with shrewd management of the salary cap. Spielman spoke Tuesday about how much time he spends in Brzezinski’s office discussing contract matters and in Zimmer’s office talking football.
“We spent a lot of time together before (Zimmer) was hired on what we envisioned,” Spielman said. “Hopefully, we’ve had some success — not the ultimate success that we’re looking for — and we’re going to continue to strive for that. But everybody knows what direction we’re going, what we’re looking for and I think the continuity and stability that we have — not only on the front-office side but the coaches and working together as one — hopefully will benefit us.”
Spielman is right in that the Vikings haven’t reached their ultimate goal, but 12 years into his tenure, and 13 years after Wilf bought the club from Red McCombs, the Vikings are at least now the type of franchise of which ownership can be proud.
http://www.1500espn.com/vikings-2/2018/0...es-behind/
