Elizabeth Merrill on the 2010 Minnesota Vikings, the NFL’s soap opera team:
There was a happier time, just last year, when the Minnesota Vikings started 6-0 and ate Popeyes chicken for six straight weeks until they finally lost. Now, in the drama capital of the NFL, even the weekly team meal is controversial. Three weeks ago, newly acquired receiver Randy Moss voiced his displeasure over the catering in such an off-putting matter that it drew the ire of coach Brad Childress. Now Moss is gone and dining in Tennessee.
Every week, it seems there’s something new. There’s the story about unnamed players who want Childress fired, the saga over Brett Favre and Jenn Sterger and some racy text messages, and drama over migraines and MRIs and a practice altercation.
“All My Childress.” That’s what the local sports-radio station calls this 2010 football season that has made Minnesota the most fascinating, frustrating and dysfunctional team in the NFL. But are the Vikings dysfunctional because they’re losing, or are they losing because they’re dysfunctional?
“Some of this stuff,” kicker Ryan Longwell said, “you literally cannot make up. It’s so out of left field. I mean, it’s been a circus. It’s been crazy. It’s a credit to our guys that we’ve been resilient and keep fighting for each other.
“We’ve had seasons, obviously, where you had a lot of attention because of your success. But not this kind of random, issue-of-the-day type of things every day. We joke about it. Just when you think you’ve seen everything, there’s tomorrow.”
At 3-6, they’re not quite mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, but now every game is a must-win and even if they manage that, they’ll still need back luck to dog the Bears and Packers.
