Kirk's Stumble

[YikesVikes]

Im sure you guys have heard/read/watched the reports of Kirks statements today. As a medical professional, I am very disappointed in his cavalier attitude. I didn't just read the headlines or the transcript. I watched the podcast and I am disappointed that he felt masks were stupid (based on is 0.0001 statement). He has members of the team's fanbase that has died from Covid and I expected better than his statement. It was shortsighted, idiotic, and selfish. I lost a great deal of respect for the guy.

[StanM]

While I don't endorse his attitude towards the virus I recognize that there is a whole segment of the population that would agree with him. However he may feel about it personally he is respecting team rules and doing everything that is asked of him. I feel frustrated with the whole thing as well and I am sure you are as a medical professional but I don't entertain the idea that all professional athletes are going to have the same world view as I do. I would also keep in mind that Kirk is very religious and that could explain his "if I die I die" remark. That statement I'm speculating could be translated as "I'll do my best to stay safe but if I die I believe in an after life" so I will give him the benefit of the doubt.

At 69 I am a life long Vikings fan since their first game ever but I have never looked to any athlete as a beacon of proper behavior. I just want to see them do their thing on Sunday and don't want to get into their heads or know their personal lives.

No problem with Kirk here as long as he abides by team rules when on team property and is not careless on his own time. That is all that I expect from them. They work for the Minnesota Vikings and they will deal with their players privately if they are in violation of team rules of conduct.

I was a fan when there was no internet or countless news channels back in the sixties and seventies. Players smoked on the sidelines, snuck lines of coke before games and were notorious partiers. I made it through that without abandoning them and I'm sure as heck not giving up on Kirk for having his own opinion as long as he complies with team policy.

[YikesVikes]

While I don't endorse his attitude towards the virus I recognize that there is a whole segment of the population that would agree. However he may feel about it personally he is respecting team rules and doing everything that is asked of him. I feel frustrated with the whole thing as well as I am sure you are as a medical professional but I don't entertain the idea that all professional athletes are going to have the same world view. I would also keep in mind that Kirk is very religious and that could explain his "if I die I die" remark. That statement I'm speculating could be translated as "I'll do my best to stay safe but if I die I believe in an after life".

At 69 I am a life long Vikings fan since their first game ever but I have never looked to any athlete as a beacon of proper behavior. I just want to see them do their thing on Sunday and don't want to get into their heads or know their personal lives.

No problem with Kirk here as long as he abides by team rules when on team property and is not careless on his own time. That is all that I expect from them. They work form the Minnesota Vikings and they will deal with their players privately if they are in violation of team rules of conduct.

I was a fan when there was no internet and countless news channels back in the sixties and seventies. Players smoked on the sidelines, snuck lines of coke before games and.were notorious partiers. I made it through that without abandoning them and I'm sure we heck not giving up on Kirk for having his own opinion as long as he complies with team policy.

It's not just about having an opinion. Its about continuing to push stupidity. His voice is amplified and impacts others. Someone doing coke on an offday (trying to be hidden) is not the samething as magnifying ignorance. This nation is crumblining because we are promoting stupidity instead of common sense/intelligence. Giving a voice to antivaxxers and other morons are why American exceptionalism is dying.

[StanM]

I was referring to the 70's when I mentioned coke and the partying and not today. Look, you get as riled up about it as you need to in order to feel better. I don't have a problem even though I do consider it to have been in poor taste to some extent. Like I said, if Kirk violated any policy when speaking to the media I trust that the Vikings organization will handle it. It would take nuclear war or a direct astroid hit for me to quit being a Vikings fan.

I used to do some volunteer media work for auto racing. One time I suggested to my adult son that he come down to the pits and I would introduce him to a well known driver. His reply was "no thanks, I think of sports heroes the same as I think of strippers. I just like to watch them do their thing and don't want to know their drama".

I think that humorous analogy was wise advice and that's how I feel about this thing with Kirk. I hope he beats the Packers so you angry folks can see fit to extend forgiveness. I don't believe that it's the end of the world as we know it.

[Pondering Her Percy]

Everyone is making this such a big deal. You can’t say anything anymore without someone getting ticked off. It really frustrates me with his the media and some people are in general in today’s world

[RandyMoss84]

I do not see what is wrong with Kirk’s statement, I have the same mindset as Kirk, if I die then I die, #### happens

[cogitator]

Clarified today -



"There's plenty of reasons to wear a mask, social distance and be very vigilant to help stop the spread of the virus. That was the heart of what I was trying to say in July. Admittedly I didn't say it as clear as I would have liked to so I just want to share that same message again and hopefully articulate it a little bit better. But that has always been my heart and is again now, just trying to say that."

Asked whether he would take back his "if I die, I die" comment with how many people have perished worldwide from the virus, including nearly 185,000 in the United States as of Wednesday afternoon, Cousins did not change his stance but provided further clarity on what he meant.

"I think it was just the heart behind it was just saying that I have peace if that were to happen was all I was wanting to say," Cousins said.

[S197]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and he’s not infringing on anyone else by abiding by the rules. And that’s really the important thing to me, you wear a mask to save others, not yourself. So while COVID may not be a big deal to him, he realizes it’s a big deal to others and acts accordingly.

Being a public figure I would have liked if he kept the .0001 comment to himself but it’s his 1st amendment right to express his feelings. As long as he does it behind a mask and while social distancing, it is what it is.

[808vikingsfan]

Im sure you guys have heard/read/watched the reports of Kirks statements today. As a medical professional, I am very disappointed in his cavalier attitude. I didn't just read the headlines or the transcript. I watched the podcast and I am disappointed that he felt masks were stupid (based on is 0.0001 statement). He has members of the team's fanbase that has died from Covid and I expected better than his statement. It was shortsighted, idiotic, and selfish. I lost a great deal of respect for the guy.

Wasn't a fan of him even before he came to Minn. I certainly don't like him now.

[J. Kapp 11]

While I don't endorse his attitude towards the virus I recognize that there is a whole segment of the population that would agree. However he may feel about it personally he is respecting team rules and doing everything that is asked of him. I feel frustrated with the whole thing as well as I am sure you are as a medical professional but I don't entertain the idea that all professional athletes are going to have the same world view. I would also keep in mind that Kirk is very religious and that could explain his "if I die I die" remark. That statement I'm speculating could be translated as "I'll do my best to stay safe but if I die I believe in an after life".

At 69 I am a life long Vikings fan since their first game ever but I have never looked to any athlete as a beacon of proper behavior. I just want to see them do their thing on Sunday and don't want to get into their heads or know their personal lives.

No problem with Kirk here as long as he abides by team rules when on team property and is not careless on his own time. That is all that I expect from them. They work form the Minnesota Vikings and they will deal with their players privately if they are in violation of team rules of conduct.

I was a fan when there was no internet and countless news channels back in the sixties and seventies. Players smoked on the sidelines, snuck lines of coke before games and.were notorious partiers. I made it through that without abandoning them and I'm sure we heck not giving up on Kirk for having his own opinion as long as he complies with team policy.

It's not just about having an opinion. Its about continuing to push stupidity. His voice is amplified and impacts others. Someone doing coke on an offday (trying to be hidden) is not the samething as magnifying ignorance. This nation is crumblining because we are promoting stupidity instead of common sense/intelligence. Giving a voice to antivaxxers and other morons are why American exceptionalism is dying.

Riddle me this.

You use the words "antivaxxers and other morons."

I'm not an "antivaxxer." However, it will be a cold day in hell before I will willingly allow anyone to inject into my body a vaccine that has been fast-tracked by the FDA with no understanding of long-term side effects. Does that make me a moron?

There is nothing wrong with what Kirk said. Even though he's not concerned for himself, he wears a mask and follows Covid protocols because he cares about others. In fact, I would hold his attitude up as one that we all would do well to emulate. It's certainly a better attitude than, say, a certain congresswoman from California who blithely made herself an appointment at a salon for a wash and blow dry, even though the Covid rules in her state have put every salon owner out of business.

Bottom line: Kirk stated his feelings, then went out of his way to acknowledge the feelings and beliefs of those who don't think the way he does. Can you say the same? Asking for a moron friend.

[808vikingsfan]

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and he’s not infringing on anyone else by abiding by the rules. And that’s really the important thing to me, you wear a mask to save others, not yourself. So while COVID may not be a big deal to him, he realizes it’s a big deal to others and acts accordingly.

Being a public figure I would have liked if he kept the .0001 comment to himself but it’s his 1st amendment right to express his feelings. As long as he does it behind a mask and while social distancing, it is what it is.

But you do wear a mask to save yourself as well to control the spread. It prevents you from touching your face when you're out. And if he really thought wearing a mask was a big deal to others, he wouldn't have ridiculed mask wearers with his .0001 comment. Being a public figure with kids looking up to him, he has an obligation (correction, he should look at it as an obligation or an opportunity) to say the right things in front of a camera. Unless he wants to be a D**K which is what he's doing.

[RandyMoss84]

Im sure you guys have heard/read/watched the reports of Kirks statements today. As a medical professional, I am very disappointed in his cavalier attitude. I didn't just read the headlines or the transcript. I watched the podcast and I am disappointed that he felt masks were stupid (based on is 0.0001 statement). He has members of the team's fanbase that has died from Covid and I expected better than his statement. It was shortsighted, idiotic, and selfish. I lost a great deal of respect for the guy.

Wasn't a fan of him even before he came to Minn. I certainly don't like him now.

You will like him if he throws the game winning touchdown to win the Superbowl

[StumpHunter]

The death rate among 30-39 year olds is .2 %. The vast majority of those had underlying conditions, which Cousins doesn't have. His risk of death is incredibly low, although I am not sure about that .00001 number. That isn't being an antivaxxer or a moron, that is reality.

Are people upset because not everyone falls into the same category as Kirk and it feels like he doesn't care if others get it? I didn't get that from the interview at all, as he was talking about himself. My guess is if he got Covid, he would quarantine and follow the directions of the CDC, just like I had to do with my son when he had contact with someone with Covid. There is being at peace with death, and there is being reckless. I don't think Kirk is being reckless, he just believes in a higher power and that death isn't the final destination.

You can still be careful and not live in fear of death.

[Frozen Rope]

The death rate among 30-39 year olds is .2 %. The vast majority of those had underlying conditions, which Cousins doesn't have. His risk of death is incredibly low, although I am not sure about that .00001 number. That isn't being an antivaxxer or a moron, that is reality.

Are people upset because not everyone falls into the same category as Kirk and it feels like he doesn't care if others get it? I didn't get that from the interview at all, as he was talking about himself. My guess is if he got Covid, he would quarantine and follow the directions of the CDC, just like I had to do with my son when he had contact with someone with Covid. There is being at peace with death, and there is being reckless. I don't think Kirk is being reckless, he just believes in a higher power and that death isn't the final destination.


You can still be careful and not live in fear of death.

Great post Stump and Kapp.

[VikingsVictorious]

Im sure you guys have heard/read/watched the reports of Kirks statements today. As a medical professional, I am very disappointed in his cavalier attitude. I didn't just read the headlines or the transcript. I watched the podcast and I am disappointed that he felt masks were stupid (based on is 0.0001 statement). He has members of the team's fanbase that has died from Covid and I expected better than his statement. It was shortsighted, idiotic, and selfish. I lost a great deal of respect for the guy.

Wasn't a fan of him even before he came to Minn. I certainly don't like him now.

I'm a huge fan of him as a player first and as a person second. Go Kirk, Go Vikings.