So far we really haven't heard anything from Rick Spielman, the grand architect of your 2013 Minnesota Vikings. Zygi Wilf, while scurrying out of the locker room after the Giants game, no doubt in a hurry to get to another soiree, told insistent reporters, "That's our team; we're going to stick with it."
That's like saying, "I have a rash, and I've grown fond of it."
So day after day it has been up to Les Frazier to face the music. And day after day it's been the same response: "We're going to keep working hard. We're going to keep fighting. Big ballgame coming up ..." Blah, blah, blah until I think I've fallen down the rabbit hole and nothing is real anymore.
But say this for Frazier: He holds himself and his staff accountable. And say this for Christian Ponder: He's handled this god-awful situation as well as anyone possibly could.
I loved this part (having myself "fallen for" the intial Allen to Seahawks trade reporting):
Tom Powers wrote:
Jared Allen was traded and untraded about six times on Twitter, where if you throw enough unattributed garbage against the wall something might eventually stick. Then you will be given credit for being "first" to report something. In fact, you can report something and a few minutes later say none of it was even remotely true and get credit both ways: first to report, first to debunk.
And we wonder why society is getting dumber.
I've told people a million times not to exaggerate!
psjordan wrote:This team will inexplicably go on a roll in the last five games this season. making everyone re-think who is bad at doing what.
Please bookmark this post folks.
That would be typically "Minnesota Vikings" of them.
"You can't be a real country unless you have a beer and an airline. It helps if you have some kind of a football team, or some nuclear weapons, but at the very least you need a beer." - Frank Zappa
This article underscores another reason I think Spielman needs to go. Spielman's moves as GM have played a significant role in where the Vikings are right now, and yet he's content to sit back in his gilded tower while Frazier and his staff take all the heat. Is that what a leader does?
The way Spielman is acting reminds me of the movie Scent of a Woman where Pacino's character delivers an awesome speech about character. For those who haven't seen it, I highly recommend a watch:
Frazier is like Charlie - he is taking his lumps and being accountable for his role in the mess while doing what he can to fix things. Spielman? Where is he? In the owner's box. Not out front taking responsibility for his role in the mess. And likely when this season is all said and done, Spielman will be the first to turn on Frazier in an effort to save his own job. I don't know Rick Spielman, but based on what I've seen so far, Frazier at least has redeemed himself. He's taking the heat for everyone and everything. He might not be the right guy for the job going forward, but he has character. I am avoiding criticizing him on this board solely because of that. I've criticized him in the past, but I'm holding my fire because in the grand scheme, Frazier is doing what he can with what he has. As Pacino's character says in the speech, he has integrity, and I respect that.
VikingLord wrote:This article underscores another reason I think Spielman needs to go. Spielman's moves as GM have played a significant role in where the Vikings are right now, and yet he's content to sit back in his gilded tower while Frazier and his staff take all the heat. Is that what a leader does?
No and when he took the job, didn't he say he'd be front and center more often? Maybe I'm mis-remembering but i could swear there was a statement to that effect.
Frazier is like Charlie - he is taking his lumps and being accountable for his role in the mess while doing what he can to fix things. Spielman? Where is he? In the owner's box. Not out front taking responsibility for his role in the mess. And likely when this season is all said and done, Spielman will be the first to turn on Frazier in an effort to save his own job. I don't know Rick Spielman, but based on what I've seen so far, Frazier at least has redeemed himself. He's taking the heat for everyone and everything. He might not be the right guy for the job going forward, but he has character. I am avoiding criticizing him on this board solely because of that. I've criticized him in the past, but I'm holding my fire because in the grand scheme, Frazier is doing what he can with what he has. As Pacino's character says in the speech, he has integrity, and I respect that.
Far be it from me to defend Rick Spielman, but what do you want the guy to say? "This season is all my fault."? Is it really? Do you expect him to say "We'll be drafting a QB in the first round."? That would be a pretty damned stupid thing to say. Or how about "We'll be making a head coaching change at the end of the season." That would go over big.
Would anything that he can say make this nightmare of a season any better? At least 90% of what Spielman does for the team is done in the offseason. Signing or resigning players, the draft, making moves during preseason. After the season begins, it's mostly releasing 3rd stringers and signing free agents that nobody else wants. Once week one rolls around, the front office can only hang on for the ride and see how the season unfolds. Once you're 1-6, there is absolutely nothing you can do to salvage the season, nor can you make anyone feel better about it.
Eli wrote:Far be it from me to defend Rick Spielman, but what do you want the guy to say? "This season is all my fault."? Is it really? Do you expect him to say "We'll be drafting a QB in the first round."? That would be a pretty damned stupid thing to say. Or how about "We'll be making a head coaching change at the end of the season." That would go over big.
Would anything that he can say make this nightmare of a season any better? At least 90% of what Spielman does for the team is done in the offseason. Signing or resigning players, the draft, making moves during preseason. After the season begins, it's mostly releasing 3rd stringers and signing free agents that nobody else wants. Once week one rolls around, the front office can only hang on for the ride and see how the season unfolds. Once you're 1-6, there is absolutely nothing you can do to salvage the season, nor can you make anyone feel better about it.
Good points. I suppose he is asking himself "WWMMD?" ("What would Matt Millen do?")
I'm willing to give Spielman another shot. I'm pretty much sold on the fact that our franchise is a complete disaster because of incompetent coaching. Between Frazier, Musgrave, and Williams we have a collection of the worst schemers, managers, and game time adjusters that I've ever seen. They don't change up anything even when it's clearly not working. Whens the last time the Vikings looked different in the 2nd half than they did in the 1st? I mean positively. When is the last time we started out flat in the 1st half and then came out hitting on all cylinders in the 2nd half? It has never happened with this regime. 1-23 when trailing at half with the lone victory coming in OT vs the Blaine Gabbert led Jaguars in last years season opener when we only trailed 9-7 at half. And even that took a miracle.
And say this for Christian Ponder: He's handled this god-awful situation as well as anyone possibly could.
Right, because Ponders god-awful situation has nothing to do with him being a bust and sucking as a QB. Yeah all those poor reads, happy feet, stare downs, late throws, and inaccurate rainbows were only the result of predictable play calling and bad coaching. We better hang onto him and give him another shot with the new coaches next year. Heck we should just reset the 3 year plan and give him another 3 with the new OC. He was all confident and assertive before the Packers game about not giving the starting job back and then he went out and looked worse and more skittish than he did as a rookie. That's how this guy looks under pressure and with his career on the line? People still want him near their football team? I swear it's like I'm stuck in the twilight zone.
"Our playoff loss to the Vikings in '87 was probably the most traumatic experience I had in sports." -- Bill Walsh
Reignman wrote: He was all confident and assertive before the Packers game about not giving the starting job back and then he went out and looked worse and more skittish than he did as a rookie. That's how this guy looks under pressure and with his career on the line? People still want him near their football team? I swear it's like I'm stuck in the twilight zone.
I thought of this video. It's kind surreal. (Like the Vike's situation)
I've told people a million times not to exaggerate!
ibleedPurple wrote:Stop bashing Spielman please. He has put together some solid drafts got us contributing FA's during the offseason. It's not his fault we have a brain dead coach and an OC who runs the same 3 plays over and over. There really is nothing Spielman can say or do at this point to make the situation better.
Are you related to this clown? He took full control of our drafts in 2011, and our QB situation has been a mess ever since. Mcnabb, Webb, Ponder, MBT, Cassel, and Freeman. Not only does he pick the worst cast of QBs in the history of this team, but he has had numerous chances to pick up guys, some of whom played for colleges in our own backyard.
The line about the rash had my laughing aloud!
