It Looks Like The Vikings Will Open A Bank Account

by Ted Glover on Dec 14, 2010 5:19 PM CST in Minnesota Vikings 2010 Season

With the status of the Metrodome still up in the air, unlike the, you know, ROOF of the Metrodome, it's looking more and more like TCF Bank Stadium will host the Vikings final home game of 2010. The Vikings are committed to playing their game that celebrates the 50th Anniversary Team at home in front of their fans, and have been in contact with TCF Bank Stadium officials to start getting the Gophers football stadium ready for use.

Although it has not been confirmed by the Vikings or the NFL, multiple Minneapolis media outlets are reporting that TCF is being prepped, and the Metrodome will not be ready.

If it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, ladies and gentlemen, it's a duck. More thoughts on the potential of an outdoor game after the jump. But first, take a look at one of the best homefield advantages in the history of the NFL:

The Vikings belong outside. I grew up going to Met Stadium as a kid, and it was part football, part hero worship, and part A Christmas Story all rolled into one. Met stadium was a convoluted erector set of a baseball stadium that could barely fit an NFL stadium into it, and the field was a long way away from the seats we got waaaaay down the first base line (about the 20 yard line), but I loved it.

As a kid you could go down by the first base dugout and watch the teams come out for warm ups. The Vikings would come out in their uniforms, no warm weather stuff on their half of the sideline (Both teams were on the same sideline, split at the 50), and go through their warm ups like it was August. The opponent would come out, head towards their sideline warmers, jump up and down to get the blood flowing, and hurry through their pre-game warmups. 9 times out of 10, the Vikings had won the game before the coin flip.

I remember one time against San Diego, the Chargers were already on the field, cowering against the wind and elements and struggling with the weather as they were going through their warmups. The Vikings came out like it was nothing, started their calisthenics, and then moved to individual drills like it was no big deal. The Chargers were shaking their heads in disbelief, and psychologically, the game was already over.

Everyone talks about the home-field advantage the Vikings have in the Metrodome, but how many Super Bowls have they gone to since they moved inside? What's that? None. In the Met, they went to four Super Bowls in 21 years.

With an entire generation-plus of Vikings fans growing up watching their team in the warm confines of the Metrodome, this will probably be a hard sell, but I LOVE the fact that the Vikings will probably be returning outside to play football.

For the celebration of the 50th Anniversary team, this just feels right, like coming home after being away for many years..

I hope outdoor football becomes permanent for the Vikings. In Minnesota.

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I Agree!

Let visiting teams tremble in fear of not only playing in front of thousands of fanatical Vikings fans, but let them dread playing the Vikings in the elements as well. Plus, if our guys are used to outside, maybe no more SLIPPING and falling in Chicago and Green Bay!

by Brady Longmore on Dec 14, 2010 5:27 PM CST reply actions

I hate the fact

That I might get screwed out of a seat to my first Vikings game next Monday. Sweet.

by Vikings- on Dec 14, 2010 5:41 PM CST reply actions

As one of the new fans used to the Metrodome

Watching the old film of the Vikings during the Met era makes me want to see them move back to that. It just seems right to have a team called the Vikings playing on frozen ground, in subzero temperatures, relentlessly pounding the opposing team with the running game. It gives an obvious advantage for the Packers and Patriots towards the end of the season when it starts to really count. Even being from Arizona I would thoroughly consider going to Minnesota to witness an outdoor game in the snow and cold.

by AzVikeFan on Dec 14, 2010 5:51 PM CST reply actions

Can make it tough to sell tickets when it's snowing though

Especially to fickle Minneapolisians… Is that a word?

It's a lot easier to love the Vikings when they win...

by Grime on Dec 15, 2010 12:23 PM CST up reply actions

I've always thought

that just because you play in a cold weather city, doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a cold weather team. For example, look at the way the Bears played on Sunday
No one in the league is used to playing in that weather. They spend all of training camp and most of the season in hot weather, which turns to either mild or cold weather this time of year.
The trick is being prepared for it on a psychological level, and Bud Grant was an expert at getting the Vikings ready for playing in weather like that, while other teams were beaten the second they heard the weather forecast for the game.
Again, look at the Pats-Bears game. Bellicheck did a great job of telling his team that they weren’t going to be affected by the weather, and they were completely unfazed by it. The Bears on the other hand looked like a team that was not prepared to play in the elements.

So, if you were able to get the point of that ramble, good for you. For those of you who weren’t, here goes, if the Vikings want to play their games outdoors, they need to have a coach who knows how to prepare his team to play in that weather. That meaning, don’t change anything, play the way you play football and not letting a little cold bother you. If they don’t do that, than it’s not a home field advantage.

"Baseball is the only major sport that appears backward in a mirror" ~George Carlin

by thewild_viking_twins on Dec 14, 2010 6:10 PM CST reply actions

Fair points

I wonder if Bud Grant would be available for cold weather mentoring?

The Daily Norseman
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"A parent's only as good as their dumbest kid. If one wins a Nobel Prize but the other gets robbed by a hooker, you failed."

by Ted Glover on Dec 14, 2010 6:19 PM CST up reply actions

It depends upon how your team is set up

If you have a team that features a hard hitting tough defense complimented with a strong running game, you could very well dominate in the cold harsh conditions. However, the players do have to be used to it. Even living in those temperatures during the winter is good enough preparation. You also have to be used to playing on grass and not the turf.

I believe the Vikings are built to win outdoors right now and I know that other teams would favor playing in the dome significantly over playing outdoors. The biggest problem the Vikes have in why they are struggling on the road and on the grass is having to adjust frequently from the turf to the grass. It’s a big difference.

As for the Bears, they are a different team now. Martz offense seems like it would be better in a dome or warm weather, most definately not in the cold weather. The Bears defense is a better fit in the cold, but the Patriots are just that good. The Packers are a team that isn’t quite as good in the cold as it used to be either. I suppose that’s largely attested to its passing game now and how its running game has struggled in recent years.

I think that was a great video, and I would even bet the Vikes could be ranked higher. That was when people absolutely HATED playing in Minnesota. It was HELL for opponents. It’s a little different now.

"No player is greater than a team."
-Vince Lombardi

by Jabooty on Dec 15, 2010 4:49 AM CST up reply actions

I did not see any work being done at the TCF Bank Stadium today.

Maybe they will start tomorrow.

by izziefans on Dec 14, 2010 8:20 PM CST reply actions

They better get started soon.

There’s a lot of friggen snow to shovel….lol

by chaosg on Dec 14, 2010 10:46 PM CST up reply actions

Weather forecast

from weather.com shows partly cloudy, a high of 22/low of 4. Should be perfect! I’m cold just thinking about it.

"Skol Vikings! Let's win this game Skol Vikings!

by DaRange on Dec 14, 2010 8:48 PM CST reply actions

My name is 92Y_VikesFan and I approved this message.

It’s karma! Can ya feel it? I hoping for a blizzard and another 200+ yard game by AD!

by 92Y_VikesFan on Dec 14, 2010 11:25 PM CST reply actions

Not necessarily in favor of a permanent more to an outdoor stadium

But I am absolutely thrilled to see them play their 50th Anniversary game in the snow outdoors. It is so perfect and poetic, and to be matched up with another cold weather rival makes it all the better. Hope to see an old fashioned black and blue division game on Monday night!

by Cobra312004 on Dec 15, 2010 3:04 AM CST reply actions

What strikes me as funny

At about the 2:48 time of the clip, you see a few Viking fans cheering the team on with no shirts in the freezing cold (probably because they were drunk and/or crazy, or maybe just to spur the players on to endure it.) Although the site wasn’t around then, I GUARANTEE these folks would have members of the Norseman! ( I think the guy with the fro might be BranFavrenton, but I have no proof!)

by abba7 on Dec 15, 2010 3:11 AM CST reply actions

by abba7 on Dec 15, 2010 3:14 AM CST up reply actions 1 recs

very cool picture.

I would love it if you guys moved out of the dome and built an open air stadium. Will it be really cold for some of the games? Sure, but that’s the way it’s supposed to be. There’s nothing like being at a game when it’s ice cold, especially if you are playing some warm weather team that has no desire to be out in the elements.

BTW: that’s awesome that they are doing their 50th anniversary celebration stuff this weekend. I’m sure TCF will be rocking.

---AC 00 00 00 - Believe

by mjk83 on Dec 15, 2010 8:44 AM CST up reply actions

Well

the forecasted temp for monday is a whopping 0
With 20 MPH winds, which will give the game a -10 to -20 windchill
and the average temp in December-January for Minneapolis is 2-3 degrees colder than it is for Green Bay, so yeah it gets pretty cold

"Baseball is the only major sport that appears backward in a mirror" ~George Carlin

by thewild_viking_twins on Dec 15, 2010 1:19 PM CST up reply actions

If you're thinking of going to the game at TCF stadium...

Bring a sleeping blanket; you’ll be wearing it. Wear your warmest winter jacket, and under that, layers of long-sleeved shirts and underwear. Find a snow mask. Hand warmers are good. Vaseline on any exposed skin.

It will be extremely cold. The game will not be spectacular, except for the fact that both teams will be battling the misery of bone-numbing cold while trying to play football.

Oh, and there will be injuries. A rock-hard, slippery field will ensure that at least a few guys leave the field on a cart will pulled groins, possibly a few blown knees.

Glorious!

by jimbo55403 on Dec 15, 2010 11:17 AM CST reply actions