There has been some seriously bad ju-ju going on lately. If it isn't the lockout casting a pall on all things football it's the Minnesota Vikings' beleaguered quest for a stadium. It's almost to the point where I think Mr. Segall's voodoo witch doctor friend should be called in to chant over chicken bones. Almost.
The Minnesota Vikings, after unveiling a bitchin' stadium plan (tailgating!) and announcing that they have a local equity partner in Ramsey County have been greeted with a whole lot of doom and gloom from both Governor Mark Dayton and the Minnesota Legislature. It's a recession, we get it, the budget is tighter than a straight guy's sphincter during a Pride Parade. There isn't a lot of leeway for the state to scrounge up $300 million (mind you, that $300 million is not coming out of the general fund). However, I have to wonder how much leeway the state Legislature has for losing a solid revenue stream for the state of Minnesota like the Vikings.
Everyone is talking about the cost of building the stadium, and that is valid, but there is another cost to be considered--the cost of losing the Vikings. That's an important element in making a decision like this and it makes me very suspicious that it isn't being mentioned. Now, that kind of cost/benefit analysis is hairy and involved and I'm not in the mood to do it right now. What I am in the mood for is kicking a little ass.
Brace yourself for the impassioned plea for action after the jump.
Fellow Daily Norsemen, the time has come for us to organize, to take our proud, purple freak flag and fly it like it's goin' out of style. If you bother reading blogs on a Vikings fan site during an off-season when a lockout is in place, you're a hardcore fan. So I put it to you, you fans who have stuck it out through both good and disappointing seasons, through the Les Steckel experiment, through the Brett Favre retirements, and the strange draft choices, let's show some damn support for our team.
I don't know about you, but I'm tired, tired, tired of sitting back and hearing the media tell me just how doomed or difficult the Vikings stadium quest is. I'm tired of thinking defensively and wondering what I'll do if the Vikings leave Minnesota. I'm tired of sitting back wringing my hands and hoping the politicians don't mess things up. The time has come to part ways with "Minnesota nice."
At the site SavetheVikes.org, there is information about what fans can do to show support for a new Vikings stadium. They advocate emailing your local legislator and that is a great idea. Legislators need to know that their constituents want a Vikings stadium bill to pass.
In addition to doing grown-up responsible things like writing to your legislator, I would suggest we conduct our very own spirit campaign. I say, we paint it purple.
What do I mean? So glad you asked.
On your social networking sites change your profile picture to one of you in Vikings gear and ask your friends and family to do the same. Wear your Vikings gear whenever you can, even if you are going to a Twins game. The way the Twins are playing, they're probably just glad fans bother to show up for the games. Ladies, paint your nails purple. Men who don't care, paint your nails purple. In your local papers, write letters to the editor saying you want the Vikings stadium bill to pass.
I'm open to further suggestions for Operation Paint it Purple, the stuff I've suggested is just a starting point. Involved readers, like yourselves, will doubtless have cool ideas I haven't even considered. Please list them in the comments section below.
When the Vikings announced their plan to partner with Ramsey County and build a stadium at the TCAAP site in Arden Hills, Bud Grant said, "It's almost like fate has saved this for the Vikings." Who am I to argue with Bud Grant?
Let's take back the stadium momentum and bring fate to fruition.