The state of Minnesota has made Sid Hartman angry. You wouldn't like Sid Hartman when he's angry.
Actually, maybe you would. . .honestly, the thought of Grandpa Sports kicking down a door and stomping mudholes in people like Patrick Swayze in Road House is certainly enough to make me laugh. Particularly if he starts hitting people with the Greco-Roman Tape Recorder of DOOM!
But anyway, here's what Sid thinks of the whole Vikings' stadium situation.
The imbecilic Legislature and stubborn Gov. Mark Dayton made many people suffer during the state's two-week government shutdown and took the easy way out when they finally did face their problems. So Vikings owner Zygi Wilf probably should have realized that he would not see a stadium bill passed when a special session is held to address the budget crisis.Yes, politicians showed a lot of courage to get the job done with that proposed deal to deprive schools of $700 million and then borrow money on the tobacco fund.
Whoa, Sid. . .is that vitriol and sarcasm I detect? Man alive, it dang near brings a tear to my eye. This is already the best thing he's written in about five years.
However, by the end of the portion of his article that pertains to the Vikings, he's back to being the Grandpa Sports we know and love.
However, I believe the Vikings will get a stadium if a special session is called this fall, when the football season is on and the great force of Vikings fans, faced with the real possibility of losing the team, will have a different attitude about the need for a stadium.
The next big election comes in 2012. There's is a much better chance of getting a stadium bill passed with the current group in St. Paul than with a new group that would have to be lobbied all over again.
Well, I certainly hope he's right, and he does have a pretty good point. The Vikings spent like heck and got all sorts of stuff together for this legislative year, and have been in the ears of a lot of people for a good long time now. I don't want them to have to worry about having to convince a whole new set of state legislators next time. If the team can, somehow, finagle a special session for September sometime, this thing may have a shot after all.
Keep in mind, though, that this is going to lead to an unintended consequence. . .and that's Minneapolis getting back into the game. (Or is that an intended consequence? Dun dun DUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!) Yes, they'll have more time to put something together that dramatically improves on the half-arsed proposal they threw out there when the Arden Hills deal was on the verge of being announced. Let's be honest, though. . .you and I could come up with a better proposal than what Minneapolis did with a couple of crayons and some bar napkins. Not even the big bar napkins, either. . .I'm talking about the small ones that go under the drinks. But you can bet that, between now and the time that any special session happens, the folks from Minneapolis will be in the ear of Zygi Wilf about keeping the stadium downtown. . .and Zygi, being a businessman, will listen.
So, when it appeared that the stadium derby had its winner, it looks like a couple of competitors are going to be flying down the backstretch here at any moment. Honestly, just get a stadium built somewhere. . .build it in Arden Hills, build it in Minneapolis, build it in Duluth, build it in East Grand Forks. . .just get it done.