Fire Devastates Bud Grant's Land

Earlier this month, a fire in northwest Wisconsin that was started by sparks from a logging machine scorched over 8,700 acres of land. 400 acres of that land are owned by former Minnesota Vikings head coach Bud Grant. . .land that he had owned since the early 1960s.

There was a bit of a scare as Pat Smith, Grant's companion for the past few years, was unable to get in contact with him and was afraid that he might have been in the area as the land was burning. As Coach Grant does not carry a cell phone, and he was not at his offices at Winter Park, neither Mrs. Smith nor the team were able to get a hold of him. It turns out that he was en route there from Bloomington, but he was not there when the fire was burning.

According to the story from Dennis Anderson of the Star-Tribune (linked above), the lake house that Grant built back in 1968 was untouched by the fire. The rest of the land, which he used primarily for hunting and fishing, was completely destroyed.

Talking about the land, the former coach managed to be both upbeat and depressing, all in the span of three sentences.

"We have to be thankful for what we have. It'll grow back. But I won't live to see it."

It could have been much worse for Grant. . .according to the article, 17 homes and 35 other structures were burned in the blaze. . .but it's still incredibly rough news for everyone's favorite Vikings coach.