| Over the year, Minnesota Vikings tickets have | | | | team under the likes of Barry Alvarez at the |
| been a pathway to heartache for local fans. | | | | University of Wisconsin and Andy Reid with |
| The Vikings have put together several | | | | the Philadelphia Eagles. |
| highly-talented teams throughout their | | | | |
| history, and time and time again, the Vikings | | | | Childress wasted no time in placing his stamp |
| have suffered a loss that has left a | | | | on the team. One of his first decisions was |
| collective hole in the hearts of their loyal | | | | to jettison embittered QB Daunte Culpepper, |
| fans. However, the times could be changing. | | | | who had been the face of the franchise, as |
| After years of turbulence, the Vikings have | | | | Childress felt that Culpepper was not the |
| started to build a program that provides | | | | leader that every successful team needs at |
| stability, accountability and responsibility | | | | QB. It was a gutsy and somewhat-controversial |
| for every aspect of the football operation. | | | | move, but his new QB, Brad Johnson, exudes |
| Could this mean that decades of heartache | | | | professionalism. Johnson may not be nearly as |
| will end in the near future? We'll examine | | | | talented as Culpepper, but his track record |
| several factors to find out. | | | | speaks for itself, as he is one of the |
| | | | highest-rated QB's of recent times and has |
| New Ownership | | | | also won a Super Bowl. This sent a clear |
| | | | message to the rest of the team. |
| In May of 2005, the Vikings were sold to Zygi | | | | |
| Wilf, and Wilf immediately went to work on | | | | New Approach |
| repairing the image of a team that had | | | | |
| embarrassed the local population several | | | | The Vikings for years had attempted to |
| times under the ownership of Red McCombs, a | | | | "out-gun" the opposition with a high-flying |
| car dealership magnate who had drawn the ire | | | | offensive scheme and a risk-taking defense |
| of the public for running what was known to | | | | built for making big plays. The problem with |
| be a "cheap" operation. The Vikings did not | | | | this style was a total lack of consistency, |
| pay their coaches well, had a skeleton crew | | | | and the Vikings suffered many losses to teams |
| in the scouting department and had allowed | | | | with inferior talent as a result. Childress |
| the culture of the franchise to deteriorate | | | | instilled his version of the "West Coast" |
| to a level that was far from professional. In | | | | offense that works quite well with his huge |
| short, Minnesota Vikings tickets were no | | | | offensive line, steady RB's and heady QB, and |
| longer seen as worth the effort to obtain. | | | | early results show that the offense may not |
| | | | be as spectacular, but it is much more |
| As a result, the Vikings underachieved on the | | | | dependable. |
| field despite the presence of several | | | | |
| talented players, and their off-field conduct | | | | Childress also brought in Mike Tomlin to run |
| was becoming increasingly problematic due to | | | | the defense, and Tomlin has installed the |
| the tacit complicity displayed by team | | | | "Tampa Bay" defense which features a Cover 2 |
| management. Wilf immediately attempted to | | | | scheme. Instead of taking risks, this defense |
| change all of that by making changes and | | | | is predicated on discipline, intensity and |
| instilling a code of conduct that was to be | | | | consistency. The scheme tends to prevent |
| followed not only by the players, but by | | | | back-breaking big plays, and it's a system |
| everyone who was and is associated with the | | | | that's been used extensively around the NFL |
| franchise. He was tested early with the "Love | | | | with much success. |
| Boat" scandal in 2005, but Wilf handled the | | | | |
| episode by holding those responsible | | | | Results? |
| accountable. | | | | |
| | | | Although it is way too early to make any |
| New On-Field Leader | | | | definitive judgments, it appears that the |
| | | | Vikings have finally put the necessary |
| Wilf also made changes to the leadership | | | | components of professionalism and |
| structure as it related to players. He let go | | | | responsibility in place in order to |
| of Coach Mike Tice, who was known as a | | | | experience long-term success. This top-down |
| "players" coach and had gotten into trouble | | | | approach will lead to more consistent |
| himself for allegedly selling Super Bowl | | | | results, and Minnesota Vikings tickets have |
| tickets for a profit. Wilf wanted a leader to | | | | become sought-after again as the team makes |
| provide stability and an example for his | | | | the proper moves towards capturing its first |
| players, and he chose Brad Childress, who had | | | | Super Bowl title. |
| spent time learning how to run a football | | | | |