Minnesota Vikings fans could loss their team and be left out in the cold if Minnesota lawmakers don’t act fast.  That’s because the current Vikings owners are threatening to move the team to Los Angeles if they don’t get financial support and assurances to build a new stadium.

Things have gone so far that the NFL front office took action Friday by meeting with Minnesota lawmakers about the importance of approving financial backing for a new stadium.

“There is no ultimatum, but we did clearly talk about L.A. We did clearly talk about that [being] an open market,” Minnesota Sen. Julie Rosen said. “I do believe there is a feeling in some legislators and even in some folks throughout the state that they would never leave. So it was good to hear from the NFL, and from a very prominent owner, that they do have the right to move or be sold.”

Could it happen?
Yes it could.  In fact a precedence has already be set.  Back in 1984, Colts owner Jim Irsay, citing an antiquated and inadequent stadium in Baltimore, moved the team from Baltimore to it’s current location Indianapolis (Baltimore regained an NFL team – the Ravens – when the NFL expanded for the 1996 NFL season).

What are the odds the Vikings Will Move To LA?
Who knows? I mean the possibility exists, especially if current Vikings owner, Zygi Wilf,  sells the team (rumor has it he wants to sell the team).  If the team were sold, the new owners wouldn’t have a history in Minnesota and wouldn’t feel sentimental about leaving.  The owners would be buying the team to make money, and if that means moving the Viking to LA, they would do so.

I wonder if there is an NFL betting line on the Vikings moving?

What should NFL fans expect?
Minnesotans take great pride in their long NFL history.  We can expect that the lawmakers will feel the pressure of their constituents (who are also Vikings fans) and approve funding of a new stadium – otherwise they will be voted out of office.

Don’t forget, other NFL teams have used to same ploy (threatening to move the team) to get stadium improvements, tax credits and other benefits from the home state.

All in all, I really don’t see it happening.   The Vikings will stay in Minnesota.

What would it be like for the NFL (and football fans) to lose the Vikings – Packers and Vikings – Bears rivalries.

No way!

The big question in the NFL is whether Vikings QB Brett Favre will play tonight against the Giants.

In a text message from Vikings coach Leslie Frazier to NFL Network’s Jason LaCanfora this afternoon, Frazier expressed hope that Brett Favre would still be able to play.

“No, we have not ruled him out,” said Frazier. “We will make a decision at the stadium.”

This update on the future Hall-Of-Famer’s game-day status contradicts that of others. ESPN’s Ed Werder, reported earlier this morning that several Vikings players and Favre himself don’t expect his 297-game start streak to reach 298. The St. Paul Pioneer Press has also reported that Favre’s sprained S.C. joint in his throwing shoulder remains “severely swollen.”

Minnesota Vikings players also said that Favre’s collarbone is severely swollen and he hasn’t thrown a pass all week.

As it stands now, it looks almost certain that Brett Favre cannot play, but any announcement on his playing status is unlikely until gametime.

We’ll see if the extra day of rest Favre got, due to a blizzard, allows him to start for the Vikings.

Gametime is set for 7:20 pm EST in Detroit’s Ford Field. The Giants are 3 point favorite.

sources: nfl.com, nbcsports.com

The Minnesota Vikings fired their head coach, Brad Childress.  With the team’s performance and win-loss record this 2010 NFL season, you can’t say you didn’t see it coming.

Team owner Zygi Wilf announced the news after he and team president Mark Wilf met with Childress early Monday.

“It’s often difficult to articulate one reason why change is needed,” Wilf said.

The Wilf brothers have named Defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier as the interim head coach for the remainder of the season. Frazier immediately squashed any question about the quarterback situation.  He immediately named Brett Favre the starting quarterback this weekend.

“There’s no hesitation from me in that regard,” Frazier said.

During a team news conference, Frazier spelled out what he expected of Favre and the rest of the Minnesota Vikings players – fewer turnovers from Favre and a 100% effort from the rest of the Purple People Eaters.

“The challenge our players have is to understand that other people around the league are taking a look at that tape, and you owe it to your teammates and your family to go out there and play hard every single snap,” Frazier said.

What can you say about the accomplishments of Childress in his 5 seasons in Minnesota?  Better than most NFL coaches. The Vikings won back-to-back NFC North titles (2008 and ‘09) with a record of 39-35.  However, the Vikes record of 1-2 in the playoffs was disappointing. Childress summed up his thoughts about his time there:

“I am proud of our accomplishments and believe the foundation of this football team is stronger today than when I became head coach,” Childress said in a statement released by the team.

At the beginning of the 2010 NFL Football season, Childress, the Vikings and the Minnesota fans had big expectations.  Brett Favre was coming off one of his finest seasons and the Vikings finished with an impressive 12-4 regular season record.

But expectations were quickly met with 3 losses in the first four games, led by the inconsistency and poor play by Favre.

Then there was the Randy Moss fiasco. The Vikings gave up a 3rd round draft pick to the New England Patriots for the future hall-of-fame wide receiver Randy Moss.  But within weeks, Childress released Moss without consulting the Vikings owner or front office.

It came after a loss at New England, the newly acquired Moss praised his former teammates and was critical of Childress, who had given up a third-round pick to acquire him four weeks earier.

Childress told his team the next day he had released  Moss, though the coach failed to offer complete details about what had transpired. Wilf was said to be upset because his coach failed to discuss his actions beforehand. There also were anonymous reports of increasing unrest among Vikings players.

It was at this time that many NFL experts and analysts expected that Brad Childress’ days were numbered, especially as the team fell further and further out of NFL playoff contention.

And then it happened! The Vikings fired Brad Childress one day after the Vikings were embarrassed by the Green Bay Packers 31-3, their second loss in a row.

And the players, for all their frustration with Childress and his style, put the blame on themselves after getting beat up by the Packers.

”We’re grown men. He’s not out there playing with us,” tight end Visanthe Shiancoe said when asked on Sunday about Childress’s status. ”You’ve got to look in the mirror sometimes. We’re 3-7. You go 3-7, you always want to blame somebody else. Sometimes you can’t blame somebody else. Sometimes you have to focus on yourself and what you’re doing wrong.”

There were other mitigating circumstances that led to the firing, including Childress’ increasingly combative relationship with quarterback Brett Favre and Vikings fans finally got involved with thousands of “Fire Chilly” signs being handed out before their hosted Nov 7 game against Arizona.

What’s next for Brad Childress? Probably nothing short term – the same fate that awaits the awaits the Minnesota Vikings in February.

sources: foxsports.com, associated press