Bill Williamson - Tales from the Minnesota Vikings Sideline: A Collection of the Greatest Vikings Stories Ever Told

BY
BILL WILLIAMSON
WITH
ERIC THDMPSDN

Copyright 2003, 2012 by Bill Williamson

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.
ISBN: 978-1-61321-224-0

Printed in the United States of America

Thank you, Coleen.

As with every accomplishment in my life, without my wife, Coleen Romero-Williamson, completing this book would have been impossible. Coleen spurs me to succeedto be more than average.

The best part of her encouragement is that she doesnt realize she is doing so. Im sure this dedication will embarrass her. Shes not one for praise, or, as she says, sappiness.

But it is her quiet encouragement that made taking on this project possible. Most of all, it is her unique support and understanding that has allowed me the time to attempt to be something special.

-Bill Williamson

Id like to thank my incredible wife Carolyn for her unwavering support, encouragement, and ability to tolerate such an insanely intense football fan throughout the years.

-Eric Thompson

Id like to thank all of the former and current Minnesota Vikings players, coaches, and support staff who took the time to share their memories and thoughts. It was quite a pleasure hearing them all.

Id also like to thank my co-workers and supervisors at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, as well as my family and friends, for their support, knowledge and encouragement.

-Bill Williamson

Id like to thank Christopher Gates for starting an excellent Vikings blog, DailyNorseman.com, in 2006. Without the piece of internet real estate that he carved out back then, I would never have had the chance to cover the Vikings as I have and reach so many fellow fans today.

-Eric Thompson

The Minnesota franchise went about eight months without a nickname. After being awarded a franchise in January, 1960, the Twin Cities were thrilled about becoming a host to a NFL team, something that has had a profound effect on the community ever since.

But what would the franchise be named? Really, was there any other choice?

In one of his first moves with the team, new general manager Bert Rose quickly came up with the Vikings. After all, the name had great ties to the Nordic influence and flavor of the state. Plus, there arent many tougher names.

So in one swift decision, the Vikings were born and horns started popping up throughout the state.

The first few years of Vikings football were not spectacular, but one wouldnt know it by the first game in team history. The Vikings made the NFL take notice with a stunning victory over the well-establised Chicago Bears at the Metrodome on Sept. 17, 1961.

The Vikings smoked the Bears 37-13, in what still stands as one of the biggest moments in team history.

Future legendary quarterback Fran Tarkenton, a third-round draft pick, came off the bench and sliced up the Bears, completing 17 of 23 pass attempts for 250 yards. He also threw four touchdown passes.

Fran Tarkenton: The scrambler made life tough for his offensive lineman, who had to keep up with him. The longer Tarkenton avoided pursuers, the more tired his protectors became. (Photo by Rick A. Kolodziej)

It bothers several former Vikings players and coaches that theyre not included in the talks when it comes to the great teams of recent history, especially during the NFLs golden age of the 1970s.

The four-time Super Bowl-winning Pittsburgh Steelers are mentioned for their greatness, of course, but so are the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders, who also took home Lombardi Trophies during the decade. And then, of course, there are the great Miami Dolphins, who owned the early portion of the decade.

But what about the Vikings? They made four Super Bowl appearances between the 1969 and 1976 seasons. But perhaps because they lost all four Super Bowls, the Vikings arent mentioned as one of the greats of the 1970s.

And it bothers them.

We were great, running back Bill Brown said.

We had everything. But I guess you have to win the Super Bowl for people to care.

The Vikings were star-studded on both sides of the ball. Their coach Bud Grant is considered one of the legends of the game, and future Hall of Famers Fran Tarkenton, Ron Yary, Alan Page and Paul Krause were all great leaders.

Its still a mystery that we didnt win a Super Bowl, offensive line coach John Michels said. We were a dynasty. For about four years there wasnt a better team in the NFL than us. But no one seems to remember it.

Some people have difficulty figuring which Vikings team was the best of the Bud Grant era.

Of course, there were four solid choices. They advanced to the Super Bowl after the 1969, 1973, 1974 and 1976 seasons. The core of the team was together for much of their Superbowl run.

But for running back Bill Brownwho was on the team for the first three Super Bowl appearancesits really not much of a choice. Its the first of the Vikings Super Bowl teams.

The 1969 team was the best of all, Brown said. We should have won the Super Bowl that year. We were the best team in the league. We were great in 1969. It still bugs me that we didnt win it all. That was our best chance.

Carl Eller has four rings for winning the NFC championship. The rings are nice and shiny, but they dont satisfy him like the real thing would.

Yes, Eller would trade all four NFC championship rings for one piece of the elusive jewel: a Super Bowl ring.

I regret not having won a Super Bowl, Eller said. It was a big game and we played to win, but we couldnt.

Ironically, Eller said he believes the Vikings kept going back to the Super Bowl because they never won one. The pursuit kept the team hungry.

I think, in truth, losing motivated us for a long time, Eller said. We remained a dominant team for just about a decade, but I think it was that fire that propelled us to keep going until we could achieve it. We just werent successful, but it wasnt because of a lack of effort.

Hes now known simply as Boom Boom. Hes no longer Bill Brown. Its Boom Boom Bill Brown.