There is a lot of excitement building around the 2013 Minnesota Vikings. Last year's playoff appearance after a 3-13 season in 2011 has everyone looking up. There are many reasons for the excitement. Adrian Peterson. Terrific recent drafts have turned over an aging roster and increased the level of talent. Adrian Peterson. This is the first offseason in well over a decade without the numbing debate over a new stadium. The stadium funding was approved last offseason and ground will be broken on the spectacular new stadium this fall. Yes, there is a happy, optimistic feeling in Minnesota. 15 years ago, there was a similar happy, optimistic feeling in Minnesota.
In 1998, the Vikings and their fans were ready to finally break through. Under head coach Dennis Green, the Vikings were fairly regular playoff participants but they couldn't get that first playoff win. Green and the Vikings finally got that playoff win following the 1997 season. They didn't go any further but their future was suddenly brighter. There was optimism building in the 1998 offseason. Texas rich man Red McCombs had bought the team. He brought that new owner enthusiasm. The 1998 NFL Draft brought the biggest boost of all. Marshall receiver Randy Moss was still on the board when it was the Vikings turn to select. There was no real reason for Moss to have made it past pick #5, let alone still be available at #21. So, he had a few dings in his past. It was mostly kid stuff. No receiver has ever entered the NFL so purely gifted as Randy Moss. Despite having terrific receivers in Cris Carter and Jake Reed, the Vikings brought Moss to Minnesota. And, everything changed.
The Minnesota Vikings had a terrific offense even before they drafted Randy Moss. Quarterback Brad Johnson was ready to take the next step. Carter and Reed were dynamic receivers. Running back Robert Smith could score from anywhere on the football field. Leroy Hoard was a real nice change of pace as a runner. David Palmer could do a little bit of everything. Most importantly, the offensive line of Todd Steussie, Randall McDaniel, Jeff Christy, David Dixon, and Korey Stringer may have been the best in the league. The defense was average but could be very opportunistic. Then, there was defensive tackle John Randle. He was a monster in the middle of the defensive line. Add Randy Moss and the Vikings offense became the most explosive in the league. There was excitement brewing in Minnesota. Red McCombs was boasting about "Purple Pride" and the fans were believing every bit of it. Everyone was getting more and more giddy by the day about the possibilities of the 1998 Minnesota Vikings.
The optimism surrounding the 2013 Minnesota Vikings rivals that of 1998. There are even some similarities between the two teams. Florida State quarterbacks, Brad Johnson then and Christian Ponder now, ready to take that next big step. Hopefully, Ponder's next step is more sound than the one that Johnson took. Explosive rookie receivers, Randy Moss then and Cordarrelle Patterson now. Patterson wears #84 because of Moss. The optimism of the 1998 offseason turned into excitement for one of the greatest regular seasons in Vikings history. 15-1 and the highest scoring offense in league history. All Vikings fans hope for a similar regular season. They certainly hope for a better ending.
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