The Minnesota Vikings inducted Ahmad Rashad into their Ring of Honor last weekend. He's the 23rd member and third receiver in the exclusive club. I have very fond memories of Rashad's playing days. His talent in general and pass-catching in particular had much to do with receiver becoming my position of choice. John Gilliam and Jim Lash were the earliest Vikings receiver duo that I really remember. I have fuzzy recollections of Gene Washington and John Henderson but I didn't understand the game well enough for their play to be a sound part of my "live" Vikings memories. The 1976 offseason brought the players to Minnesota that would solidify the receiver's position in my mind and heart. They obtained Rashad from the Seattle Seahawks in an historically one-sided trade and they drafted Sammy White out of Grambling in the second round of the 1976 NFL Draft. Rashad and White were a fun, exciting receiving pair. White was an explosive playmaker from the start. Rookie of the Year, Pro Bowl, All-Pro. Rashad was the reliable, chain-moving veteran. Even with an all-timer at quarterback in Fran Tarkenton the Vikings had been a grind it out on offense, win it on defense sort of team. That changed when Rashad and White joined the team. In his record-breaking career, Tarkenton's best pass-catching duo were available for only his last three seasons. From the very beginning of my football days pass-catching was key to me. The simple act of catching a football. It's a beautiful art that seems to elude some receivers, even some supposedly great receivers (Terrell Owens). That's why Rashad was so important in my football evolution. He had terrific hands. It was great to see how a receiver should be. It's a talent Cris Carter took to a whole other level. In my years as a Vikings fan I've enjoyed a fun run of receivers. Here's a Flea Flicker Top-10 of those receivers. A couple are among the best the game has ever seen.
1. Cris Carter
2. Randy Moss
3. Anthony Carter
4. Sammy White
5. Jake Reed
6. John Gilliam
7. Gene Washington
8. Percy Harvin
9. Paul Flatley
10. Hassan Jones
One of my great receiving disappointments as a Vikings fan was the too early departure of Sidney Rice. An injury didn't help his stay in Minnesota but his bolting to Seattle in free agency was jarring. Percy Harvin ended up there as well. Maybe the Seahawks were still pissed about the Rashad trade.
It's way too early in their Vikings careers to make a definitive judgement on them but Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen have been a dynamic pass-catching duo. Both could find their way to a place on this list. Speaking of duos, here are a few of the Vikings' best.
1. Cris Carter/Randy Moss
2. Cris Carter/Jake Reed
3. Cris Carter/Anthony Carter
4. Ahmad Rashad/Sammy White
5. Randy Moss/anybody with a pulse
No comments:
Post a Comment