The 10 best teams/seasons in Minnesota Viking history

The Minnesota Vikings have had some dominating teams in their 54 year history. Let's take a look at the top ten seasons for the purple and gold.

Honorable mention:

1992: A 11-5 record and a trip to the playoffs.

1968: A 8-6 record and the team's first playoff appearance.

1989: While reaching the playoffs with a 10-6 record, the defense ranked number 1 in the NFL, giving up the least amount of yards of the 28 teams.

1977: While not a dominant team like in previous seasons the 1977 version finished with a 9-5 record and did make it all the way to the NFC championship game.

1986: Interestingly, while this team did not make make the playoffs with a 9-7 record they scored 398 points, the most in franchise history up until that point. The defense gave up 273 points, good for 5th in the NFL, and ranked 4th in takeaway/giveaway ratio.

The Top 10:

10) 2009: The Vikings rode Brett Favre's magic all the way to the NFC championship game, before losing excruciatingly to the Saints.

9) 1988: Although losing in the playoffs this team had a potent offense, scoring 406 points, good for 4th in the league. The defense was outstanding, coming in second in the NFL with 233 points allowed, first in yardage allowed, and first in takeaway/giveaway ratio.

8) 1971: An amazing defense allowed only 139 points, the second least amount in team history. A 11-3 season ended with a playoff loss.

7) 1974: The team compiled a 10-4 record en route to to its third Super Bowl appearance, and ranked in the top 3 in the NFL in several offensive and defensive categories.

6) 1970: This team steamrolled opponents with a 12-2 regular season record before losing in the playoffs. The offense was third in the NFL in points scored, and the defense was incredible coming in first the NFL in points and yards allowed and 4th in giveaway/takeaway ratio.

5) 1998: A dream season that ended with a nightmare. A 15-1 record and 556 points scored - the second most by any team in NFL history - couldn't stop an overtime loss in the NFC championship game.
 

4) 1976: The Vikes' last Super Bowl season, the team's veterans still dominated opponents and finished with an 11-2-1 record.

3) 1973: A 12-2 regular season ended with a Super Bowl loss. This team was well balanced, with a potent offense and strong defense.

2) 1975: The best Vikings team to not reach the Super Bowl, this squad sent 9 players to the Pro Bowl. A 12-2 record in the regular season and rankings in the top 3 in the NFL in most offensive and defensive categories makes this the second best team ever.

1) 1969: A Super Bowl loss doesn't discount this team from being the best in franchise history. They scored 379 points, which led the NFL. The defense allowed allowed a mere 133 points, which also led the NFL and is tops in team history - and second in NFL history. In addition, the defense allowed the least amount of yards in the NFL that year, was 3rd in takeaway/giveaway ratio, and won games by an average of 17.6 points. Two great playoff wins over the Rams and the Browns cement the 1969 team as the best in Vikings history.

The Top 10 TV Action Heroes of All Time

TV Guide recently released its list of the 24 greatest action heroes on TV in the history of the medium. Here is one viewer's opinion of the 10 best action heroes on TV of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

The Top 10 TV Action Heroes of All Time

 

10) The Lone Ranger (Clayton Moore, The Lone Ranger, ABC, 1949-1957)

9) Wonder Woman (Lynda Carter, Wonder Woman, ABC, 1975-1979)

8) Xena (Lucy Lawless, Xena the Warrior Princess, syndicated, 1995-2001)

7) Nikita (Peta Wilson, La Femme Nikita, USA, 1997-2001)

6) Emma Peel (Diana Rigg, The Avengers, ABC, 1961-1969)

5) Jaime Somers (Lindsay Wagner, The Bionic Woman, ABC/NBC, 1976-1978)

4) Steve Austin (Lee Majors, The Six Million Dollar Man, ABC, 1973-1978)

3) MacGyver (Richard Dean Anderson, MacGyver, ABC, 1985-1992)

2) Superman (George Reeves, The Adventures of Superman, syndicated, 1952-1958)

1) Batman (Adam West, Batman, ABC, 1966-1968)

Who were the most over-rated Minnesota Vikings of all time?

Sometimes coaches and general managers draft or trade for players who they think will put their team "over the top" and lead them to a Super Bowl. It doesn't always work out that way though. Here are some of the Vikings who were not worth the high draft pick or the trade that brought them to Minnesota.

10) Warren Moon, QB: Another one of Dennis Green's silly decisions, bringing in a washed up quarterback and the end of his career, in the hopes of catching lightning in a bottle. Didn't work out, as Moon's three years in Minnesota resulted in a big nothing.

9) E.J Henderson, LB: Started a lot of games for the Vikings but never really lived up to the hype that accompanied him coming out of college. Was basically an average linebacker, and never dominated opponents.

8) Randall Cunningham, QB: Only had a great year in 1998 because he was surrounded by other outstanding players on offense, and had coach Brian Billick calling the plays. Choked in the team's NFC championship game, and there's no way he should have been kept on for the 1999 season over QB Brad Johnson.

7) Darrin Nelson, RB: A much heralded first round pick in 1982, Nelson did not become a standout running back the team had envisioned. He never rushed for 1,000 yards in a season and wasn't very explosive, averaging only 8.8 yards per reception, 8.0 yards per punt return, and 22.4 yards on kick returns. The Vikings passed up Hall of Fame running back Marcus Allen to take Nelson. Big mistake.

6) Mark Mullaney, DE: Although he played in 151 games and started 97 in his 12 years with the team, Mullaney didn't seem to learn much from playing behind great ends Carl Eller and Jim Marshall. He never came close to being even an average pass rusher, let alone one that was worth a first round selection. A symbol of the Vikes' mediocrity from 1979 through the mid-1980's.

5) James White, DT: Although a first round draft pick, White didn't exactly turn out to be the next Alan Page. Started 61 games for Bud Grant during his eight years with the team. Not sure why Grant cut Page, thus making White the regular RDT; Bud must have been an optimist. White didn't even make Les Steckel's 1984 mess of team, being waived at the end of training camp.

4) David Palmer, WR: Before the start of each season coach Dennis Green would rave about "his" 1994 second round pick Palmer. What did Palmer produce in his seven year career? A mere 9.9 yard average on punt returns, only 22.6 yards on kickoffs, and no more than 26 receptions in a season, with a career average of 8.6 yards per catch. Whee!

3) Duante Culpepper, QB: Culpepper only had two good years (2000 & 2004) but was still named to many "50 Greatest Vikings of All Time" lists. Why? He was mediocre most of the time and hardly worthy of a first round draft pick. He's just another one of Denny Green's "guys" who never panned out.

2) Bryant McKinnie, OT: Why was this guy named to some Greatest Vikings of All-Time lists? McKinnie was reliable but was never a standout. The team has had other offensive tackles who were much better players.

1) Herschel Walker, RB: Obviously wasn't worth what the Vikings gave up for him. Never even rushed for a thousand yards once in his three years with the team. What a disaster.



source for statistics: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/

Some TV studio bosses are full of baloney

In this week's issue of TV Guide the heads of eight television studios were asked a number of questions, such as "What would you say is your new sleeper hit?" and "Which actor is poised to become a superstar?"   I have no problem with their answers to most questions - even though for those two questions they're just guessing - but the one question I sense some B.S. with their answers is "What would you be doing if you weren't in the entertainment business?"

The most honest answer was from Jamie Erlicht, president of programming and production at Sony Pictures Television. His reply was "Trying to get back in."   Honest and funny.

But the two ridiculous answers were from Kevin Beggs, chairperson of Lionsgate Television Group, and Peter Roth, president and chief content officer of Warner Brothers Television Group. Their response?  "Teaching."

Really? I'm supposed to believe that these guys would give up their six or seven - or maybe eight - figure salaries and work as teachers?  They would actually work at a difficult job such as teaching, for fifty or sixty thousand dollars a year?  If they were not working in the entertainment business? Come on.

I guess I shouldn't be surprised, since they're really in the bullshit business, so they're trying to make themselves feel honorable by saying they'd be teachers if they weren't in entertainment.  I'd like to see some of them spend even one day as a teacher. Actually they probably wouldn't last two minutes in a classroom, let alone a day.

Come on Beggs and Roth. I could do your jobs better than you, and I've never worked in the entertainment business. At least I'd pick some quality shows to be on TV instead of junk that lasts one episode.

The 15 Best Sci-Fi TV Shows of All Time

Some of the most fun and interesting stories can be found in the genres of horror, science fiction, and fantasy. There have been many popular shows on television in these categories, and TV Guide recently released its list of the 60 best sci-fi TV shows in the history of the medium. Here is one TV viewer's opinion of the 15 best sci-fi television shows of all time, based on too many years of watching television...

15) Quantum Leap (1989-1993, NBC)
14) Xena: Warrior Princess (1995-2001, syndicated)
13) Stargate SG-1 (1997-2007, SHO/SYFY)
12) Game of Thrones (2011-present, HBO)
11) Buffy the Vampire Slayer (1997-2003, WB/UPN)
10) Lost in Space (1965-1968, CBS)
9) Batman (1966-1968, ABC)
8) Lost (2004-2010, ABC)
7) Falling Skies (2011-present, TNT)
6) The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-1978, ABC)
5) Star Trek (1966-1969, NBC)
4) The Twilight Zone (1959-1964, CBS)
3) Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987-1994, syndicated)
2) The Walking Dead (2010-present, AMC)
1) The X-Files (1993-2002, FOX)