Mark Craig has covered football and the NFL from Canton, Ohio, to Minneapolis since 1991. Follow his daily updates on the Vikings' NFC North opponents, as well as his candid, unvarnished and, yes, sometimes sarcastic thoughts on the Purple and NFL news throughout the day.
On the homepage
Home | Sports | Access Vikings | Access Vikings Blogs | Around the NFL |Around the NFL Archive
Rybak goes overboard with Moss bashing
Before we get into a look around the NFC North this morning, check out what Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak had to say when he appeared alongside Green Bay mayor James T. Schmitt during yesterday's "The Ed Show" on MSNBC.
For the most part, Rybak did the cute little dueling mayor thing that's become so cliche it makes most of us want to puke.
If you can't stomach the first 3 1/2 minutes, fast forward to about the 3:45 mark of the interview. That's where Rybak should be flagged for unsportsmanlike mayoring when he launches into a 22-second unprovoked attack on former Viking Randy Moss.
In trying to describe as how sometimes players just don't fit the teams they play for, Rybak said:
"I think there are some times when a fit just doesn't work with the team anymore. Like Randy Moss may be the greatest receiver anywhere around, but I don't want that guy to ever come back into the city of Minneapolis again. He was a jerk when he was here, and, uh, Brett wasn't a jerk when he was over there. There's a different deal, but sometimes fits don't work in football. So, hey, he fits beautifully here and we are happy to take him."
It's one thing for the drunk at the end of the bar to say this. It's another for the mayor to go on TV and say it.
Moss wasn't an angel, but let's not go overboard in making him out to be Public Enemy No. 1. Let's also not forget that because of Moss, the Vikings became relevent in Minneapolis again. Because of Moss, the city's Metrodump started selling out again. In fact, it's no accident that the current streak of sellouts began when Moss was drafted in 1998.
If the Vikings had the defense they have this year, Moss and the city of Minneapolis (and St. Paul, of course) would be celebrating a Super Bowl title to go with that 15-1 season in 1998. Moss is a big part of this team's history. He didn't deserve to be brought up by the mayor in a negative light during his pattycake session with Green Bay's mayor.
Premium: Vikings-Saints Game Day Playoff Chat
Ross Marrinson
Join Ross Marrinson and Access Vikings Premium members during and after the playoff game against New Orleans.
CHAT ENDED: Read the transcript
Premium: Vikings Playoff Chat with Zulgad and Scoggins
Judd Zulgad and Chip Scoggins
CHAT ENDED: Read the transcript
| Date/Opponent | Time | W | L | Score |
| Sep 13 - at Cleveland | 12:00 PM | 1 | 0 | 34-20 |
| Sep 20 - at Detroit | 12:00 PM | 2 | 0 | 27-13 |
| Sep 27 - vs. San Francisco | 12:00 PM | 3 | 0 | 27-24 |
| Oct 5 - vs. Green Bay | 7:30 PM | 4 | 0 | 30-23 |
| Oct 11 - at St. Louis | 12:00 PM | 5 | 0 | 38-10 |
| Oct 18 - vs. Baltimore | 12:00 PM | 6 | 0 | 33-31 |
| Oct 25 - at Pittsburgh | 12:00 PM | 6 | 1 | 17-27 |
| Nov 1 - at Green Bay | 3:15 PM | 7 | 1 | 38-26 |
| Open | ||||
| Nov 15 - vs. Detroit | 12:00 PM | 8 | 1 | 27-10 |
| Nov 22 - vs. Seattle | 12:00 PM | 9 | 1 | 35-9 |
| Nov 29 - vs. Chicago | 3:15 PM | 10 | 1 | 36-10 |
| Dec 6 - at Arizona | 7:20 PM | 10 | 2 | 17-30 |
| Dec 13 - vs. Cincinnati | 12:00 PM | 11 | 2 | 30-10 |
| Dec 20 - at Carolina | 7:20 PM | 11 | 3 | 7-26 |
| Dec 28 - at Chicago | 7:30 PM | 11 | 4 | 30-36 |
| Jan 3 - vs. NY Giants | 12:00 PM | 12 | 4 | 44-7 |
Comment on this post | 142 comments | Hide reader comments