Billy Joe "Red" McCombs, the billionaire automobile magnate and sports team owner, whirled into the Twin Cities in 1998, buying the Vikings for $250 million and jump-starting a renewed love of the team with a first-round draft pick by the name of Randy Moss. Seven years later, in 2005, they left together when McCombs traded Moss to Oakland two months before the $600 million sale of the team went through for the Wilf family. Last Sunday, we wrote about the reasons behind McCombs' decision to trade Moss, which he said was "my call 100 percent." The 87-year-old McCombs also talked about other topics with the Star Tribune's Mark Craig:
Q You did get the seventh overall pick and a starter [linebacker Napoleon Harris] for Moss, but some have suggested you traded Randy as the parting shot to Minnesota for seven years of not being able to get a new stadium. What would you say to them?
A I didn't know that I wouldn't still be there [in 2005]. These people [the Wilf group, which originally fell through with Reggie Fowler as its lead buyer] were saying they're going to do something and they don't do it. I had two or three potential buyers on the string. But I didn't know if they were going to do it or not."
Q Why did you sell?
A If [then-Gov. Tim] Pawlenty would have helped me get a stadium, I never would have sold. But he just told me straight out, "I didn't intend to mislead you, but you're doing very well [financially] and we have a lot of problems in Minnesota. I'm not going to participate in that stadium.'
Q Do you have any regrets or miss owning the team?
A I live in the here and now, not the past. A lot of my family has been back to games. Particularly the grandkids. When I close the door, it's on to the next step for me. I don't go back.
Q Have you seen pictures of that new, $1 billion-plus Vikings stadium?
