Vikings Moving to Los Angeles?

For the many Vikings' fans who have long felt that current Vikings' owner Zygi Wilf is not long for Minnesota, an article by G.R. Anderson in a January edition of the City Pages adds some fuel to the fire. While the article covers several topics pertaining to Wilf's ownership of the Vikings, it concludes with Wilf conceding that his view of the map has LA as the single noteable stopping off point outside the East Coast.

Anderson's article raises many concerns for Vikings' fans willing to read between the lines. And reading between the lines appears to be required when dealing with this ownership group. Among the troubling signs--in addition to having a myopic owner who seems more parochial than worldly--are Wilf's use of pat phrases intended as sincere on-the-spot vein cutting and the reminder that Vikings' Vice President for Public Relations, Lester Bagley, who serves as the point man for attempting to gain public funding for a new Viking's stadium, served in the same capacity under former owner Red McCombs and colluded with McCombs to foment the "we're moving to LA if we don't get a new stadium" mantra.

Precious among Wilf's quotes in the Anderson piece is the comment that Wilf made to Retail Traffic, a leading publication covering Wilf's primary retail development business. Referring to retail buildings for which he was seeking local subsidies (see full article in Retail Traffic), Wilf responded to critics by contending that "everything we've developed we've kept. We're long-term players and we're prepared to invest in the community."

If that last line rings a bell, it should. Wilf used the very same line when he took over ownership of the Vikings.

For Anderson's complete article, go to http://citypages.com/databank/28/1361/article15027.asp

Up Next: Around the NFC North. Plus, June 1st cuts not yielding anything yet.