BASEBALL
What I see when I look at Mike Zimmer, besides the fact that he’s surrounded by blood sucking vultures pretending to be something that they are not, I see a man in angst upon a crumbling foundation. Unfortunately, we too often blame the coach for what has become an out of control cancer within the ranks … and the only solution is a show of unimpeded strength & focus.

Regardless of whether we are talking about baseball or softball, what they have in common is a batting order. Too often key contributors perform during great times of plenty whereas during times of drought & derision … they disappear into obscurity. In other words, stat sheets, mainly acquired during times of plenty tend to mask glaring issues … where coaches tend to depend upon fallacies … only to have the carpet ripped from beneath their feet. This in essences describes Mike Zimmer’s never ending fiascos of ordeals … as he is standing upon a crumbling foundation. Mike … the old man as they say … well … he deserves allot better. The vultures are being allowed to attack the wrong things … Mike’s is a very good coach standing upon a wretched foundation.

Well, coaches have choices … allot of choices … but to be direct the concept of normalcy rears its ugly head time & again, where that coach tends to accept what he is given. To play with the hand that he’s dealt regardless if it carries a knife for his back or not.

Which gets us back to baseball. An adept coach understands that players tend to rely on their spot in the batting order where I’m batting 3^rd because I’m the best hitter, or I’m batting 4^th because if there are players in scoring position … I’m going to drive them in. It’s the same with number 5 whose supposed to be a clutch hitter and slot number 1 which is lead-off. The problem here is that way too often, they are seen as specialist rather than individuals that cannot be relied upon consistently. Adam Thielen, on the other hand, is of that consistent breed where Mike Zimmer should be kissing the ground on which he walks.  Kurt Warner was like that too & neither one of them could help it. So what does that adept coach do, well he inserts what we affectionately known as a utility player where that SOB is inserted in leadoff, at #4, and then that utility player is inserted where ever that coach so deems & whenever he wants. Now deal with that.  I say SOB because generally they are seen from the outside to be hated individuals whereas "in-shop" … these utility players are actually loved … because they force the elevation of each & everyone of these players game by imparting an external threat … that they thrive upon.  Competition comes from within as well as without.  It happens because there could be questions in regard to not so much their talent but in regard to their mind set.  In other words, a fire breathing dragon beset upon your hind quarters doesn’t flinch … his focus is legendary.  It is this focus that is at issue.

Last Sunday, what Brian Robison did was inexcusable. What Kyle Forbath did once again was unacceptable however there is a vast difference between inexcusable and unacceptable. Inexcusable exposed the true turning point in the game. At this point all we got is an apology from Brian & a visably shaken Mike Zimmer … standing upon his crumbling foundation.  There are things that he can directly influence whereas there are thing that are completely out of control.  It is the former that is the focus of this spiel.  

Now let’s take a closer look at that turning point. The Steelers are going for it on 4^th & 1 from their own 38. Regardless of whether they convert the 4^th down or not … that play has to be run to fruition. Firstly, if they actually do run that play, what the Steeler’s are saying is that regardless of the outcome of this play or the field position that results … we are going to beat your ass up & down the field.  A fairly strong message ... don’t you think ...  however if the play was actually run … some weakness in that Steeler foundation might have reared its ugly head as not everyone of that offensive side of the ball craps perfection.  Instead, all we know is that Mike Tomlin assembled for his poker bluff … where he was willing to take a delay of game penalty in order to chance his bluff.  Instead, we all know that Brian Robison jumped off-sides, issuing Pittsburgh a 1^st down which eventually led to their first touchdown by continuing a drive that should have stalled.

It’s not like I haven’t written about these very reoccurring issues & it’s not as if our Minnesota Viking history isn’t littered with a history of incidents of this very type. The question is … what is & what is not acceptable under the umbrella of this franchise & does this describe the very foundation of this organization on which Mike Zimmer must lead this team.  Putting it all into this perspective … are you willing to change the stones within the foundation in order to give Mike Zimmer a fair chance … a fair shot, or are we just going to chuck it all again where we have to start from scratch once again.  Said another way, would you prefer to give Mike Zimmer that hammer or would you rather knuckle under to the notions of an insatiable press ... entwined with conflicting objectives.  Now to beat a dead horse ... guess what team was actually #1 in the NFL power rankings in week #1.  Are you hungry to to see that again?

There is no question that Brian Robison is a very capable & talented player. There is no question that he just may have made a mistake but there is also no question when it comes to what is and what is not acceptable behavior. No one man can be allowed to destroy the accumulated blood, sweat & toil of this organization. No one. It must all end one day.

Kyle Forbath … you've done an excellent job … but you’ve already got one foot out of the door. In fact, I’m considering announcing that this team will go without a place kicker in our next game as a healthy scratch but by doing so it would be like placing the noose around my own neck. Hell, it just might be worth it.

Brian Robison … what may or may not have occurred a few days ago in Pittsburgh may be exactly what you say it was … but that doesn’t matter. What you did was beyond unacceptable. You will be a healthy scratch versus the Bucs. Your team needs you … they need your experience & your leadership on the field … but you will not be allowed to participate in this contest. Now son, there are many ways that you can take this news. You can blame somebody else. You can pull your own plug & chuck the season. Hell, you can even walk out that door & never come back. To be direct … no one knows how you will react to this but I can tell you one thing for certain, when you do walk back on that field I’ll be able to trust absolutely 100% of everything that you’ll do because that’s all that I will accept.

And son, there’s one more thing. Being someone of your caliber … being a healthy scratch … it’s going to put questions in a lot of people’s heads (Are you nothing more than a duplicate copy of Blair Walsh???). I can’t provide the answers of how this might be resolved for you … only you can do that, but if I were a betting man, my expectations would be to see an evolution toward an individual on a completely different level.  Brian, I’m sorry because … I’m selfish man … because I want that for you … I want that for this franchise.  The key here is that its never too late.  Put another way, how often has a team been ripped apart on the field only to turn it all around like forging steel.  

My father was willing to do anything … to make me a better man. At some point, Mike Zimmer just might be willing to do that also for his players where his ultimate reward will be to either have a solid foundation on which he can stand & fight or to be cast off from this crumpling foundation in peril. We all are too wary to continue on that same path … as we all … deserve better.

It doesn’t start from the bottom … it starts from the top. Adrian Peterson is no more … and as Forrest Gump once said … and that’s a good thing.


The Viking Ghost Writer
http://MyVikingBlood.org
Date: September 18, 2017