The 1998 Season

Note: 1998 was the second season that I wrote down thoughts the entire year. Therefore, the 1998 season summary will come in multiple additions to my blog. Today's 1998 entry will be Draft Day thoughts.

The 1998 Season

1998 (15-1): NFC Central Champions
Head Coach: Dennis Green
9/6 W 31-7 Tampa Bay 62,538
9/13 W 38-31 @ St. Louis 56,234
9/20 W 29-6 Detroit 63,107
9/27 W 31-28 @ Chicago 57,783
10/5 W 37-24 @ Green Bay 59,849
10/18 W 41-7 Washington 64,004
10/25 W 34-13 @ Detroit 77,885
11/1 L 24-27 @ Tampa Bay 64,979
11/8 W 31-24 New Orleans 63,779
11/15 W 24-3 Cincinnati 64,232
11/22 W 28-14 Green Bay 64,471
11/26 W 46-36 @ Dallas 64,366
12/6 W 48-22 Chicago 64,247
12/13 W 38-28 @ Baltimore 69,074
12/20 W 50-10 Jacksonville 64,363
12/26 W 26-16 @ Tennessee 41,121
NFC Divisional Playoffs
1/10/99 W 41-21 Arizona 63,760
NFC Championship
1/17/99 L 27-30 OT Atlanta 64,060

Key Draft Picks

Once upon a time there lived a Minnesota Vikings fan named Chicken Little. A few days before the 1998 NFL Draft, Chicken Little was telling all his farm yard friends, "We need a cornerback; we need a cornerback." And all of Chicken Little’s friends shook their heads in agreement.

On draft day Chicken Little was watching the coverage on his 60 inch big screen TV inside his chicken coop when the Vikings picked, not a cornerback, but a speedy wide receiver. In fact, the Vikings didn’t even pick a cornerback until round three. "Good gracious me!" said Chicken Little, "We’re going to lose every game. I must go to the Viking Underground Purple Thoughts page and tell everyone."

The only computer was way over on the other side of the farm in Farmer Green’s house so he was rushing through the farm yard when he met Cocky Locky. "Where are you going, Chicken Little?" said Cocky Locky. "Oh! I’m going to tell all the Vikings fans that we’re going to lose every game," said Chicken Little. "May I come with you?" asked Cocky Locky. "Certainly," said Chicken Little. So Chicken Little and Cocky Locky went to tell all the Vikings fans the team was going to lose every game.

So they rushed along and rushed along through the farm yard when they met Ducky Daddles. "Where are you going to, Chicken Little and Cocky Locky?" said Ducky Daddles. "Oh! We’re going to tell all the Vikings fans that we’re going to lose every game," said Chicken Little. "May I come with you?" asked Ducky Daddles. "Certainly," said Chicken Little and Cocky Locky. So Chicken Little, Cocky Locky and Ducky Daddles went to tell all the Vikings fans the team was going to lose every game.

So they rushed along and rushed along through the farm yard when they met Goosey Poosey. "Where are you going to, Chicken Little, Cocky Locky and Ducky Daddles?" said Goosey Poosey. "Oh! We’re going to tell all the Vikings fans that we’re going to lose every game," said Chicken Little. "May I come with you?" asked Goosey Poosey. "Certainly," said Chicken Little, Cocky Locky and Ducky Daddles. So Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, and Goosey Poosey went to tell all the Vikings fans the team was going to lose every game.

So they rushed along and rushed along through the farm yard when they met Turkey Lurkey. "Where are you going to, Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, and Goosey Poosey?" said Turkey Lurkey.

"Oh! We’re going to tell all the Vikings fans that we’re going to lose every game," said Chicken Little. "May I come with you?" asked Turkey Lurkey. "Certainly," said Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, and Goosey Poosey. So Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey went to tell all the Vikings fans the team was going to lose every game.

So they rushed along and rushed along through the farm yard until they finally reached Farmer Green’s house and Chicken Little sat down on the computer to sign onto America Online and tell all the Vikings fans that the team was going to lose every game by leaving a posting on Purple Thoughts on the Viking Underground.

Chicken Little tried six times but the line was busy on all six. That’s when Farmer Green walked into the room. "What are you doing Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey?" asked Farmer Green. "The Vikings didn’t draft a cornerback with their first or second round pick so we are going to tell all the Vikings fans that the team will lose every game this year," said Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey.

"Oh! But maybe they won’t lose every game this year Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey," said Farmer Green. "I know what to do; shall I tell it to you?" "Oh, certainly, Farmer Green," said Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey. So Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey all listened to Farmer Green speak. They listened along, and listened along, and listened along, until it was time for the first regular season game. Now this was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a divisional game and very important indeed.

Farmer Green said to Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey, "Let’s see how this game turns out, and then the next, and then the next, then perhaps you should decide how many games the team will lose this year?" "Why, of course, certainly, why not?" said Chicken Little, Cocky Locky, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey.

So Farmer Green turned up the volume and brought out the chips and beverages, and they hadn’t eaten very much when Brad Johnson threw an 85-yard touchdown to that new speedy receiver. "Hrumph," Chicken Little said, "The Buccaneers will score twice as fast because we didn’t get a good cornerback." It was then that John Randle flushed Trent Dilfer from the pocket right into the arms of that new defensive end. Dilfer fumbled and that new cornerback scooped up the ball and ran it in for a touchdown. "Hrumph," Chicken Little said, "That was just lucky."

But no one was paying attention to Chicken Little any longer for Farmer Green, Ducky Daddles, Goosey Poosey, and Turkey Lurkey were all doing the wave out in the farm yard as the Vikings had won their first of many games that season.

Chicken Little, feeling very stupid, strutted out into the farm yard to join them on the wagon that Farmer Brown had brought out from the barn. Farmer Brown was driving them all into town to buy tickets for the next game so they could watch the Vikings in person.

And Chicken Little never got to tell all the Viking fans that the team was going to lose every game.

Posted by maasx003 at November 2, 2004 11:55 AM