It is not too often that I’ll witness a game-winning 56-yard field goal as time runs out to propel the Vikings to a win. The kick was in my end-zone and I’ll probably never forget it since the icing on the cake was the win coming against the Green Bay Packers.

Nevertheless, was it sufficient to revitalize the problematic club from its public relations nightmare?

And a new word came to my ears within hours of the win.

Smugness.

The immediate consequence of Sunday's triumph, a classic feel-good end result, was apparently manifested in the postgame press conference.

Tormented coach Mike Tice twirled a football, smiling all the while. He carried a "don't question me" attitude. He reacted angrily to questions outside of the game itself. He, according to some in attendance, was defiant and came across as, gosh.... “smug”.

Well, boo-hoo.

After all, a win is a win is a win. Especially against the Packers. It probably will only slightly erase those stories of suspected depravity among unnamed players on privately chartered boats. I think Tice had occasion to gloat a wee bit.

Yes, when you pause and replay Tice interviews in your mind the head coach does come across as having a smug, patronizing tone.

I think this is just sour grapes. If the Vikes were 4-2 instead of 2-4, would people be calling Tice “smug”? Or would they instead be complimenting the coach on being “confident and challenging” and “giving the needle to the media”, the media being the bain of everyone’s existence.

As Vikes Geek and I covered in our recent podcast, I think Tice has done a very credible job of showing up for his radio and television shows when other people might have just called in sick. I mean, would you show up for a show in which you were going to be stripped of all dignity in front of thousands of people?

Yeah, Tice can be a little smug. There might be a huge chip on his shoulder at times. But I’d much rather have that then a head coach that hides from the media and public in the bunker of Winter Park as the previous head coach did.

And I think you have to respect that.

Posted by maasx003 at October 26, 2005 6:50 AM