Brought to you by Mr. Cheer or Die and the Vikes Geek, welcome to the
Views and Personal Photos on the Vikes from the Inaugural Hall of Fame fan.
Brought to you by Mr. Cheer or Die and the Vikes Geek, welcome to theIntroduction by Mr. Cheer or Die: Harry Peter "Bud" Grant was born May 20, 1927. In honor of his upcoming birthday in five weeks, the VU will be paying homage by having special guest author Roger Wilk (aka Purplexing) present a five-part series on Grant. Each Friday, the VU will present one of the five Grant entries culminating on Friday, May 19.
Wilk is an actuary, age 49, single, living along the Connecticut shoreline. His hobbies are running, golf, billiards, and a rare skiing trip to Northern New England states. The only TV he now watched is 'old style reality shows', i.e. news, weather, and sports. As an UConn alum, Wilk avidly follows the men's and women's basketball teams, as well as, of course, the Vikings.
Wilk has been a Vikings fan since early in the 1969 season, when as an impressionable 12 yr old, he saw a pre-game TV special feature on the Purple People Eaters. Wilk immediately adopted the Vikings as his favorite football team. That year, he watched the Vikes win the last NFL Championship before the AFL-NFL merger, then lose to the KC Chiefs in Super Bowl IV. Wilk was impressed by the Vikings defense in 1969. But he also loved to watch Joe Kapp throw his wounded duck passes to Gene Washington, as well as make 'less than elegant' handoffs to Bill 'Boom Boom' Brown and Dave Osborne.
Wilk welcomed the return of Sir Francis Tarkenton, and remained a Viking fan throughout the losses in the next three SB appearances, the Pearson push-off on the Hail Mary pass, the retirement or departures of Larsen, Marshall, Eller and Page, the Hershel Walker trade, the 'various changing of the guard' in terms of owners and coaches, especially the frustrating Denny Green, Red McCombs, and Mike Tice years.
He believes Brad Childress may be able to restore the discipline and attention to detail last seen when Bud Grant coached. Wilk thinks Zygi Wilf's last minute salvage of the aborted sale from Red McCombs to Reggie Fowler may portend the return to the Max Winter - Jim Finks - Bud Grant - Metropolitan Stadium era when the Vikes had top notch management and ownership, and the most significant home-field advantage in the NFL.
Here now, is part one of his Grant essay.
Born Harry Peter Grant, Jr. to Bernice and Harry Peter Grant, Sr. in Superior, Wisconsin on May 20, 1927, 'Bud' earned his nickname to help his mother avoid the confusion of two Harry's in their house. His mother's first choice 'Buddy Boy' was eventually shortened to 'Bud'.
Bud graduated high school in 1945, and went on to the Great Lakes Naval Training Center, where he participated in basketball and football. After leaving the GLNTC, Bud attended the University of Minnesota, where he participated in three sports; baseball, basketball, and football.
Graduating from the University of Minnesota in 1949, Grant first went onto a pro career in basketball with the then Minneapolis Lakers of the NBA. In 1950, Grant, then at 6 ft - 3 in, 195 lbs., was drafted in the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles of the NFL, 12th overall, but he opted to forgo an NFL career (for a few years) to play pro basketball. (He made the Lakers, but only as a backup forward). This decision would have a most significant impact later in his pro athlete career. During his first season, 1949-50, the Lakers won the NBA championship. Grant played one more season before opting for more active involvement than he was getting in basketball, to join the Eagles in the 1952 season.
Grant played wide receiver, defensive end, and defensive back during his pro football career. In 1952, his first season in Philadelphia, he played defensive end, but was switched to wide receiver in 1953, when he had a very productive season, catching 56 passes for 997 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Few details are available about Grants’ defensive performances during his first year as an Eagle. Sacks were not a collected defensive statistic until he was a pro football coach with the Vikings. But one thing is clear; Bud was learning about pro football from both sides of the line of scrimmage. And, he learned valuable lessons about winning from his years on a champion pro basketball team, which he would later apply as a pro football coach, first in Winnipeg, and later in Minnesota. It was a continuation of his yearning and learning to organize teams and coach, which was motivated by the absence of team sports in the relative isolation of the Superior, Wisconsin and Duluth, Minnesota hometowns of his pre-high school youth.
After two seasons with Philadelphia, Grant joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League, for several reasons not mentioned in most published materials. However, one source outlined several reasons for his move to Winnipeg. The strained relationship that developed between Grant and the Eagles for his delay in joining them for two years after he was drafted in 1950 resulted in Grant non-renewing his contract.
Grant's move to Winnipeg occurred after he had an outstanding season as an Eagles receiver, after playing defensive end in his first pro football season. Unwilling to play for the salary Philadelphia offered after his great season as their starting receiver, finishing second in the NFL, Grant left and inquired with Winnipeg. Winnipeg previously expressed interest in him while he was in college. (2006 Editorial Note: Attention Terrell Owens and Daunte Culpepper! There are better ways to deal with contract disputes than to disrespect your current team and players! )
Grant repeated his success as a receiver in Winnipeg, leading the CFL in receptions for three of the next four seasons. In 1957, he was named head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers. Some sources attribute the promotion to his ability to make changes on offense and defense, on the field, during the game. This particular event is one of the most momentous turning points in his life, and it would also be so, later, for the NFL’s Minnesota Vikings franchise, to be born in 1961.
If not given the opportunity to prove himself as a head coach of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers at the age of 30, Grant may have never coached in the NFL. And, Grant might not have been available at the time the Vikings parted ways with Norm van Brocklin, their first coach in franchise history, in 1967.
What is seldom mentioned about Grant was the initial inquiry by the Vikings, by Max Winter, in 1961, to coach the new expansion franchise. Grant passed on the opportunity at that time, and went on to continued success as head coach of Winnipeg, earning four Grey Cup championships in six appearances, over his ten years as their head coach, with the four championships coming in a span of five years from 1958-62. Bud's composite record as a CFL coach was as impressive as his NFL coaching career; 106 wins, 56 losses, 2 ties over 10 seasons, including four Grey Cup wins.
The stage was set for Bud Grant's move back to the U.S., as head coach of the fledgling, but promising NFL expansion franchise, The Minnesota Vikings….
Coming Friday, April 28 will be Part Two: "Grant's Early Viking Years - Green and Gold Fades to Black, Blue, and Purple."
"Who Should I Draft?" by Mr. Cheer Or Die
I am taking part in an all-blogger draft. It is just a little NFL Mock Draft consisting of fans who blog for their respective teams. I am representing the Vikings blog-o-sphere. The first seven picks have been selected as of 11 pm CST. It is a little slow and may take until the weekend to complete as "teams" may be on the clock while their "owner" is at work....or singing at the karaoke bar...or just passed out.
For me, the "owner" of the Vikings, I have put together the Triangle of Authority with myself, The Commish, and Milwaukee Mark who will decide the Vikes first-round selection in a calm and gentlemanly manner. But we will listen to our fans that pay to see our team.
In fact, on Thursday, the Triangle had its first War Room fight. A trade offer came in from Buffalo. The Bills were offering their #8 1st round pick for the Vikes first round pick (#17) and one of the 2nd rounders (either #48 or 51). Their pitch was that we could move up 9 spots to get either Vince Young or Jay Cutler. The Commish wanted to pull the trigger and do it. So did Milwaukee Mark.
I, being the part of Zygi, vetoed it on the basis that we could make a trade with Atlanta giving them our first rounder for Schaub....getting a vet QB while keeping both 2nd round picks! Any way, I had to lock The Commish in Bud Grant's broom closet, er, office while he cooled off.
But prior to hitting the hay, a trade offer was made to another team. Should that trade be made, another trade offer will follow. If not, the Proud Purple will stand pat and take whomever falls to us at #17. A true win-win situation.
Stayed tuned.