'Home' fans glad Daunte gone

[size=18px]'Home' fans glad Daunte gone[/size]

Culpepper's injuries, off-field troubles too much for Vikings followers

BY DAVID JONES
FLORIDA TODAY

Miami-bound. Former Minnesota quarterback wore out his welcome with many Vikings fans after injuries and the 'Love Boat' issue. AP file

MINNEAPOLIS - Just a few months ago, Daunte Culpepper was beloved in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul, even all of Minnesota.

He was the toast of the town -- the quarterback who, fans were certain, eventually would lead their Minnesota Vikings back to the promised land.

But this past season, it all fell apart for the former University of Central Florida star.

A severe knee injury sent him limping into the shadows, and another Florida native, ex-Florida State and Tampa Bay star Brad Johnson, took over in the interim. He played well enough for the Vikings to trade Culpepper to the Dolphins.

But the worst blindside came in October, when details started to trickle out regarding a team party on a boat at nearby Lake Minnetonka. The party was put on by the Vikings' rookies for the veterans.

Last Wednesday, in a Hennepin County courtoom packed with media, attorneys, athletes and the curious, Culpepper and former teammate Moe Williams sat quietly as attorneys argued in a pretrial hearing for dismissal of misdemeanor indecent conduct and lewdness charges against the players.

Attorney Earl Gray told the judge the claims against Culpepper "destroyed him in Minnesota."

Photos of Culpepper leaving the courtroom dominated the local newspapers last Thursday. Fans of the team, and Culpepper, have grown weary of the "Love Boat incident."

Culpepper claimed he played dice on the boat, never touched a woman or had a lap dance. An employee on the boat, however, says that several players' actions were disturbing. Witnesses described sexual acts involving women, some barely clothed to begin with, and several men.

Unless the cases are thrown out, Culpepper and Williams will stand trial April 18 for their alleged involvement. Former teammates Fred Smoot and Bryant McKinnie also face trials May 2 and May 22.

For an NFL team and a group of athletes trying to move forward, it creates a chill as strong as the Minnesota weather that often dips far below freezing this time of year.

'Home' fans glad Daunte gone

A lot of people just wont tolerate that shit from a player, let alone a leader of a football team.

I'm guessing that it is the older fans that are really upset over this. Of course that is a generalization, as some older fans aren't and some younger fans may be........

To people like my father, my grandfather, who have watched many generations of Vikings football this guy was a joke.

IMO he should have just immediately apologized and been done with it. Every single player that was involved charged or not should have stood up and apologized to the fans and stated they were going to focus on football from here on out......and that would be the end of it.

I believe it would have been demanded of them if we had any other coach then Tice. He let it ride though.....boys will be boys.......they are my buddies.......

Another mind-numbing after-the-fact Daunte article.

New coaching staff, reason enough for rejoicing.

"Del Rio" wrote:

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A lot of people just wont tolerate that pooh from a player, let alone a leader of a football team.

I'm guessing that it is the older fans that are really upset over this. Of course that is a generalization, as some older fans aren't and some younger fans may be........

To people like my father, my grandfather, who have watched many generations of Vikings football this guy was a joke.

IMO he should have just immediately apologized and been done with it. Every single player that was involved charged or not should have stood up and apologized to the fans and stated they were going to focus on football from here on out......and that would be the end of it.

I believe it would have been demanded of them if we had any other coach then Tice. He let it ride though.....boys will be boys.......they are my buddies.......

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Good point...I see a real problem with a person not taking responsibility for his/her actions. How are you supposed to respect that person (especially the so-called leader of your team)? Maybe it's because they don't want to look weak (or bad). But many of these young players today don't take responsibility and stand up like men. I imagine they are afraid of how it will affect their contract, so they clam up and deny, deny, deny. If there's one thing I try to instill in my kids, it's that...be responsible for what you do. Nobody's perfect, you make a mistake, apologize and try not to make the same mistake again.

To me it isn't even the boat party issue (but players use a little common sense, not in public view), the issue for me way the way he acted after the injury! The was he was acting to his fellow teammates, coaching staff, the organization and the fans, that is what turned me on Daunte.

Eh, charges will likely be dropped because the cops mishandled the case. They only charged the black people involved even there was enough evidence to charge two white males that also took part in this thing.

"Jeremy" wrote:

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Eh, charges will likely be dropped because the cops mishandled the case. They only charged the black people involved even there was enough evidence to charge two white males that also took part in this thing.

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I highly doubt it, and there was a very good reason why, and I can't tell you it because it was on like page 12 of a 75 page thread 3 months ago. The prosecution lawyer basically explained it.

That's not the point. The charges are wack anyways. What would he have to do pay a 1000$? I still think the whole damn team should have issued a public apology with Daunte leading the way.

I would have to agree on that one. I think Pepp did wear out his welcome. Not only with us fans, but with the new coaches and owners as well.. This is all just my opinion, but he is not a true leader of a team. He is no Montana, Elway, Marino, or any other great QB to lace up the cleets.. Glad he is gone, now maybe this team can move forward..

Such a shock there is no mention of his hall of fame numbers leading up to the injury. How come no mention of the fans that didn't like Daunte because he wasn't a championship QB?

Who cares. He's gone let's just move on. I'm sick of hearing about this boat scandal crap. They should have apologized like men, but they didn't like cowards. One of the problems is gone, who knows what'll come next.