Thread: Memories of 1975 violence linger

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2007/dec/26/memories-1975-violence-linger/

by Brian Hansel

The 1975 playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys was going into the record books when I started down to the field of Metropolitan Stadium 32 Decembers ago.

My friend, Dwight Walvatne, and I were attending our first NFL playoff game. We had each paid $15 for our game tickets.

The Vikings were leading 14-10 late in the fourth quarter when I left my seat along the third base line. The Vikings were going to be exiting the field through the first base dugout and I wanted to get some celebration shots.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Roger Staubach found Drew Pearson on a “Hail Mary” pass for a touchdown and the Vikings, who had dominated the Central Division and had played such great football all season, were done.

I can still see the bottle coming out of the rightfield stands and dropping the official that Minnesota fans were booing after the touchdown. He went down like he had been hit on the head with a sledge.

The Vikings were grim-faced as they came off the field. I will never forget the look on Bud Grant’s face. He looked like a hunter who had seen the last duck fly south.

One drunken Minnesota fan leaped over the rail as the Vikings near the dugout, ran up to guard Andy Mauer and started slobbering about how badly he felt for the team. Without breaking stride, Mauer picked the drunk up with one hand and tossed him about four feet into a snowdrift.

After the game there were fights all over the stadium. The stadium security people were trying to break up brawls from the field to the upper deck.

The Vikings had out-played the Cowboys and the shocking finish just refused to go down the gullets of Minnesota fans — many of whom thought that the 1975 was the best one that Grant had ever coached.

Sunday, Viking fans will be rooting for Dallas to whip the Redskins and give the 2007 team a shot at the playoffs. Perhaps 32 years is long enough to hold a grudge?

Ah yes, I remember it will. I was sitting about 3/4 of the way up in the endzone away from the pass.

"COJOMAY" wrote:

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news/2007/dec/26/memories-1975-violence-linger/

by Brian Hansel

The 1975 playoff game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Dallas Cowboys was going into the record books when I started down to the field of Metropolitan Stadium 32 Decembers ago.

My friend, Dwight Walvatne, and I were attending our first NFL playoff game. We had each paid $15 for our game tickets.

The Vikings were leading 14-10 late in the fourth quarter when I left my seat along the third base line. The Vikings were going to be exiting the field through the first base dugout and I wanted to get some celebration shots.

It didn’t quite work out that way.

Roger Staubach found Drew Pearson on a “Hail Mary” pass for a touchdown and the Vikings, who had dominated the Central Division and had played such great football all season, were done.

I can still see the bottle coming out of the rightfield stands and dropping the official that Minnesota fans were booing after the touchdown. He went down like he had been hit on the head with a sledge.

The Vikings were grim-faced as they came off the field. I will never forget the look on Bud Grant’s face. He looked like a hunter who had seen the last duck fly south.

One drunken Minnesota fan leaped over the rail as the Vikings near the dugout, ran up to guard Andy Mauer and started slobbering about how badly he felt for the team. Without breaking stride, Mauer picked the drunk up with one hand and tossed him about four feet into a snowdrift.

After the game there were fights all over the stadium. The stadium security people were trying to break up brawls from the field to the upper deck.

The Vikings had out-played the Cowboys and the shocking finish just refused to go down the gullets of Minnesota fans — many of whom thought that the 1975 was the best one that Grant had ever coached.

Sunday, Viking fans will be rooting for Dallas to whip the Redskins and give the 2007 team a shot at the playoffs. Perhaps 32 years is long enough to hold a grudge?

Ah yes, I remember it will. I was sitting about 3/4 of the way up in the endzone away from the pass.

Yes, it was a crushing defeat.
I was in jr. high.
Had no responsibilities, no bills, no mortgage, no kids, no job, and no worries.
For those reasons it was more crushing than the 98 loss to the Falcons.

I was only 9 but I remember thinking I would have handed that fan another bottle if I could. it probably wasn't the right thing to think but I was young.

I remember that game well. I still say Pearson pushed off. That was the Vikings' best team ever, INCLUDING 1998.

"shockzilla" wrote:

I remember that game well. I still say Pearson pushed off. That was the Vikings' best team ever, INCLUDING 1998.

He did push off.
Bud Grant commented in an interview that Pearson was a basketball player and he did a basketball push to the airborne/about to intercept the ball DB's hip to move him sideways.
The ref was on the other side of Pearson and couldn't see it...
>

No comments on the violence and drunkenness of Minnesotans?

I will defend your kind!
The members on this site and the populous of the city is reflective of the upper crust and intelligencia of all the NFL cities.

Proof right here:

2007 updated
http://www.ccsu.edu/AMLC07/Overall_Rankings/Top10.htm

ARRRRGGGGG, enough already.
;D

I hate bad memories my friends

"Marrdro" wrote:

ARRRRGGGGG, enough already.

;D

I hate bad memories my friends

Me too Marrdro....That was one of the most downer days of Vikings fandom I ever experienced.

Cheers!