Thread: Vikings get ultimatum

Posted on Sun, Dec. 18, 2005

[size=18px]Vikings get ultimatum[/size]

BY CHARLEY WALTERS
Pioneer Press
SUNDAY SUPER SHOOTER CHARLEY WALTERS

Sen. Richard Cohen, DFL-St. Paul, chairman of the Minnesota Senate Finance Committee, has been a Vikings season-ticket holder for more than 25 years. He will be at the Vikings-Steelers game today at the Metrodome.
But he wants action off the field.

"I will not hear any stadium bill involving the Vikings until appropriate disciplinary action has been taken against the four players publicly identified with the Lake Minnetonka boat incident," Cohen said.

The Hennepin County Sheriff's Department on Thursday charged Vikings Daunte Culpepper, Bryant McKinnie, Fred Smoot and Moe Williams with misdemeanors for indecent, disorderly, and lewd or lascivious conduct at the infamous Lake Minnetonka boat party in October.

Team owner Zygi Wilf has been seeking public approval for a new stadium in Blaine.

"I don't know if appropriate discipline," Cohen said, "is suspension, release, and, relative to (today's game), whether the two players (McKinnie and Smoot) currently on the (active) roster should be placed in inactive status for the game against Pittsburgh.

"But this has been a national embarrassment to the state of Minnesota. And before the representatives of the Vikings show up before my committee, I expect some action."

Full story: http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/columnists/13436218.htm
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Now I don't get upset very easily, but when the Senator even suggested that players be put on the inactive list before they had their day in court, I was compelled to reply to the paper.

Keep in mind my talent of literary skills & my way with words to express my thoughts aren't as great as I would like them to be.

Somebody needs to inform Senator Cohen that people are innocent until proven guilty.

To suspend or release players or make them inactive before they even have their 1st court appearance or are proven guilty in a court of law, goes against the very grain of what America is all about.

These players have only been accused & charged so far & 3 of them
already plan on fighting these charges.

Sen. Cohens idealism of "shoot first & ask questions later", "guilty
until proven innocent" is simply unjust & unbecoming of a person who
should be in office passing law.

I certainly hope the good people of Minnesota realize that next time
the elections roll around

Anyone with basic knowledge of the law understands that people are
innocent until proven guilty.

Mr. Wilf has already stated that action will be taken after & only after
the courts have had their say & they have faced a jury of their peers.

I have no doubt Mr. Wilf will take the appropriate action & that time &
not before.

As far as the stadium issue is concerned, the state needs to look at
the long term effect of the additional revenue a new stadium will bring
in, what revenue having the Vikings in Minnesota brings in now & compare
that too not having that revenue at all if there was no Vikings team.

A new stadium will still be here long after any guilty players are gone
& the memory of the boat incident has faded.

If the Senator feels that strongly about the boat issue & the Vikings
team this year, he can send me the remainder of his season tickets.

That way he is sending a personal message to the Vikings organization that he will not support the team until action is taken & not speaking for the people of Minnesota who may not share his own personal views.

I received this reply from the paper last night & will wait & see if the Senator responds;

i'll pass on your note

haha i dont mind the boat. it seemed to help us more than hurt us

go singer! you are 100% correct.

hell yeah singer good stuff. way to stand up to the man!

I truly believe Wilf will take care of everything. And if that means punishing these idiots, so be it. I'll bet Cohen (or, however you spell his name) would be singing a different tune if this happened to any of his cronies.

I am from NC, and I visit Minnesota every year JUST to see the Vikes play. I was there for the Oct. Packers game, which was AFTER the boat thing. This guy is trippin' if he thinks this one stain has ruined the Vikings appeal to their fans. I hope Zygi laughs it off and builds the stadium himself and revokes this guys season tickets.

Grandstanding by the senator, gets his name in the paper and he gets to look tough to his supporters. Wonder how many lap dances our senator has had over his life?

Mr Cohen, you sir can kiss my :booty: Where were you when the MN govt shut down? You putzzzzz. If your name has incumbent behind it next election you will not get my vote! And that goes for all polliticians.

Atta boy, Singer. I hope the paper prints that letter. Hopefully more people will realize that grandstanding politicians who twist events to get votes are full of hot air.

Caine

Amen singer! My thoughts exactly.