What are the local and national media thinking of the off-season? Here are a couple of perspectives
One interesting aspect of the Vikings last season, combined with their off-season moves, is the wide-ranging perspectives from both local and national media. But primarily the differences between local and national media.
On one end, there is the ‘Vikings were a fraudulent 13-4 last season and it makes sense that they’re doing a tear-down this off-season’ and on the other end there is the ‘Vikings are getting rid of the older, declining, expensive vets and might actually be a better team this season, even if they don’t win 13 games’ perspective. And there are various takes in-between.
Nationally, the prevailing view is that the Vikings, given the loss of key players and regression to the mean in one-score games, will be worse this season. Locally, the prevailing view seems to be that the Vikings are making smart moves but may be just as good this season as last, even if they don’t win quite so many games. Some divergence there to be sure, but the concern over the loss of older, well-known players isn’t as great.
Two recent, and remarkably well-informed, perspectives come from Brett Kollmann, who’s done a lot of good analytical football stuff for years, and local Vikings beat reporter Kevin Seifert with ESPN, who has a great dialogue with Bill Barnwell contrasting local and national perspectives.
Both came out in the last day or two, the Kollmann one is an hour long (and actually runs counter to most national media takes), and the Vikings part of the Barnwell/Seifert podcast about 30 minutes, but both are well worth the time.
Enjoy.