Dec 29, 2013; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson (84) runs with the ball to score a touchdown during the first quarter against the Detroit Lions at Mall of America Field at H.H.H. Metrodome. Mandatory Credit: Brace Hemmelgarn-USA TODAY Sports
It’s a tough day to be a member of the Vikings’ PR department. It’s the day Chris Kluwe blasted the organization, calling Mike Priefer a bigot and Rick Spielman a coward. It’s the day we found out Erin Henderson got arrested for DWI again. It’s the day Jerome Simpson might get his probation revoked and be sent to prison.
How did the Vikings’ public relations machine respond to this unprecedented day of controversy in Minnesota?
By tweeting a picture of Cordarrelle Patterson.
Rick Spielman can’t be a bad guy because he made that awesome draft day trade and took Cordarrelle Patterson who is an awesome player. Did I mention Rick Spielman loves puppies?
I’m guessing this ploy will work on a small percentage of fans. But the vast majority of Vikings backers will go on for awhile with a really bad taste in their mouth over the stuff that’s been happening. Just reality.
Should Rick Spielman be fired? I wouldn’t go that far. But if Kluwe’s accusations are true, and there’s no reason for Kluwe to lie, then Spielman deserves criticism.
And Mike Priefer deserves a ton of criticism. And trying to distract us by reminding us that we drafted a really cool wide receiver who scored a bunch of touchdowns, that just smacks of condescension.
I don’t expect answers from the Vikings. I do expect not to be patronized.
(Update: The tweet was deleted very quickly. But I’m sure lots of you saw it. The fact that they would pull the tweet so quickly suggests the people at Winter Park are highly sensitive to the controversy currently bubbling in Viking Nation. That’s good to know.)
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