Mike Zimmer is a straight-shooter who isn’t afraid to let it fly in front of cameras.
More from Minnesota Vikings News
- Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
- Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
- 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
- Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022
- Vikings have reportedly begun extension talks with T.J. Hockenson
If you ever questioned Zim’s reputation for wearing his heart on his sleeve (largely earned via his appearances on Hard Knocks), Thursday’s press conference should have erased all doubt.
It was the final day of Vikings camp at Mankato and Mike Zimmer was not happy with the effort he saw from his players. So he cut short morning practice. And then he hit the press conference podium, having not entirely composed himself.
What followed can only be described as great theater.
Mike Zimmer transcript today is just fantastic. pic.twitter.com/ayJiTcv2Dl
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 13, 2015
Zimmer’s annoyance at his players’ poor effort was there for all to see. It was there in his curt responses. It was there in his body language. It was written all over his face. And fans could not have been happier.
It's good that Mike Zimmer is getting on the Vikings for not working hard, he was ticked #everysnapcounts
— Cody Schopp (@CJS1993) August 14, 2015
Mike Zimmer's freakin awesome. That is all.
— Suds (@sudsy911) August 13, 2015
"Asked if he will lean on his veterans to get the team back in gear, Zimmer said, 'I will lean on my size 10s.'" I love Mike Zimmer
— Jamal Spencer (@JamalSpencerTV) August 13, 2015
Zimmer’s willingness to stand before the assembled media and be painfully blunt in his assessment of his players’ effort is not just great entertainment, it’s a refreshing sign of real leadership.
Coaches sometimes put on a tough-guy act in order to “send a message,” but it’s obvious with Zimmer that this is no act.
From day 1 Zimmer showed players and fans what kind of guy he was going to be. He was going to be vocal in practice. He was going to be straight-forward with his guys, sometimes profanely so. And he wasn’t going to sugar coat things in front of the press.
There would be no cliches from Mike Zimmer. No generic blurtings about “correctable mistakes.” No Leslie Frazier deer-in-the-headlights crap.
To understand why Viking fans find Zimmer’s approach so refreshing, you need only go back to Frazier’s years as head coach. The franchise then seemed rudderless, and Frazier’s woeful performances before the media only served to reinforce this impression.
With Zimmer, you get the sense that the team has a true leader, a true identity. Frazier was in over his head; Zimmer has the bull by the horns. That’s what we see.
Not since the days of Jerry Burns have the Vikings been led by such a feisty, irascible, no-BS figure as Zimmer. I doubt we’ll ever see a full-on Zimmer meltdown to rival Burns’ famous press conference rant, but that doesn’t mean Zimmer lacks fire.
If you watched Zimmer on Thursday, you know he has fire. He doesn’t need to breathe fire to prove it. He just shows you the smoke and you know: this guy means business.
How great is it having a coach who doesn’t need to fake it? Doesn’t need to swing his d–k around like Mike Tice. Doesn’t talk in moronic look-how-smart-I-think-I-am riddles like Brad Childress. Isn’t a clueless platitude-puking stooge like Leslie Frazier?
It seems the Vikings finally got it right with plain-talkin’ Zimmer. Now let’s hope Rick Spielman can give him the players he needs to make it work on the field.
Zimmer's best answer yesterday. #vikings pic.twitter.com/4mlkscoL3B
— The Viking Age (@TheVikingAge) August 14, 2015
Next: Mick Tingelhoff enters Hall of Fame
More from The Viking Age
- 6 biggest draft steals in Minnesota Vikings history
- Former Vikings first-round pick could reportedly return to NFC North
- Bears analyst has extremely embarrassing Kirk Cousins take
- 6 Vikings who (maybe) won’t make the 53-man roster in 2023
- Predicting what the Vikings will do in the 2023 NFL Draft based on 2022