Club Members,
 
Team News:
Well the team ended the season on a high note – probably the best six quarters of football put together by any team. We ended with a 12 – 4 record; improved another two games over last year, third straight year of this accomplishment. We won the Norse division for the second straight year – one of only three teams to win back to back division titles and were the only one that had another team above 500 in the division, the other two had easier divisions. In a league where teams seem to make it to the top one year and fall the next – this team keeps getting better. We earned the number two seed in the playoffs and receive a first round buy (it also wouldn’t surprise me to have New Orleans beaten and we play multiple home games). Things are looking pretty good – we stay focused and we’ll win the next three.

 

So here’s what we know: we’ll be playing Sunday January 17th at 10:00 AM Pacific time (and we’ll be meeting at Northwood). We’ll be hosting the Cowboys if Dallas wins its rematch with the Eagles on Saturday evening (5:00 PM start), or we’ll play the winner of the Arizona / Green Bay game if Philadelphia beats Dallas. The Cards / Pack game is on Sunday at 1:40 PM California time. Because New Orleans is playing on Saturday the 16th – we’ll know before our game starts who we’ll get to smack around in the championship game.
 
Club News:
The club got some more good press over the weekend – we were in the Playbook program that is handed out at the dome before each game. We were featured on the WeAreVikingsFans.com Playbook page. As I hear the story the picture of the Screamin Norwegian with all of us around the car was there as well as a nice write up on us. So what does this mean - well 63,856 people got a copy of the program (paid attendance to last week’s game). I’m trying to get some copies now – as soon as I do we’ll get the good stuff up on our site so all of you can see. If any of you had friends or family at the game – you may want to get their copy of the program. We can thank the Minnesota Vikings for this honor; this is the type of respect they show us every year when we’re back for camp.
 
On a little sadder news we had a couple of club members in the hospital during the holidays; Randy Wold and Steve Heydt. As it turned out they were in the same hospital at the same time. I haven’t talked with Steve, but Randy will be going in for surgery soon, he didn’t know the date of the surgery when we talked. Please keep these two in your prayers – thanks.

 
We will be meeting at Northwood for all the playoff games; we’ll be having drawings and all our usual fun, Kent will continue to lead us in the “Skol Vikings” fight song, Bob will be high fiving the room on every score and we’ll continue to rock the place with as much enthusiasm as every fan at the Dome.
 
Players Corner:

 
Jasper Brinkley
Number 54
Linebacker
Height: 6-2
Weight: 262
Age: 23
Born: 7/12/1985
College: South Carolina
 
Phil Loadholt
Number 71
Offensive Tackle
Height: 6-8
Weight: 332
Age: 23
Born: 1/21/1986 in Honolulu, HI
College: Oklahoma
 
NFL Hall of Famers:
Offensive tackle Gary Zimmerman is one of just a handful of players to earn the honor of being named to two National Football League All-Decade Teams. His superior play earned him a spot on the NFL's 1980s All-Decade Team even though he played just four seasons during the decade. Following the 1999 season, he was named to the 1990s All-Decade Team as well.

Originally selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 1984 supplemental draft, Zimmerman's signing rights were traded to the Minnesota Vikings for two second-round picks in the 1986 draft. Gary was later acquired by the Denver Broncos in a trade with Minnesota prior to the last preseason game of the 1993 season.
 
After joining the Vikings in 1986, Zimmerman began a streak of 169 consecutive starts that lasted until 1996 when late-season shoulder surgery sidelined him. Along the way he earned first- or second-team All-Pro honors eight times. During the same period he was selected to play in seven Pro Bowls.
 
In Minnesota, Zimmerman anchored an offensive line that helped the Vikings lead the NFC in rushing in 1991.
 
Zimmerman was equally adept at pass blocking, as evidenced by the fact that Minnesota and Denver quarterbacks led their conferences in passing in 1986, 1988, 1993, and 1996.
 
Zimmerman's ability to persevere and his desire to play, earned him the respect and admiration of teammates and opponents alike. Even though he missed the final two games of the 1996 season he was still selected to play in the Pro Bowl and was voted first-team All-Pro honors.
 
Steve Largent, a 5-11, 187-pound wide receiver with only average size and speed but armed with exceptional determination and concentration, became one of history's most outstanding pass catchers during his 14-season, 200-game career with the Seattle Seahawks from 1976 to 1989.
 
At the time of his retirement, he held six major career pass receiving records – most receptions (819), most consecutive games with a reception (177), most yards on receptions (13,089), most touchdowns on receptions (100), most seasons with 50 or more receptions (10) and most seasons with 1,000 yards or more on receptions (8).

 
He was the fourth-round pick of the Oilers and the 117th player taken in the 1976 National Football League Draft. He played only four pre-season games with Houston before being traded to the expansion Seahawks for an eighth-round draft pick. It was the catch of the century for the Seattle. Largent became an almost instant star with the Seahawks with 54 receptions, third best in the NFC, in his rookie season.
 
He led the AFC with 71 receptions in 1978 and he had five other seasons with 70 or more receptions. The sure-handed receiver, who ran nearly perfect pass routes, also led the NFL in pass-receiving yardage in 1979 and 1985. An All-Pro choice in 1983, 1985, and 1987, he was also named All-AFC three times and selected for seven Pro Bowls in a ten-season span between 1978 and 1987.
 
Seemingly indestructible, Steve missed only four games because of injuries his first 13 seasons. An NFL Man of the Year winner in 1988, Largent also was a positive force off the field.

 
Please everyone; have a happy new year, a happy new decade and a real happy end to this football season.
 
Go Vikes!
 
See you all at Northwood,
 
Wm. R. Martin
President
Southern California Viking Club