The New Minnesota Vikings Stadium may play host to the 2018 Super Bowl. This beautiful edifice that’s not yet under construction and the focus of this video…
…is the focus of Minneapolis’ bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl. And judging by the reaction the sports World has had to the cartoon presenting the Vikings New Stadium, the region’s bid has to be considered a front runner.
Back in February, team spokesperson Lester Bagley said “We are aggressively pursuing the 2018 Super Bowl for Minneapolis. There is significant competition for this event, but with the new stadium opening in 2016, Minnesota is well-positioned as an attractive destination. We need to better understand the scope of the current-day Super Bowl and its associated events to determine what’s necessary to accommodate the additional 100,000 visitors outside of the 73,000 fans who attend the actual game.”
While Minnesota certainly has the stadium, what it lacks is a place adjacent to it that is a giant ballroom-sized space for the NFL Experience. That would help cope with the expected old temperatures. It also lacks the total number of top-quality hotel rooms within an hour’s drive of the stadium: 24,000 people.
Still, what the Vikings have is massive excitement for their new, as yet unbuilt, stadium.
The Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Sports Facilities Authority as well as HKS Architects and the University of Minnesota have shown a true, game-changing, state of the art facility that will set the tone for stadium design in the future.
The $975 million facility was introduced to the public in animation form on Monday. It will replaced the three-decade-old Metrodome, which had, as its claim to fame, the epic episode of its roof collapsing and a giant mound of snow pouring in and onto the floor of the interior in March of 2010.
But it’s 2013 and in the past. Most important, this closes one of the most successful chapters in the annals of NFL stadium politics. One of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s main objectives was getting a public-private stadium deal done in Minneapolis, and at the time the organization had entertained the idea of relocating, the Commissioner remained fixed in his resolve, and together with new Vikings owner Zygi Wilf, he got the deal done.
Now, the Vikings will play in University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium for two years while the new stadium is under construction; then they’ll move in to play in 2016.
Stadium Design Is For The Region And Adrian Peterson
One element not noted is that Vikings Running Back Adrian Peterson is displayed prominently on the roof. No word as to what he thinks, but Number 28 can’t possibly want his likeness taken down.
The Stadium design is for the region. The roof is slanted to ease snow removal. And the giant french doors let in the nice summer breezes. But while that’s happening, the building is collecting energy from the sun in the form of what light comes in from the glass roof.
With this stadium, and a few more large hotels, Minneapolis could form a formidable bid to host the 2019 Super Bowl.
Xavier Rhoades, Minnesota Vikings NFL Draft Rookie, is on a mission to not just make the Minnesota Vikings, but start, and he’s balling so hard you’d think he was the last person picked in the 2013 NFL Draft, not the first one.
Here’s our brief video talk at the NFL Play 60 event:
Now, Xavier Rhoades did what other NFL Draft Rookies have done: worked to excel.
Following are the “Tweets of the Week” from the @NFLFootballInfo and @NFLhistory Twitter feeds.
@NFLFootballinfo: Continuity at QB. Thru 5 weeks, 30 clubs started same QB in every game, most ever. Previous best 27 in 2003.
With passing and scoring numbers at record levels, quarterback play may be at an all-time high.
Thirty clubs have started the same quarterback in every game this season – the most through the first five weeks of any season – surpassing the previous high of 27 in 2003. Only two clubs (Indianapolis and Jacksonville) have not started the same quarterback in every game this season, with Indianapolis being the only injury-related change.
– Tweets of the Week –
@NFLFootballinfo: Year of great comebacks. KC win marks 7th time a team trailing by at least 17 points comes back to win – most thru 5 weeks EVER.
Last week, the Kansas City Chiefs overcame a 24-7 deficit to defeat Indianapolis 28-24. It marked the seventh time this season that a team trailed by at least 17 points and came back to win the game. That is the most through the first five weeks of any season in NFL history.
The seven comebacks of at least 17 points in 2011 through Week 5:
@NFLFootballinfo: NFL unpredictable as ever. Compared to 2010 division champs, every division has at least 1 new team in or tied for 1st place.
Through the first five weeks of the 2011 season, all eight divisions have at least one new team either in first place or tied for the top spot. If that holds, it will be the most new division winners in a single season.
Three teams that started 1-5 or worse in 2010, Buffalo (0-6 in 2010, 4-1 in 2011), Detroit (1-5, 5-0) and San Francisco (1-5, 4-1), are in first place or tied for their division lead. If the Bills and 49ers both win this Sunday, this season would be the first in NFL history featuring three teams with 5-1 or better records that started 1-5 or worse the previous year.
Nine teams since 1990, including this year’s Lions, have rebounded from a 1-5 or worse start to a 5-1 or better record the following season. All eight teams to previously accomplish this feat since 1990 finished 9-7 or better:
TEAM
1-5 OR WORSE START THROUGH
SIX GAMES
NEXT SEASON THROUGH
SIX GAMES
NEXT SEASON’S
FINAL RECORD
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1-5 in 1996
5-1 in 1997
10-6
Atlanta Falcons
1-5 in 1997
5-1 in 1998
14-2
New York Jets
1-5 in 1999
5-1 in 2000
9-7
Chicago Bears
1-5 in 2000
5-1 in 2001
13-3
Minnesota Vikings
1-5 in 2002
6-0 in 2003
9-7
Seattle Seahawks
1-5 in 2002
5-1 in 2003
10-6
Atlanta Falcons
1-5 in 2003
5-1 in 2004
11-5
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
1-5 in 2004
5-1 in 2005
11-5
Detroit Lions
1-5 in 2010
5-0 in 2011*
??
Buffalo Bills
0-6 in 2010
4-1 in 2011*
??
San Francisco
1-5 in 2010
4-1 in 2011*
??
* Through five games
– Tweets of the Week –
@NFLhistory: Thru Wk 5, @NFL games avging 46.31 points per contest, on pace for 2nd-highest scoring avg of any season in NFL history (1948, 46.48).
NFL teams have combined for 3,566 points in 2011, the most points through five weeks in NFL history.
That record total equates to 46.31 points per game. If the current average stays at this pace, it would rank as the second-highest of any season in history (1948, 46.48 points per game).
The seasons with the highest scoring average in NFL history:
YEAR
POINTS PER GAME
1948
46.48
1950
45.88
1960
45.29
1962
45.21
1958
45.18
2011
46.31*
* Through Week 5
– Tweets of the Week –
@NFLFootballinfo: 10 individual 400-yard games is most ever thru 1st 5 weeks & already ranks 4th most in single season all-time
There have been 10 individual 400-yard passing performances so far in 2011. That total is the most ever through the first five weeks of a season and already ranks as the fourth-most for a single season (13 in 1986 and 2004; 11 in 2010).
The most individual 400-yard passing games through Week 5 and for a season in NFL history:
Following is the 2011 NFL Draft first round order. The first round will start on Thursday, April 28 at 8:00 PM ET with the second and third rounds on Friday, April 29 at 6:30 PM ET followed by rounds 4-7 on Saturday, April 30 at Noon ET.
NAMED FINALISTS FOR WALTER PAYTON NFL MAN OF THE YEAR AWARD
WINNER TO BE ANNOUNCED AT SUPER BOWL XLV
Three community-minded NFL players will be recognized during Super Bowl week as finalists for the WALTER PAYTON NFL MAN OF THE YEARAWARD, it was announced today. NNAMDI ASOMUGHA of the Oakland Raiders, ISRAEL IDONIJE of the Chicago Bears and MADIEU WILLIAMS of the Minnesota Vikings are the top candidates for this year’s award, named for the legendary Chicago Bears running back who died in 1999.
The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award is the only league award that recognizes a player’s off-the-field community service as well as his playing excellence.
The winner of the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award will be announced live on FOX before Super Bowl XLV on February 6. Asomugha and Idonije will be in North Texas during Super Bowl week and participate in a press conference on Friday, February 4, with the late Walter Payton’s family. Williams will be in the Persian Gulf, having made an earlier commitment to visit with U.S. service members during Super Bowl week, re-enforcing his commitment to the community.
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…is the focus of Minneapolis’ bid to host the 2018 Super Bowl. And judging by the reaction the sports World has had to the cartoon presenting the Vikings New Stadium, the region’s bid has to be considered a front runner. 
