Big city newspaper reporters are objective in their evaluations of teams. That’s why it commanded attention when Kevin Seifert, who covered the Vikings for nine years at the Star Tribune before leaving the newspaper last week, expressed his optimism about the team in an interview with Sports Headliners.
“The sky’s the limit for them,” he said. “They obviously think they’re close. …”
The Vikings’ personnel have been upgraded in recent seasons including the 2008 acquisition of Pro Bowl defensive end Jared Allen from Kansas City. Seifert mentioned the addition of Allen and the retirement of Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre, and then said the Vikings “have as good a chance as anyone” to win the NFC North Division championship.
Expectations for 2008 clearly include the playoffs for the first time since 2004. “Anything less than getting in the playoffs is a disappointment, and I am sure they (the Vikings) will tell you the same thing,” Seifert said.
Vikings linebacker Chad Greenway told Sports Headliners that this time of year “every team all across the country is pretty optimistic at this point.” Part of the optimism here and elsewhere is that teams are starting fresh, a “new slate,” as Greenway describes it.
“We’re laying the groundwork and the framework now for what hopefully will be a playoff team,” he said. “But we have a lot of work to do before we can even put ourselves in that category.”
Seifert will be joining ESPN.com to write about the NFL and will continue to live in this area. His nine year memories of reporting on the Vikings include how much news continually comes from that assignment and the unexpected death of offensive lineman Korey Stringer, a story that continues to this day.