Posted by Eden Prairie Viking on 5/9/2008, 2:16 pm
I’ll take a bit of a different angle from most of the posts about Jared Allen trade. The reaction to the trade is almost as interesting as the trade itself. I spent some time reading various news media and NFL message board sites to see what the reaction was to the Jared Allen trade. The three things that stood out the most is the reaction to the trade from fans, the amount of misinformation about aspects of the trade, and finally the “heat” or “vigor” by the packer fans about the trade.
The local reaction among Vikings fans has been very positive. I have had more people talk to me about the Vikings (always have a bit of purple gear on me-at least a hat) in the last 2 weeks than in the nearly 2 years of living in the twin cities combined. Strangers have started up a conversations with me without a preamble as if we had an ongoing conversation about the Vikings for years. This trade, from a public relations view, is a clearly a winner and has energized the Vikings faithful.
The national reaction was, before the draft, that we paid too much in treasure and draft picks. However, after the draft, a few in the national media have commented that it may have been a shrewd move based on the Jags draft maneuvering. However, most are sticking to the line it will hurt our cap in the years to come (I’ll get into that farther down).
I noticed something very interesting. The packer faithful probably posted more about this trade than the Vikings posters. I’m not merely going by boardhost- where we are approaching nearly as many packer board splits as the protestant denominations - but a sampling of other boards. Of course, almost 95% of the Packer fans reaction was negative. I’m sure that comes as a stunning revelation. It was also revealing how many people don’t understand the NFL, more specifically the cap.
This trade does NOT put us in cap hell. The cap is rising around 7-8 million a year and also a potentially an uncapped year in a couple of years. Furthermore, we have skillfully used signing bonuses, roster bonuses, and LTBEs to manage the cap in order spread out the cap hit, concentrate the cap hit, or use the move it to the next year. Other teams fans can “Wish” we are in a cap hell, but that doesn’t make it so. Brez has been ahead the curve and is a cap virtuoso.
I have repeatedly read that this trade is like the Herschel Walker trade. Huh? Not even close. That trade involved 8 high draft choices spread over 3 years (3 first rounders, 3 second rounders, a third rounder, and a sixth rounder). We gave up 3 picks for 1 player. This doesn’t mortgage the future because Allen is still 26 years old. It’s not like we traded for Jason Taylor who could retire at any moment. We will probably get 5 to 6 good years out of him.
I have also read some people believe we gave up 3 good players for 1 good player. The problem with that “logic” is that a first and 2 thirds are not guaranteed to be 3 good players. You are not even guaranteed one good player. I read somewhere, can’t remember where, that the odds of getting a pro bowl player in the first round is 33%. The odds of getting one is the third drops to 5%. So the odds of drafting a pro bowl player with those three picks is around 43%. The article did not go into the odds of drafting a DE that is pro bowler (I would bet that is lower because drafting a quality DE is not easy). You do need your JAGS but the championships are one with the “big knockers” (burnsie reference-keeping up my vikings cred).
I believe the most legitimate negative about the trade is the DUIs and the two strikes. On the plus sideGoodall can wipe the wipe the 2 strikes off the record this Sept. But, he can also either not wipe the slate clean or if he gets in trouble again, choose the punishment himself rather than follow the guidelines. This is the gamble or risk part of the trade w/o a doubt. The boom/bust aspect of this trade.
The packer reaction to this trade is very interesting and funny and almost worth the actual trade itself. I’ve seen posts that start out “The vikings aren’t better, right?”. I think we have some packer fans whose fingers are bleeding trying to type fast enough that this was a bad trade and won’t help the Vikings. I sense a fear in their posts that we may have improved and closed the gap. Add to uncertainty of having an injury prone tedford qb behind center, and you have a recipe of extreme defensiveness. Prickly pear may be the packer fans team fruit or are they just fruits to begin with 
? I also sense a bit of jealousy that the vikings are the ones wearing the pants in the NFC north. We may need extra support for the cojones or at least the the vikings management should break out the Sam Casell big balls dance.
Last year, for me, I really enjoyed watching the vikings (great seats at the game helped). However, I liked the style we had of breaking the other team will. I got chills watching the chargers game and at the end hearing the chants for Adrian. If we stay injury free and Allen blends in, I could get the feeling on both sides of the ball. Should be a fun year regardless.
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