When Kase Keenum Came to Town

Or how to disappoint a fan base with a great Quarterback

Since we are in the season of Festivus, let me bring an airing of my grivevances towards Minnesota Vikings fans and their inability to come to term with Kase Keenum as their starting quarterback. All season long as I plod the streets of the Twin Cities I noticed one too many Teddy Bridgewater jerseys on the backs of long suffering Vikings fans. Many fans can empathize with Teddy. For too long this state has suffered as season after season this team showed promise but failed to live up to the hype. Too often the fan base was taken to the edge just to be edged out by a missed kick or a dropped ball.

So when Teddy went down in 2016 from a freak knee injury no one was surprised. We know the curse, and we know that it tears down great quarterbacks here. So we have done what Minnesotans are known for doing, we prayed and believed that Teddy would come back. This is completely contrary to how the NFL works. The NFL doesn’t work on prayer or faith or community. It works on grit, business savvy, and sheer brutality.

So many Minnesotans were a bit taken back when they brought in Sam Bradford and resigned him at the end of the season! After all, Teddy was coming back! How dare the Vikings show disloyalty. But the organization kept the contract short and he was never referred to as the heir apparent. So the fan base kept heart. Teddy was coming back.

Then Bradford went down with an injury and was replaced by Kase Keenum. Even better was the talk around town. Kase knew his place. He was the back up! And eventually he would screw up and then it would be Teddy Time!

But….he didn’t screw up. In fact he play better than Sam or Teddy. Many fans chalked it up to a good offensive line and dominant defense. And yes these assets helped. But there was no doubt that Teddy’s return was in trouble. And his fan base was worried. Who was this backup that he thought he could play elite level ball? How dare he mess with our state narrative of long suffering only to be disappointed.

But the good news was Teddy did come back. At the end of the game but he did deign to grace the field to cheers from throngs in the stadium and in easy chairs. His first pass was horrible and promptly picked off……Kase was still the starter. But Minnesota at least got its disappointment it had worked so hard for. All was well with the world again. Go Kase! Skol Vikings!