McCombs Getting Feelers to Sell Team

The same day it became obvious that the Minnesota Twins will be one of two Major League Baseball teams contracted (i.e. eliminated) from pro baseball, VU wasn't surprised by discussions of the Vikings being on the block as well.

In so many instances, timing is everything. Just months after shutting down their effort to secure Legislative assistance in getting a new football stadium, the Vikings let word be known that the team is receiving some feelers from ownership groups in California to buy the franchise.

That word came on the heels of a ridiculous press conference by Major League Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig, who wasted the media's time by conducting a press conference saying two teams will be contracted from MLB, but refusing to answer any questions of substance -- including the obvious assumption that the Montreal Expos and Minnesota Twins will be the teams eliminated.

Selig, while veiling his words, made it obvious that stadium revenues are behind the contraction talk. While the NFL is far too profitable to contract teams, relocation is a possibility and the Vikings are going to use that leverage to their advantage in hopes of getting a stadium.

To that end, the Vikings hinted that there is plenty of interest in groups looking to buy the team, but added that McCombs is not interested in selling the team.

It's time the State of Minnesota gets off its hands and does something to assist in building a new stadium. While VU has been convinced that Minnesota could survive without the Twins, losing the Vikings would be devastating for Minneapolis as a Tier One city and it's time for the state to realize the economic impact provided by the NFL and do something to get a stadium deal done before Minnesota becomes a professional sports wasteland.

WEDNESDAY NOTES
* VU has learned that the Vikings are working behind the scenes on potentially adding Dale Carter to the depleted secondary. The Vikes, who have hinted they had interest in Carter but couldn't do anything because he was still under league suspension and under contract with Denver, no longer have to worry about either of those hurdles. Denver announced Tuesday it had released Carter from its suspended list, effectively making him a free agent and the NFL is expected to reinstate him by the end of this week. Look for the Vikings to make a move at Carter, the brother of Jake Reed, before too long. After this week's game, the liability for teams signing free agents goes down and the Vikings still have more than $800,000 available under the salary cap.
* VU has also been told that, before the week is out, it is expected that Kelci Stringer will file a wrongful death lawsuit against the Vikings, Dennis Green and the NFL. While the full terms of the lawsuit weren't told directly to VU, it is expected to include a minimum of the $8 million that was remaining on his contract and possibly that much or more in damages.