MINNEAPOLIS — Two generations in the past, the Purple dominated Minnesota — Grant, Kapp, Tarkenton, Foreman, Eller, Brown, Marshall, Web page, Krause and plenty of extra.

Between 1970 and 1977, The Vikings put Minnesota on the proverbial soccer map making it to 4 Tremendous Bowls.

4. And, nothing since.

“Does it damage your coronary heart as a very long time Viking to know the staff’s not been again there in 45 years?” asks KARE 11’s Randy Shaver. 

“It breaks my coronary heart for positive, there’s been some teasing,” says Chuck Foreman, former Viking nice working again.

Chuck is true. Six instances since 1977, the Vikings performed and misplaced within the NFC title recreation. We even borrowed a Packer nice and nonetheless could not get again.

Which leaves these guys, the legends, the Corridor of Famers, the best period of staff in Minnesota.

They’ve nobody to go the torch to, nobody to get them off the hook for shedding all 4 tremendous bowl appearances — which, by the best way, nonetheless hurts lots some 45 years later. 

“I can’t inform you how catastrophic they had been to me. And I’ve not allow them to go, and I do not need to allow them to go,” says Fran Tarkenton, former Viking nice quarterback.

“That burning want in him? I really feel for that. You understand, I haven’t got those self same emotions as a result of it could eat me alive, however I can recognize how he feels,” says Alan Web page, former Viking nice defensive deal with.

Web page says these Viking groups again then weren’t nice, they had been distinctive. 

And the person who constructed them continues to be with us.

Bud Grant, the stoic, clever-as-a-fox chief of males is now 94 years previous. However sharp as a tack.

He loves his gamers, however hasn’t misplaced a wink of sleep over these 4 tremendous bowls losses, together with the final one versus Oakland in 1977.

“I’ve by no means, ever, gone again and checked out that recreation. I imply, they checked out it the subsequent day, however I do not suppose I did,” says Grant.

“Even when it comes up on TV?,” asks Randy. “Nicely, no, I imply, I haven’t got nightmares, proper? Something like that in any respect. No, I simply transfer on…I can not reside vicariously by way of wins and losses. That is not my life,” says Grant.

And he is not alone on that.

“Proper now I say, I do not care. I care, however I do not care. And since for it, you may’t let it eat at you for 45 years,” says Paul Krause, former Viking nice security. “We had these probabilities and could not put it collectively.”

Particularly in 1977. Viking turnovers and lackluster play in Tremendous Bowl XI led to the Raiders 32-14 win and Coach John Madden’s victory journey.

“You do not understand in that raider recreation that the Raiders rushed for 266 yards, which in opposition to our entrance 4, I might say that is extraordinary,” says Stu Voigt, former Viking nice tight finish.

“Being the staff that we had been, I believe we must always have gained. That may be sort of proof, perhaps of the staff we had been at the moment,” says Carl Eller, former Viking nice defensive finish.

And that is precisely what’s left now, frustration, that these distinctive Viking groups of the Nineteen Seventies do not get the popularity they deserve due to these Tremendous Bowl losses.

However Viking followers know. We all know. They know.

“We set the usual for what the Minnesota Vikings are and have been, So we’re nonetheless ready for the present and gamers to come back on up and be a part of us,” says Foreman.

For prolonged interviews of all of the gamers talked about on this story, go to our YouTube Channel.