Customer Reviews

NFL: Minnesota Vikings - 5 Greatest Games

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

The unfortunate lineup of games included in this set is listed below. As a longtime Vikings fan, I'm really disappointed that this greatest games collection doesn't include anything from the Super Bowl years. In fact, not only does this set not include any Fran Tarkenton games, it doesn't even include any Tommy Kramer or Daunte Culpepper games (Kramer was on the roster for one of them, but Wade Wilson was the starter).

As someone who has followed the Vikings since they were perennial Super Bowl contenders, I honestly believe that only two of these games qualify as two of their "greatest" games. At the very least, the Kramer to Rashad miracle game versus Cleveland in 1980 should have been included in this set (lots of copies exist among collectors). The Vikings also played 3 great playoff games against the Rams in the 1970s. At least one of those should have qualified, not to mention playoff wins over the Cowboys and Redskins during that same time.

I am glad they saw fit to finally include a Vikings set (How about a team history DVD, too?), but ignoring the Purple People Eaters is a huge snub to longtime Viking fans. That era DID matter. Two stars for the two games that rightfully belong in this set.

12/28/08 Vikings 20 Giants 19
The Vikings clinch their division against the Giants' second string. Hardly one of the greatest games in Vikings history. Also available on iTunes.

11/04/07 Vikings 35 Chargers 17
This one probably deserves to be in a greatest games set. Adrian Peterson rushed for 296 yards as the Vikings upset the Chargers.

01/09/2000 Vikings 27 Cowboys 10
A wild-card round playoff win over the Cowboys before getting destroyed by the Rams in the divisional round. The Vikings held the Cowboys scoreless after the first quarter. I don't know if anything from the Jeff George era belongs in a Vikings greatest games collection.

01/10/1999 Vikings 41 Cardinals 21
Something from the 1998 season needed to be included in this set, but this divisional round playoff game wasn't necessarily a great game. The Vikings led 24-7 at halftime and won rather easily. A better choice might have been the Vikings Monday night victory over the Packers during the regular season.

01/09/1988 Vikings 36 49ers 24
Okay, this one does qualify as one of the Vikings greatest games (IMO). The Vikings upset the heavily favored 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs. Unfortunately, Darrin Nelson came up a step short in the conference finale the next week versus the Redskins.

Update:
I went ahead and purchased this set because I'm an idiot, and because I didn't already have two of the games included in it. It came today with an intriguing surprise. The cover of the DVD case says that this is the Viking's "5 Greatest Games Volume 1". If they actually do produce a Volume 2, I hope they open the selection up to fan voting because I can think of many more deserving games (c'mon, the 2008 Giants game????). Okay, I have 5 games to watch before the Giants set comes out next week (sad when a Viking fan looks forward to a Giants set, but these games are pretty ho hum).

I am not sure ANY of these would even make it on my top 20 VIKING games let alone the top five. I agree with fellow fans that the least ridiculous of these games is the upset of the Niners with AC tearing it up, but even that is not a GREAT game. Someone needs to be taken out and shot. These guys won how many playoff games and they include a regular season game that was meaningless for the opponent (the Giants game from last year)? Why not the Giants playoff game with the Jake Reed heel-to-toe touchdown in the early 90s!??!?! Vikes have played some classic Monday night games....this is a shame. If no one buys it, and I can't see anyone really wanting it for five mediocre games, then there will likely never be a part 2......seriously, this has to be a joke......right?

Are You Kiddin' Me??? ...If Wilcy Moore, in the first review is correct, this DVD will turn out to be- not just a joke, but a slap in the face to all the great Viking teams and players of the past. The 1960's and 70's. Eller, Marshal, Page, Tarkenton, Foreman, Rashad, Carter, etc. I won't be buying it. Thanks, Wilcy Moore.

To whom it may concern....The top 5 vikings games of all time for those of us over 50 are ranked in order below...

1. 1969 playoffs vs Cleveland Browns. The Vikings win their first ever NFL title and appear in their first super bowl. The packed Met stadium crowd runs onto the field in celebration.

2. 1980 vs Cleveland Browns. Kramer hooks up with Joe Senser who then laterals the ball to Teddy Brown. Brown runs out of bounds to kill the clock at 5 seconds leaving the Vikes with one play. Kramer throws the ball to the north endzone, ball is tipped and Ahmad Rashad grabs the ball while backing into the endzone. A good third of the crowd left early but the Met still shook with applause and sent the Vikings to the playoffs.

3. 1976 NFC Championship game vs Los Angeles Rams. The Rams take the opening kick off all the way down to the 1 yard line. The Vikings hold the Rams to a FG attempt. Tom Dempsey's kick is blocked by Nate Allen and Bobby Bryant runs 90 yards with the ball for a TD...Never have I heard the Met so loud in my life! To open the 2nd half Chuck Foreman runs all over the Rams and to seal the win Sammy Johnson scores and once again the fans storm the field to take down the goal posts.

4. 1977 vs. San Francisco 49ers. Tommy Kramer with an incredible come from behind win on last minute bomb to Sammy White.

5. 1973 NFC Championship game at Dallas. This solidified the Vikings as REAL once again. Going to Texas Stadium and kicking the snot out of the Cowboys 27-10 capped by Bobby Bryant's pick-6 of Roger Staubach in the 4th quarter. From this game forward the Vikings became regulars on national broadcasts.

OK, I have purposely left out any games played in the Metrodome because the dome was the biggest mistake ever made. The Vikings image died in 1981 and the Purple Pansies of the Metrodome were born. For those of us who remember REAL football played in MN, the 5 games I mentioned must bring great memories to you. SKOL!

Its simple. How can you have a Best of the Vikings set without any Fran Tarkenton games OR with that monster defense they had in those days? None of these games are the Classic Vikings. Where is Joe Kapp? This isn't worth bothering with.

Viking history didn't start in 1988. The Vikings won the NFL championship in 1969 and won 3 NFC championships in the 1970s. The fact that they ultimately lost the Super Bowl doesn't negate those accomplishments, and the key games that led to those championships need to be included in any set that calls itself the Minnesota Vikings Greatest Games. Sorry, this selection just doesn't cut it. Actually, it is inexcusable.

Where are the legendary games of the 70's Legendary teams? I looked at the listing of games presented here and couldn't stop laughing. No Foreman, Brown, Osbourne, Washington, Gilliam, Tarkenton, Purple People Eaters, Kapp, the list goes on and on. One reason maybe that those games are hard to find, I could see that point since these are older games that I want to see. But if the classic 70's teams are not included in the set then there's no reason to buy it. Sorry.

still waiting for a team history dvd that half the teams in the n.f.l. already have. as for these being the greatest games in the vikes history, give me a break. it's bad enough we're still waiting for a s.b. victory, you don't have to shovel this slop down our throat. the vikes were formed in 1960...not 1980. you might recall tarkenton, page, foreman, eller, marshall, grant? hell, even the kramer/wilson days were better than this. as for the 98' team, do you really want to relive that?!yeah it was a great year, but they didn't make it!! put out a product that says what it means and i'll buy it. until then, i'll be waiting for a decent dvd...and a super bowl. and as for the fan who didn't want anything before he started watching the team, i don't remember the first super bowl with joe kapp, but after seeing a special on that year's team, they're my favorite. 40 for 60. respect your elders. sorry, didn't mean to go off, but this is a joke.

I have been a season ticket holder for the Vikings since 1998 (the 15-1 season), so I was in attendence for 4 of the games in this set. Here are my thoughts about the games in the greatest set.

2 of the games I definitely agree with.
- Adrian Peterson's 296 yard rushing game in Nov. 2007 against San Diego
(it was a thrill to watch him in that game, especially the 2 long touchdown
runs.)
- Divisional Playoff at San Francisco 49ers in January 1988 where Anthony Carter
had over 200 receiving yard in the upset victory (The Vikes almost made it to the Super Bowl that year, losing a HEARTBREAKER at Washington by 7 points in the Conference final, where Darrin Nelson dropped the ball by the goal line on 4th down, with only seconds left in regulation.

3 of the games i thought weren't exactly what you would call greatest games.
- Vikes vs. Giants (end of Dec. 2008) Clinched the divsion by a 20-19 score against the #1 seeded Giants who were resting their starters for the playoffs.
- Vikes vs. Arizona (Jan. 1999) Vikes follow their 15-1 regular season with a easy 41-21 victory (a good playoff win but not a greatest game). The next week was the heartbreak 30-27 OT loss to Atlanta in the Conference final.
- Vikes vs. Dallas (Jan. 2000) Vikes win 27-10 at home in the wild card round with Jeff George at QB (good playoff win again but not a great game). The Vikes would lose the next week at St. Louis 49-37 in the Divisional round, the game in which Randy Moss squirted one of the officials with the water bottle.

Now take those two games above that I agree with and here would have been the 3 other games that I would have included in the Greatest Games set.

- Vikes at Giants (Dec. 1997) Denny Green's 1st playoff victory as coach with a score of 23-22 in the wild card round. Diehard fans should remember this one where the Vikings score 10 points in the last 90 seconds (touchdown, then an incredible on-side kick, then a Eddie Murray field goal with around 15 seconds left). THRILLING!
- Vikes at Packers (Oct. 1998) This was a Monday Night battle between two 4-0 teams and Rookie Randy Moss lit up the national stage with 190 yards and 2 TD's in a 36-24 victory and the Vikes never looked back as they finished 15-1.
- Vikes at Packers (Jan. 2005) Vikes finished 8-8 in 2004 and back their way into the playoffs as a wild card but suprisingly upset Green Bay (not sure of the exact score but I think it was 31-17). I still remember this, the Vikings scored touchdown's on their first 2 drives and never trailed and Brett Favre (NOW A VIKING) threw 4 interceptions. I gave the Vikings no chance going into that game. Boy I'm glad I didn't give up on them (however they did lose the Divisional game at Philadelphia the next week).

I hope that these three games that I just talked about make it into a future DVD set. Because I agree with only 2 games in the set, I gave the review 2 stars and don't think I want to pay $30.00 for the set, so I might wait til it's a bit cheaper (like through another seller).

Well thats my review! Hope it was informative enough and not too long for you.

love it!!! I love it so much that i am in the process of buying the greatest games of other teams. I wish that the NFL could/would product these in a better way. Perhaps a person could pick any three to five games and have them converted to a video/DVD pack. That would be something!!!