Minnesota Vikings practices at Skelly Stadium

[TU Pablo Jr]

Does anyone remember when the Minnesota Vikings used to practice in Tulsa at Skelly Stadium before NFL Playoff games? In the early 1970s Vikings head coach Bud Grant would bring his team to Tulsa to get ready for playoff games, usually against the Dallas Cowboys. I do not think the practices were open to the public. The local newspapers reported about the Vikings being in town. The Vikings practiced in Tulsa because of ice and snow in Minneapolis and the fact that they did not have an indoor practice facility. I remember that they were in Tulsa in 1973 and 1974. At that time, the Vikings, General Manager was Jim Finks, former TU and Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback.

 

[loca2874]

I was born in 74 so I’m going with no

 

[nevadanatural]

Does anyone remember when the Minnesota Vikings used to practice in Tulsa at Skelly Stadium before NFL Playoff games? In the early 1970s Vikings head coach Bud Grant would bring his team to Tulsa to get ready for playoff games, usually against the Dallas Cowboys. I do not think the practices were open to the public. The local newspapers reported about the Vikings being in town. The Vikings practiced in Tulsa because of ice and snow in Minneapolis and the fact that they did not have an indoor practice facility. I remember that they were in Tulsa in 1973 and 1974. At that time, the Vikings, General Manager was Jim Finks, former TU and Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback.

Yep, I remember those years and the funny thing was we usually had worse weather than they were having in Minnesota when the Vikings were in town.

 

[quincy101]

In a similar vein, the US Men's National Team is trying to qualify for the World Cup in futbol. An extremely important game outdoors is tomorrow in Minn/StPaul area and don't the Vikings have a domed stadium? I guess it's much too late to change the venue. Game might still be postponed. Anyway, the weather, like nevada reports above, will again be worse in Tulsa than St. Paul.

 

[TU_BLA]

In a similar vein, the US Men's National Team is trying to qualify for the World Cup in futbol. An extremely important game outdoors is tomorrow in Minn/StPaul area and don't the Vikings have a domed stadium? I guess it's much too late to change the venue. Game might still be postponed. Anyway, the weather, like nevada reports above, will again be worse in Tulsa than St. Paul.

They're trying to freeze out the Hondurans.

 

['Cane-man]

They came here to train in 1973, my freshman year. It was almost as cold here as it was in Minnesota. I remember my roommate got an autograph of Mick Tingelhoff before one of their practices.

 

[chito_and_leon]

In a similar vein, the US Men's National Team is trying to qualify for the World Cup in futbol. An extremely important game outdoors is tomorrow in Minn/StPaul area and don't the Vikings have a domed stadium? I guess it's much too late to change the venue. Game might still be postponed. Anyway, the weather, like nevada reports above, will again be worse in Tulsa than St. Paul.

It'll be about 5 degrees in St. Paul with wind chill of -10 at game time, so Tulsa will be practically balmy compared to that. Of course, that's not particularly cold for this winter so the powers that be presumably knew what they were getting into. The U of M Gopher football stadium got upgraded a few years ago when the Vikings played there to add heating coils under the grass to allow for games in the winter. That would have been a better place than Allianz Field.

 

[dlsnid]

Yes I snuck in and watched some of the practice from the tunnel I think they saw me but they did nothin

 

[old.guy]

I remember it was an interview bonanza for the late great sportswriter Bill Connors.

 

[TU 1978]

I remember that. I walked over from my house on 12th and the old gate on 8th street leaked like a sieve where young fools like myself could get in to watch.

 

[Babe the Blue Ox]

I had a couple of cousins that became Viking groupies when they came to town. There were ways in to the stadium.

 

[Tu Geo]

I remember that well. The Vikings were my favorite team then because Fran Tarkington and Chuck Foreman could beat the Dallas Cowboys!!!! Lol. Very few could back then.

GO TU!!!!

 

[noble cane]

I remember that well. The Vikings were my favorite team then because Fran Tarkington and Chuck Foreman could beat the Dallas Cowboys!!!! Lol. Very few could back then.

GO TU!!!!

They could beat Dallas... but they couldnt win the big game.. 0-4

 

[TulsaRulzOSUdrools]

Does anyone remember when the Minnesota Vikings used to practice in Tulsa at Skelly Stadium before NFL Playoff games? In the early 1970s Vikings head coach Bud Grant would bring his team to Tulsa to get ready for playoff games, usually against the Dallas Cowboys. I do not think the practices were open to the public. The local newspapers reported about the Vikings being in town. The Vikings practiced in Tulsa because of ice and snow in Minneapolis and the fact that they did not have an indoor practice facility. I remember that they were in Tulsa in 1973 and 1974. At that time, the Vikings, General Manager was Jim Finks, former TU and Pittsburgh Steelers Quarterback.

Did they just have TU connections? That is kind of different

 

[TU Pablo Jr]

Did they just have TU connections? That is kind of different

I don't understand the questions. Yes, the Vikings had a TU connection. The Vikings General Manager in the early 1970s was Jim Finks. Finks played Quarterback at TU in the late 1940s and then with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1950s. The Vikings did not have an indoor practice facility in the early 1970s. They had playoff games against the Cowboys in Dallas for one of those years. Tulsa was supposedly a climate like Dallas so they practiced at Skelly Stadium. What is kind of different? I do not understand.

 

[TU Sepp]

I think Jeff Jordan was also playing for the Vikings at that time.

 

[Okietch51]

I think it was the Green Bay Packers and it snowed.

 

[TU Pablo Jr]

I think Jeff Jordan was also playing for the Vikings at that time.

Jeff Jordan played for the Vikings in 1965-1967. The Vikings practiced in Tulsa around 1973 and 1974.

 

[TU Sepp]

Thanks I remember watching Jordan play, but forgot how long he stayed in the league.

 

[chito_and_leon]

The great Viking Alan Page. How about that finger?