Festering in the long shadow of the Bears-Packers rivalry, the Bears-Vikings “relationship” at times has seemed determined to make up in venom what it may lack in tradition.
For example, Minnesota defensive tackle Pat Williams said the selection of five-time Pro Bowler Olin Kreutz is a “joke.” His agent suggested Kreutz mounted a conspiracy against Williams, who never has been picked.
“I wish I had that kind of power,” Kreutz said, laughing. “I’d put all my teammates in the Pro Bowl.”
Why would the corpulent Williams be slighting him?
“I must have made him mad,” Kreutz mused. “Stole his cheeseburger or something.”
Uh-oh. Fighting words.
With the Bears on the way to the playoffs and the Vikings on the way to, well, whatever non-playoff teams do, here’s a look back at some of the more famous Viking-Bears incidents.
THE INCIDENT: Trace Armstrong vs. Tim Irwin
THE DETAILS: When Armstrong, then a Bears defensive end, was asked to name his most-hated player in the NFL, the response was instantaneous. “Tim Irwin,”
Armstrong said, citing Minnesota’s then-right tackle. “If I ran over him in the road, I’d back up just to be sure I got him.”
WHAT THIS COMPARES TO: Rumored sniping on the set of “Desperate Housewives.”
THE INCIDENT: Dwayne Rudd in slow motion
THE DETAILS: Vikings linebacker Rudd closed out a 48-22 rout by tip-toeing into the end zone backward and taunting the Bears chasing him during a 94-yard fumble return.
WHAT THIS COMPARES TO: That scene in “Major League” when Willie Mays Hayes slides into second but comes up way short.
THE INCIDENT: Mike Ditka vs. the city of Minneapolis
THE DETAILS: The former Bears coach called the city’s noisy Metro- dome “the Rollerdome.” When Ditka belittled going up to play in “that big old barn,” Minneapolis denizens obligingly placed farm animals all over the Metrodome floor to greet the Bears.
WHAT THIS COMPARES TO: Conan O’Brien and Triumph the Insult Comic Dog offending the entire province of Quebec.
THE INCIDENT: Check and mate
THE DETAILS: When the Bears forgot to check the “compensation” box on D’Wayne Bates’ offer sheet in 2002, the Vikings swooped in and signed Bates.
WHAT THIS COMPARES TO: Two accountants doing each other’s taxes and intentionally screwing them up.
