In theory, the excitement generated by the 2009 Vikings, with a 12-4 season, a rollicking romp over the Cowboys in the division round of the playoffs, and an NFC title game for the ages should have been enough to shake some public money out of the tree that is Minnesota government.
But with fiscal problems making said tree look like the thing Charlie Brown bought at a very steep discount, Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty said Tuesday that his proposal for a new state budget will not include funding for a new Vikings stadium, according to Mike Kaszuba of the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
(Mr. Wilf? Ed Roski is on line 2. Again.)
Pawlenty suggested last week that a new lottery game could help fund the venue. Regardless of he ultimate plan, the clock is ticking more loudly than the heel of Marisa Tomei’s boot.
The Metrodome lease expires after the 2011 season — and the Vikings have no plans to renew it.
And so the Vikings in two seasons will become stadium free agents, which means that they should be the top targets for a move to Los Angeles.