The Minnesota Vikings’ final game in the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome ironically ended in the same fashion as did their first-ever game there in 1982 — with a close win over division rival Detroit. After Sunday’s stadium-closing finale, the MSR obtained some final thoughts on the soon-to-be-closed Dome.
“It meant a lot to me,” said KMOJ sports reporter Sam Williams after seeing his name on the big stadium “dome-o-gram” electronic message board during Sunday’s game. “I’ve covered the Vikings for about 16 years, and to have my name on the marquee for the very last time, why wouldn’t you love it? I love it,” admitted Williams. “It was great.”
Marcus Sherels set a single-season team record with the highest punt return average (15.2). He also set up the home team’s winning touchdown with a 50-yard punt return early in the fourth quarter. The Vikings scored two plays later.
“I just go out there and try my best,” said the third-year special teams player from Minnesota. “I’m willing to play anywhere on the field and where they need me.”
The 5’-10” Sherels, the only Vikings player on this season’s roster who played his college games at the Dome (2006-09) when it was once home for the Gophers (1982-2008), told the MSR, “This place is awesome. I played college ball here, and now the NFL, and this is the last game. It’s really loud in here…a lot of special games [were] played here. It will be missed.”
“I came to the Metrodome for the first time in December 2010, and it crashed,” recalled David Mims of Detroit on the Dome’s roof collapse after a foot of wet snow the night before a scheduled game. “[Sunday’s final game] was the first time I got to attend a game [at the Dome].”
Charles Hallman welcomes reader responses to challman@spokesman-recorder.com.
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