Viktor
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- Mar 19, 2019
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Stories and sips at wine tasting | By Lindsey Young
Ten tickets were sold for the unique “Grumpy Old Men” experience that gave lifelong Vikings fans a chance to join Zimmer and Grant for a wine tasting.
“The Vikings have been very gracious; they gave me an office here. They keep me around to schmooze like I’m doing now,” joked Grant, who opted instead for a Miller Lite as his beverage of choice.
Zimmer, who is a known red wine aficionado, quipped, “Is this all you’ve got? This isn’t going to last long. I might have wine in my office.”
For 30 minutes, the coaches and special guests tasted four types of wine and learned a lot from E & J Gallo Winery Business Development Manager Clay Burrows.
Guests also were able to ask questions of the coaches, from the favorite game they ever coached, to how players have changed over the years, to asking Zimmer if there was anything he “wishes he would have known” when he was hired by Minnesota in 2014.
Zimmer recalled his first evening in Minnesota, during which he stepped on a patch of ice and “fell on my butt.”
“The next morning, I was going to work, it was about 4:15 or something, and I looked at the thermometer in my car, and it said minus-15,” Zimmer laughed. “That was like a, ‘What the heck did I get into?’ kind of moment.”
Tom and Anne Mootz, Vikings season ticket members since 2009, were among the group of fans who purchased tickets for the experience.
“For me, it was just being able to ask those questions you’ve always wanted to ask of both of the coaches,” Anne said. “They’re both iconic in their own way, and it’s been a great experience having them in Minnesota. I grew up in Minnesota, so seeing Bud coach when I was a child and now seeing the legacy continue with the Vikings today has been a lot of fun.
Tom added that he appreciated watching Grant and Zimmer interact.
“There was a high degree of respect for both of them, which I think is fantastic and something I don’t think you see enough of these days,” Tom said.
Zimmer enjoyed talking with fans who are so passionate about the Vikings.
“They were just excited to sit down and visit with you, talk and really spend some quality time,” Zimmer said. “That was good, and it’s always great to me when I can sit and talk to Bud. I would pay money to do that.
“I’ve had the opportunity the past five years to get a chance to know him pretty well. We think alike on a lot of things,” he added with a chuckle. “It’s nice to hear the way he used to do it but also a lot about the memories and history of the Vikings.”
As for the head coach’s favorite wine variety?
“The [cabernet] was my favorite, but I did kind of like the sparkling wine a little bit,” Zimmer admitted. “It might be a good drink on a hot summer day at the ranch.”