Introduction and random thoughts going into Week 14

Hello all,

I’m Dan, the founder of the Purple People Network. First off — thank you for stopping by. Seriously. You could be doom-scrolling, watching cat videos, or trying to convince yourself the Vikings are “just one piece away,” and instead you’re here reading this. I appreciate you. And if you feel inspired, hit those social links in the top right. They’re lonely.

A little about me and this whole operation:
Yes, I know exactly what you’re thinking — “You’re starting a Vikings network at the end of this kind of season?” And the answer is a proud, delusional yes.

This network has been something I’ve wanted to build for a long time, and even though it’s taken more hours than I'd like to admit and it still looks like a construction zone missing drywall, we’re getting there. No, I’ve never lived in Minnesota. I’m not from Minnesota. But my mom was from Richfield, I still have family there, and I fell for the Vikings in 1987 like a rational person falls for a guaranteed heartbreak. And I’ve kept the tradition going ever since.

My goal for this site is simple:
Your one-stop shop for all things Vikings.
News links, blogs, podcasts, videos — if it’s purple and has caused joy or emotional trauma since 1961, I’ll cover it.

Week 14 Thoughts

Calling this season disappointing is like calling Fran Tarkenton “decent at scrambling.” In reality, this season has felt like someone put the roster into a blender, forgot the top, and hit purée.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: JJ McCarthy.
Is he a bust? Too soon.
Is it trending in a direction that makes me want to lie down in a dark room for a while? Also yes.

Kevin O’Connell keeps bringing up JJ’s fundamentals — and anytime your head coach is talking mechanics in Year 2, it’s not ideal. Yes, he’s been injured. But at this point we should be talking progress, not “let’s re-learn how feet work.”

The body language across the whole team is… something. Somewhere between “middle school group project with uneven effort” and “the energy of a Zoom meeting that should’ve been an email.”

I’m not previewing the Commanders game because, respectfully, it does not matter.
This week is all about:

• Does JJ show literal, visible progress?
  Something. Anything. A spark? A correct read? A footwork moment that doesn’t make O’Connell look like he’s watching someone assemble IKEA furniture without the instructions?

• Does the team respond, or does it look like everyone has already checked out?

The front office? I fully expect some movement there. O’Connell is probably safe, but the people in charge of “The Plan” — the one we watched fall apart like wet cardboard — may need to update their résumés.

I’ll be back Tuesday with a recap of Sunday’s… experience.

As always, I’d love your feedback.
Shoot me an email at purplepeoplenetwork@gmail.com.

Dan