As a ‘reporter’ for vikings.com and other Minnesota Vikings media vessels, Mike Wobshall never failed to find the sunny side to any Vikings’ game or story, even if the team stunk up the joint on Sunday.

Recently Vikings’ Entertainment ‘reporter’ Mike Wobschall–affectionally known as ‘Wobby’ in parts, left his job as one of the primary personalities on vikings.com. It was a small shock to some fans who had come to know and like him, but no great tragedy to others who found his disposition towards all things Vikings to be a bit rosy.

I wrote an email to Mike Wobschall a few years ago after I watched he and Paul Allen review a Vikings loss in 2016 to the Philadelphia Eagles in an after-game broadcast called “Between The Lines”.

As Paul Allen teetered almost gleefully on his toes, I listened to Wobschall eagerly rationalize the fact that the Vikings loss, one in which they fumbled the ball five times, were penalized seven times, allowed six sacks of their quarterback, ran the ball for a 3.3 per carry average and had a pass completion rate of 51% as one that had a great defensive effort by Minnesota –and a game where the Minnesota offense merely “struggled.”

If you really want to be irritated, here it is–

Paul Allen gleefully concurred, actually looking at his cell phone and comically calling out names of alarmed Vikings’ fans who he believed were “jumping off the bandwagon” after the Vikings had taken their first loss of a then six-game season.

Here’s the thing. Any Vikings’ fan worth his salt knew that game spelled big trouble for that team. Their offensive line had holes in that wouldn’t have protected the Flash if he played quarterback. Adrian Peterson had been lost for the season to injury and backups Jerrik McKinnon And Matt Astiata were running into a tide of Philly defenders on each handoff.

Yeah, it took the NFL five weeks to figure out these 2016 Vikings, but the writing was clearly on the wall after a loss in Philadelphia to a 3-2 team being lead by a rookie QB and–at the time–a fairly average defense.

Anyway, the email sent to ‘Wobby’ earned a reply from him. That was nice.

Company Man

My message to Wobshall was basically an inquisition in regard to the fact that he never directly criticized the teams’ play, even if it was horrendous. It was not a lashing, it was a reasonable and civil fan email. As a great reader and viewer of Viking analysis, I was disappointed and curious in his vanilla approach to infrequent but sometimes dreadfully obvious errant play from this football team.

In his rejoinder, Wobby told me that as an employee of the Minnesota Vikings, he didn’t feel comfortable finding blame with play, players, or coaches of the Vikings’ team, no matter their game performance.

It was then that I stopped listening to ‘Wobby’ altogether. I’m just not that kind of consumer of Minnesota Vikings’ media. Some fans want the dope, or at least the skinny on the good and bad the Vikings are putting out, not another puff-piece on how things will be better next Sunday.

The Bear Truth

A week later, that 5-1 Viking team traveled to Soldier Field on Halloween night and were beaten so soundly by a 1-6 Bears squad that I wanted to burn all things purple-and-gold.

Chicago RB Jordan Howard ran 27 times for 153 yards, including a 69-yard dash through the Vikings’ front seven that made them look like paper maché.

Vikings QB Sam Bradford was sacked another five times, Minnesota fumbled twice, and their rushing average was three yards a carry on the night. Down 20-3 with about five minutes left in the game, they scored a lone touchdown against off-coverage.

“Things To Work On”

Instead of examining what was a complete beat-down of the football team they represent, Wobschall and Allen–in their Between The Lines recap–continued their casual narrative of ‘another one that got away’ in what would be an ultimately successful season.

Allen called the key factor of the crushing loss a “common thread” of the Vikings’ history in Soldier Field, and ‘Wobby’ re-chirped the fact that the Vikings simply had work to do in improving on the night’s defeat.

More of such white-washing tripe is here–

For the complete record, that one-time 5-0 Vikings team lost eight of their final 11 games to wind up 8–8 on the 2016 season.

On what was regarded as one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL in 2016, lineman T.J. Clemmings, gave up nine sacks, 12 penalties, and 58 total QB pressures between right and left tackle over the year. The Vikings’ rush game was ranked 32nd in yards and 32nd in per rush average.

To a guy who seems like a very amiable person, Mike Wobschall may have taken the wrong job. Paul Allen at least has a sharp side to him when he takes on the play of this team, and I’ve heard his booming voice–at times– honestly question their direction.

But not ‘Wobby’. His was the voice of happy Smurfs and Mall of America when doing exposés on this team. For whatever truly ailed them, there was something else to compensate–and for the sunny Wobschall, to highlight.

Such a positive guy should be in the Vikings PR department, not bringing the real story to fans that want to hear it, warts and all.