The fate of Ragnar, the Vikings' mascot who was let go by the team after asking for $20,000 per game, was a big topic of discussion on the afternoon TV sports talk shows yesterday, with ESPN's Tony Kornheiser noting Ragnar "overestimated his bargaining position" and the Vikings likely can "find 100 people who want to do that job." Ragnar, whose real name is Joe Juranitch, was with the team for 21 years and had been earning $1,500 per game. ESPN's Michael Wilbon asked, "What moron is whispering in your ear, ‘Yo dude, you gotta get paid?’” Kornheiser: “Just ask for like $3,000 a game. Are you insane? You’re done” (“PTI,” ESPN, 9/22). The Washington Post's Kevin Blackistone said, "I don't know who this guy’s agent is, but I've got to think there are a lot of people just lining up who just want to be that guy and would do it for probably less than $1,500 a game. Get an agent” (“Around The Horn,” ESPN, 9/22). Ragnar reportedly was also asking for a 10-year contract with the Vikings, and FS1's Molly McGrath said, "So, a 50-something-year-old dude in a horn helmet wants to be paid over a million dollars for riding a motorcycle and dancing with cheerleaders?” (“America’s Pregame,” FS1, 9/22). ESPN's Marcellus Wiley said, "This is not the first time that he's wanted more money, and this is not the first time he’s cost them money. When we played the Vikings, they got fined for piping in music and putting on microphones on that damn motorcycle while he rode it around” (“SportsNation,” ESPN2, 9/22).
DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY HATCH: FS1's Petros Papadakis noted Vikings fans "are livid all over social media," and things could go one of two ways moving forward for the franchise. He noted San Diego's KGB-FM in '79 fired Ted Giannoulas, the original Famous San Diego Chicken, and put "some other idiot in a chicken suit (who) was booed out of a Padres game." Papadakis: "That's one way it could go. The other way: On Saturday, Colorado State's mascot sheep Cam the Ram died suddenly before the Rocky Mountain Showdown against Colorado ... and was seamlessly replaced by Colorado State hours before kick ... with another Cam the Ram. No one was the wiser, nobody freaked out or booed." He added, "Fans are tricky. They might accept Ragnar’s bearded replacement, but they might go full San Diego Chicken on him. Good luck with your decision” (“Fox Sports Live: Countdown,” FS1, 9/22).
