Parkettes Asking For Respect From The Vikings
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A group of women who cheered for the Minnesota Vikings for 20 years are being snubbed by the organization they represented.
From 1964 through the 1983-84 NFL season , the St. Louis Park Parkettes cheered for the Minnesota Vikings at Met Stadium.
Now they are concerned their legacy is being ignored.
The group is not being included in the pre-season game where Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders from the past will be recognized.
“It’s always been part of my legacy that I was a Parkette and a Vikings cheerleader,” said Nancee Wright.
For 20 years the St. Louis Park Parkettes performed at all Minnesota Vikings home games at Met Stadium.
They were looking forward to being recognized for their contributions to the Vikings organization during the upcoming pre-season game at U.S. Bank Stadium.
However, they were told recognition is only going to Vikings cheerleaders after 1984.
Some 312 women put on the Parkette uniform. The squad also won the first battle of the NFL Cheerleaders in 1979.
Additionally, they traveled Europe, performing for the BBC and at the Moulin Rouge in Paris.
They were introduced and accepted as Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders.
“I mean, we paved the path for NFL cheerleaders,” Wright said. “There were no NFL cheerleaders when we started.”
These women say that now, like Met Stadium, they don’t exist to the Vikings organization. They say they only want to be recognized.
The Viking Organization says it meant no ill will towards the Parkettes.
A spokesperson says the Minnesota Vikings cheerleaders officially began in 1984 and that’s how far its database goes.
He added that the organization will look into avenues to honor the Parkettes in the future.
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C'mon man! Give the Parkettes their due!
I wonder what the down side is for the Vikings to acknowledge the Parkettes' contribution to the organization.
Here is the problem. The Vikings played in 4 Super Bowls, all during the time frame of the Parkettes...
Since 1984 they have never played in a Super Bowl...I guess that they are to embarrassed that they have been a losing franchise since the Parkettes stopped performing.
The irony is that the REAL Vikings were actually quite respectful of women, for their time. Viking women could own property, make their own decisions, marry at will, etc.
I can't imagine the Valkyries being too pleased about this. They would probably grab a few heads and chunk them up against their metal breast plates. Thunk!
Interesting that many of those "Pagan" culture's Pantheism led to less paternalistic societal caste systems. If one raped a medieval Norsewoman (or Norseman for that matter) they were subject to retaliation, which usually meant death.
Can't say I blame them... After seeing Lagertha on the Vikings show, I would not want to mess with her! Didn't she stab her rapist in the eye?
Why yes she did, and that was merely one of the bastards she gutted!
Interesting aside...
Lagertha's tale is recorded in passages in the ninth book of the Gesta Danorum , a twelfth-century work of Danish history by Saxo Grammaticus . [2] According to the Gesta (¶ 9.4.1–9.4.11), Lagertha's career as a warrior began when Frø, king of Sweden, invaded Norway and killed the Norwegian king Siward . Frø put the women of the dead king's family into a brothel for public humiliation. Hearing of this, Ragnar Lodbrok came with an army to avenge his grandfather Siward. Many of the women Frø had ordered abused dressed themselves in men's clothing and fought on Ragnar's side. [1] Chief among them, and key to Ragnar's victory, was Lagertha. Saxo recounts:
Impressed with her courage, Ragnar courted her from afar. Lagertha feigned interest and Ragnar arrived to seek her hand, bidding his companions wait in the Gaular valley. He was set upon by a bear and a great hound which Lagertha had guarding her home, but killed the bear with his spear and choked the hound to death. Thus he won the hand of Lagertha in marriage. According to Saxo, Ragnar had a son with her, Fridleif, as well as two daughters, whose names are not recorded. [2]
~WIKI~
The actress who plays Lagertha, Katheryn Winnick is a bad ass all in her own right...
Winnick was born in Etobicoke , Ontario and is of Ukrainian descent. [4] She spoke Ukrainian as her first language and did not begin speaking English until she was eight years old. [2] [5] She began training in martial arts at age seven, and obtained her first black belt at 13. [6] By age 21, she had started three martial arts schools. [6]
She's a Canadian ninja!
...and quite striking as well ;^)
Lagertha is one of my favorite characters on the show-- She amazes me! I occasionally see the actress in other TV shows and films, and all I can say is WOW. The real Lagertha must have been something! A strong woman with a heart...
I love how she was going to marry the man who betrayed her son, and then wiped him out. Smart woman! What was he thinking? AND, I love how Ragnar still cares for her, and wants her in his life. She is an exceptional woman and his recognizes it...
Maybe the Parkettes should take a leaf from the Lagertha book and go get 'em...
The Parkettes might be like this...
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?
That's an interesting piece of information Kavika. They may doom themselves if they dis these ladies.
Thank you Kavika, ten thumbs-up!
Exactly so. Perhaps they need a little reminder about how good they used to be. This year they start in their new stadium. We'll see if they transform into a hard-working, successful club; or, if they dis their new abode, and turn into a bunch of wannabe entitled snots.
Just as a comment, they need a different name. "Parkette" is not a name to be taken seriously.
Secondly, typical of football, which is a man's sport, run by men. They could at least say "Thank you" for your support. I mean, women are fans, too!
What does that word even mean - Parkette?
They come from an area of the Twin Cities called, St. Louis Park...thus the Parkettes
Ahhhhh - thanks!
I wondered the same thing...