Getting Slimed
In Friday’s Star-Tribune columnist Nick Coleman talked about a conversation he had with the mother of one of the servers on board the excursion boat that the Vikings turned into an orgy the other week. He talked about how this young woman, an innocent bystander who had no choice but to watch the goings on and no escape once out on the water.

To classify this as sexual harassment is a no-brainer where I come from (which happens to be Minnesota!) It is the kind of work environment that is abusive by its very nature. Yet people have the gall to say “Well, boys will be boys. After all, no one was hurt.”

Baloney.

Double baloney and worse!

A lot of people were hurt- and the least of them was the image of a bunch of over-paid athletes who think the world owes them a good time. Hurt far more deeply as the column pointed out, were the unsuspecting workers on the boat. Many, like the young lady, were probably excited to be that close to greatness- to The Minnesota Vikings! How quickly that changed. To find yourself in the middle of a XXX-rated film as a helpless observer must have been downright scary and offensive.

There was one line in the column that struck me:

When millionaires behave badly, the innocent often end up slimed.

How true! How sadly true.

I don’t know what will happen to however many Vikings players get named and face some kind of discipline and/or legal action. I don’t know whether some will end up being the sacrificial lambs while others simply get their wrists clapped. But this is not a victimless crime. Those hurt are all around. How sad.

Update: This was on the Star Tribune's website a little bit ago.

Minnesota coach Mike Tice said Friday he would consider reducing playing time as punishment for Vikings found to have acted inappropriately — or criminally — on the infamous boat party allegedly involving several players earlier this month.

What a great punishment- reducing playing time. That'll teach them! (Note: Tongue in cheek)