The committee's decision to publicize the VOTY award beginning in 2000 has been widely heralded; however, all past VOTY selections have remained classified. To mark the first preseason game (this coming Friday), the committee has released the identities of several past selections, including copies of the original nominations from that year. Clearly, the committee's judgement has been far from perfect.

1967 Alan "Rock" Page: This rookie lineman from Notre Dame has been called tough as a rock by the coaching staff, but others, who prefer to remain unnamed, have also said that Page is as dumb as his namesake. "I just don't see how he ever could have gotten into Notre Dame" said one anonymous assistant coach. "This guy can barely tie his shoes. If it weren't for football, he'd be digging ditches. I've been telling him to save his money... it's scary to think of what's gonna happen to him when his career is over. He don't stand a chance in the real world." "At least," the coach continued, "he's not as dumb as Marshall. Half the time he don't know which endzone he's protecting." For overcoming his mental limitations, the committee anoints Alan "Rock" Page as the 1967 Viking of the Year.

1977 Mick "Magic Finger" Tinglehoff: Rookie QB Tommy Kramer brought an uncomfortable silence to the Vikings' locker room when describing to the media Tinglehoff's preferred positioning of Kramer's fingers when receiving the snap from center, a silence that was only broken by the laughter following Tinglehoff's assertion that he was a happily married man. Kramer dubbed the veteran All-Pro center "Magic Finger" and advised that, if Tinglehoff was still playing when the starting QB job was passed from Fran Tarkenton, Kramer would be sure to wear gloves. In these groovy times, the committee supports the rights of all those living an alternative lifestyle to earn a living playing in the NFL.

1984 Keith "Rage" Millard: Oh, no, don't get the committee wrong. "Rage" is an ironic nickname for this gentle giant from Washington State. Millard, the Vikings 1st round draft pick, is far more likely to be seen in the pediatrics ward of a hospital visiting sick children or quietly working out in the gym than in a bar or a fast-food restaurant drive-thru. But he has the uncanny ability to turn on his fury as soon as stepping on the field, meaning that offensive lineman will have their hands full for many years to come. It's his ability to turn off that rage after the game that will surely earn him the NFL Man of the Year award several times before his career ends.

1987 Darrin "Clutch" Nelson: The committee admits that it was among the many voices criticizing the Vikings' choice of Nelson from Stanford ahead of USC's Marcus Allen in the '82 draft, but in the years since, Nelson has proven himself to be a sure-handed, dependable and versatile back. During training camp this summer, he spent a lot of time working with QB Wade Wilson on a pass to the corner of the end zone that should prove difficult to defend; and, as coaches are happy to point out, he hasn't dropped a single ball. This new wrinkle to the offense should help carry the Vikings at least to the NFC Championship game, where their likely opponent, the Washington Redskins, have struggled defending pass-catching running backs, especially late in close games and in the red zone. If Nelson continues to comes through in the clutch, which the committee is sure he will, the Vikings should be Super Bowl bound.

1999 Demitrius "Link" Underwood: The committee usually isn't so quick to hand out this honor, especially after the first practice of training camp. But after witnessing the show that Underwood put on this morning, it is clear that he is the missing link to this defense, and that he will single handedly provide the defensive spark needed to put the Vikings over the top. As absolute steal in the late first round, he makes up for Dennis Green's major mistake of drafting a QB with the #11 pick that was obtained from Washington for Brad Johnson. Green will surely regret trading the proven veteran Johnson for the unheralded rookie QB from a Division II school. Underwood leading the league in sacks, which the committee boldly predicts, should help to quiet Green's critics and stop any future mention of Duane Clemons or Dwayne Alexander.