Monday Tuesday Morning Cheerleader: Pamela of the Minnesota Vikings
By Steve Mazzucchi
Esquire
It was the game everyone not exhausted by the saga that has been Brett Favre III was waiting for, and the old gunslinger lived up to the hype last night, becoming the first quarterback ever to beat all thirty-two NFL teams as Minnesota toppled Green Bay on Monday Night Football. It was also apparently the loudest game in the recent history of the Metrodome, according to Vikes’ cheer captain Pamela Krominga. As Favre continued to dial down the storyline post-game, we asked her to open up on what No. 4 was out to prove, whether his 4-and-0 is better than the Randy Moss years, and why Minnesota might not have a realistic shot at the Super Bowl — all for a special Tuesday edition of Monday Morning Cheerleader.
ESQUIRE: Twenty-four for 31, 271 yards, three TDs, a 135 passer rating, and a 30-23 win. Do you think Brett was on a mission?
PAMELA: Absolutely. He was out to prove that this was about nothing more than his love for the game, and that was evidenced by how disciplined, determined, and efficient he was. Adrian Peterson’s a fairly well-known commodity, but now that we have two players that keep defensive coordinators up at night, it creates quite a large puzzle. You can stop one or the other, but you can’t stop both — and the Packers couldn’t stop Favre.
ESQ: What did you think when the Vikings began pursuing him in the off-season?
PK: My first thought was that it’s the sort of thing dreams are made of, to get an MVP-caliber quarterback considering playing for a long-time rival. He saw the Vikings as a team he could take to a championship. And for me, it makes the games a lot more fun having someone under center who’s a proven leader.
ESQ: Was the mood in the stadium different?
PK: This is my sixth season, and the stands were the loudest I have heard them. It was pretty close to the playoff game last year against the Eagles. I told the girls, “This is one of the biggest games you’ll ever cheer at, no matter how long you do this.” The fans were on their feet the entire game. But the loudest moment wasn’t Favre’s first TD pass — it was after Jared Allen’s sack for a safety made the score 30 to 14, and he took his helmet off and pumped his fist. The defense feeds off the crowd’s energy, and they had an outstanding game with eight sacks and that safety. They’re a big reason we won.
ESQ: Favre gets the headlines, but who’s the unsung hero?
PK: Cornerback Antoine Winfield. An interception and ten tackles — doesn’t get much better. He’s a great open-field tackler who’s finally getting the respect he deserves.
ESQ: Who had the best breast-cancer awareness style to cap off a rare week of pink all over the NFL?
PK: I’d have to say the cheerleaders. We wore pink jerseys with ribbons, and we dedicated two dances to breast-cancer awareness, breast-cancer survivors, and those who have lost their battles. They were choreographed by Michele Larkin, who is battling breast cancer herself.
ESQ: What was the turning point in the game?
PK: The safety seemed to seal the deal, but the goal-line stand late in the third quarter was also big. It made a statement that this is our game, this is our house, and you’re not gonna get away with anything here.
ESQ: Favre had one play where it looked like he stood in the pocket for a good ten seconds. Meanwhile, Aaron Rodgers was harassed all night. How big a difference was the play of the two offensive lines?
PK: The Packers are trying to compensate for some injuries, and it’s had a domino effect on their O-line. They lost another guy, Daryn Colledge, this game. So that’s a big problem for them. If the passer’s got a pocket, he can check down his receivers, he doesn’t have to scramble and go into gunslinger mode. Our rookie right tackle, Phil Loadholt, has been one key to Favre’s success. This is also the first time in his career that Favre’s had a running back of Adrian Peterson’s caliber, so he doesn’t have the pressure of putting the team on his back every week. He’s got eight touchdowns to one interception so far. I like that ratio.
ESQ: Your rookie year in 2004, Daunte Culpepper threw for 4,700 yards and Randy Moss caught thirteen TD passes. Which team is more exciting, that one or this year’s 4-and-0 squad?
PK: Our job is to get the crowd engaged on defense, so I prefer this team because our defense has been so good. When the offense is doing well, you actually have to encourage the crowd to quiet down so the players can communicate, especially because the dome gets so loud. We give them a non-verbal, polite shush to save it for after the touchdown. I also think defense wins championships, from a football perspective.
ESQ: The team’s undefeated and looking like it. How far do you think the Vikings can really go this year?
PK: The selfish cheerleader in me wants to go to the Super Bowl; it would be a fun thing to do. Realistically, we can win the division. The Giants and Saints look very good, but I think we are definitely a Super Bowl contender if our offense keeps up its efficiency and our defense continues to play lights out.
