"A man who has prowled the sidelines at Minnesota Vikings games since 1994, purported to be the modern-day embodiment of an ancient Norse pillager, should surely be expected to take a hard line in contract negotiations. The contract for the "human mascot" with the Vikings was up before this season, and Ragnar wasn't just looking for a raise: He wanted a bounty. According to a person with knowledge of the situation, Joe Juranitch -- the Ely, Minnesota, man who plays Ragnar -- wanted $20,000 per game to continue in the role, up from the $1,500 per game he was making. That adds up to $160,000 per year, or $200,000 if the pay applied to preseason games."