Former Minnesota Vikings coach Bud Grant to dump Twitter after garage sale

So much for Bud Grant and his new relationship with modern technology.

The legendary Vikings coach got plenty of publicity when he joined Twitter on May 1 @HPBudGrant . But Grant, who turns 88 Wednesday, said Monday he opened the account only to advertise his garage sale this week.

When it's over, he'll shut it down.

"I opened it out of necessity," Grant told the Pioneer Press. "I was looking at the want ads in your paper, and nobody buys the paper for the want ads anymore. So I had to find a way to advertise and get out the word.

"I opened a Twitter account, and I'll close it as soon as the garage sale ends."

The sale at Grant's home in Bloomington home runs Wednesday through Friday, meaning his Twitter account might end up lasting just three weeks. But doesn't Grant, who has about 5,300 followers, realize Vikings fans might miss hearing what he has to say?

"I'm not a town crier," said Grant, the hall of famer who coached the Vikings from 1967-83 and in 1985. "It's just for the garage sale. You get the word out. You've got to be able to advertise."

Grant acknowledges he's not what you'd call "computer savvy." He said friends set up the Twitter account for him.

"I don't even have a cell phone," he said.

Of the 12 tweets the account had sent out through Monday afternoon, all but one had something to do with the garage sale at 8134 Oakmere Drive. There are several retweets on other matters, mainly hunting.

Grant said this is the 10th garage sale he's had over the past 20 years.

He had one last year but boasted this one will be even better.

"Last year was so good, it's back by popular demand," he said. "The quality of merchandise is very good. Stuff I didn't sell before, I'll selling now. There will be lots of Vikings stuff. I'm also selling decoys and fishing rods and guns and hunting equipment."

Tweets have been sent out on Grant's account with pictures of some of the items for sale, including plenty of clothing with Vikings logos. He said money from the sale is distributed to many people in his family, noting he has six children, 19 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

Asked how much he made last year off the sale, Grant quipped, "Are you the IRS?"

Grant said it's too early to say whether there will be another sale next year.

"I don't know if I'll be alive next year," he said.

Whether he will be on Twitter next year also apparently remains up in the air.