"Be still for a second while I try and try to pin your flowers on
Can you carry my drink I have everything else
I can tie my tie all by myself
I’m getting tied, I’m forgetting why
Oh we’re so disarming darling, everything we did believe
is diving diving diving diving off the balcony
Tired and wired we ruin too easy
sleep in our clothes and wait for winter to leave
Hold ourselves together with our arms around the stereo for hours
While it sings to itself or whatever it does
when it sings to itself of its long lost loves
I’m getting tied, I’m forgetting why
Tired and wired we ruin too easy
sleep in our clothes and wait for winter to leave
but I’ll be with you behind the couch when they come
on a different day just like this one
We’ll stay inside til somebody finds us
do whatever the TV tells us
stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz for days
We’ll stay inside til somebody finds us
do whatever the TV tells us
stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz
so worry not
all things are well
we’ll be alright
we have our looks and perfume
stay inside til somebody finds us
do whatever the TV tells us
stay inside our rosy-minded fuzz
so worry not
all things are well
we’ll be alright
we have our looks and perfume on"
Turn this one up.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
A Great Winter Song
Friday, January 29, 2010
OK. One Last Lament....
I must admit that I have been in a funk all week. I promised to shut up about the Vikes loss, but I found one more example of another person going through the same emotions as I, and a lot of Viking fans, are experiencing right now. This, from Scott Korzenowski of KSTP 1500 AM:
"The game had ended as so many of them had before, in yet another Vikings defeat. But this defeat, like so many of the others, was not an average, every day, basic defeat, as in, "My team scored fewer points than the opponent." No, this was a complicated, inexplicable, and undeniably far too familiar Vikings defeat, as in, "How can my team send 12 players into the huddle when the rules of football have said for nearly 100 years that you can send in only 11?"
And so there I was, my thumb on the remote control of my DVR running the final offensive play of this Vikings season over and over and over again and believing, really believing, that the next time I pushed "play" Brett Favre was going to run it up the right sideline, or flip it out to Bernard Berrian in the flat, or throw it away ... anything other than what he did, which was twist his body in an unnatural right to left motion and force an across-the-body throw into the waiting arms of a guy in black.
I didn't know how to explain my purely irrational belief that the digital recording of the image of Brett Favre's final pass would magically transform itself into a different and, this time, euphoric result, but I did. I believed Favre would make everything better, as he had against San Francisco and Baltimore and Green Bay and Dallas, that he would make the right decision and deliver the thousands of addicted and afflicted Vikings fans from what now is going on 40 years of emotional torture.
But after ranting about Chilly for his indecisiveness and then contemplating whether Favre will or should return next season and then spending a restless night that led into a fitful and nightmare filled sleep, I received an email from a friend and colleague that finally explained everything.
This Vikings loss, like so many of them before, had sent me into the first four of the five stages of coping with loss: denial, anger, bargaining, and depression.
Suddenly it all became clear.
I was running and rerunning and rerunning my DVR because I was in denial, much as I had been following Gary Anderson's missed kick against Atlanta in January 1999, much as I had been following Darrin Nelson's drop of a Wade Wilson pass in January 1987, and much as I had been as a 9-year-old boy in January 1970 when I wept uncontrollably as Joe Kapp slumped off the field clutching his cracked ribs and broken heart.
I was blaming Chilly because I was angry; not so much at the coaching staff's inability to count to 11, but at myself, because, for the better part of 40 years, I have allowed this team, with different owners, coaches, players and stadiums, to completely grab hold of my emotional well-being for three hours on 16, and in some cases 17 or 18, Sundays a year.
I was wondering about Favre's future and when someone will invent gloves that magically affix themselves to pigskin because I was bargaining for a way to sooth the ache that once again had found its way into the pit of my stomach.
And I was unable to sleep because I was depressed that just when it seemed that it had been worth the Vikings selling their collective souls to acquire their most feared and hated rival, this deal with the Devil had done nothing to change the fate of this franchise, just as the deal to acquire Herschel Walker, or the deal to move into the Metrodome, or the deal to sell the team's stock to Red McCombs had done nothing to change what is inevitable in these parts every half decade or so.
And suddenly it hit me. I have not been able, despite my years of schooling and advanced age, to wander into the fifth and final stage of coping with loss. The one and only stage that will truly deliver peace: Acceptance.
Acceptance that the Vikings are going to tease you; that they are going to look unbeatable. Acceptance that they are going to play hard and with skill and with flair. Acceptance that they are going to present the appearance of infallibility only to rush for 17 total yards (Super Bowl IX), fumble at the goal line (Brent McClanahan in Super Bowl XI), or watch as their savior turns into the same guy who kept throwing the ball to Jeff Brady a decade earlier.
And as I pondered this, toyed with this, and then started to accept this, I started to feel calm, at ease, perhaps even freed. Finally, after 40 years, four straight Super Bowl defeats and now five straight NFC Championship Game defeats, I started to simply accept that this is whom the Vikings are, and this is whom the Vikings always will be.
The Vikings are losers. Not in the sense that they never win, like the Cubs or the Gophers football team. No, the Vikings are exciting losers, accomplished losers, creative losers.
No franchise in all of professional sports does defeat and disappointment quite like the Vikings. Okay, so the Cleveland Browns suffered "The Fumble" and the Red Sox "Bill Buckner," but what other team has lost a game by "Taking a Knee"?
But for a handful of these wholly original losses spread out over 40 years, the Vikings are nearly every bit as successful as the Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys and Patriots. The Vikings have made the NFL playoffs 25 times; they've played in nine conference championships and four Super Bowls. But unlike the Steelers, who have won six Super Bowls, the 49ers and Cowboys, who have each won five, and the Patriots, who have won three in the last decade alone, the Vikings have won none while losing more playoff games than any other franchise in the NFL.
The Vikings are the lead character in the classic Greek tragedy. They are the ones who dominate the performance and then gulp the poison, leap from the balcony or fall on the sword. They're the ones who deliver the most lines only to end up sprawled on the stage when the curtain falls.
These are the Vikings, and despite my lifelong efforts at denying it ("They were the better team Sunday night"), fighting it ("That wasn't interference!"), rationalizing it ("If only we'd won the coin toss!") and feeling bad about it ("Why can't we win just ONE of these games?"), I finally have learned to accept it.
There is next year, and the year after that, and the year after that. And the Vikings, perhaps as soon as next year, will once again take center stage, excite the masses, and appear headed toward the winning field goal as the clock ticks toward zero, but don't believe it. The Vikings will blow it. They will miss a key block (Todd Steussie), or a key tackle (Earsell Macbee), or a sure interception (Tyrell Johnson). They simply will not win the Big One, and there isn't anything anybody (including Brett Favre) can do about it.
And so if you'll excuse me, I am going to return to my DVR, load up Sunday night's game and, just as soon as I make certain that the Saints field goal attempt actually sailed through the uprights, delete the very image that only 24 hours earlier represented my irrational attachment to the hope that this Vikings' season would end differently than all the others. I know better now. "
Amen Scott.
Jeff
"The game had ended as so many of them had before, in yet another Vikings defeat. But this defeat, like so many of the others, was not an average, every day, basic defeat, as in, "My team scored fewer points than the opponent." No, this was a complicated, inexplicable, and undeniably far too familiar Vikings defeat, as in, "How can my team send 12 players into the huddle when the rules of football have said for nearly 100 years that you can send in only 11?"
And so there I was, my thumb on the remote control of my DVR running the final offensive play of this Vikings season over and over and over again and believing, really believing, that the next time I pushed "play" Brett Favre was going to run it up the right sideline, or flip it out to Bernard Berrian in the flat, or throw it away ... anything other than what he did, which was twist his body in an unnatural right to left motion and force an across-the-body throw into the waiting arms of a guy in black.
I didn't know how to explain my purely irrational belief that the digital recording of the image of Brett Favre's final pass would magically transform itself into a different and, this time, euphoric result, but I did. I believed Favre would make everything better, as he had against San Francisco and Baltimore and Green Bay and Dallas, that he would make the right decision and deliver the thousands of addicted and afflicted Vikings fans from what now is going on 40 years of emotional torture.
But after ranting about Chilly for his indecisiveness and then contemplating whether Favre will or should return next season and then spending a restless night that led into a fitful and nightmare filled sleep, I received an email from a friend and colleague that finally explained everything.
This Vikings loss, like so many of them before, had sent me into the first four of the five stages of coping with loss: denial, anger, bargaining, and depression.
Suddenly it all became clear.
I was running and rerunning and rerunning my DVR because I was in denial, much as I had been following Gary Anderson's missed kick against Atlanta in January 1999, much as I had been following Darrin Nelson's drop of a Wade Wilson pass in January 1987, and much as I had been as a 9-year-old boy in January 1970 when I wept uncontrollably as Joe Kapp slumped off the field clutching his cracked ribs and broken heart.
I was blaming Chilly because I was angry; not so much at the coaching staff's inability to count to 11, but at myself, because, for the better part of 40 years, I have allowed this team, with different owners, coaches, players and stadiums, to completely grab hold of my emotional well-being for three hours on 16, and in some cases 17 or 18, Sundays a year.
I was wondering about Favre's future and when someone will invent gloves that magically affix themselves to pigskin because I was bargaining for a way to sooth the ache that once again had found its way into the pit of my stomach.
And I was unable to sleep because I was depressed that just when it seemed that it had been worth the Vikings selling their collective souls to acquire their most feared and hated rival, this deal with the Devil had done nothing to change the fate of this franchise, just as the deal to acquire Herschel Walker, or the deal to move into the Metrodome, or the deal to sell the team's stock to Red McCombs had done nothing to change what is inevitable in these parts every half decade or so.
And suddenly it hit me. I have not been able, despite my years of schooling and advanced age, to wander into the fifth and final stage of coping with loss. The one and only stage that will truly deliver peace: Acceptance.
Acceptance that the Vikings are going to tease you; that they are going to look unbeatable. Acceptance that they are going to play hard and with skill and with flair. Acceptance that they are going to present the appearance of infallibility only to rush for 17 total yards (Super Bowl IX), fumble at the goal line (Brent McClanahan in Super Bowl XI), or watch as their savior turns into the same guy who kept throwing the ball to Jeff Brady a decade earlier.
And as I pondered this, toyed with this, and then started to accept this, I started to feel calm, at ease, perhaps even freed. Finally, after 40 years, four straight Super Bowl defeats and now five straight NFC Championship Game defeats, I started to simply accept that this is whom the Vikings are, and this is whom the Vikings always will be.
The Vikings are losers. Not in the sense that they never win, like the Cubs or the Gophers football team. No, the Vikings are exciting losers, accomplished losers, creative losers.
No franchise in all of professional sports does defeat and disappointment quite like the Vikings. Okay, so the Cleveland Browns suffered "The Fumble" and the Red Sox "Bill Buckner," but what other team has lost a game by "Taking a Knee"?
But for a handful of these wholly original losses spread out over 40 years, the Vikings are nearly every bit as successful as the Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys and Patriots. The Vikings have made the NFL playoffs 25 times; they've played in nine conference championships and four Super Bowls. But unlike the Steelers, who have won six Super Bowls, the 49ers and Cowboys, who have each won five, and the Patriots, who have won three in the last decade alone, the Vikings have won none while losing more playoff games than any other franchise in the NFL.
The Vikings are the lead character in the classic Greek tragedy. They are the ones who dominate the performance and then gulp the poison, leap from the balcony or fall on the sword. They're the ones who deliver the most lines only to end up sprawled on the stage when the curtain falls.
These are the Vikings, and despite my lifelong efforts at denying it ("They were the better team Sunday night"), fighting it ("That wasn't interference!"), rationalizing it ("If only we'd won the coin toss!") and feeling bad about it ("Why can't we win just ONE of these games?"), I finally have learned to accept it.
There is next year, and the year after that, and the year after that. And the Vikings, perhaps as soon as next year, will once again take center stage, excite the masses, and appear headed toward the winning field goal as the clock ticks toward zero, but don't believe it. The Vikings will blow it. They will miss a key block (Todd Steussie), or a key tackle (Earsell Macbee), or a sure interception (Tyrell Johnson). They simply will not win the Big One, and there isn't anything anybody (including Brett Favre) can do about it.
And so if you'll excuse me, I am going to return to my DVR, load up Sunday night's game and, just as soon as I make certain that the Saints field goal attempt actually sailed through the uprights, delete the very image that only 24 hours earlier represented my irrational attachment to the hope that this Vikings' season would end differently than all the others. I know better now. "
Amen Scott.
Jeff
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
The LAST Viking Lament and Some Other Stuff
I wrote that last post minutes after the Vikings choked away their chance at the Super Bowl. I was pretty angry. I got about 4 hours of sleep that night. Then, THE CHECK was a morgue on Monday morning after the game and I was bummed out. You could hear a pin drop at THE CHECK. The muzak seemed extra loud, which is depressing in itself. Folks, I have not been affected by a Viking game like that since January 17th, 1999. I kind of prided myself on not letting the Vikings get to me anymore because "I grew up." Well, this one hurt. But, I am kind of sick of talking about it, so I am going to say one more thing, and then I am done with the subject. Here is the one more thing:
I have come to grips with the fact that the Vikings would have lost even if Brett Favre didn't throw that last interception. If would have merely scrambled for 5 yards to set up a field goal, does any Viking fan out there believe in their heart that Ryan Longwell would have nailed the kick to send the Vikings to the Super Bowl? I don't think the kick would have been blocked because that is too easy. I think Longwell would have split the uprights, sending the Vikings into a frenzy until they realized that there was a yellow flag lying on the ground that signified "holding." Ten yard penalty. That is when Ryan Longwell would miss wide right from an additional 10 yards back. And the Vikings would lose in overtime. Merely one of many scenarios. Make your own up if you would like, but there is no way the Vikings win that game even if there were not "12 Men In The Huddle."
As far as Favre goes (OK I am saying two things), I appreciate all the guy did for the Vikings this year. Without him, they go 8-8 and miss the playoffs. With him, they lose the NFC Championship on an interception. You live by Farve, you die by Favre. Viking fans got a laugh seeing Favre in purple and watching him beat the Packers twice. And Packer fans got a laugh watching him end his own season on a brutal, misguided interception just like they witnessed back in 2007. They can say "I told you so." At this point, I'm not even sure I want him to come back next year. This is something I don't even want to think about at this point. End of Vikings discussion.
Here are a couple of other important things, however.
1. Sid on Seantrel Henderson. I heard something today on the way to THE CHECK that almost made me swerve off the road. I was listening to WCCO radio (A sign of aging) and Dave Lee was talking with Sid Hartman about the #1-rated high school football player in the nation - Seantrel Henderson of Cretin Durham high school. Hendersen (6'8", 301 lbs.) has been highly recruited by the likes of USC, Ohio State and Florida. He has kept the Minnesota Gophers in the running, however, because they are his home-state school. Just to be nice. And today, Sid Hartman said that Seantrel Henderson would be - and I quote - "making the biggest mistake of his life" if he did not attend Minnesota. Why? FOR JOB PROSPECTS AFTER COLLEGE. Now let me get this straight. Henderson should turn down the opportunity to play for a national powerhouse on national TV each week, and possibly compete for a championship all to play for Tim Brewster's Gophers. This so he can apply for a job at 3M or Pillsbury when he is done with college ball? Sid, this is not 1946. Seantrel, I believe, will most likely be a first round pick in the National Football League and hope to have about a 15-year career in the NFL after college and retire a millionaire. That is unless, of course, he plays for Tim Brewster's Gophers.
2. Twins sign Jim Thome. I like this move. (Do you sense the move from foreboding football cynicism to baseball optimism?). Granted, I'd be more excited if this was 2005, but I think this is a good move. The Twins didn't break the bank to sign Thome ($1.5 million), he's a great clubhouse guy, and I bet he has 15-20 home runs left in him this year if he gets enough at bats. I also think this is a signal to Delmon Young. Both Thome and Jason Kubel are big left-handed bats that the Twins need in the lineup. In order to accomplish this, Kubel will need to play more left field while Thome is the DH. This basically forces Delmon Young back to the bench. Hopefully, this will light a fire under Delmon and present a "nice problem" to the Twins. Too many bats! Baseball = optimism!
3. PETA Sad for Punxsutawney Phil. From today's Startribune.com:
"PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - An animal rights group wants organizers of Pennsylvania's Groundhog Day festival to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robotic stand-in.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it's unfair to keep the animal in captivity and subject him to the huge crowds and bright lights that accompany tens of thousands of revelers each Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney, a tiny borough about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. PETA is suggesting the use of an animatronic model."
A robot. PETA want the guy in the tuxedo to pull a robotic groundhog out to judge whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter (which, by the way, is bogus because we all know a mere remaining 6 weeks of winter would be a blessing). How charming.
Seriously, folks, what does PETA do? Have we reached a point, now that Michael Vick is rehabilitated, that animals are being treated so well that Punxsutawney Phil is the best they can do? They are really searching for a cause.
A robot.
That's all for now.
I have come to grips with the fact that the Vikings would have lost even if Brett Favre didn't throw that last interception. If would have merely scrambled for 5 yards to set up a field goal, does any Viking fan out there believe in their heart that Ryan Longwell would have nailed the kick to send the Vikings to the Super Bowl? I don't think the kick would have been blocked because that is too easy. I think Longwell would have split the uprights, sending the Vikings into a frenzy until they realized that there was a yellow flag lying on the ground that signified "holding." Ten yard penalty. That is when Ryan Longwell would miss wide right from an additional 10 yards back. And the Vikings would lose in overtime. Merely one of many scenarios. Make your own up if you would like, but there is no way the Vikings win that game even if there were not "12 Men In The Huddle."
As far as Favre goes (OK I am saying two things), I appreciate all the guy did for the Vikings this year. Without him, they go 8-8 and miss the playoffs. With him, they lose the NFC Championship on an interception. You live by Farve, you die by Favre. Viking fans got a laugh seeing Favre in purple and watching him beat the Packers twice. And Packer fans got a laugh watching him end his own season on a brutal, misguided interception just like they witnessed back in 2007. They can say "I told you so." At this point, I'm not even sure I want him to come back next year. This is something I don't even want to think about at this point. End of Vikings discussion.
Here are a couple of other important things, however.
1. Sid on Seantrel Henderson. I heard something today on the way to THE CHECK that almost made me swerve off the road. I was listening to WCCO radio (A sign of aging) and Dave Lee was talking with Sid Hartman about the #1-rated high school football player in the nation - Seantrel Henderson of Cretin Durham high school. Hendersen (6'8", 301 lbs.) has been highly recruited by the likes of USC, Ohio State and Florida. He has kept the Minnesota Gophers in the running, however, because they are his home-state school. Just to be nice. And today, Sid Hartman said that Seantrel Henderson would be - and I quote - "making the biggest mistake of his life" if he did not attend Minnesota. Why? FOR JOB PROSPECTS AFTER COLLEGE. Now let me get this straight. Henderson should turn down the opportunity to play for a national powerhouse on national TV each week, and possibly compete for a championship all to play for Tim Brewster's Gophers. This so he can apply for a job at 3M or Pillsbury when he is done with college ball? Sid, this is not 1946. Seantrel, I believe, will most likely be a first round pick in the National Football League and hope to have about a 15-year career in the NFL after college and retire a millionaire. That is unless, of course, he plays for Tim Brewster's Gophers.
2. Twins sign Jim Thome. I like this move. (Do you sense the move from foreboding football cynicism to baseball optimism?). Granted, I'd be more excited if this was 2005, but I think this is a good move. The Twins didn't break the bank to sign Thome ($1.5 million), he's a great clubhouse guy, and I bet he has 15-20 home runs left in him this year if he gets enough at bats. I also think this is a signal to Delmon Young. Both Thome and Jason Kubel are big left-handed bats that the Twins need in the lineup. In order to accomplish this, Kubel will need to play more left field while Thome is the DH. This basically forces Delmon Young back to the bench. Hopefully, this will light a fire under Delmon and present a "nice problem" to the Twins. Too many bats! Baseball = optimism!
3. PETA Sad for Punxsutawney Phil. From today's Startribune.com:
"PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. - An animal rights group wants organizers of Pennsylvania's Groundhog Day festival to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robotic stand-in.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says it's unfair to keep the animal in captivity and subject him to the huge crowds and bright lights that accompany tens of thousands of revelers each Feb. 2 in Punxsutawney, a tiny borough about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. PETA is suggesting the use of an animatronic model."
A robot. PETA want the guy in the tuxedo to pull a robotic groundhog out to judge whether or not there will be six more weeks of winter (which, by the way, is bogus because we all know a mere remaining 6 weeks of winter would be a blessing). How charming.
Seriously, folks, what does PETA do? Have we reached a point, now that Michael Vick is rehabilitated, that animals are being treated so well that Punxsutawney Phil is the best they can do? They are really searching for a cause.
A robot.
That's all for now.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Death of a Franchise
I officially give up. I can't do this anymore. Heart disease runs in my family. This is not healthy. My 4th grader is in tears, just like I used to experience before I settled into mere depression after Viking games. People who follow other teams might be thinking "these Viking fans are bad fans." Folks, we simply cannot take this anymore. This is 4 decades worth of heartache.I have heard people say the "Minnesota built a new stadium for the wrong team" when we approved a new ballpark for the Twins and turned the Vikings away. That is ludicrous. Building a stadium for the Vikings and not the Twins would be like giving your teenage meth addict a car instead of your teenage valedictorian.
Not to overstate things, but tonight's loss may mean the end of the Viking franchise in Minnesota. Winning the Super Bowl would have at least provided the team with some stadium momentum with the population of Minnesota. Now, they are back to the proverbial Square One. We may have witnessed "The Death of a Franchise" tonight. And the question remains, do they really deserve one? Now that I have pissed away all of the purple kool-aid that I drank, I have to ask if my life would actually improve if this team actually just got the hell out of here. I would never say this about the Twins or Wild. The Vikings, however? It may be best if they just left. I simply can't take this anymore. Here are some thoughts on tonight's game:
1. I can't fault Brett Favre for the game he played. The mere fact he was not hospitalized after a few of those hits was a testament to his toughness. Once again, however, his last throw was an interception. And a bad one. It cost them the game.
2. Listen to what Bob Sansevere wrote in a column earlier this month: "A psychic friend claims the Vikings will play the Indianapolis Colts in the Super Bowl, with the Vikings winning. This friend has a very good record of getting things right." Look - if you are going to claim to be a "psychic," you had better be right about these things. I'd like to see what Bob's "psychic friend" has for an excuse now? Possibly - he's full of crap? And how about the guy from Kare 11 who claimed he was a "descendant of Druids" and predicted a Viking victory over New Orleans? Dude - which Druids are YOU talking about?
3. Adrian Peterson fumbles a lot.
4. Nice call by the refs in overtime on that "non-catch" to put the Saints in field goal position. I didn't know you could trap the ball with the ground. It's almost if the refs said "Hey, New Orleans has suffered enough with Katrina and all, and I am pretty tired. Let's end this right now!" They even blew the "Official Review" after the ruling on the field. This is why, once again, baseball should never institute replay. These guys can't get it right the second time, let alone the first.
That is all I have tonight. I am spent.
Thank God spring training is right around the corner so Minnesota can follow a sports team that won't always let them down.
Friday, January 22, 2010
NFC Championship. Again.
"The Jets, Bills, Vikings and Browns are the Mount Rushmore of effed-up NFL fan bases: 50-plus years of history, lots of losing and misery, generations of fans and some particularly soul-crushing heartbreaks (in my Levels of Losing 2.0 column, those three franchises probably nailed every level combined). You can't root for any of these teams without having them infect your DNA in some way. Being a Saints fan hasn't exactly been a barrel of laughs, but there's a spiritual optimism about them -- something tied to the festiveness of Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras and the city in general -- that was beaten out of the Jets/Bills/Vikes/Browns fans a long time ago. Saints fans roll with the punches. Jets/Bills/Vikes/Browns fans expect to get punched, contort their faces into a giant wince, wait for a punch that never comes, say to themselves, "Cool, I'm not gonna get punched, it's gonna be OK!" ... and then they get clocked." - Bill Simmons, ESPN.
I can't sum it up any better than that. Most NFL fans would be ecstatic to have their favorite team in the NFC Championship game. One victory from the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Viking fans are debating whether it would be worse to lose the NFC Championship game or lose a 5th Super Bowl. I know because I had this debate just yesterday with tony8489. I really don't know the answer to that question.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am happy the Vikes beat the Cowboys to get to this point. They have had a great year. NFC North Champs. A 12-4 record. Beat the Pack twice. Ended the Cowboys season. All cool. I am just wondering when the hammer will fall. You see, I can only really count the Vikings of the late 1970's to today as the team I have really followed. I was too young before that. I have only really lived and breathed 3 NFC Championship games and they have lost all 3. The Darrin Nelson "drop" of 1987, Gary Anderson "wide left" in 1999, and "41-doughnut" of 2000. Now, the Vikes have made it to a 4th and I am a bit paranoid.
Relevant E-mail (from Chris in Duluth, Minn.): "I've been wondering why, as a diehard Vikings fan, I'm still scared every single week that we are going to lose. And I finally have an answer. The Vikings are my brother's '93 Mitsubishi 3000GT. The regular season is like the test drive -- it ran smoothly, with only a few small kinks, and it looked damn pretty. The owner mentions a few things that might be a problem, but my brother didn't care -- this car seemed perfect. But every year, the playoffs are like the drive home, when the deal is done. We end up on the side of the road, the front right wheel rolling across the highway median into oncoming traffic, leaving us to realize one thing -- we've been duped. Duped by lots of flash, flash that blinds us from the gaping problems that really existed. Please tell me that this isn't going to happen this year. Please!" from Bill Simmons column, ESPN.
I love the Minnesota Twins because they have not let me down. When I die, I can say that I have experienced the Twins winning two World Series, God bless them. The Minnesota Vikings have provided many successful seasons to their fans, but there has been a letdown EVERY year. Every playoff season they have had has ended in a loss. Think about that. Every one.
The Minnesota Vikings owe me and every one of their fans a championship. The OWE it to us.
My good friend Jase, a die-hard Packer fan, said something to me once that made a lot of sense. He said that "all I ask is that the Packers win one Super Bowl in my lifetime, and I will be happy with them." Amen, Jase. And the Pack fulfilled his wish in 1997. The Minnesota Vikings OWE their fans a championship after all the bullshit that we have put up with over the decades. All I ask for is 1 championship, and they can have all the 4-12 seasons they want. And folks, if they cannot win it with Brett Favre at quarterback, it ain't gonna happen.
This is it.
With that said, here are my predictions for the NFL Championship week:
AFC:
COLTS over Jets: The Jets run comes to an end. Not that it matters.
NFC:
SAINTS over Vikings: Does anybody think, with my track record, that I am going to pick the Vikings? No way. I hope, in the spirit of George Costanza, that I am dead wrong.
So, let me know what you think. It's going to be interesting.
I can't sum it up any better than that. Most NFL fans would be ecstatic to have their favorite team in the NFC Championship game. One victory from the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, Viking fans are debating whether it would be worse to lose the NFC Championship game or lose a 5th Super Bowl. I know because I had this debate just yesterday with tony8489. I really don't know the answer to that question.
Now, don't get me wrong. I am happy the Vikes beat the Cowboys to get to this point. They have had a great year. NFC North Champs. A 12-4 record. Beat the Pack twice. Ended the Cowboys season. All cool. I am just wondering when the hammer will fall. You see, I can only really count the Vikings of the late 1970's to today as the team I have really followed. I was too young before that. I have only really lived and breathed 3 NFC Championship games and they have lost all 3. The Darrin Nelson "drop" of 1987, Gary Anderson "wide left" in 1999, and "41-doughnut" of 2000. Now, the Vikes have made it to a 4th and I am a bit paranoid.
Relevant E-mail (from Chris in Duluth, Minn.): "I've been wondering why, as a diehard Vikings fan, I'm still scared every single week that we are going to lose. And I finally have an answer. The Vikings are my brother's '93 Mitsubishi 3000GT. The regular season is like the test drive -- it ran smoothly, with only a few small kinks, and it looked damn pretty. The owner mentions a few things that might be a problem, but my brother didn't care -- this car seemed perfect. But every year, the playoffs are like the drive home, when the deal is done. We end up on the side of the road, the front right wheel rolling across the highway median into oncoming traffic, leaving us to realize one thing -- we've been duped. Duped by lots of flash, flash that blinds us from the gaping problems that really existed. Please tell me that this isn't going to happen this year. Please!" from Bill Simmons column, ESPN.
I love the Minnesota Twins because they have not let me down. When I die, I can say that I have experienced the Twins winning two World Series, God bless them. The Minnesota Vikings have provided many successful seasons to their fans, but there has been a letdown EVERY year. Every playoff season they have had has ended in a loss. Think about that. Every one.
The Minnesota Vikings owe me and every one of their fans a championship. The OWE it to us.
My good friend Jase, a die-hard Packer fan, said something to me once that made a lot of sense. He said that "all I ask is that the Packers win one Super Bowl in my lifetime, and I will be happy with them." Amen, Jase. And the Pack fulfilled his wish in 1997. The Minnesota Vikings OWE their fans a championship after all the bullshit that we have put up with over the decades. All I ask for is 1 championship, and they can have all the 4-12 seasons they want. And folks, if they cannot win it with Brett Favre at quarterback, it ain't gonna happen.
This is it.
With that said, here are my predictions for the NFL Championship week:
AFC:
COLTS over Jets: The Jets run comes to an end. Not that it matters.
NFC:
SAINTS over Vikings: Does anybody think, with my track record, that I am going to pick the Vikings? No way. I hope, in the spirit of George Costanza, that I am dead wrong.
So, let me know what you think. It's going to be interesting.
Vikings - don't let us down.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Vikes Kick The Cowboys Pants
The Minnesota Vikings will surprise you every time. When you think they will win, they lose. When you think they are beaten, they often rise to the occasion.
I certainly would not have predicted a 34-3 victory and defensive dominance over the NFL's hottest team, the Dallas Cowboys. And, as you can tell from my previous post, I didn't. I haven't done too well in predicting playoff games so far (1-7) but this is one that I am glad that I got wrong. While I am on an "anti-roll," I believe I know how I will predict the upcoming tilt against the hated Saints next Sunday.
"Hated Saints," by the way, does not roll off the tongue like "Hated Cowboys." The fact that the game is at the Superdome in New Orleans, in front of their fans, and is against arguably the best offense in football does not bode well for the Vikings. The national brainwizards will certainly be on the side of the Saints.
Which might be exactly the setup the Vikings need.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
The Hated Dallas Cowboys
I was at the Wild game last night with CR and we saw this guy wearing a Tony Romo jersey. Now, that is not against the law. It is, however, a cry for attention and even possibly a cry for help. The "Romo jersey guy" got more jeers from the crowd than any member of the Vancouver Canucks with the possible exception of Alexandre Bolduc. But I digress.
I am going to go out on a limb and say the gentleman with the Tony Romo jersey was not born in Texas, and has probably never been there. He is simply a Bandwagon Jumper. There are truly only a few teams that a person should be forbidden to cheer for unless they were born in the vicinity of the state in which they play in. The Dallas Cowboys head this list. They are evil incarnate. Jerry Jones. Jimmy Johnson. Michael Irvin. The mythical "America's Team." Pac-Man Jones. Barry Switzer. Jessica Simpson. The $1.2 billion-dollar spaceship stadium.
And if you are a Viking fan, there is a history with the Dallas Cowboys. The Drew Pearson Push-Off. The Herschel Walker trade. The Tony Dorsett 99-yard touchdown run. And no team has eliminated the Vikings from the playoffs more times than the Cowboys.
The rivalry, of course, will be renewed this Sunday in the Dome, er - Mall of America Field. Needless to say, there is major paranoia in the minds of Vikings fans as the game approaches. This may come as a shock but I, for one, am actually happy that the national brainwizards are all predicting the Cowboys to win. I am happy that the Vikings are looked at as underdogs even though they are at home. There is a nationwide love fest taking place with the Cowboys, especially since they have dismantled the Eagles twice in two weeks.
I will go as far as to say that this is a positive development. The Vikings play better when they are criticized and when they are told by the national pundits that they are going to lose. They do not do so well, however, when they are nationally praised and predicted to massacre an opponent (see January 17th, 1999, Vikings-Falcons NFC Championship Game...for starters). The Vikings basically need to be told that they suck and have no chance. So in that spirit (along with the spirit of George Costanza) here are my predictions for this weekend :
NFC:
COWBOYS over Vikings. The Vikings suck. They have no chance (see above).
CARDINALS over Saints. Arizona 85, New Orleans 78.
AFC:
COLTS over Ravens. Not that it matters.
CHARGERS over Jets. Not that it matters, but a Colts - Chargers AFC Championship would be a pretty good game.
I hope I am 3 for 4 when all is said and done. Last week I was 0-4, you know.
Jeff
I am going to go out on a limb and say the gentleman with the Tony Romo jersey was not born in Texas, and has probably never been there. He is simply a Bandwagon Jumper. There are truly only a few teams that a person should be forbidden to cheer for unless they were born in the vicinity of the state in which they play in. The Dallas Cowboys head this list. They are evil incarnate. Jerry Jones. Jimmy Johnson. Michael Irvin. The mythical "America's Team." Pac-Man Jones. Barry Switzer. Jessica Simpson. The $1.2 billion-dollar spaceship stadium.
And if you are a Viking fan, there is a history with the Dallas Cowboys. The Drew Pearson Push-Off. The Herschel Walker trade. The Tony Dorsett 99-yard touchdown run. And no team has eliminated the Vikings from the playoffs more times than the Cowboys.
The rivalry, of course, will be renewed this Sunday in the Dome, er - Mall of America Field. Needless to say, there is major paranoia in the minds of Vikings fans as the game approaches. This may come as a shock but I, for one, am actually happy that the national brainwizards are all predicting the Cowboys to win. I am happy that the Vikings are looked at as underdogs even though they are at home. There is a nationwide love fest taking place with the Cowboys, especially since they have dismantled the Eagles twice in two weeks.
I will go as far as to say that this is a positive development. The Vikings play better when they are criticized and when they are told by the national pundits that they are going to lose. They do not do so well, however, when they are nationally praised and predicted to massacre an opponent (see January 17th, 1999, Vikings-Falcons NFC Championship Game...for starters). The Vikings basically need to be told that they suck and have no chance. So in that spirit (along with the spirit of George Costanza) here are my predictions for this weekend :
NFC:
COWBOYS over Vikings. The Vikings suck. They have no chance (see above).
CARDINALS over Saints. Arizona 85, New Orleans 78.
AFC:
COLTS over Ravens. Not that it matters.
CHARGERS over Jets. Not that it matters, but a Colts - Chargers AFC Championship would be a pretty good game.
I hope I am 3 for 4 when all is said and done. Last week I was 0-4, you know.
Jeff
Sunday, January 10, 2010
A Solid 0-4
So much for my week #1 playoff predictions. I was 0-4!!
Anyone want any financial advice? Stock market tips?? Anyone want me to place some bets in Vegas??
Just let me know......
Anyone want any financial advice? Stock market tips?? Anyone want me to place some bets in Vegas??
Just let me know......
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Week #1 Playoff Prognostications
The NFL playoffs start later this afternoon. Here are my week 1 predictions because, as you know from past experience, I am always right. Except for those times I was way off.....
NFC:
1. EAGLES Over Cowboys. I am going against the grain with this, and picking the road underdog. The old adage that "you can't beat a team three times in one year" comes into play here. I have a feeling Tony Romo may struggle now that he is in the playoffs.
2. PACKERS Over Cardinals. This is the only game of the weekend in which a pep rally will be held for the road team. I've watched the Cardinals a few times this year. Against the Vikings, they looked like the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers, and they were very "Lion-like" in all of the other contests (sorry dools). I don't this game will be close. Packers by 21.
AFC:
1. BENGALS Over Jets. Not that it matters.
2. PATRIOTS Over Ravens. Not that it matters.
By the way, an Eagles victory coupled with a Packers victory sets up the Nightmare Scenario for next weekend.
We'll see what happens.
NFC:
1. EAGLES Over Cowboys. I am going against the grain with this, and picking the road underdog. The old adage that "you can't beat a team three times in one year" comes into play here. I have a feeling Tony Romo may struggle now that he is in the playoffs.
2. PACKERS Over Cardinals. This is the only game of the weekend in which a pep rally will be held for the road team. I've watched the Cardinals a few times this year. Against the Vikings, they looked like the 1975 Pittsburgh Steelers, and they were very "Lion-like" in all of the other contests (sorry dools). I don't this game will be close. Packers by 21.
AFC:
1. BENGALS Over Jets. Not that it matters.
2. PATRIOTS Over Ravens. Not that it matters.
By the way, an Eagles victory coupled with a Packers victory sets up the Nightmare Scenario for next weekend.
We'll see what happens.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
#2 Seed.
I've been rather hard on the Vikings lately because the Vikings have been rather hard on me. I must give credit where credit is due, however, as they certainly took care of business today by crushing a disinterested Giants team 44-7. I give the Vikings credit for destroying a team that was begging to be destroyed, rather than edging them on a last-second field goal or something weak like that.This win, coupled with a Cowboys victory over Philadelphia, secured the #2 seed for the Vikings in the NFC playoffs. Before going any further, I must say that cheering for the Dallas Cowboys this afternoon was a tough, other-worldly, out-of-body experience for me. Cheering for the Cowboys is not something that I am used to, but fits perfectly in this "parallel-universe of an NFL season." That being said, securing the #2 seed is significant on many fronts:
A. The #2 seed means the Vikings have a bye week to rest and get healthy. This is particularly beneficial for Pat Williams and Antoine Winfield.
B. The #2 seed guarantees the Vikings a home game, where they were 8-0 this year.
C. The #2 seed guarantees the Vikings only possible road game would be at New Orleans - another dome.
Now, I am not saying that I am ready to have another swig of the Purple Kool-Aid. We all know how Minnesota teams fare in the playoffs, particularly the Vikings. If fact, the better the playoff set-up, the worse the Vikings seem to choke.
In addition, the Nightmare Scenario remains in play. In order for the Vikings to play the Packers in week 2 of the playoffs, the Packers must win in Arizona and Philadelphia must win in Dallas next weekend. This scenario is certainly not out of the question, and most likely cosmically probable. The Packers present a match-up problem for Arizona. The Pack destroyed the Cardinals 33-7 today and the game wasn't even that close. The Cardinals seem to get all weak-kneed when they play the Packers. Probably because they think they are playing a road game with all of the Packer fans in the stands. In addition, Dallas must attempt to beat Philadelphia for a third time this season. It's always tough to beat a team three times in one season, something the Vikings would have to do to the Packers if they meet again. At least the game would be at the Metrodome and not Lambeau.
For today, I give the Vikings credit. If you would have told Viking fans before the season that the Vikings would be 12-4, NFC North Champions, and have a #2 seed, most would have been happy with that. Lastly, Brett Favre's regular season was unbelievable. He was 338/500, 29 TD's, 7 Ints., and a 104.3 passer rating. Those are MVP numbers, especially for a 40 year-old. All in all, a great regular season.
Now, however, the "real" season begins.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Another Reason I Like The NHL More Than The NBA
From a report on Startribune.com:
"Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton reportedly drew guns on each other during a locker-room argument over a gambling debt. Law enforcement is investigating the presence of weapons in the locker room, and the league is not taking action now."
Somehow, this is not surprising. Based on the thuggery in today's NBA. it was only a matter of time. Arenas, a former All-Star, didn't seem to take the whole issue very seriously on his Twitter account. Here is what he had to say:
"i wake up this morning and seen i was the new JOHN WAYNE. ... Media is too funny."
Yeah, talk about funny - this is a real side-buster! Arenas, by the way, apparently did not major in English at the University of Arizona. Shakespeare he ain't. After the news was broke, Arenas took the issue a bit more seriously later in the day with this Tweet:
"I understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me."
He certainly is a goof ball. There is nothing quite as hilarious as two guys pulling guns on each other, after all! It's crap like this that has given the NBA serious image and credibility issues with the public. Not that other sports are immune. There is no question that each sport has had it's share of black eyes over the years. It seems, however, that the NBA has a disproportionate amount of "goof balls" considering the number of players in the league compared to other sports. We'll see how this one shakes out. Let the hilarity continue!
Jeff
"Washington Wizards teammates Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton reportedly drew guns on each other during a locker-room argument over a gambling debt. Law enforcement is investigating the presence of weapons in the locker room, and the league is not taking action now."
Somehow, this is not surprising. Based on the thuggery in today's NBA. it was only a matter of time. Arenas, a former All-Star, didn't seem to take the whole issue very seriously on his Twitter account. Here is what he had to say:
"i wake up this morning and seen i was the new JOHN WAYNE. ... Media is too funny."
Yeah, talk about funny - this is a real side-buster! Arenas, by the way, apparently did not major in English at the University of Arizona. Shakespeare he ain't. After the news was broke, Arenas took the issue a bit more seriously later in the day with this Tweet:
"I understand this is serious..but if u ever met me you know i dont do serious things im a goof ball this story today dont sound goofy to me."
He certainly is a goof ball. There is nothing quite as hilarious as two guys pulling guns on each other, after all! It's crap like this that has given the NBA serious image and credibility issues with the public. Not that other sports are immune. There is no question that each sport has had it's share of black eyes over the years. It seems, however, that the NBA has a disproportionate amount of "goof balls" considering the number of players in the league compared to other sports. We'll see how this one shakes out. Let the hilarity continue!
Jeff
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