vince
05-06-2010, 04:30 PM
Add the Williams sisters' fiasco on to this rant. It's a tad dated, but still a gem - at least for a majority of the posters here. :wink:
http://teacherscribe.blogspot.com/2009/12/why-do-i-hate-vikings.html
Why Do I Hate the Vikings?
36-30. Now that was a game. I honestly cannot recall the last time I pulled for the Vikings. Even when they faced the Steelers, who had the division lead over the Bengals, I still pulled against them.
But pretty much as long as I can remember, I've hated the Vikings. Maybe it was because Mom (though Mom's true favorite team was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish) and Dad (though Dad always held a soft spot for the Cowboys) and Kevin were such fans.
Why such hate?
Well, there's the arrogance of the fans. One of my assistant coaches thinks the Vikings are going to win the Super Bowl EVERY YEAR!
Then there's the league's ugliest uniforms.
Maybe it's their awful stadium.
No, it might be that damned ugly freak of a Vikings mascot.
No, it is probably that they have the most annoying and arrogant play by play announcer, Paul Allen (who I heard talking arrogantly (that will be a repeated theme around here) on the radio a month ago where they were debating the Saints vs. the Vikings. I mean who would even consider that with the season not even in the books? Arrogance.)
Maybe it's because they are always going to get your hopes up and then break your heart. I recall watching games with Dad (really, I was just scanning the scores to see how the Bengals were doing). The Vikes would jump out to a big lead only to self destruct with ten minutes to go. Dad would get so frustrated and storm outside (usually, needing my assistance) and he would grumble under his breath, "Stupid, worthless Vikings. Why waste your whole afternoon watching them when all they do is lose?"
No, it's definitely the Brett Favre love fest. Even last night after the game as the ESPN reporter was trying to talk to Jay Cutler, who was in turn talking to Favre, didn't even really interview Cutler so much as aks him repeatedly what he thought about Favre and what it was like to beat Favre and how much he loved Favre, Favre, Favre, Favre.
Then there was Trent Dilfer (and who is this guy to critque quarterbacks? So, he 'won' a Super Bowl, but there were about 35 other quarterbacks in the league that year that could have won the SB with that Ravens defense. He made one throw in the playoffs - a five yard slant to Sterling Sharpe up in Oakland that Sharpe turned in to a 90 plus yard touch down. Other than that all Dilfer ever did was 'manage' football games because he'd more often than not lose games if he had to actually go out and try to complete four or five consecutive passes) on the ESPN post game show drooling all over Favre. They showed the last sack on Favre, where Favre clearly spikes the ball in the ground in frustration This, of course, is a delay of game penalty. But, of course, it was not called . . . because it was Favre. Had Culter done that? You bet it would have been called.
All Dilfer could conclude was, "You'll never call that on Favre."
Then why even have the rule?
It's as sickening as seeing Marvin Harrison or Randy Moss call their own pass interference penalties or Tom Brady call his own roughing the passer penalties.
But to be honest, this preferential treatmens is not something that was unique to the Vikings. Even when he was with the Packers and they were often horrible, all the announcers wanted to ever talk about was Favre. Especially John Madden. The Packers could be losing by 50 and he'd still blather on about Favre.
Now, the MNF crew is talking about the game and it's still all Favre, Favre, Favre. Idiot John Gruden is talking about how gutsy it was of Favre to come back! Never a mention about Cutler who totally outplayed Favre and kicked his ass! Yes, the Favre love fest is certainly a reason my hatred for the Vikings has been turned up another ten levels this year.
There are so many reasons to hate the Vikings that it's hard to settle on just one.
Here, though, is a history of my hatred.
I never followed football much until around 1981. That was the season the Bengals went to their first Super Bowl (and that's still more recently than the Vikings have been to one! - see there I go, ripping on the Vikes again. I can't help it!) and the season they changed from their horrible Cleveland Browns-esque helmets to the tiger striped ones still used today. And they are still the best uniforms in the league.
I watched the big back from Ohio State, Pete Johnson bowl over defenders. I saw Ken Anderson win two AFC passing titles. I saw Chris Collinsworth set the league on its head. I saw a rookie left tackle, Anthony Munoz, crush defenders. However, they blew it in the big game and lost to the 49ers (whom I have hated ever since too).
Of course, once I started liking the Bengals, they went in the tank. This culminated in 1986 when they missed the playoffs. They started 1987 horribly too and I thought, what the hell? I might as well be a Vikes fan.
And I was.
I remember coming back from Crookston with Mom in our blue Silverado and listening to the Vikes crush the Bears (who after the 1985 season still seemed like gridiron gods).
If I recall correctly, the 1987 season also included the players' strike and the scabs and all that other good stuff.
The Vikings managed to make the playoffs. They squared off against the loathed 49ers in the first round. Mom, Dad, and I sat around the TV that night to watch. The 49ers were huge favorites and it was to be a laugher.
But nobody told the Vikings. I'm not sure about their starting quarterback (either Wade Wilson or the boozer Tommy Kramer), but I do know that Anthony Carter absolutely went wild and crushed the 49ers.
The next week they travelled to the Saints. Again, this was supposed to be a laugher. But the Vikes killed 'em.
That took them to Washington for the NFC championship. And here is where I fell victim to the one trait that damns all Vikings fans: arrogance. I just KNEW they would crush the Redskins. I mean look at what they had done to the 49ers and the Saints. We were going to the Super Bowl!
I even recall walking down the hallway heading for the buses and a classmate asked what I was going to do that weekend.
"Watch the Vikings," I said.
"Let's hope they win," they said.
"Win? Of course, they will!" I said amazed that anyone would even question it. I KNEW they were going to win.
"Well . . . " they said, but I was headed for the bus.
Well, indeed. The rest, as they say, is history.
This game was no blow out. The Vikings struggled the whole day. Finally, finally, finally, they put a last ditch drive together. They were deep in Redskins territory. The quarterback found Darrin Nelson in the end zone for an easy game winning touchdown.
But he DROPPED it. (to be fair, years later I would see this play on the NFL Network and it wasn't as easy of a catch as I remember. He was fairly covered and it would have been a great catch had he made it).
Game over. No Super Bowl for the Vikings.
"This sucks. I might as well be a Bengals fan," I said and sauntered back upstairs to my Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels.
I have never strayed since (well, I came close last year and tried to quit the Bengals but I just couldn't). Oh yeah, and the Bengals went back to the Super Bowl in '88 and damn near beat the 49ers again!
And the Vikes have rarely sniffed the Super Bowl since.
They did, though, trade for Herschel Walker to help them to the Super Bowl. Though all it did was help the Dallas Cowboys build a dynasty (but that was okay because they put an end to the 49ers in several NFC championship games).
In fact, that same year - 1989 - the season ended on Christmas Eve with the Vikings hosting the Bengals on MNF. Both Mom and I chided each other that this was our Super Bowl. The winner was in the playoffs and the loser was done. They had a camera in the home of some Steelers players and in the home of some Packers players, for if the Vikes lost the Pack was in and if the Bengals won, the Steelers were in.
The Vikings moved the ball up and down the field but stalled every single time in the red zone, kicking five field goals and pulling ahead 15-0 before the Bengals scored a touchdown. In the second half the Bengals showed life with Boomer Esiason throwing for well over 300 yards, but eventually the Bengals lost 28-20. I hated them even more (luckily, the Vikings travelled to San Fran the next week and were promptly throttled by the 49ers who would cruise to their second consecutive Super Bowl title).
Now, I've mentioned one trait of Vikings fans is their arrogance. To wit - Mr. Matzke, our beloved history teacher - used to printout off these pick 'em sheets for all the playoffs. He gave them to his classes to fill out and the winner got a bag of candy. One of my buddies, Buff, was in the same class and we filled them out. When the Super Bowl came around, I asked Buff if he was still in the running in Mr. Matzke's pick 'em.
"No," Buff said, "I picked the Vikings to win the Super Bowl."
See? Foolish.
The Vikes finally put a team together in the late '90s, mainly thanks to a scrap heap quarterback (Randall Cunningham) and a heady draft pick by the organization that turned into some wide receiver named Randy Moss (of course, in typical Bungal fashion, the Bengals passed over him TWICE).
This was the most worried I ever became that the Vikes might actually cease their blundering and win a championship. They pretty much breezed through the regular season, only stumbling in Tampa Bay for their lone loss of the year (and killing the Bengals 27-3).
The Vikings took care of the Cardinals in their first playoff game.
Then the radio stations (again, here is the Vikings arrogance coming in to play) started playing some God-awful take on the Will Smith song "Miami" that talked about the Vikings going to Miami for the Super Bowl.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
The 14-2 Atlanta Falcons (remember, the Dirty Birds?) were the Vikes next opponent in the NFC Championship.
Now, prior to this some friends and I had been out at a bar. Of course, they were all talking about how the Vikes would win and take home the Super Bowl (though that was another game altogether that had to be played against - most likely - the defending Super Bowl champions Broncos - again, stupid arrogance!)
That was when I uttered my infamous curse.
I stood up and spoke these words, "Just watch. I guarantee that Gary Anderson will miss his first field goal of the year and Randy Moss will drop a sure touchdown. And the Vikings will lose."
Of course, my friends (namely Tuffer, Shane, and Gordy) laughed at me like I was a fool.
But I knew . . .
I watched the first half of the game at home with Mom. It was a fight from the start. The type of game the Vikings just weren't used to. See, their problem was they could drop 50 points on just about anybody (ask the Packers) by just chucking it deep to Moss or Carter or Jake Reed. Yet, they could also grind it out with that massive offensive line and Robert Smith or LeRoy Hoard. But - thanks to Denny Green - they never really had an identity on offense. They could just do whatever they wanted.
But in a fight, you need something to hang your hat on (whether it's the passing game like the 49ers or Bills always had or a smash mouth running game like the Giants and Cowboys displayed).
Plus, since they were always ahead, teams had to pass to have a chance. So the Vikings could just pin their ears back and go after the quarterback. Their run defense was totally untested . . . and a liability.
I learned this from watching Bill Parcells - with a very average NY Giants team - beat a far superior Buffalo Bills team in the '91 Super Bowl.
Sure enough, with Jamal Anderson and an efficient passing attack, the Falcons kept themselves in the game.
At half time, I drove up to my classroom and finished watching the game there while I graded papers.
That was when Moss dropped a pass in the end zone that would have put the Vikings up by ten. Then came Anderson's first miss of the year.
When the final seconds ticked down, I savored the loss there in my room . . . and turned out the lights - just in case Tuffer, Shane, and Gordy were outside for revenge.
Dad called later that night and said he ran into Shane and Gordy at the grocery store. Not only did they look like they were devastated, but Dad said they also inquired as to where I was.
Ha!
Of course, any Viking fan will remind you that the Vikings rebounded and two years later when they returned to the NFC championship game. I guess that season, which featured the Vikings roaring out to a dominating record before the wheels started coming off, reminds me of this year.
The Vikings finished 12-4 and had to go to Giants' Stadium for the NFC title game. However, that game was over in about 16 seconds as they lost 41-0. I still have that game recorded on VHS somewhere.
Well, things were relatively nice in Viking Hating Country until the brought in Brett Favre. I admit I was worried as they compiled a 10-1 record. Thankfully, the Saints also were tearing it up in the NFC.
But now the wheels have finally come off, they have tanked . . . pick your metaphor. The Cardinals - barely leading their division - destroyed the Vikings on a Sunday night game. Then the Panthers, who were well under .500, totally manhandled them. Now the Bears, with Jay Cutler - he of the 25 interceptions this year and without Devin Hester or any real receiving threat - totally dominated the Vikings for the entire first half (making it seven points that Favre and Peterson and all those others have generated in 6 quarters of football). The Vikes did roar back in the second half, but when it counted, they never manned up.
They let the Bears score their first fourth quarter touchdown of the season against them to pull ahead.
Favre did throw an awesome fourth down pass, but Rice made just as awesome of a catch to tie it up and send it to overtime.
But the Vikes wilted in OT. They gave up a big return and the Bears missed a FG. But then the Vikes couldn't protect Favre as he was sacked two times in a row.
Their defense did cause the Bears to go three and out, but then - akin to Gary Anderson missing a FG or Moss dropping a pass - AP fumbled yet again to set the Bears up.
But then the Bears' no name receiver just schooled the Vikings best defensive player for the game winning TD pass.
And whatever happened to mullet-boy Jared Allen? It's a good thing he plays the Pack twice a year or he'd be sitting with about six sacks this year.
Now, the Vikes could easily end up in the fourth playoff spot - maybe even hosting the Pack in the first round before (IF they win) having to go to New Orleans or Philly - depending on how things shake out.
Ahhh, things are certainly looking up around here. Even if (and when) the Bengals bow out of the playoffs, I always have the Vikings implosion to look forward to . . . and to tivo to watch all off season long.
http://teacherscribe.blogspot.com/2009/12/why-do-i-hate-vikings.html
Why Do I Hate the Vikings?
36-30. Now that was a game. I honestly cannot recall the last time I pulled for the Vikings. Even when they faced the Steelers, who had the division lead over the Bengals, I still pulled against them.
But pretty much as long as I can remember, I've hated the Vikings. Maybe it was because Mom (though Mom's true favorite team was the Notre Dame Fighting Irish) and Dad (though Dad always held a soft spot for the Cowboys) and Kevin were such fans.
Why such hate?
Well, there's the arrogance of the fans. One of my assistant coaches thinks the Vikings are going to win the Super Bowl EVERY YEAR!
Then there's the league's ugliest uniforms.
Maybe it's their awful stadium.
No, it might be that damned ugly freak of a Vikings mascot.
No, it is probably that they have the most annoying and arrogant play by play announcer, Paul Allen (who I heard talking arrogantly (that will be a repeated theme around here) on the radio a month ago where they were debating the Saints vs. the Vikings. I mean who would even consider that with the season not even in the books? Arrogance.)
Maybe it's because they are always going to get your hopes up and then break your heart. I recall watching games with Dad (really, I was just scanning the scores to see how the Bengals were doing). The Vikes would jump out to a big lead only to self destruct with ten minutes to go. Dad would get so frustrated and storm outside (usually, needing my assistance) and he would grumble under his breath, "Stupid, worthless Vikings. Why waste your whole afternoon watching them when all they do is lose?"
No, it's definitely the Brett Favre love fest. Even last night after the game as the ESPN reporter was trying to talk to Jay Cutler, who was in turn talking to Favre, didn't even really interview Cutler so much as aks him repeatedly what he thought about Favre and what it was like to beat Favre and how much he loved Favre, Favre, Favre, Favre.
Then there was Trent Dilfer (and who is this guy to critque quarterbacks? So, he 'won' a Super Bowl, but there were about 35 other quarterbacks in the league that year that could have won the SB with that Ravens defense. He made one throw in the playoffs - a five yard slant to Sterling Sharpe up in Oakland that Sharpe turned in to a 90 plus yard touch down. Other than that all Dilfer ever did was 'manage' football games because he'd more often than not lose games if he had to actually go out and try to complete four or five consecutive passes) on the ESPN post game show drooling all over Favre. They showed the last sack on Favre, where Favre clearly spikes the ball in the ground in frustration This, of course, is a delay of game penalty. But, of course, it was not called . . . because it was Favre. Had Culter done that? You bet it would have been called.
All Dilfer could conclude was, "You'll never call that on Favre."
Then why even have the rule?
It's as sickening as seeing Marvin Harrison or Randy Moss call their own pass interference penalties or Tom Brady call his own roughing the passer penalties.
But to be honest, this preferential treatmens is not something that was unique to the Vikings. Even when he was with the Packers and they were often horrible, all the announcers wanted to ever talk about was Favre. Especially John Madden. The Packers could be losing by 50 and he'd still blather on about Favre.
Now, the MNF crew is talking about the game and it's still all Favre, Favre, Favre. Idiot John Gruden is talking about how gutsy it was of Favre to come back! Never a mention about Cutler who totally outplayed Favre and kicked his ass! Yes, the Favre love fest is certainly a reason my hatred for the Vikings has been turned up another ten levels this year.
There are so many reasons to hate the Vikings that it's hard to settle on just one.
Here, though, is a history of my hatred.
I never followed football much until around 1981. That was the season the Bengals went to their first Super Bowl (and that's still more recently than the Vikings have been to one! - see there I go, ripping on the Vikes again. I can't help it!) and the season they changed from their horrible Cleveland Browns-esque helmets to the tiger striped ones still used today. And they are still the best uniforms in the league.
I watched the big back from Ohio State, Pete Johnson bowl over defenders. I saw Ken Anderson win two AFC passing titles. I saw Chris Collinsworth set the league on its head. I saw a rookie left tackle, Anthony Munoz, crush defenders. However, they blew it in the big game and lost to the 49ers (whom I have hated ever since too).
Of course, once I started liking the Bengals, they went in the tank. This culminated in 1986 when they missed the playoffs. They started 1987 horribly too and I thought, what the hell? I might as well be a Vikes fan.
And I was.
I remember coming back from Crookston with Mom in our blue Silverado and listening to the Vikes crush the Bears (who after the 1985 season still seemed like gridiron gods).
If I recall correctly, the 1987 season also included the players' strike and the scabs and all that other good stuff.
The Vikings managed to make the playoffs. They squared off against the loathed 49ers in the first round. Mom, Dad, and I sat around the TV that night to watch. The 49ers were huge favorites and it was to be a laugher.
But nobody told the Vikings. I'm not sure about their starting quarterback (either Wade Wilson or the boozer Tommy Kramer), but I do know that Anthony Carter absolutely went wild and crushed the 49ers.
The next week they travelled to the Saints. Again, this was supposed to be a laugher. But the Vikes killed 'em.
That took them to Washington for the NFC championship. And here is where I fell victim to the one trait that damns all Vikings fans: arrogance. I just KNEW they would crush the Redskins. I mean look at what they had done to the 49ers and the Saints. We were going to the Super Bowl!
I even recall walking down the hallway heading for the buses and a classmate asked what I was going to do that weekend.
"Watch the Vikings," I said.
"Let's hope they win," they said.
"Win? Of course, they will!" I said amazed that anyone would even question it. I KNEW they were going to win.
"Well . . . " they said, but I was headed for the bus.
Well, indeed. The rest, as they say, is history.
This game was no blow out. The Vikings struggled the whole day. Finally, finally, finally, they put a last ditch drive together. They were deep in Redskins territory. The quarterback found Darrin Nelson in the end zone for an easy game winning touchdown.
But he DROPPED it. (to be fair, years later I would see this play on the NFL Network and it wasn't as easy of a catch as I remember. He was fairly covered and it would have been a great catch had he made it).
Game over. No Super Bowl for the Vikings.
"This sucks. I might as well be a Bengals fan," I said and sauntered back upstairs to my Stephen King and Dean Koontz novels.
I have never strayed since (well, I came close last year and tried to quit the Bengals but I just couldn't). Oh yeah, and the Bengals went back to the Super Bowl in '88 and damn near beat the 49ers again!
And the Vikes have rarely sniffed the Super Bowl since.
They did, though, trade for Herschel Walker to help them to the Super Bowl. Though all it did was help the Dallas Cowboys build a dynasty (but that was okay because they put an end to the 49ers in several NFC championship games).
In fact, that same year - 1989 - the season ended on Christmas Eve with the Vikings hosting the Bengals on MNF. Both Mom and I chided each other that this was our Super Bowl. The winner was in the playoffs and the loser was done. They had a camera in the home of some Steelers players and in the home of some Packers players, for if the Vikes lost the Pack was in and if the Bengals won, the Steelers were in.
The Vikings moved the ball up and down the field but stalled every single time in the red zone, kicking five field goals and pulling ahead 15-0 before the Bengals scored a touchdown. In the second half the Bengals showed life with Boomer Esiason throwing for well over 300 yards, but eventually the Bengals lost 28-20. I hated them even more (luckily, the Vikings travelled to San Fran the next week and were promptly throttled by the 49ers who would cruise to their second consecutive Super Bowl title).
Now, I've mentioned one trait of Vikings fans is their arrogance. To wit - Mr. Matzke, our beloved history teacher - used to printout off these pick 'em sheets for all the playoffs. He gave them to his classes to fill out and the winner got a bag of candy. One of my buddies, Buff, was in the same class and we filled them out. When the Super Bowl came around, I asked Buff if he was still in the running in Mr. Matzke's pick 'em.
"No," Buff said, "I picked the Vikings to win the Super Bowl."
See? Foolish.
The Vikes finally put a team together in the late '90s, mainly thanks to a scrap heap quarterback (Randall Cunningham) and a heady draft pick by the organization that turned into some wide receiver named Randy Moss (of course, in typical Bungal fashion, the Bengals passed over him TWICE).
This was the most worried I ever became that the Vikes might actually cease their blundering and win a championship. They pretty much breezed through the regular season, only stumbling in Tampa Bay for their lone loss of the year (and killing the Bengals 27-3).
The Vikings took care of the Cardinals in their first playoff game.
Then the radio stations (again, here is the Vikings arrogance coming in to play) started playing some God-awful take on the Will Smith song "Miami" that talked about the Vikings going to Miami for the Super Bowl.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.
The 14-2 Atlanta Falcons (remember, the Dirty Birds?) were the Vikes next opponent in the NFC Championship.
Now, prior to this some friends and I had been out at a bar. Of course, they were all talking about how the Vikes would win and take home the Super Bowl (though that was another game altogether that had to be played against - most likely - the defending Super Bowl champions Broncos - again, stupid arrogance!)
That was when I uttered my infamous curse.
I stood up and spoke these words, "Just watch. I guarantee that Gary Anderson will miss his first field goal of the year and Randy Moss will drop a sure touchdown. And the Vikings will lose."
Of course, my friends (namely Tuffer, Shane, and Gordy) laughed at me like I was a fool.
But I knew . . .
I watched the first half of the game at home with Mom. It was a fight from the start. The type of game the Vikings just weren't used to. See, their problem was they could drop 50 points on just about anybody (ask the Packers) by just chucking it deep to Moss or Carter or Jake Reed. Yet, they could also grind it out with that massive offensive line and Robert Smith or LeRoy Hoard. But - thanks to Denny Green - they never really had an identity on offense. They could just do whatever they wanted.
But in a fight, you need something to hang your hat on (whether it's the passing game like the 49ers or Bills always had or a smash mouth running game like the Giants and Cowboys displayed).
Plus, since they were always ahead, teams had to pass to have a chance. So the Vikings could just pin their ears back and go after the quarterback. Their run defense was totally untested . . . and a liability.
I learned this from watching Bill Parcells - with a very average NY Giants team - beat a far superior Buffalo Bills team in the '91 Super Bowl.
Sure enough, with Jamal Anderson and an efficient passing attack, the Falcons kept themselves in the game.
At half time, I drove up to my classroom and finished watching the game there while I graded papers.
That was when Moss dropped a pass in the end zone that would have put the Vikings up by ten. Then came Anderson's first miss of the year.
When the final seconds ticked down, I savored the loss there in my room . . . and turned out the lights - just in case Tuffer, Shane, and Gordy were outside for revenge.
Dad called later that night and said he ran into Shane and Gordy at the grocery store. Not only did they look like they were devastated, but Dad said they also inquired as to where I was.
Ha!
Of course, any Viking fan will remind you that the Vikings rebounded and two years later when they returned to the NFC championship game. I guess that season, which featured the Vikings roaring out to a dominating record before the wheels started coming off, reminds me of this year.
The Vikings finished 12-4 and had to go to Giants' Stadium for the NFC title game. However, that game was over in about 16 seconds as they lost 41-0. I still have that game recorded on VHS somewhere.
Well, things were relatively nice in Viking Hating Country until the brought in Brett Favre. I admit I was worried as they compiled a 10-1 record. Thankfully, the Saints also were tearing it up in the NFC.
But now the wheels have finally come off, they have tanked . . . pick your metaphor. The Cardinals - barely leading their division - destroyed the Vikings on a Sunday night game. Then the Panthers, who were well under .500, totally manhandled them. Now the Bears, with Jay Cutler - he of the 25 interceptions this year and without Devin Hester or any real receiving threat - totally dominated the Vikings for the entire first half (making it seven points that Favre and Peterson and all those others have generated in 6 quarters of football). The Vikes did roar back in the second half, but when it counted, they never manned up.
They let the Bears score their first fourth quarter touchdown of the season against them to pull ahead.
Favre did throw an awesome fourth down pass, but Rice made just as awesome of a catch to tie it up and send it to overtime.
But the Vikes wilted in OT. They gave up a big return and the Bears missed a FG. But then the Vikes couldn't protect Favre as he was sacked two times in a row.
Their defense did cause the Bears to go three and out, but then - akin to Gary Anderson missing a FG or Moss dropping a pass - AP fumbled yet again to set the Bears up.
But then the Bears' no name receiver just schooled the Vikings best defensive player for the game winning TD pass.
And whatever happened to mullet-boy Jared Allen? It's a good thing he plays the Pack twice a year or he'd be sitting with about six sacks this year.
Now, the Vikes could easily end up in the fourth playoff spot - maybe even hosting the Pack in the first round before (IF they win) having to go to New Orleans or Philly - depending on how things shake out.
Ahhh, things are certainly looking up around here. Even if (and when) the Bengals bow out of the playoffs, I always have the Vikings implosion to look forward to . . . and to tivo to watch all off season long.