Moving On...

In response to jan's post below, wherein he bravely attempts to confront last Sunday's debacle and make some sense of it and how to go forward in fandom, rts stated:

"I hope the Colts humiliate the Saints. I don't really even care about the Super Bowl. Let's just get to Twins season."

I wholeheartedly concur. I've turned over that last football game in my head enough at this point. That team's cursed and I'm done burning any more of my dwindling supply of coal on them for the time being. I'm not going to deter anyone else from ruminating on it further; we all deal in our own ways. However, if anyone else wants to bury their head in the sand on the Vikes the way I do right now, I'm going to do my damnedest to provide you material to distract your mind and eventually focus it on beisbol, which been much better to me.

So, here goes. Chew on this one first: might we see something at least approaching Franchise '06 this season?

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/features/column.aspx?sport=MLB&columnid=13&articleid=34656

Even modest improvement over last year solves a lot of rotation issues for us, but if he can step up to be a #2 or 3 guy again? Look out, baby.

Also, in addition to the value of him not homering against us ever again, the Sox fan reaction to Thome's signing is by itself worth the entire $1.5M:

http://www.southsidesox.com/2010/1/26/1271355/thome-to-twins-1-5m-plus-incentives#comments

Schadenfreude is yummy. I've got a Sox fan in the office next to me and he's spent the entire week trying to convince me Thome's .370 OBP sucks because he's such a baseclogger. I'll take those walks when it means Morneau and Kubel advance to second and third all day long, suckers. I also can't wait for Danks and Floyd to regress to the mean this year while Freddie Garcia does nothing special and their Greatest Rotation Ever ends up looking just pretty good, to go along with an old, crappy, no identity lineup.

Thome A Twin

Rumor mill has us talking to Frank Thomas and Junior, too, just to get all the old guys who have hit more than 400 homeruns against us on our side for their twilight years.

$1.5M + up to $750K in incentives. That's cheap as anything for an .850 OPS and 25 homers.

2009 Vikings Retrospective Volume 1: "It's In My Nature"

Still trying some rationalization techniques to explain the events of Sunday night. I'm coping by trying my hardest to just kinda "shrug" and move on and I haven't read a paper or watched Sportscenter or any local news or sports coverage (something I'm going to continue for the forseeable future.) Nice being "unplugged" or "living off the grid" as some hippies might say.

Anyway, thought I should at least begin the healing or whatever by periodically discussing the game/season/emotions from a year that Browns fans would literally kill for. I'm not expecting we all are ready for this; heck, maybe I'm not even ready (LH - I tried to listen to your voicemail from Sunday night but ended up just hitting "delete", assumed it was about the game.)

I'd like to start out my rationalization for what happened with Favre's INT and AP's fumbles by looking to that old fable called: "The Scorpion and the Frog." I'm sure you're familiar but basically the a scorpion asks a frog for a lift across a river, the frog is afraid of being stung, but the scorpion reassures him that if he were to sting the frog, the frog would sink and the scorpion would drown as well. The frog then agrees; nevertheless, in mid-river, the scorpion stings him, dooming the two of them. When asked why, the scorpion explains, "I'm a scorpion; it's my nature." I believe Favre's INT and Peterson's fumbles to be in their nature. I'm not sure what that gets me other than I guess I should have known (I did kinda know that, right?) but those plays are just in them. Do you trade those fumbles for 1,300 yards, 18 tuddies on the ground or that pick for 4,000 yards ad 33 tuddies through the air? Hard not to.

Ok, back to existing in a "news-free" environment. Expect Volume 2 in February or maybe not.

Sally the Goldfish

My daughter's fish, Sally the Goldifsh, swam to the lake at the end of the stream. Rest in peace. 12/24/09-01/26/10.

So, How 'bout Them Timberwolves?

VIkes v. Saints Recap

That was depressing.

A furore normannorum libera nos domine*

Friday before the big game, I'm sure you're as excited as I am. Driving around today, it's all people are talking about. At breakfast our waitress asked "So, you guys Vikes fans?" (in an accent that would make Marge Gunderson proud.) In fact, Prince has recorded a Vikings "hymnal" for Sunday's game (click here); yeah, it is kinda weird and not really "Prince" but the lyrics aren't bad and hey, Prince is a Vikes fan, love it. Whatever.

As for the game - I still like us, I like us a lot. And I also like the fact that this blog, the members of FTLOSBW, has come together and shed our negativity for a common cause (while maintaining 100% of our superstitions.) RTS - I won't text you with results good or bad, the game will be yours to watch in its entrity, you've earned that much (I'm not speaking for DTK.) Sure, Ray Edwards and Kevin Williams are battling knee issues and Percy (please, please, please, please God heal Percy) is having migraines again but I'm still feeling positive and optimistic - two emotions that I can't say I've had about this team, well, since ever. At this stage of the "game" talent usually wins out and I think we are more talented, collectively, than the Saints.

Fire it up. Fire it up, big time.

The Viking Prayer

Lo, there do I see my father
Lo, there do I see my mother and my sisters and my brothers
Lo, there do I see the line of my people back to the beginning
Lo, they do call to me
They bid me take my place among them in the Halls of Valhalla
Where the brave may live.
Forever.

* From the fury of the Norsemen, oh Lord, deliver us

Are you exicted?

Are you excited? You should be. Are you sitting at work or at home or on the crapper and thinking "I can't wait for Sunday to fill me with such joy and energy that I want to sit here and do nothing but watch coverage and read FTLOSBW blog." Do you want to paint your face and dress up in Helga horns? I do. Do you want to see BG doing acapella "Don't Stop Believin"? I do. I have to say, i am excited. and, yes, i have my hopes up. WAY up. I'm not buying the "don't get your hopes up" phoilosophy anymore. I do have my hopes up. I admit it. Why shouldn't I?

I like thinking about how great it will be to win. I like thinking about how great it will be to watch Drew Brees stare dejectedly as we celebrate. I like daydreaming about Miami and two weeks of nonstop Viking hype. I like thinking about what it will be like to feel something we've never felt as vikings fans. I don't know if I deserve it more than other people, so I figure I can at least want it more.

People need to stop trying to make life better by making sure they never expect too much out of it.

I know, people will say if you get your hopes up, they crush your dreams. I know because i've seen it for 35 years. I want to ask the "expect the worst so you wont be let down" people how that's worked out for them. Have they felt ok after all the let downs? because i never have. In fact, i've felt really really shitty after each and every one of them. so i figure I'm going to get every ounce of joy out of this rollercoaster before it stops.

I have to have faith that it wont fly off the tracks. If it does, then at least i didn't get killed waiting in line.

VIkes and the number "4"

Get ready to blow your mind:

• Vikings have lost all 4 Super Bowls they have played in
• Vikings have lost all 4 NFC Championship Games since then
• Vikings lost in Super Bowl IV - 40 years ago
• Vikings are playing this weekend to go to Super Bowl XLIV (44)
• Favre (4) threw 4 tuddies last weekend
• Vikings are 4-4 on the road this year.
  

Vikes get the Saints; Volume 1

In the first of what I'm sure will be daily updates, I'd like to start the conversation about the pending game. As usual, I work in "lists":

1. Before we get to the Saints, we just took Dallas behind the shed and beat the tar out of them. Think about 34-3 for a second; f'ing Jerry Jones. That feels so good.

2. The Saints - look, I'm not gonna bad mouth them, last thing I need is Darren Sharper to sign into his Blogger account ("Sharper42") and print off the front page of FTLOSBW and pin it in the locker room. I'll just say that I like us, I like us a lot.

3. Us - let's talk about 'us' the collective 'we' the 'Vikings.' Feels like a 'team,' right? Feels like everyone is pulling together in the same direction, right? The wave of momentum that started when the ball was kicked off to start the second half of that last Bears game has continued and everyone has picked up their game and focused. We stumbled during that Cowboys game from the 2:00 mark in the second quarter basically through the 3rd quarter where we had some bad penalties and bad clock management by Chilly but I love, love, love the fact we kept our foot on their throats and we scored that last offensive touchdown to Shank to keep the fire stoked.

4. FTLOSBW's "High Five of the Day" - I'm not going to go with 'x-factor' as it is over used and I'm not going to go all Merill Hoge and start talking 'factor backs' (honestly, I don't mind Hoge but it's like he trademarked 'factor back' and wants ESPN to pay him every time he uses it.) Anyway, the "High Five of the Day" goes to:

• AP. I think this is it, this is HIS game. It's been brewing for weeks, right? You can feel it; palpable. He's coming. Purple Jesus.

For your viewing pleasure some AP Highlights:

• Just because it's Al Harris.
• Nike commercial - extended version, by my count he scores 3 tuddies; I really think he is going to be a man possessed on Sunday. I also think that if you peel back his skin, it really looks like that underneath.
• Quality sucks but have never seen this before.
• As a reminder of what we have in All Day, lest you forget.

One down, two to go: VIkes v. Dallas' Team

What an asskicking. Felt so good for so many reasons. Just some thoughts as it soaks in and I finish watching my 4th Sportscenter highlights:

1. The day belonged to Ray. I hope his knee is fine for this weekend but if not, I feel like someone else is gonna step up big on that defense. We held them to 3 points. 3. Say it again, 3.

2. Favre - Love him. The entire state of Wisconsin groaned at having to watch yesterday - happy for him, hatin' on the Purple.

3. Sidney - oh, Sidney my how you have grown.

4. Note to Keith Brooking: You're a pussy. The Cowboys were calling timeouts at the 7 minute mark, not exactly conceding; no doubt Vikings fans have let games like that slip away in the past, I have no problem with stepping on teams throats at this point in the season, regardless. Sometimes when your wide receiver pushes off in a 1975 playoff game it takes 35 years for things to be set right.

Vikes/Cowboys Notes

1. Sport's Guy is the latest in basically everyone taking the Cowboys. Haven't read a full Simmons article in 2 years; he was highligthed on ESPN.com's front page with apparently something to say, guess what, he didn't say anything.

2. I'm excited to have this game. I'm excited to sit down on Sunday, for round 2 of the playoffs, and watch us play to go to the NFC Championship Game. I like us. I like us a lot. It's fun to like us a lot.

3. Someone once said: "More fun to be all in than holding chips for that next hand that may never come."

4. I'd like to imagine the members of FTLOSBW on bar stools somewhere, watching this game together as a united front. I'll settle for DTK on the couch next to me in my basement.

Vikes get Cowboys: Welcome to Da Hood.

Game time. Few thoughts as we approach this weekend:

1. Not really nervous about this; not because I'm overly confident but because you are gonna have to play games against good teams to win the Superbowl. Here is game #1. You can wish whoever you want to be our opponent but that really doesn't matter. Matters if you show up. Seahawks, Lions, Rams it's not.

2. Commit to it now: no negativity. Try it on, see if it fits, I think you'll like it.

3. Welcome to Da Hood.

4. We're good too, you know.

5. Two weeks ago it was the Eagles. Last weeks it was the Packers. This week its the Cowboys. Next week it will be whoever wins the Saints/Cardinals game. Nobody picking us.

Local forecast - 55410

I continue my duty to report on the weather here since I live here and it's all we talk about because we're a repressed bunch of Scandinavian, German, Western European mutts who don't want to discuss anything personal.

Today, January 8, 2010 -
ALERT: Windchill Advisory in Effect until 12:00 CST

• High: 5
  
• Low: -13
  

Windchill between -20 and -30 throughout the day.

Odds and Ends

A smorgasbord for this hump day in January:

1) Percy wins offensive rookie of the year in an absolute landslide (41 out of 50 votes). Joining Randy Moss, Sammy White (really?), Chuck Foreman and Paul Flatley as other Vikings to win the award. What a stud. I usually don't gush about Childress' decisions, but this was a great draft pick. And I have to admit, our drafts during his tenure have been relatively successful.

2) Jags and Bill are "first choices" to inhabit the yet-to-be-built LA stadium, according to an article today. The quote also mentions that this development company will not approach the Vikings, Niners or Chargers, as long as those teams "are pursuing stadium deals of their own." This is probably a big non-event, but I'm actually happy that we're not at the top of this list. The Jags absolutely have to be the top choice, given that they have a relatively crappy stadium and didn't sell out a SINGLE home game this year.

3) Gopher hoops spanked by Purdue. Not a big deal...Purdue is awesome, it was on the road. Nothing unexpected. Gophers need to start elevating their play very soon, however.

4) As mentioned in yesterday's comment section: Big Ten goes 4-3 in bowl games, beating the #7, #9, #12 and #14 teams in the nation (or something close to that). The 3 losses were by my Nerd U Wilcats in OT, by the Gophers in a 1-point game, and by MSU in a game where they were missing 14 players. Not bad. My pet peeve is the "Big Ten doesn't have speed and can't play with the elite teams in the Southeast and West" argument. Please. While we probably couldn't hang with Texas, Alabama or Florida this year, we can go toe-to-toe with everyone else. Get over it, SEC.

5) Any update on the Mauer negotiations???

Congratulations to the Hawk and to Bert who made a impressive jump this year

While the Hawk was the only player elected to the Hall this ballot, a Mr. Bert Blyleven (whom I know we all hold near and dear to our hearts) made a huge jump this year and fell just 5 votes short of entry. He ended up with 400 votes this year up from 338 last year. Given he's this close and is down to his last 2 years, he's a near lock to get in (normally players pick up some borderline/sympathy votes in their last few chances).

Question: Does Bert belong?

Bert's Career Highlights:
W:287 (25th all-time)
L:250 (10th all -time, but why are you focused on this?)
ERA: 3.31
G: 692
CS:685 (9th all-time)
CG: 242 (wow!)
SHO: 60 (9th all-time)
IP: 4,970 (13th all-time)
H: 4,632
ER: 1830
HR: 430
BB: 1322
SO: 3,701 (6.7 per 9 innings-... again, wow!) (5th all-time)

2009 NFL Post-Season: NFC Match Ups Round 1

I do most things in my life because everyone else does them so lets talk NFC playoffs. Time to call your shot with as much or little thought as you'd like.

ARIZONA (4) v. Packers (5)

Everyone loves the Packers right now. They rattled off a bunch of wins, lost on a last second play at Pittsburgh (likes the Vikes), and then drilled Arizona in their season finale with Arizona even suffering a couple key injuries to Cromartie and Boldin (if he strapped them on again after this, he'll play this weekend.) Arizona is classic Jekyll and Hyde, if the team that showed up last year in the playoffs and against the Purple a month ago, watch out. I think Warner has one left in him and something to prove after getting destroyed last week.

Arizona 31
Packers 24

DALLAS (3) v. Philly (6)

Oh, and everyone loves Dallas right now too (remember how everyone LOVED the Eagles going into that Dallas game?) Impressive finish - they exposed the Saints in the Superdome (saw that coming, right?) and they closed out their season by taking it to Philly who looked like they showed up on Sunday thinking the game was on Monday. Do they have momentum? Yes. Their losses this year: Giants (twice), at San Diego, at Green Bay, at Denver. Nothing that atroicious. However, it's gonna come down to quarterbacks and I'll take McNabb in this one over Romo.

Philly 17
Dallas 13

That's right, we get Arizona at the Dome remember last time that happened?

Vikes v. Giants - Regular Season Finale

And with that, all is again right in the football world. Vikes beat down an uninterested Giants team, not a game that reverses a diseased 41-0 NFC Championship game but putting up 44 and rolling it up on the G-men felt good and continued to feed off the second half of last week's Bears game.

Game Balls -

1. 40 for 60 - that's right, the whole damn team. Favre went 316 yards and 4 tuddies and Sidney took another leap forward and Chad Greenway had an athletic interception and on and on and on, right? They played like a team and dominated.

With the win the Vikes finish 12-4. How good does that feel to say, right? Say it again, 12-4. A first round bye and right now the road goes through us or through New Orleans, I'll take that 6 days a week and twice on Sunday's. One week of watching games then we pick up where we left off.