The Weekend in Review

No, no championships here, my friends, easy, just a few sports highlights from SBW -

1. My text to FOB MC (an Iowa football fan much like our very own RTS):

"Floyd of Rosedale? Come on Iowa you're better than that."

Closed circuit to RTS "Sorry, dude. Notice, I didn't text you to rub it in."

2. Debut of Leslie Llewellyn Frazier *
That had all the drama of making a bagel. It was like Washington said "we are the team who you think we are . . . if by that you mean 'mediocre.'" Favre playing within some sort of offensive system, not making crushing turnovers, having "fun," (doing the cha-cha on Chilly's grave) - you know, being just like Brett Favre (half the time.) AP looked like a man possessed before the injury (cross fingers nothing serious.) Nice way to not fumble Toby Gerhart. Next time maybe we can stick the knife in 'em when we get a turnover on the opponent's 12 yard line but I'll take the "W" for now.

3. Below: Bro-in-law's signed program from 1987. Told you he had some sweet access. I could make out (left corner, counter-clockwise): TK, Puckett, Hrbek, Gladden (I think), Reardon, Viola, Blyleven, and four others I can't really make out (although one is "Steve Lombar" could be Steve Lombardozzi but how do you not sign the rest of your name? Maybe that was his equivalent of Ron Mexico?)


* Llewellyn may or not be his middle name but it should be.

Happy Thanksgiving to FTLOSBW and to all a good night!

It was a cold, cold Thanksgiving but Charlotte didn't mind.

Wormer, he's a dead man! Marmalard, dead! Niedermeyer, dead! Childress, dead!

He's done.

Gopher Hoops - A solid start

Looks like Tubby can do two things Brewster never could - recruit and coach - as your Minnesota Golden Gophers win the Puerto Rico Tip-off Tournament. Solid wins over UNC (who then mailed it in versus Vanderbilt) and West Virginia mean the Gophers will crack the Top 25 this week.




Yes, I am ignoring all other things that are negative today.

Gardy Wins AL Manager of the Year

Congrats to Gardy. He definitely deserves to have one of these awards sitting on his mantle. However, given the late season swoon to blow home field advantage, the managing of the pitching staff and the continued inability to get the team up for the Yankees makes this award kind of feel like a gold watch. He won it for continued success not so much for the job done this year. Anyone else feel the same?

Vikes v. Bears - The Collective Crap in our Pants

Yes, I am going to comment on the f'ing game, I know we have all given up but after a snowstorm on Saturday knocked out our power (only got it back on this morning) we spent the rest of the weekend with my in-laws which meant I had ample time to take in the game. I actually watched until there were 8 minutes left in the 4th quarter, it would have been a waste of time but there wasn't much else going on for me so . . .

Game Notes:

1. Note to Leslie Frazier: Dude, our four man rush doesn't work like it did last year. Blame it on Cedric Griffith going down or whatever but how about a blitz at some point during the first half yesterday? Side note to the front four: You're terrible this year. Kevin, act like you care. Pat, once in a while collapse the pocket, please. Jared, grow that mullet back, we're not paying you to be a pussy. Ray, you look like the best of all of them but still you're showing why the Vikes didn't give you a huge extension like you wanted.

2. Note to special teams: All year you play solid and then this? So maddening it's unreal. It's Devon Hester, tackle him like anyone else.

3. Note to whoever is calling the offense (Brad? Darrell? Brett?): Here's the deal, we all know Sidney isn't out there and Moss ain't walking back through that door and Berrian is the most overpaid wideout in the league but you still NEED to throw it downfield and give the impression that we might be going deep once in a while. I get it, it was windy, then why did Cutler look like Montana? Sidenote: Camarillo, drop another touchdown pass assface and I cut you, and I mean with a knife not from the roster. Double sidenote: Berrian, I read you defended yourself by saying you're a tough guy who plays hurt a lot but know one knows about those times, well yesterday was one of those days to play hurt. Suck it up.

4. Note to whoever is calling the offense part deux: We have AP. I don't care about no 9 guys in the box, we have AP. Put it on his back, he wants it.

5. Note to ownership: I love you Zygi, I really do. You do everything I would as an owner, you spend money, you take risks on free agents, you want to win. I think you're gonna get your stadium too which makes me happy. But you didn't do one thing yesterday I would have which is catch Chilly as he is walking off the field and fire him right then and there and tell him to take the millions you're still paying him and buy his own f'ing ticket home. There is no room for losers on my ship.

6. Note to Favre: Bow out gracefully. End the streak. It looks like you're trying to do that (read here.) We made the deal with the devil and it has blown up on us so please take your lovely wife and your cellphone with your penis pictures on it and go home. Quit. Just go away. I'd rather see TJac and Joe Webb run some hybrid of the Wildcat as it would be waaaay more entertaining.

7. Note to FTLOSBW: We're 3 and 6 and going nowhere. Deal with it. I want two things from the rest of this year, one is a win over the Packers next Sunday. Long shot I know. And two, I'd like to see someone break Cutler's jaw when we play them later this year in the dome.

Save Gopher Football

I agree with everything here particularly how inept Joel Maturi actually is - Save Gopher Football

Vikes v. Cards - The (Almost) Turd in the Tundra

Well, we won. Can I get a wha, wha?

I spent the day doing chores. Lots of raking (not that it did me any good too as my yard is again full of leaves as of 7 a.m. this morning) and a few errands, (note to editor: insert "bed bath and beyond" joke from Old School.) There was more raking and chores than listening to the game as things seemed weird early and I wanted no part of the drama.

These are actual snippets that I caught of the game over the day (note to editor: insert joke, something about writing a book called "Being a Vikings fan or How to root for your favorite team in just 10 minutes a day"):

1. I heard Greg Camarillo save our season. Total time committed to Vikings - 3:15

2. I heard AP score in the 1st then I went around the side of the house to grab something and came back to listen to Jay Feeley hit the Cards xtra point to tie it. Total time committed to the Vikings - 4:00

3. I caught the line: "What hurt us was the timeout we took thinking we were going to get the ball back as it gave some time for the Cards to come up with something and then a missed tackle by us and they go on to score the go ahead touchdown. Cardinals 14, Vikings 10 on your Vikings Radio Network." Total time committed to Vikings - 4:08

4. Drove to get dog food. Turned on radio just as Percy fields the opening kickoff of the 2nd half. Turned off radio. Total time committed to Vikings - 4:15

5. Had late pizza lunch with family ("Punch Pizza" over in Calhoun Village, one of those Italian brickoven-type places, stop over if you're in town, delicious by the way) turned on radio on during drive home, hear something about Favre having thrown a pick (not his fault, btw) on the Cards 2 yard line that could be the "deciding factor of the game." Cards kick field goal. Turn off radio. Total time committed to Vikings - 6:20

6. Give dog a bath. Walk into kitchen to grab something, Vikes driving. Watch Favre misfire with six minutes left. Like Favre who later said in his presser that he thought the season was pretty much over at that point ("one foot in the parking lot" was how I think he said it) I too think season is over. Total time committed to Vikings - 8:20.

7. Take towels from bath downstairs. Watch AP run one in. Walk away, Vikes still down by 7. Total time committed to Vikings - 8:29.

8. Put towels in wash. Futz in workroom (I'm building a robot), return to family, Mrs. Jan comments something about tying it up. I tell her I don't care. Total time committed to Vikings - 8:32.

9. Mrs. Jan encourages me to watch rest of game. Cooler-heads prevail and I agree. Sit down on couch and turn on t.v. literally as Longwell's kick seals the OT win. Total time committed to Vikings - 8:34.

FTLOSBW - Living up to its name

The Randy Moss era part deux comes to an end

3 other things the Vikings could have done with the 3rd round draft pick they traded for Moss:

3. Draft another project QB like Tavaris Jackson.
2. Write the words 3rd round draft pick on poster board and burn it.
1. Fail to turn in a pick on time and slide down the order.