Following sports is supposed to be fun, but during playoff time, it is more fun to be a casual fan without much vested interest in who wins. Fun? This is intense, anxiety-inducing, gut-wrenching, obsessively worried, fearful, passionate.
Why? Because this feels like THE window for the Vikings to win a Super Bowl. They can win it this year: the pieces are in place. But of course they might not. And if they don't, when will they? Who is playing quarterback next year? How much longer do some key veterans (Pat Williams, Steve Hutchinson, Antoine Winfield) have left? For that matter, how much longer will the Vikings be in Minnesota?
This is it: the Vikings need to win one game, then the next, then the next. If they don't, they very well may never win the Super Bowl. Brett Favre has elevated the franchise, given us this chance.
This Viking team can win the Super Bowl. But they might also lose next Sunday, and if they do, that's it. The dream season is over. There won't be any Super Bowl, there won't be any championship, Brett Favre will retire, and we'll continue another dreary Minnesota winter with a football team that has never won the Super Bowl. The finality of it all is intense. Today Green Bay's 11-5 season ended when an overtime fumble got returned for a touchdown. They win the game, maybe they make a deep playoff run. Instead it's all over. For a young team like the Packers, that certainly hurts, but they're built to be back in this situation again.
For a veteran team like the Vikings, quarterbacked by a 40 year old legend playing the best football of his career, to leave the playoffs so quickly would be devastating. As a fan, I might not recover. This feels like the last chance.
So it's "fun," yes. I mean, it's better than most things. But it's also an intense, anxious, fearsome time.
The Vikings play the Cowboys next week: the winner goes to the NFC Championship game.
I believe in Favre! The Vikes are hungry & they're at home! "Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die!"
ReplyDeleteBig week! Vikes need to be ready. Cowboys are very good right now. Very capable of winning the game. Early start and home crowd are huge for this one. Pressure on Romeo is also important. Watch him piss his pants under pressure.
ReplyDeleteAP needs to run 20 plus times.
Relax, have some fun with this as many teams never get to this point. Think of the Lions or the Bengals. Cincinnati has not won a play-off game in a long time. Play-offs twice in 20 years or some crazy number.
Enjoy, watch the game, enjoy the game, and cheer for the Vikes!
be thankful the Vikes got the cowpies and not the cardinals!
ReplyDeleteI agree. But they better have a way to beat/stop the pass rush. WR screen to harvin or slants - max protect. And also would like to see Chester T get involved early, if not often. Must get the run game going.
ReplyDeleteI share all of your anxious and frantic feelings! I am so concerned that the week off will be more of a detriment then a blessing. Can Childress allow Farve to call the shots on the field? This is no to be conservative! We can't afford to miss crucial tackles or let the defensive rush get inside our heads. Farve showed he CAN perform under pressure against the Giants, and there's no reason that success can't be duplicated. This is a VERY tough game, but I have the faith the Vikes can pull it off! SKOL!
ReplyDeleteGreat bllog I enjoyed reading
ReplyDelete