Coming off the ledge: Eagles 23, Vikings 16

Eagles-Vikings Box Score at NFL.com

The Vikings lost another game by a one score margin (the fourth such loss this season). And what is there to say that there wasn't to say for the previous three? The Vikes lost primarily because of their deficiencies in the passing game, offensively and defense. They can't mount a consistent passing game and they can't stop an opposing passing game. That's all.

At the beginning of the season, I thought the Vikings' ability to run and stop the run would allow them to keep games close and overcome the passing game deficiencies. I was right that they are able to keep games close, but obviously wrong that they could overcome the inabilities to pass or stop the pass. To win games, this Viking team needs to do the little things right. Like not field a kickoff while stepping out of bounds at the one (Peterson). Like bumbling a ball into the end zone when you have a chance to pin the opponent inside the three (Leber). Like not wasting timeouts on completely unwinnable challenges (Childress). The Vikings can win, but they don't. It's getting harder to find unique things to say about Viking losses, because they all seem the same now. So here's the new template:

It was a close, winnable game, but the Vikings gave up too many plays in the passing game, couldn't really make plays passing offensively, and made a few small mistakes that could have turned the game the other way.

Pass to Peterson!
Today it seemed that every running play with Adrian Peterson was the same play, just left or right. Can't the Vikings find ways to get Peterson involved in the passing game? It just makes such obvious sense.

A. The team doesn't have any consistent threat in the passing game--meaning passing to your best skill position player just makes sense.

B. Peterson is an incredible runner capable of making big plays when he's in the open field--meaning that throwing passes to him gives him such opportunities.

If the Vikings want to score points, they need to throw the pass to Peterson. Today Peterson had 20 rushing attempts, for a pretty mediocre 70 yards. If Peterson catches 3-4 passes, doesn't he produce many more yards?

A pacifist at a football game
As a pacifist, I'm often bothered when promotion of the military is merged so prominently with professional sports. Today at halftime, marines came to the Metrodome put on a show marching around and twirling their rifles. I know that many see such displays as a chance to appreciate, support, and thank soldiers for their sacrfice. I hope you can also understand why I see such displays as glorification of militarism.

Why are marines practicing these exercises in which they march around in silent unison doing tricks with rifles? Yes, I understand it reflects and instills discipline (and perhaps boosts morale, I'm not sure). But what does it serve? If the terrorists could see the marines silently marching in step and spinning their guns, would they give up and stop fighting? The drill/performance of marching and spinning guns appears a deliberate attempt to promote militarism. There's little utilitarian benefit; the primary benefit is to promote the military and instill support among people for military values.

I understand that many people associate patriotism with support for the military. As a person with practical, moral, and religious objection to war, I do not do so. And I continue to be dismayed as sporting events are used to show off the military.

Traffic
I don't blame people who leave games early. I don't see them as inferior fans. They're just trying to beat the ridiculous traffic around the Metrodome. It's brutal.

Downtown Minneapolis makes it brutally difficult to get back to St. Paul. But that's only part of the problem. No matter where you go, you're getting there slowly. If I choose not to renew my season tickets, after game traffic will be a primary reason.

Who I like on the Vikings right now
E.J. Henderson. The Vikings were wise to sign him to a contract extention, and wise to move him to middle linebacker. He's all over the field making tackles.

Pat Williams. Williams is a monster; teams simply cannot run up the middle.

Adrian Peterson. He's still the only hope for a future offense in Minnesota. THROW him the ball!

Brooks Bollinger. It's not that I really think he's any good. But Tarvaris Jackson can't throw an accurate pass, and Kelly Holcomb gets sacked all the time (because he's immobile, and he holds the ball too long). Bollinger is mobile and throws quickly. Of all the QBs on the roster, he might give the team the best chance to win. Though I'm not entirely sure signing Bo McNobody off the street wouldn't give the team a better chance to win.

Keep Mewelde Moore active and let him return punts.
Just do it. Bobby Wade gives you no chance at a big return; Moore gives you some chance. The offense is crappy; it might be helpful if the punt return team gave the team some better field position.

Looking forward
Let's put off the "We can now give up on the 2007 season" post for at least another week. I'm not saying it couldn't come now, only that I'm putting it off for at least a week.

Sports and War

The 2007-08 Upper Deck First Edition basketball set has a rookie insert set called "2007 NBA Rookie Draft Notices."

A picture of the player is on the left of the card. On the right appear the words "ORDER TO REPORT." Below that reads "To: (player's name)." In a small box labeled "SELECTIVE SERVICE INFO.," you can see the date of birth, hometown, position, and team of the player. Below is an image of a red stamped seal. The seal is a circle with an eagle in it; the circle includes the words "SERVICE REQUESTED" and a banner in the seal reads "DRAFT NOTICES."

Let's accept that the word "draft" for conscription into military service and the word "draft" for selection to a professional sports team has the same root. The Oxford English Dictionary (institution subscription required) includes the following noun and verb definitions with usage as early as the 18th century: "The drawing off, detachment, or selection of a party from a larger body for some special (spec. military) duty or purpose; spec. (esp. in U.S.), selective conscription" and "To draw off or out and remove (a party of persons, animals, or things) from a larger body for some special duty or purpose. Chiefly in Mil. use, and in Stock-farming: see quots. Also (chiefly U.S.), to conscript." The word has the meaning of selection for special service, but was usually associated with military service well before pro sports leagues held "drafts" (the OED doesn't even include reference to a sports draft), so I suspect sports leagues borrowed the term from the military usage.

Even if pro sports borrowed the word draft from the military usage, isn't it a little extreme for Upper Deck to make such a clear analogy on a card? "Draft Notices" sent by the "Selective Service" System inform men that they are being required to report for military duty, where they must sacrifice whatever plans they had for their lives, get training in how to kill people, and then possibly risk their lives in warfare. Is it responsible for Upper Deck to draw such a clear parallel between conscripts and basketball players, for whom a draft notice means playing professional basketball for millions of dollars?

Explaining Football

In football, an offense has a ground attack and an air attack (or aerial assault), and has various offensive weapons. At any rate, the team has a plan of attack to use these weapons. The team’s success might depend on whether it can win the turnover battle, or it might depend on how it plays in the trenches. The quarterback is the field general, and he throws bombs, bullets, missiles, and darts. The quarterback may have a cannon for an arm, he may have a rocket arm, or he may have a gun. At any rate when he sees an open receiver he pulls the trigger. The quarterback might hand off to a tank at running back. The offense marches down the field, and its goal is to invade the end zone.

The defense will try to break through or penetrate the enemy line, or the front line. It may attempt to do so with a blitz. For the defense to succeed, it must also play well in the trenches, as the linemen engage in trench warfare. But the secondary might have a head hunter or an assassin that stops the offense, too. The offense may have to develop a counter attack to deal with the defense’s schemes. It must attack the defense’s weaknesses.

And on special teams there is a gunner that must also launch himself at the ball carrier.

Or, if that doesn't sound fun...

On offense, the defense is going to try get penetration. But you have to just keep pounding it up the middle. You need a running back to hit the hole hard if you're going to succeed. It might not work at first, but you have to keep pounding it.