Take that Arizona. Back at Ya! That Will Learn Ya!

So, the last time the Vikings played Arizona, there was a head coach about to be fired, it was just after a major holiday, and a recovered onside kick led to improbable 4th down conversion and victory from the jaws of defeat for a team from the desert.

Yesterday was about as close a case of Deja Vu that one can get. It wasn't Josh McCown to Nate Poole, instead it was a rookie QB phenom who lead a team of celler dwellers from a 31-13 deficit to a near miss, 31-25 miracle finish. This time, the Vikings dodged the comeback bullet. But this time, the future looks much brighter for the losing team, than it does for the purple. I thought I knew who I thought we were, but it turns out I am as clueless as a Dennis Green cliche.

I started thinking about things that Cardinals have, that I wish our had, and it bums me out that their future is brighter than our immediate season. Consider the following:

1. Who would you rather have QB right now, Matt Leinart or Brad Johnson (with Travaris Jackson in the wings?) After watching the game yesterday, I would pick the rookie with a Heisman Trophy, several magazines covers, a storied college career at USC, and the whole football pedigree. His future is so bright that he HAS to wear those Hollywood shades!

2. Which Receiving Corps would you rather have right now? Larry Fitzgerald, Anquin Boldin and Bryant Johnson, or Marcus Robinson, Troy Williamson, Travis Taylor, and Bethel Johnson? Gee, that's so funny, I forgot to laugh. Easily the Cardinals, WR corp is about as close to the "Three Deep" Moss, CC and Jake squad of the record setting Vikings as can be. They might even be better? .

3. Which Stadium would you rather have as your field? Hmm.. Metrodomeor University of Phoenix Stadium? Gee I dunno, a brand new State of the Art Facility in Glendale Arizona, or the Rubber-filled-fun-house in Minnesota? Okay, I love the Metrodome, and I hope that a new Vikings stadium will be built in downtown Minneapolis, but that thing in Arizona has a retractable roof, a moveable playing field, and a full tailgate lot to honor their fans. In Minnesota's tailgate lot, we get a view of the Target Center and free shuttles for a Two-Mile trek to the Metrodome that take a 1/2 hour. Once we get to the dome, we get an indoor only view. That is great on bone-cold chilling days, but on days like yesterday, when it's beautiful and sunny in November, it's downright depressing.

4. Immediate Future: Cardinals Fire their head coach, and have a Top 5 Draft Pick, Vikings, Keep their Promising Coach, and Look for Talent who can help next year? I always like the chances of picking a super impact franchise player, but I think the Vikings have upper hand here. My only concern about the Vikings landing the right talent for the team's new system, would be if owner Zygi Wilfe sours at the fickle public's lack of desire for a new stadium. I am serious, if this state ever approves a new Vikings stadium, I will be surprised. Of course, I never thought we'd see Gopher Football on Campus, or a Twins downtown stadium either.

I guess overall, I am jealous that Cardinals are exactly what we expected them to be.

Four in a Row? WE SUCK AGAIN?

With the the reality of yet another year without the Vikings in another Super Bowl rearing it's ugly head in Purple Nation, I thought it appropriate to wax negativity like a Star Tribune columnist and I don't like it. The eternal optimist, that I am I find it incomprehsible that this year's once promising team is now on the playoff outside looking in.

For cripes sake, I am going through my Vikings mid-life crisis and it is difficult for this 41 year old diehard to weather any more years of malaise.

Earlier this season, I wrote about the last time the Vikings were in the Super Bowl, back in January 1977 for the conclusion of the 1976 football calendar year. To many people, that is a lifetime, but for those of us that were kids back then, it seems like more of eternity. Gone are the cocky days of my Tarkenton jersey wearing youth, where I could always count on a playoff appearance on fuzzy TV reception on the farms in South Dakota. Past are the golden opportunities of the 80's, and Two Minute Tommy, where the Twins could kick the barn doors down and win World Championships, but the Vikings could not hang onto free trips to the big dance. Certainly lost are the chances that Superfreak, CC and Daunte had in the 90's when they posted obscene offense but forgot how to defend themselves. And then there is now.

I checked a website called "PlayoffStatus.com" a month ago, when the Vikings were 4-2, and it showed an 80-90% chance that they would be in the playoffs, and could even be hosting a game. Today, one month and 4 losses in a row later, I went back and checked the new the Playoff Picture to see that the Norsemen now have just a 4% chance of earning the 6th spot in the NFC wild card race.

With all apologies to the character Floyd Christmas from "Dumb and Dumber:"

"YES!, So you are saying that there is a chance!"

If the season ended today, the Vikings would have the 13th overall pick in the NFL draft. Maybe it's time Vikings fans start looking for those mock draft boards to see who the Vikings can pick? Yuck! it looks like another crazy January of watching some other team hoist the Lombardi trophy in a warm weather city while we freeze our asses off in Minnesota.

I am not giving up all hope, 4% is still a chance, and the Vikings have tiebreakers over the Panthers and Seahawks. Keep the faith and be thankful for the Cardinals and Dennis Green, and 4 other teams with losing records still being on the Vikings NFL schedule. A 5-1 stretch could happen, and monkeys could fly out of a pig's ass. That's the NFL baby!

If nothing else, at least we still have the tailgating for 3 more home games. YES! Now that is the optimism we can all hang our hats on.