I have heard a lot of talk about the Vikings losing record against teams with winning records lately. Most of this talk comes from the holier than Cowboy fans and Packers fans, who are sitting with homefield advantage for the upcoming playoff rounds. Well, they should be happy. Their teams are in. Both the Packers and Cowboys have 4-1 records against teams with winning records. This would explain their "catbird" seat and smug fans.
But did you know that the team with the third best winning percentage against winning teams this season is the VIKINGS? Cue the horn.
I don't know what it means, but it certainly paints a playoff picture worth discussing. The Vikings are 2-3 (their only losses coming against the Cowboys and the Pack), and the Saints are 2-4 (obviously a tougher schedule for them). But if anyone is going take the Seahawks (1-2), Buccaneers (1-3), Giants (0-4) or Redskins(1-5) as serious playoff threats, they better check their track record against better teams.
This is why tomorrows game with the Redskins is THE SEASON for the Vikings. It is on National TV in a playoff atmosphere during the country's biggest Holiday Season for a Football viewing audience. It will feel like a playoff game. Should the Vikings win, they would have a great shot at not just making the playoffs, but also finding success on the road as #5 or #6 seed against Seattle or Tampa Bay.
The good news is the Vikings will know where they stand before the game starts. If the Eagles beat the Saints, and the Giants lose at Buffalo, the NFL might be the Vikings Oyster come playoff time. I don't want to get too crazy and start predicting a Vikings at Green Bay NFC Title game, but it sure would become a possible scenario. I have written before, that I would LOVE to go back to Green Bay and seek revenge to all the Cheeseheads who laughed us out of town back in November. It would make for good NFL drama, an easy story to sell, and well... again, let's just keep it real and 1-0 this weekend.
Enjoy the big day. I will be there at 12 noon for some tailgating. Peace to all Vikings all over the World.
NFC Playoff Contenders records against teams with Winning Records:
Feel free and use this for speculation, high jinx, bold predictions, ignorant banter or otherwise. These records mean NOTHING when it comes time to suit up in the elements called playoffs.
1. Cowboys (4-1)
Giants (9-5) W, 45-35
Patriots (14-0) L, 27-48
Vikings (8-6) W, 24-14
Giants (9-5) W, 31-20
Packers (12-2) W, 37-27
2. Packers (4-1)
Giants (9-5) W, 35-13
Chargers (9-5) W, 31-24
Vikings (8-6) W, 23-16
Vikings (8-6) W, 34-0
Cowboys (12-2) L 27-37
3. Vikings (2-3)
Packers (12-2) L, 16-23
Cowboys (12-2) L, 14-24
Chargers (9-5) W, 35-17
Packers (12-2) L, 0-34
Giants (9-5), W, 41-17
4. Saints (2-4)
Colts (12-2) L, 10-41
Buccaneers (9-5) L, 14-31
Titans (8-6) L, 14-31
Seahawks (9-5) W, 28-17
Jaguars (10-4) W, 41-24
Buccaneers (9-5) L, 23-27
5. Seahawks (1-2)
Buccaneers (9-5) W, 20-6
Steelers (10-5) L, 0-21
Browns (9-5) L, 30-33
6. Bucs (1-3)
Seahawks (9-5) L, 6-20
Colts (12-2) L, 14-33
Titans (8-6) W, 13-10
Jaguarts (10-4),L, 23-24
8. Redskins (1-5)
Giants (9-5) L, 17-24
Packers (12-2) L, 14-17
Patriots (14-0) L, 7-52
Cowboys (12-2), L, 23-28
Buccaneers (9-5) L, 13-19
Gaints (9-5) W, 22-10
Vikings (8-6) TBD
Cowboys (12-2) TBD
8. Giants (0-4)
Cowboys (12-2) L, 35-45
Packers (12-2) L, 13-35
Cowboys (12-2) L, 20-31
Vikings (8-6) L,,17-41
Patriots (14-0), TBD
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Redskins Games Past & Present- My Fondest Memories
How many of you can really remember the details of your very first experience attending a Minnesota Vikings game? It was three decades ago for me, and I still remember that first game like it was yesterday. It was December 18th, 1976 when the Vikings beat the Washington Redskins 35-20 in that Divisional Playoff Game at the Old Met Stadium.
I was what you'd call a serious Viking fanatic. Roaming the farm prairies of Watertown, SD, I was always decked out in my Vikings sideline jacket, the old school purple stocking cap with a blank purple helmet on the front, and I was always wearing my JC Penney #10 Tarkenton jeresy,
Knowing I was diehard, my Dad somehow managed to score tickets from his boss in Minnesota, for the first round playoff game. Of course he kept this a secret from me. Our trip to Minneapolis was diguised as a trek into the big city for a Father-Son ice fishing contest. Despite the offer of bonding from my dad, I was refusing to go on the trip because I wanted to see the game on TV at home. Well, I was assured that we would be able to see the game because My dad's boss, I was told, had a mini-tv that we could borrow and it had "great reception!"
Hell, I figured we would have the best of both worlds- fishing out on the lakes with the old man, and watching the Vikes on TV. When we got to the cities, my dad drove us to his bosses house to get the TV. Guess what? He came out of the house with nothing but an envelope. I was crushed because I was thinking I would miss the game. My dad starting reading a letter of apology on the envelope,
"Sorry the TV is broke. To make up for it, please consider the compensation in this envelope as my apology."
I was pissed, and on the verge of tears when my dad asked me to open the envelope and read it. In complete disgust, I ripped open the envelope, and found four shiny tickets for that days Playoff Game!
I was so excited I could hardly keep dry pants. What a great way to go to my first Vikes game! My dad knew all along that we were going, and he kept it a secret!
I remember the drive from Minnetonka to Bloomington could not be fast enough. I had never been to a big city, and every tall building I saw, I kept hoping to see the light poles of Metropolitan Stadium. I still remember all the aesthetic details of arrival to the parking lot. As we walked toward our gate, I could smell all of brats, and sausages on the tailgaters grill's.
They had vendors in the parking lot, and one of them was selling a huge poster of Fran Tarkenton, in his white jersey, setting up to pass in the snow at a game earlier that season in Buffalo. I stared back at the poster and pointed at it, declaring,
"Dad you gotta get me that Tark poster!"
At that same instant, with my head turned to the poster, I bumped into somone, who smiled and said,
"Ya, dad, you gotta get him the poster."
The man was wearing a leather coat, and one of those "Boogie" Winter Caps that Tom Brady has recently made famous. That man was THE Fran Tarkenton himself. No lie. He was walking into the stadium with Mick Tinglehoff at the same time I was pointing down his poster. I felt a rush in my stomach, a feeling like I had never felt before, and I swear I have been chasing ever since. It was a remarkable coincidence. It was perfect.
As we walked toward the gates, the smell of cigars and cigarettes filled the Met Stadium air. Once we made it inside for the pregame warm-ups, I soaked in everything. I watched the High School Cheerleading Parkettes on the sidelines, and was amazed by the distance and accuracy of Mark Mosley and Fred Cox's straight on kick.
It was 35 degrees at game time on a bright sunny day. The popcorn was poping, the beer vendors were hawking, and the Public Address announcer was booming. The Vikings band was playing Skol Vikings and other classic pep band songs, the light from CBS's pre-game show were bright, and I had never seen so many TV cameras rolling back and forth on sidelines. It was first and only big "Instant Classic" and the game had even started yet.
The Vikings jumped to a 35-6 lead by the end of the third quarter, led by running backs Chuck Foreman and Brent McClanahan who each rushed for more than 100 yards. McClanahan's 41-yard run on Minnesota's first play of the game set up quarterback Fran Tarkenton's 18-yard touchdown pass to tight end Stu Voigt. Then after Washington kicked a field goal, Tarkenton threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Sammy White, who managed to catch it after it was tipped in the air. Foreman added two rushing touchdowns and White caught a second touchdown pass. By the time Redskins quarterback Billy Kilmer completed two touchdown passes in the fourth quarter, the game was already out of reach.
During that game, we made acquaintance with Ed White's best friend, who took us down to the players exit after the game. Because of him I was able to get autographs from Fran Tarkenton, Jim Marshall, Carl Eller, Fred Cox, Nate Wright, Sammie White, Ed White, Wes Hamilton, and Matt Blair.
Back then, I was in 6th Grade and wore a purple Fran Tarkenton jersey. My biggest concerns in life were math homework and getting good grades at Roosevelt Elementary School in Watertown, SD. We lived in the country, so we didn't have cable TV, and I was never allowed to watch a Monday Night Football game on ABC past the Howard Cosell halftime report.
To fuel my Vikes addiction, my father would bring home the Minneapolis Tribune from work, so I could read up on the latest news and actually see pictures of the team. My brothers and I would watch all Sunday afternoon games that were televised on CBS or NBC. When the Vikings lost we would burn the football cards of the opposition in some sort of sick sacrificial ritual of young purple witch doctors.
Now in 2007, I have new much larger Tark jersey (thanks e-bay), the team plays in the dome, but the game is still played between the stripes. Instead watching the tailgaters, I am one in the diehard groups that set up in the parking lots hours before game time. (We are the kids of the Met Stadium Tailgaters, we all say). The cheerleaders are professional dancers (one, Brita, a former co-worker of mine) and the players again are fighting for playoff survival.
Tomorrows game will be do or die for both the Redskins and Vikings, but every time those teams match-up at this time of year, I always think of that first game right before my twelfth Christmas on planet earth. It was a very special Holiday memory for me, and I sincerely hope the tradition continues on December 23rd, 2007.
Friday, December 14, 2007
ESPN.COM - Vikings Bears "Bread & Butter" Plays for Monday Night
Chicago Bears at Minnesota Vikings, ESPN, 8:30 p.m. ET
Chicago: Play-Action TE Post
With as much turnover at QB as the Bears have had this season, the one constant has been the Play-Action TE Post. Chicago loves this play and it is perfect to run against a Cover 2 defense.
Minnesota: Halfback Blast
It's not very flashy, but it sure is effective. The Halfback Blast has been the Vikings' signature play and a big reason they're closing in on a playoff spot.
Someone on the Chicago Bears Nailed Lisa Lampanelli?
From a site called:The BigLead.com
Just in time for Monday Night Showdown with the Bears, here's some fun (spoof or not enjoy):
"Lisa Lampanelli, easily the funniest female comic we’ve ever heard, went on Howard Stern’s Sirius show Tuesday and blabbed about sexual relations with a young (”in his 20s”) member of the Chicago Bears who (all the quotes are hers):
* has tattoos
* isn’t a starter but isn’t on the practice squad
* is black (”mocha latte”)
* is southern
* at some point this season, he had an injured ankle
Lampanelli is a 46-year-old admittedly overweight white woman. The encounter took place in Philly in October. The unidentified Bears player (she said he was a rookie, and then recanted that; just our opinion, but we think he’s a rookie and she tried to cover it up) tracked her down through her website, and the two set up a rendezvous after she lied and told him she’d be in town. To paraphrase her: “I texted him from the McDonald’s, he ran out of his hotel to my Toyota Camry, we went to a Marriott Courtyard (he paid) and we banged for 45 minutes. He asked me, ‘is this your first NFL dick?’ He had a very bent penis.”
So far, rampant speculation includes: Trumaine McBride or Kevin Payne, or possibly Garrett Wolfe or Josh Gattis. This is something that must be solved today, before it gets buried under the Mitchell Investigation avalanche."
Just in time for Monday Night Showdown with the Bears, here's some fun (spoof or not enjoy):
"Lisa Lampanelli, easily the funniest female comic we’ve ever heard, went on Howard Stern’s Sirius show Tuesday and blabbed about sexual relations with a young (”in his 20s”) member of the Chicago Bears who (all the quotes are hers):
* has tattoos
* isn’t a starter but isn’t on the practice squad
* is black (”mocha latte”)
* is southern
* at some point this season, he had an injured ankle
Lampanelli is a 46-year-old admittedly overweight white woman. The encounter took place in Philly in October. The unidentified Bears player (she said he was a rookie, and then recanted that; just our opinion, but we think he’s a rookie and she tried to cover it up) tracked her down through her website, and the two set up a rendezvous after she lied and told him she’d be in town. To paraphrase her: “I texted him from the McDonald’s, he ran out of his hotel to my Toyota Camry, we went to a Marriott Courtyard (he paid) and we banged for 45 minutes. He asked me, ‘is this your first NFL dick?’ He had a very bent penis.”
So far, rampant speculation includes: Trumaine McBride or Kevin Payne, or possibly Garrett Wolfe or Josh Gattis. This is something that must be solved today, before it gets buried under the Mitchell Investigation avalanche."
Vikings fined for having Adrian Peterson wear Chester Taylor’s uniform
Funny Spoof from serioussportsnewsnetwork.com (a fun hilarious blog) that made me chuckle:
SAN FRANCISCO, CA — It’s been a year of deception in the NFL.
Only months after the New England Patriots got the league’s largest ever fine, the Minnesota Vikings received a $250,000 fine for having standout rookie Adrian Peterson swap uniforms with Chester Taylor during the Vikes’ 27-7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
“I have Adrian Peterson in my big-money fantasy league,” said NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. “So I’m scanning through the boxscores, checking to see how my team is doing, and I see that Adrian Peterson is getting shut down by San Francisco. Red flag. Then I see that Chester Taylor is going off. Double red flag! I immediately demanded to see the game film.”
Goodell was stunned by what he saw.
“Here is AP going for 3 yards on 14 carries,” Goodell said. “AP! I couldn’t believe my eyes. He’s going for negative yards, he’s showing no burst, he’s going down at first contact. Then I see Chester Taylor go off for 101 yards, including an 84-yard score. Well, it wasn’t hard to figure out what was going on.”
Indeed, it turns out that the Vikings had encouraged Taylor to dress up as Peterson, and Peterson to dress as Taylor. Both players agreed, though Peterson was reluctant; however, Taylor convinced him that it would really “ease the pressure, if only for a week.”
“It was probably an error in judgment,” said Vikings coach Brad Childress. “But we really wanted to give Adrian a little breather from the watchful eyes of the nation. I mean, everyone is tuning in, expecting him to do something great every play. So we just thought, wouldn’t it be nice if we could give him a game of total anonymity? Then it hit us – BAM! Let’s dress him up as Chester Taylor.”
Goodell was furious.
“In this league, you play every game as hard as you can, and you wear your own jersey,” he said. “A lot of bad things can come from dressing up as a teammate. You may get hurt, and we might bill the wrong health insurance. You may get pegged for an endorsement, and the money could go to the wrong person. Or maybe you go off for 124 yards of total offense and a touchdown and your commissioner might get the giant screwjob in his fantasy league because of your stupid, insensitive, immoral and outrageous actions. It’s just a bad, bad thing to do.”
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Purple Fans Holier Than Thou?
Everyone has the right to their opinions, be they negative or positive. It's not only the right of the fans to freely express themselves, it is also "protected" in the Bill the Rights.
That being said, it bugs me when other Vikings fans start inferring that they are more loyaly than other Vikings fans. Case in point, a recent MySpace blog, titled "Where Were You?" was sent out to other self-proclaimed Vikings fans on that same web site.
In the article, the author infers that "negative" Vikings fans had turned their back on their team, spewing out proclamtions to Fire Childress, throw games, and mail in the season.
"Did you gripe about how terrible your Vikings were? When the faithful called for you to have patience did you turn your back and vomit ugly empty words?
Where were you?"
The author goes on to suggest that loyal Vikings fans like himself (we call these fans the "rose color glass wearing, purple kool aid drinking loyalists") would never turn their back on their team or doubt their management. These fans, the true fans, were always loyal, and it was now up to them to decide if they could let other fans back on the "Viking bandwagon" again.
"Will you climb aboard again, or will you lay in wait like a vulture. Perching there on your self made pedestal with mouth dripping for another chance to rip into your own. Or will you have learned and choose faith and fanship?"
To this I write, these critcial words, "huh?"
I am not ashamed for calling for Childress departure, nor am I ashamed for doubting the offensive decisions that were happening ALL OF LAST YEAR and INTO THIS YEAR. The fact is the Vikings were 3-6, coming off a 34-0 ass whipping to the Packers (the 4th loss in a row to the Cheeseheads under Childress by the way) and at their lowpoint.
I wrote then, that this team had hit rock bottom. It was embarrasing to be in Lambeau being offered sympathy beer by Packers fans. If the author of this blog could have been there in Lambeau, seeing the smug ass cheese fans jumping on top of Vikings vheicles, starting fights in the lot, and being holier than thou, NFL fans, maybe he/she could understand the frustration of Vikings fans with "not so stellar" opinions of the 2007 season circa November 11th.
The team was gutless, heartless, and passionless in Lambeau that day, and if anyone could have come out that day at Lambeau with a positive word about the team, I would have personally driven them to the insane asylum. The team was pathetic.
I do agree with the author when he/she writes
"Playoffs or not, Superbowl or not, this has been a good year and we have seen our worst days."
I am NOT a "Rose-colored glasses kind of fan." I pay big money for season tickets, roadtrips, and tailgating parking. If I see someting in my team I don't like, I gotta say it. Yes, I was jaw-jacking about the lame ass purple effort this season through November 11th. I am not the type of person who likes losing, and I do not accept 34-0 or 41-0 games lightly.
I have a right to express my feelings (drunken or sober), so I will. If it takes sucking and embarrasment to motivate your team, well, congrats to Childress for figuring that out. I am very happy for the Vikings coach who used this negative start, the piss poor record, the embarrassment of another doughnut and spin it into motivation for a 4-game winning streak. Kudos to the adjustments that were made to put the Vikings into the playoff picture. That is great.
But, the fact is the team is 7-6 and hasn't done anything yet. Arizona and New Orleans are right there breathing down the necks. I have always had very high expectations for my team. I do not like 2-5 and 3-6 records. I am a product of the Purple Power Years, when it was our "right" to win the NFC and go to the Bowl every season. Anything less, is "settling" and I for one, will not apologize for being PISSED at the mismanagement of this team early in the year and most important losing 4 games to the F'N Packers in 2 years? NO WAY.
Monday Night the Vikings get to play on National TV in their first meaningful game at home in many years. I hope the winning streak continues. I will be there cheering and tailgating, and doing my part to help. I will drink my dome beers, buy a program, and maybe some peanuts, you know, buy stuff that puts money in their pockets. Hopefully that will help them be happy.
What makes me happy is to be entertained. I pay for that right, and like most Vikings fans I am nost entertained by winning in a competitive game. I don't pay money to see through "rose color glasses." I don't pay money for autographs, and quite frankly I don't think NFL Players are heroes. They are hard working entertainers, and are compensated for it handsomely. We pay them (indirectly) to entertain US, to represent US. I don't pay to kiss anybodys ass ass (unless her name is Ginger, and she works the pole at Dream Girls; but that's another story...)
That being said, it bugs me when other Vikings fans start inferring that they are more loyaly than other Vikings fans. Case in point, a recent MySpace blog, titled "Where Were You?" was sent out to other self-proclaimed Vikings fans on that same web site.
In the article, the author infers that "negative" Vikings fans had turned their back on their team, spewing out proclamtions to Fire Childress, throw games, and mail in the season.
"Did you gripe about how terrible your Vikings were? When the faithful called for you to have patience did you turn your back and vomit ugly empty words?
Where were you?"
The author goes on to suggest that loyal Vikings fans like himself (we call these fans the "rose color glass wearing, purple kool aid drinking loyalists") would never turn their back on their team or doubt their management. These fans, the true fans, were always loyal, and it was now up to them to decide if they could let other fans back on the "Viking bandwagon" again.
"Will you climb aboard again, or will you lay in wait like a vulture. Perching there on your self made pedestal with mouth dripping for another chance to rip into your own. Or will you have learned and choose faith and fanship?"
To this I write, these critcial words, "huh?"
I am not ashamed for calling for Childress departure, nor am I ashamed for doubting the offensive decisions that were happening ALL OF LAST YEAR and INTO THIS YEAR. The fact is the Vikings were 3-6, coming off a 34-0 ass whipping to the Packers (the 4th loss in a row to the Cheeseheads under Childress by the way) and at their lowpoint.
I wrote then, that this team had hit rock bottom. It was embarrasing to be in Lambeau being offered sympathy beer by Packers fans. If the author of this blog could have been there in Lambeau, seeing the smug ass cheese fans jumping on top of Vikings vheicles, starting fights in the lot, and being holier than thou, NFL fans, maybe he/she could understand the frustration of Vikings fans with "not so stellar" opinions of the 2007 season circa November 11th.
The team was gutless, heartless, and passionless in Lambeau that day, and if anyone could have come out that day at Lambeau with a positive word about the team, I would have personally driven them to the insane asylum. The team was pathetic.
I do agree with the author when he/she writes
"Playoffs or not, Superbowl or not, this has been a good year and we have seen our worst days."
I am NOT a "Rose-colored glasses kind of fan." I pay big money for season tickets, roadtrips, and tailgating parking. If I see someting in my team I don't like, I gotta say it. Yes, I was jaw-jacking about the lame ass purple effort this season through November 11th. I am not the type of person who likes losing, and I do not accept 34-0 or 41-0 games lightly.
I have a right to express my feelings (drunken or sober), so I will. If it takes sucking and embarrasment to motivate your team, well, congrats to Childress for figuring that out. I am very happy for the Vikings coach who used this negative start, the piss poor record, the embarrassment of another doughnut and spin it into motivation for a 4-game winning streak. Kudos to the adjustments that were made to put the Vikings into the playoff picture. That is great.
But, the fact is the team is 7-6 and hasn't done anything yet. Arizona and New Orleans are right there breathing down the necks. I have always had very high expectations for my team. I do not like 2-5 and 3-6 records. I am a product of the Purple Power Years, when it was our "right" to win the NFC and go to the Bowl every season. Anything less, is "settling" and I for one, will not apologize for being PISSED at the mismanagement of this team early in the year and most important losing 4 games to the F'N Packers in 2 years? NO WAY.
Monday Night the Vikings get to play on National TV in their first meaningful game at home in many years. I hope the winning streak continues. I will be there cheering and tailgating, and doing my part to help. I will drink my dome beers, buy a program, and maybe some peanuts, you know, buy stuff that puts money in their pockets. Hopefully that will help them be happy.
What makes me happy is to be entertained. I pay for that right, and like most Vikings fans I am nost entertained by winning in a competitive game. I don't pay money to see through "rose color glasses." I don't pay money for autographs, and quite frankly I don't think NFL Players are heroes. They are hard working entertainers, and are compensated for it handsomely. We pay them (indirectly) to entertain US, to represent US. I don't pay to kiss anybodys ass ass (unless her name is Ginger, and she works the pole at Dream Girls; but that's another story...)
Friday, December 07, 2007
Upsets are Planned By the People Who Make Them
It has always been a silent desire of mine to be a fan of "that team." You know, the sleeper? The squad that comes out of the blue and makes their run at the end of the season to sneak into post-season, then piss the whole league fan base off by pulling off the unpopular trip to the promised land.
It started for me when I was young. I always played on crappy little league teams for regular season, but somehow, someway we would manage to eek our way into championship games. My high school coach used to tell us, "Upsets are planned by the people who make them."
Then I watched the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team, and saw them upset the Russians in the "Miracle on Ice." After that improbable gold medal run, I was hooked on the under dog. I started to figure out the formula; a team that no one likes (maybe they have less talent, maybe they are disfunctional, maybe they hate the coach, maybe they are whiners, whatever the reason for losing) is as dangerous as the cause that unifies them. The key is to get everybody believing in a cause, any thing that they can all agree on. Good leaders will find a way to sell the formula to their teams.
I watched Tom Kelly sell "Even keel, one day at a time" to the 1987 & 1991 World Champion Twins baseball teams. I watched the North Stars make a run at the Stanely Cup all the way to game 6 in 1991, and I saw the Wild make it all the way to the 2003 Conference Finals. A team that peaks at the right time is the most dangerous team of all.
I have coached many little league baseball teams to league championships over the years, played on a few state champion softball squads, and even hung around long enough to be part of a world championship softball team. No matter what level a team plays, the team that wins the title always knows to take every team they play serious. They need to play every game like it's the last chance they might ever get to play. There is never a tomorrow, they have to play for the now, no matter the condition, mood, mindset. It's NC State '83 and Villanova '86, survive and advance baby. That's it. Assume the other team wants it more than you do, so go out there and take it from them. Do whatever it takes to prevail.
Simple words, simple formula, but the bottom line is no champs are crowned by accident.
The Vikings could be that team if they want to. Last year they lost 9-3 at San Francisco. At that time it was an opportunity for them to post a 5-3 record at the midpoint of the season. It was game that would set the tone for the rest of the season, and they lost it. They finished 6-10. This year, the result of the Niners game will tell the league how far the team has come in 2007. The question is, do the Vikings know if they have a cause?
I sure do hope so, because a win, a big win, a dominating win would be what a sleeper team with post season aspirations would do.
It started for me when I was young. I always played on crappy little league teams for regular season, but somehow, someway we would manage to eek our way into championship games. My high school coach used to tell us, "Upsets are planned by the people who make them."
Then I watched the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team, and saw them upset the Russians in the "Miracle on Ice." After that improbable gold medal run, I was hooked on the under dog. I started to figure out the formula; a team that no one likes (maybe they have less talent, maybe they are disfunctional, maybe they hate the coach, maybe they are whiners, whatever the reason for losing) is as dangerous as the cause that unifies them. The key is to get everybody believing in a cause, any thing that they can all agree on. Good leaders will find a way to sell the formula to their teams.
I watched Tom Kelly sell "Even keel, one day at a time" to the 1987 & 1991 World Champion Twins baseball teams. I watched the North Stars make a run at the Stanely Cup all the way to game 6 in 1991, and I saw the Wild make it all the way to the 2003 Conference Finals. A team that peaks at the right time is the most dangerous team of all.
I have coached many little league baseball teams to league championships over the years, played on a few state champion softball squads, and even hung around long enough to be part of a world championship softball team. No matter what level a team plays, the team that wins the title always knows to take every team they play serious. They need to play every game like it's the last chance they might ever get to play. There is never a tomorrow, they have to play for the now, no matter the condition, mood, mindset. It's NC State '83 and Villanova '86, survive and advance baby. That's it. Assume the other team wants it more than you do, so go out there and take it from them. Do whatever it takes to prevail.
Simple words, simple formula, but the bottom line is no champs are crowned by accident.
The Vikings could be that team if they want to. Last year they lost 9-3 at San Francisco. At that time it was an opportunity for them to post a 5-3 record at the midpoint of the season. It was game that would set the tone for the rest of the season, and they lost it. They finished 6-10. This year, the result of the Niners game will tell the league how far the team has come in 2007. The question is, do the Vikings know if they have a cause?
I sure do hope so, because a win, a big win, a dominating win would be what a sleeper team with post season aspirations would do.
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