It Could be Worse......Right?

I heard it all this week from jubilation about the Vikings chances for the Super Bowl to the feeling of inevitability that we were somehow destined to lose. The same talk was coming from New Orleans, Was it their time or were they destined to be the "Aints" for life. It was the proverbial irresistible force meeting the immovable object and something had to give. Unfortunately for Vikings fans, we gave yet again.

Every loss takes on a life of their own. I think of '98 when Dennis Green opted to take a knee before halftime and left time and time-outs and most likely points on the table. Gary Anderson misses the big kick and we lose. I always treated 2000 like you treat the rebound girlfriend in high school. It was ok but you know it wasn't going to end well and your head was still in a haze from the last girl. This was different. It wasn't that hot girl you had in '98 but she had personality and experience and showed you things you hadn't seen before and for a little while you thought this could be the one. Ah but alas for Vikings fans this relationship ended a lot like the others leaving you a little older, a little more jaded and unsure if you will ever find the right one.

However to Vikings fans, let me be clear. This was on the players. Not the coaches or the officials or the crowd noise or the late hits or the booth reviews or the overtime rules or anything. It was on the players who played. The biggest stat in football is turnovers. The Vikings turned it over 5 times. They fumbled 6 times. They had 12 men in the huddle late in the game with a 45 yard field goal all but in the bag. Bottom line, we had 60 minutes to win this game and we didn't and when you don't get it done in regulation you leave it all up to chance. A coin toss and even then only about 60 % of the teams who win the toss actually win the game. Its not the officials, I felt they called about as fair a game as they could. Meacham caught the ball in my opinion and the two ball spots were too close to overturn. The coaches called a good gameplan, the guys just didn't execute. It was Peterson and Favre and the O-line and the D-line who put little to no pressure on Drew Brees all game. Instead of getting mad at the wrong people, you should shake it off and tip your hat to Sean Payton and The Saints for doing what some people thought would never happen.

It could be worse Vikings fans. We could be Pittsburgh Pirates fans, we could have no football team at all........oh wait. I probably shouldn't say that either.