Well, I guess that's why the blog is named Loserville. In what has become their trademark, the Minnesota Vikings have managed to blow another huge game in improbable fashion. Despite dominating much of the action, moving the ball at will and coming up with key defensive stops against a great offense, things ended up the way they always seem to end here in Loserville USA, with the other team celebrating, and all of us left to choke down another gut-wrenching defeat.
I find myself at a loss for words today, after watching yesterday's brutal display. There have been many bad Vikings defeats over the years, but this one might be the most agonizing of them all on a personal level, given that I better understand what was at stake. I was 19 years old for the 1999 NFC Championship game, which previously stood as the greatest Vikings defeat of my lifetime. Now, at 30, Ive seen 9 seasons pass since the team last made it this far, and understand it is a rare occurrence that is guaranteed to no one. These last few months, the stars aligned for a very special season, one that is not likely to be repeated any time soon, even if the team returns intact. Winning in the NFL requires equal parts skill and luck, every year teams rise and fall on the whim of the latter, so forgive me if I can't get on board with the talk of a promising future I'm hearing today.
It would in fact be silly to look forward, without first considering the more troubling question of whether it's wise to continue putting myself out there for this team at all. You might call this reaction knee-jerk, but it's been a long time coming, given the string of horrible disappointments doled out by the Purple during my life. Like an abused spouse, I've stuck things out in the misguided belief that things would eventually change, that there was a relationship here important enough to salvage, and that it would prevail over all else. I now realize that opinion is as dumb as it is misguided, and my breaking point with this team might've finally been reached. Perhaps I'll never be able to stop watching, but somehow it has to be on a more casual basis, because I can't take much more.
Today is a soul-crushing mix of anger and despair that can't be endured with any regularity. It's not about the fumbles, the penalties, or any other particular gaffe, it's about the creeping dread of knowing, somehow someway, that a supernatural force is at work against this team. No matter what they do, no matter how well things are going or how good the outcome looks, things will end poorly. I did a great job of remembering this for 6 days of buildup, 6 hours of pregame and 58 minutes of football; only then, as Brett Favre manuverued the team down the field on the final drive, did I allow myself a moment of belief that the Vikings could actually win the game. It's as if God himself was waiting for even the most cynical and fatalistic fans to be drawn in, before he glanced over and said "That's it, we've got them, now pull the rug." It's not THAT we lose, it's HOW we lose that makes this team so very special.
You may not believe in curses, but I offer yesterday's game as Exhibit A to the contrary; a football game can be lost a thousand different ways, it is not coincidence that the Vikings always find the most awful, soul-crushing way to do so. The Saints could've come out and blown us off the field, Chilly could've pissed it down his leg with an anemic offensive gameplan, Favre couldve went gunslinger from the get go and thrown us out of it early; any of these wouldve been a welcome change from what actually transpired. Those mistakes would've been understandable, they wouldve fit with past history, and not caused the terrible despair of watching the team storm down the field time after time, only to see one awful mistake after another undo those efforts.
As for where we go from here? No idea. Not one. Frankly I don't even care to discuss it. Sure the team is young, the nucleus will remain together, Favre might even be back for another season, who knows? But all the standard offseason chatter of next years team and it's prospects is rendered moot by the cloud hanging over the franchise. There is no way I could bring myself to believe we will win, ever. I get accused of being overly negative at times, and I'm trying to work on that, but never again in regard to the Minnesota Vikings. No amount of fear and loathing could be considered eccessive here; the days of this team getting the benefit of the doubt for one moment on anything have long passed, I'm fed up, utterly ****ed and defeated. I've got nothing left. They can't say or do anything, short of holding the Lombardi Trophy at midfield, that will convince me I will see a Super Bowl title before I die.
It's become clear that it's just never going to happen, and that's why today is so tough.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
This Is A Big One Billy
It has been a long, hard slog through this week, in anticipation of the latest Biggest Vikings Game Ever. Monday was fun, reliving the triumph over the Cowboys, Tuesday still carried a bit of that juice, by Wednesday my brain was so innundated with analysis and opinion about this game that I actually had trouble falling asleep. I wish I were making that up, but the anticipation has been worse than being a kid on Christmas Eve, you would think I was suiting up on Sunday for all the thought being put into it. But frankly, most Minnesota sports fans are probably feeling pretty similar; perhaps not as much life-or-death consequences, but certainly full of anticipation...or foreboding.
A big theme of the week in the talk about this game has centered on the fear and loathing of Vikings fans expecting to have their heart ripped out this week. I must admit I've often fallen into that camp, it's hard not to when you've had your hopes dashed so routinely and completely by this team. All I can say is I'm shedding my fatalism about the team this week and stopping to appreciate what has been a very fun season. Hearkening back to the days of late August, when it seemed our Favre hopes were dashed, and the only thing on the horizon was 4 months of T-Jack knucklers, who wouldn't have taken this? Even after Purple Moses showed up, how many of us thought he'd make it through the season upright? Frankly if you'd told me this is where we'd be way back then, I would've taken it in a heartbeat. Any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team, and we are one Sunday away from the king of them all.
If you want a practical reason for the enthusiasm, I offer this: What could they do to us that is worse than what they've already done? Vikings fans are twisted steel, forged in the heartbreak of 1998, and tempered with the embarrassment of 41-doughnut; we've seen the worst there is, anything that happens this week will be a glancing blow by comparison. Perhaps that statement sets me up for the biggest coup de grace kick in the nuts the Vikes have ever delivered, but I refuse to live in fear of what might be; if losing on Sunday is our fate, then so be it, I've seen it before and I'm not going to let it wreck the fun of looking forward to the biggest Purple game in 10 years. As Mark McGwire said, I'm not here to talk about the past, I'm here to talk about beating the Saints and making a trip to Miami. Let's do this.
Oh yeah, there's also another game this weekend.
Jets @ Colts
A lot of Jets talk this week, but I'm just not buying it. I put this game at 50/50: 50 percent chance the Jets lose a close one and 50 percent chance they lose big. I know they've got a great running game and a defense that could keep things close. I know they're on a roll and believing in themselves and all that, but I also know one other thing, Peyton Manning plays for the Colts.
As I said in last week's predictions,we've seen this scenario unfold quite often, some plucky squad that was counted out jumps up to pull a divisional round upset, then runs out of gas/magic/luck trying to complete the job the following week. Jacksonville going into Denver in 1997 and upsetting a Broncos team that was favored to win the Super Bowl will always be the one I remember best, if only becase it robbed us of a fantastic encouter between the Broncos and Packers that season. Two years later the Jets gave the Jaguars a taste of their own medicine, but their run was similarly stopped by Denver in the AFC Championship game a week later.
What I did not realize, until looking at some playoff history, was how much the worm has turned on this particular argument. The Patriots rode the momentum of their victory in the infamous "Snow Game" in 2001 to the title, as did the Steelers with their upset of the Colts 4 years later. But this evidence is not enough to sway me, as both of the opposing teams in those cases were not the San Diego Chargers, who seem to have a knack for great regular seasons that go down in flames right out of the playoff gate; coupled with Norv Turners abysmal history, picking the Jets last week almost seemed like a no-brainer.
In the end momentum seems to fall victim to matchups these days and a blitzing defense against Peyton Manning and the Colts offensive line seems like a recipe for a lot of Colts touchdowns. The Jets did an admirable job in holding down their offense for one half when the teams played during Week 16, but Manning was still able to direct a pair of TD drives before he was pulled, and left with a lead at the time. Is it possible the Jets can keep it close with a perfectly called defensive gameplan, then capitalize with their run game against a tired defense in the second half? Sure, but it's also possible that I will be offered a job modeling men's underwear at some point; in other words, don't bet on it.
Colts 27, Jets 13
Vikings @ Saints
So now for the big one. There are plenty of reasons to think the Vikings will lose this game: Lousy road record, poor performance against offenses relying on quick passes, abominable showings on Sunday nights. But also plenty of reasons to believe they can win, chief among them a far superior defense and running game. Getting past the offense of this Saints team, which I admit is downright scary, I remain unimpressed by the defense, as I've been all season. Keep in mind this is still the same unit that Gus Frerrotte tore up last season en route to victory; I know they've changed some personnel and added a swagger, which can go a long way, but the bottom line is that a lot of the same guys will be on that field Sunday, and last year's Vikings offense is no comparison to the current one.
Two themes you've probably heard echoed a lot of places this week are the comparison of the Saints D to the1998 Vikings edition and the potential of a big game from Adrian Peterson. It's easy to understand the defensive comparison, both were reliant on turnovers and solid when the offense gave them a lead to work with, but got shaky when the other team kept it close and didn't need to become one dimensional. The thought sticking in my mind this week is of the last 30 minutes of the game they played against Tampa Bay in Week 16. The Bucs kept it close playing great D, and when they needed the tying and winning scores, simply rolled over the Saints with a steady stream of big runs. Once they knew they could win the game and smelled blood, Tampa was not to be denied, and New Orleans just couldn't match up physically, the Vikings need a similar approach.
All of which ties into the thought that AP can be the guy to turn things in our favor. Granted the running game has been lousy at times this season, and downright pathetic at others, but are we really supposed to believe the guy who was considered the consensus best RB in the game coming into this season doesn't have a huge game in him this week? Especially considering the weakness in the defense he's facing? I still remember the game against the Packers last season, when Peterson fumbled to set up Green Bay's go-ahead score, then went into Eff You mode for the rest of the game, carrying the team to victory on his back. 60 minutes of the Eff You AP could win us this game, and I like the odds on it happening.
Of course it goes without saying that in order to run, we need to keep it close, and to do that our D needs it's best game of the season. Drew Brees is not Tony Homo and won't act like a scared little bitch if he takes a few hits early. But this squad is loaded with playmakers, and they are going to make the plays we need them to make this week; New Orleans is going to score more than the 3 points Dallas put up, but our guys will keep it close, and that's all we need.
So here we go, all the marbles on the line, time to savor every minute until gametime. Are we going to win? You Brettcha!
Vikings 30, Saints 27
A big theme of the week in the talk about this game has centered on the fear and loathing of Vikings fans expecting to have their heart ripped out this week. I must admit I've often fallen into that camp, it's hard not to when you've had your hopes dashed so routinely and completely by this team. All I can say is I'm shedding my fatalism about the team this week and stopping to appreciate what has been a very fun season. Hearkening back to the days of late August, when it seemed our Favre hopes were dashed, and the only thing on the horizon was 4 months of T-Jack knucklers, who wouldn't have taken this? Even after Purple Moses showed up, how many of us thought he'd make it through the season upright? Frankly if you'd told me this is where we'd be way back then, I would've taken it in a heartbeat. Any given Sunday, any team can beat any other team, and we are one Sunday away from the king of them all.
If you want a practical reason for the enthusiasm, I offer this: What could they do to us that is worse than what they've already done? Vikings fans are twisted steel, forged in the heartbreak of 1998, and tempered with the embarrassment of 41-doughnut; we've seen the worst there is, anything that happens this week will be a glancing blow by comparison. Perhaps that statement sets me up for the biggest coup de grace kick in the nuts the Vikes have ever delivered, but I refuse to live in fear of what might be; if losing on Sunday is our fate, then so be it, I've seen it before and I'm not going to let it wreck the fun of looking forward to the biggest Purple game in 10 years. As Mark McGwire said, I'm not here to talk about the past, I'm here to talk about beating the Saints and making a trip to Miami. Let's do this.
Oh yeah, there's also another game this weekend.
Jets @ Colts
A lot of Jets talk this week, but I'm just not buying it. I put this game at 50/50: 50 percent chance the Jets lose a close one and 50 percent chance they lose big. I know they've got a great running game and a defense that could keep things close. I know they're on a roll and believing in themselves and all that, but I also know one other thing, Peyton Manning plays for the Colts.
As I said in last week's predictions,we've seen this scenario unfold quite often, some plucky squad that was counted out jumps up to pull a divisional round upset, then runs out of gas/magic/luck trying to complete the job the following week. Jacksonville going into Denver in 1997 and upsetting a Broncos team that was favored to win the Super Bowl will always be the one I remember best, if only becase it robbed us of a fantastic encouter between the Broncos and Packers that season. Two years later the Jets gave the Jaguars a taste of their own medicine, but their run was similarly stopped by Denver in the AFC Championship game a week later.
What I did not realize, until looking at some playoff history, was how much the worm has turned on this particular argument. The Patriots rode the momentum of their victory in the infamous "Snow Game" in 2001 to the title, as did the Steelers with their upset of the Colts 4 years later. But this evidence is not enough to sway me, as both of the opposing teams in those cases were not the San Diego Chargers, who seem to have a knack for great regular seasons that go down in flames right out of the playoff gate; coupled with Norv Turners abysmal history, picking the Jets last week almost seemed like a no-brainer.
In the end momentum seems to fall victim to matchups these days and a blitzing defense against Peyton Manning and the Colts offensive line seems like a recipe for a lot of Colts touchdowns. The Jets did an admirable job in holding down their offense for one half when the teams played during Week 16, but Manning was still able to direct a pair of TD drives before he was pulled, and left with a lead at the time. Is it possible the Jets can keep it close with a perfectly called defensive gameplan, then capitalize with their run game against a tired defense in the second half? Sure, but it's also possible that I will be offered a job modeling men's underwear at some point; in other words, don't bet on it.
Colts 27, Jets 13
Vikings @ Saints
So now for the big one. There are plenty of reasons to think the Vikings will lose this game: Lousy road record, poor performance against offenses relying on quick passes, abominable showings on Sunday nights. But also plenty of reasons to believe they can win, chief among them a far superior defense and running game. Getting past the offense of this Saints team, which I admit is downright scary, I remain unimpressed by the defense, as I've been all season. Keep in mind this is still the same unit that Gus Frerrotte tore up last season en route to victory; I know they've changed some personnel and added a swagger, which can go a long way, but the bottom line is that a lot of the same guys will be on that field Sunday, and last year's Vikings offense is no comparison to the current one.
Two themes you've probably heard echoed a lot of places this week are the comparison of the Saints D to the1998 Vikings edition and the potential of a big game from Adrian Peterson. It's easy to understand the defensive comparison, both were reliant on turnovers and solid when the offense gave them a lead to work with, but got shaky when the other team kept it close and didn't need to become one dimensional. The thought sticking in my mind this week is of the last 30 minutes of the game they played against Tampa Bay in Week 16. The Bucs kept it close playing great D, and when they needed the tying and winning scores, simply rolled over the Saints with a steady stream of big runs. Once they knew they could win the game and smelled blood, Tampa was not to be denied, and New Orleans just couldn't match up physically, the Vikings need a similar approach.
All of which ties into the thought that AP can be the guy to turn things in our favor. Granted the running game has been lousy at times this season, and downright pathetic at others, but are we really supposed to believe the guy who was considered the consensus best RB in the game coming into this season doesn't have a huge game in him this week? Especially considering the weakness in the defense he's facing? I still remember the game against the Packers last season, when Peterson fumbled to set up Green Bay's go-ahead score, then went into Eff You mode for the rest of the game, carrying the team to victory on his back. 60 minutes of the Eff You AP could win us this game, and I like the odds on it happening.
Of course it goes without saying that in order to run, we need to keep it close, and to do that our D needs it's best game of the season. Drew Brees is not Tony Homo and won't act like a scared little bitch if he takes a few hits early. But this squad is loaded with playmakers, and they are going to make the plays we need them to make this week; New Orleans is going to score more than the 3 points Dallas put up, but our guys will keep it close, and that's all we need.
So here we go, all the marbles on the line, time to savor every minute until gametime. Are we going to win? You Brettcha!
Vikings 30, Saints 27
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Reflections on the weekend that was
Things were looking pretty ugly when I woke up this past Sunday morning, and I'm not talking about the face staring back at me in the mirror. My favorite college hockey team had just dropped 3 points to a team below it in the standings, getting throttled on Saturday in the process. Favorite pro hockey allowed 5 goals to a team that couldn't score, wasting a hat trick and starting off 0-2 against two very beatable teams on it's current road trip. My playoff fantasy picks bombed, favorite college hoops squad was (about to be) losing, and to top it all off, I had a mean hangover; needless to say, I've been better.
I was busy thinking up an angry, hate-filled screed to start Monday morning, when something miraculous happened; for the first time in recent memory, the Vikings redeemed the entire lousy weekend. I felt pretty good about the game going in, spent the week trying to shake my fatalistic tendencies with the team and focus on getting a win. All the hype from the national media talking up the Cowboys as the hottest team in football wasn't helping, nor was the pregame show full of Dallas love, or the play-by-play team. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman should've changed their names to Neal and Bob for that game, because that's what they were doing to the Cowboys for a full 15 minutes before kickoff; although I suppose when the booth is a former Cowboy QB and the King of the Viking Haters, that's what you get.
But all that noise turn out to be just that, as the Vikes defense turned in a pummeling display of pressure, Tony Romo unleashed the little girl we all knew was lurking inside of him and the Purple pulled off an impressive victory. Now it's on to the Big Easy and a potential trip to the Super Bowl, I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but this positivity thing might be working. More to come on this as I gear up for another big weekend and try to continue my run of correct NFL playoff picks (4-0 last week, yeah I got all the rest wrong, screw you).
I was busy thinking up an angry, hate-filled screed to start Monday morning, when something miraculous happened; for the first time in recent memory, the Vikings redeemed the entire lousy weekend. I felt pretty good about the game going in, spent the week trying to shake my fatalistic tendencies with the team and focus on getting a win. All the hype from the national media talking up the Cowboys as the hottest team in football wasn't helping, nor was the pregame show full of Dallas love, or the play-by-play team. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman should've changed their names to Neal and Bob for that game, because that's what they were doing to the Cowboys for a full 15 minutes before kickoff; although I suppose when the booth is a former Cowboy QB and the King of the Viking Haters, that's what you get.
But all that noise turn out to be just that, as the Vikes defense turned in a pummeling display of pressure, Tony Romo unleashed the little girl we all knew was lurking inside of him and the Purple pulled off an impressive victory. Now it's on to the Big Easy and a potential trip to the Super Bowl, I don't want to get my hopes up too much, but this positivity thing might be working. More to come on this as I gear up for another big weekend and try to continue my run of correct NFL playoff picks (4-0 last week, yeah I got all the rest wrong, screw you).
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Big Weekend
Finally, the first truly huge sports weekend of 2010 has arrived, with the Vikings taking on the Cowboys in a divisonal playoff game, the North Dakota Fighting Sioux squaring off against the Golden Gophers in hockey, along with various other happenings throughout the weekend. College hockey is a big deal around these parts, and in the name of full disclosure for the uninitiated, I must admit that I will be rooting for my alma mater UND this weekend, and hoping the Sioux exit Mariucci with a pair of victories.
This allegiance has caused a fair degree of friction over the years (addmittedly most of that was my fault) as I run with a crew of hardcore Minnesota sports fans, many of whom have Gopher hockey at the top of their list. The Golden Gopher hockey team is the only Minnesota team I'm not a fan of, that being a byproduct of the years following their back-to-back NCAA championships in 2002 and 2003, when their fans were at the height of insufferability. However, in recent years I've come to realize that there is a big inconsistency between being a person who is quick to tell Packer fans to go back to Wisconsin whenever I encounter them in this city, yet bristles when North Dakota hockey isn't respected. You can't have it both ways.
Fortunately for me, the Sioux have held their own in the last half a decade while the Gophers have struggled. The number of people chirping at me on a Friday such as this has dwindled significantly during the last few years, to the point where it's only a few diehards that still make the effort. As for the problems and solutions facing Gopher hockey that's a topic for another day, but their struggles have made me realize the value of rivalry, and wish it woudl return. The losses may be crushing and the taunting that follows them merciless at times, but it also raises the wins to another level, and make the whole thing feel that much more worthwhile.
Now on to the Vikings, which is a much more complex and painful can of worms to open. All of my life I have been a huge Vikings fan, and all my life they have failed me. If the professional sports teams in Minnesota were the Corleone brothers, the Twins would be Michael, savvy, patient, successful; the Wolves would be Fredo (sorry, not up for debate) and the Vikings would be Sonny, bold, flamboyant, and likely to be found riddled with bullets outside a tollbooth. (Because I need a fourth, the Wild are Tom Hagen in this analogy, the clever consigliere with an eye on the bottom line, but who will never truly be part of the family, due to his Irish blood/late arrival on the scene).
The virtues of Sonny, like the Vikings, are many: Successful, bold, willing to shed blood for their family/fans. Unfortunately another trait they share is meeting a horrible end every time you watch them on film. I will be cheering passionately for the Vikes this Sunday, and I do believe that one day they will capture the title that has eluded them so far; whether or not I will live to see that day is another question. In the meantime I will just be trying to avoid falling back into that old trap of believing this week, and simply say the game will be what it will be, so no use trying to tie myself up in knots over it. Frankly I think Dallas is due for a clunker and we've got a good shot, I just hope any Vikings loss does nto involve the words "first time in history" or "missed 35-yard field goal as time expired"; that would be a bit much to take.
So, predictions for this weekends games:
Hockey
Sioux 4, Gophers 2
Gophers 3, Sioux 1
Wild 4, Phoenix 3
Basketball
Gopher 72, Indiana 66
Football
Saints 42, Cardinals 38
Colts 33, Ravens 24
Jets 23, Chargers 20 (The grand tradition of Divisional upsets continues, followed by the grand tradition of said upset team rolling over the next week)
Vikings 27, Cowboys 23 (Yes, you read that correctly, real Vikings teams wait to blow it on the big stage)
This allegiance has caused a fair degree of friction over the years (addmittedly most of that was my fault) as I run with a crew of hardcore Minnesota sports fans, many of whom have Gopher hockey at the top of their list. The Golden Gopher hockey team is the only Minnesota team I'm not a fan of, that being a byproduct of the years following their back-to-back NCAA championships in 2002 and 2003, when their fans were at the height of insufferability. However, in recent years I've come to realize that there is a big inconsistency between being a person who is quick to tell Packer fans to go back to Wisconsin whenever I encounter them in this city, yet bristles when North Dakota hockey isn't respected. You can't have it both ways.
Fortunately for me, the Sioux have held their own in the last half a decade while the Gophers have struggled. The number of people chirping at me on a Friday such as this has dwindled significantly during the last few years, to the point where it's only a few diehards that still make the effort. As for the problems and solutions facing Gopher hockey that's a topic for another day, but their struggles have made me realize the value of rivalry, and wish it woudl return. The losses may be crushing and the taunting that follows them merciless at times, but it also raises the wins to another level, and make the whole thing feel that much more worthwhile.
Now on to the Vikings, which is a much more complex and painful can of worms to open. All of my life I have been a huge Vikings fan, and all my life they have failed me. If the professional sports teams in Minnesota were the Corleone brothers, the Twins would be Michael, savvy, patient, successful; the Wolves would be Fredo (sorry, not up for debate) and the Vikings would be Sonny, bold, flamboyant, and likely to be found riddled with bullets outside a tollbooth. (Because I need a fourth, the Wild are Tom Hagen in this analogy, the clever consigliere with an eye on the bottom line, but who will never truly be part of the family, due to his Irish blood/late arrival on the scene).
The virtues of Sonny, like the Vikings, are many: Successful, bold, willing to shed blood for their family/fans. Unfortunately another trait they share is meeting a horrible end every time you watch them on film. I will be cheering passionately for the Vikes this Sunday, and I do believe that one day they will capture the title that has eluded them so far; whether or not I will live to see that day is another question. In the meantime I will just be trying to avoid falling back into that old trap of believing this week, and simply say the game will be what it will be, so no use trying to tie myself up in knots over it. Frankly I think Dallas is due for a clunker and we've got a good shot, I just hope any Vikings loss does nto involve the words "first time in history" or "missed 35-yard field goal as time expired"; that would be a bit much to take.
So, predictions for this weekends games:
Hockey
Sioux 4, Gophers 2
Gophers 3, Sioux 1
Wild 4, Phoenix 3
Basketball
Gopher 72, Indiana 66
Football
Saints 42, Cardinals 38
Colts 33, Ravens 24
Jets 23, Chargers 20 (The grand tradition of Divisional upsets continues, followed by the grand tradition of said upset team rolling over the next week)
Vikings 27, Cowboys 23 (Yes, you read that correctly, real Vikings teams wait to blow it on the big stage)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
The Mayor Will See You Now
los·er
lü-zer
Noun
1 : a person or thing that loses, especially consistently
2 : a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed; something doomed to fail or disappoint
A wise man once said, it's tough to soar with the eagles when you're surrounded by turkeys; and that is an apt description of where we find ourselves when reviewing the Minneaspolis-St. Paul sports scene. As we lift the lid on a fresh decade and close in on two decades of futility, there are many moments when it seems like we will never again celebrate a winner on either bank of the Mississippi. That is to say, we are surrounded by losers, drowning in a sea of them so deep that we'll never get another breath of air. But still we hope; without hope there would be no reason to pick up the pieces after yet another crushing loss, dust ourselves off and square our jaws to the horizon...and the next inevitable failure.
So you probably want to ask the question, "If you're so certain of failure, why bother caring at all? Why follow sports in the first place if you're just going to piss and moan about how lousy the teams are?" The short answer to this would be whatever this as-yet undiagnosed mental illness common among all huge sports fans turns out to be. But if pressed for detail, I would say the expectation of failure is a safeguard against the true agony of defeat; when your heart has been broken this many times, it's hard to keep putting yourself out there.
Many fans use the term "bandwagon" to describe people who run hot and cold on their teams, depending on their recent success, or lack thereof. I've always tended to look at this a bit differently, I see bandwagon fans as those who don't pay any attention for months on end, then use the success of one of "their" teams as an opportunity to crow as if they were there all along. I will never forget a particular baseball conversation I had a few years ago, in which a guy who purported to be a "huge Cubs fan" asked me how the team was faring that season...while they were playing an NLCS game on a TV ten feet behind him. This is the most extreme example that I have, but a good rule of thumb is if you consider yourself a "huge fan" of any team, but haven't check up on them in the past month, chances are you aren't. I may expect the worst, I may go Chicken Little on things far too often, but I can assure you that I'm definitely here for the long haul.
At the end of the day, I know I shouldn't care so much, but I do, hence the name of this blog. If I call the team losers and bemoan their failure at every turn, yet can't just walk away, instead choosing to follow their ups and downs on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis who is the true loser in that equation? That's right, it's me. But I can handle what I am, even embrace it wholeheartedly; if you're going to be a loser, I say own your loserdom, and that's what this is really all about.
My town and my teams are a perfect match, hanging around in the lower third of the upper third of things, not making too many waves, just plucky upstarts grinding it out from day to day. Sure there are days when it seems like it would be easier to just throw up your hands and move on to more fruitful endeavors, but unfortunately it's gone waaaay past that point. No turning back, no jumping ship and certainly no giving up until we reach that mountaintop.
One of these days, Loserville is coming up big.
lü-zer
Noun
1 : a person or thing that loses, especially consistently
2 : a person who is incompetent or unable to succeed; something doomed to fail or disappoint
A wise man once said, it's tough to soar with the eagles when you're surrounded by turkeys; and that is an apt description of where we find ourselves when reviewing the Minneaspolis-St. Paul sports scene. As we lift the lid on a fresh decade and close in on two decades of futility, there are many moments when it seems like we will never again celebrate a winner on either bank of the Mississippi. That is to say, we are surrounded by losers, drowning in a sea of them so deep that we'll never get another breath of air. But still we hope; without hope there would be no reason to pick up the pieces after yet another crushing loss, dust ourselves off and square our jaws to the horizon...and the next inevitable failure.
So you probably want to ask the question, "If you're so certain of failure, why bother caring at all? Why follow sports in the first place if you're just going to piss and moan about how lousy the teams are?" The short answer to this would be whatever this as-yet undiagnosed mental illness common among all huge sports fans turns out to be. But if pressed for detail, I would say the expectation of failure is a safeguard against the true agony of defeat; when your heart has been broken this many times, it's hard to keep putting yourself out there.
Many fans use the term "bandwagon" to describe people who run hot and cold on their teams, depending on their recent success, or lack thereof. I've always tended to look at this a bit differently, I see bandwagon fans as those who don't pay any attention for months on end, then use the success of one of "their" teams as an opportunity to crow as if they were there all along. I will never forget a particular baseball conversation I had a few years ago, in which a guy who purported to be a "huge Cubs fan" asked me how the team was faring that season...while they were playing an NLCS game on a TV ten feet behind him. This is the most extreme example that I have, but a good rule of thumb is if you consider yourself a "huge fan" of any team, but haven't check up on them in the past month, chances are you aren't. I may expect the worst, I may go Chicken Little on things far too often, but I can assure you that I'm definitely here for the long haul.
At the end of the day, I know I shouldn't care so much, but I do, hence the name of this blog. If I call the team losers and bemoan their failure at every turn, yet can't just walk away, instead choosing to follow their ups and downs on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis who is the true loser in that equation? That's right, it's me. But I can handle what I am, even embrace it wholeheartedly; if you're going to be a loser, I say own your loserdom, and that's what this is really all about.
My town and my teams are a perfect match, hanging around in the lower third of the upper third of things, not making too many waves, just plucky upstarts grinding it out from day to day. Sure there are days when it seems like it would be easier to just throw up your hands and move on to more fruitful endeavors, but unfortunately it's gone waaaay past that point. No turning back, no jumping ship and certainly no giving up until we reach that mountaintop.
One of these days, Loserville is coming up big.
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