The Curse of the Purple
Don't be fooled - they are doing it to us again.
Our beloved Minnesota Vikings have surprised their entire fan base by starting the NFL season with four wins and only one loss (correction: 4-2 after last Sunday's disappointing turn of events in DC). This was an offseason of extremely low expectations, coming off a dismal 3-13 showing in 2011. So, with 1/3 of the regular season complete, many fans are already dreaming ahead to visions of playoff glory.
Cue the screeching tires please.
Cue the screeching tires please.
Duped. Fans are being duped. The fiercely loyal, intensely rabid, purple-loving Minnesota Vikings fans are being duped. To quote Minnesota's own Bob Dylan, "How many purple roads must a man walk down before you call him a delusional man?" Or something like that.
How many roads? Let's count them shall we.
1. 1969 - The Vikings were led by Joe Kapp, a hard-bitten warrior who's completion percentage hovered around 50%, slightly higher that the percentage of his passes that attained the status, "spiral". Fueled by possibly the best defense in NFL history, the Vikings roared into Super Bowl IV favored by 16 points, exactly the amount they lost by.
2. 1973 - Okay, this year barely counts. With a rejuvenated Fran Tarkenton back in Bloomington, the Vikes dominated the NFC with a 12-2 record. Alas, the Miami Dolphins, fresh off their 1972 undefeated season, were waiting at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas to gobble up the Purple. Gobble they did, winning 24-7.
3. 1974 - This was the season a nagging sense of futility started to set in for the Viking faithful. Once again the "bend don't break" Purple People Eater defense led the way. Unfortunately, the 10-4 Vikings would meet the "Team of the Decade" Pittsburgh Steelers on their way to the first of their four Super Bowl victories. This title game was so bad the halftime score was 2-0. Seriously, you can look it up.
4. 1975 - This was the year, culminating in the game, that many loyal Vikings fans (yours truly included) have never completely recovered from. I have always believed this 12-2 team was their best ever. Tarkenton was record-breaking, Chuck Foreman scored 22 touchdowns and an aging defense forced 50 turnovers. Not a misprint (28 interceptions and 22 fumbles recovered). Nonetheless, in a play that will live in infamy, Drew Pearson pushed off on Nate Wright to haul in Roger Staubach's Hail Mary attempt in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter of the first round of the playoffs. Even the whiskey bottle that knocked out the referee immediately following the play couldn't soothe the faithful's rage - a rage (and sadness) that has never completely abated.
5. 1976 - This was the last hurrah of the original Glory Days for Bud Grant and his fearsome forty-five. Defeat to the vaunted Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl X was never in doubt. Even after an opportunistic Vikings defense blocked a Ray Guy punt (the first of his career) and recovered it on the Raiders one yard line early in the first quarter, hopes weren't high. And why should they have been, Brent McClanahan fumbled the ball on the very next play. End of an Era.
6. 1987 - Fast forward eleven years to the short-lived (but highly entertaining) Jerry Burns years. The Purple woke the echoes in this strike-shortened season to make it all the way to the NFC championship behind the arm of Wade Wilson and the versatility of Darrin Nelson. But it was to be a fourth quarter Wilson pass that bounced harmlessly off of a Nelson forearm at the Washington Redskins goal line that woke other, more forlorn, echoes.
7. 1998 - Wide and to the left. Take a knee with 25 seconds left in the 4th quarter with the most explosive offense in NFL history?? No more needs to be said about this season - ever.
8. 2000 - Daunte Culpeper's first year as a starter was glorious, as was Robert Smith's final year as a pro. But that old Black Magic set in suddenly and with a vengeance in the first quarter of the NFC Championship. And before Denny Green's Vikings had time to exhale the halftime score was 34-0. Final score? The now-infamous phrase, "41 doughnut."
9. 2009 - And finally . . . Twelve men on the field followed by a foolish pass attempt. After the Vikings faithful were rewarded for enduring the circus that took place in training camp, they were entertained all season long with inspired play from old number 4, Brett Favre. At times fans were doing double takes, cheering for a former hated rival. But eventually they warmed to his farmboy nature and his gunslinger style of play. But just like Favre left the Packers, Vikings fans watched their title hopes dashed after a junior high penalty and Brett's ill-timed pass into the waiting arms of a Saints defender in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship.
Had enough? Be glad I left off the 23-6 loss to the Cowboys in the 1977 NFC Championship. Not worth mentioning - Bob Lee was the Vikings starting QB. For over 50 seasons the Vikings fan base has never waivered, although they have been given numerous opportunities to jump ship. Like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin, they have ardently sat, surrounded by other unworthy gourds But their faithfulness needs to be rewarded, and soon.
Or are we cursed? Have the football gods put a hex on us? And what triggered this exasperating curse? Are we being punished for Bud Grant's inability to smile? Or his refusal to allow sideline heaters on those cold, December Sundays? Perhaps it's a conspiracy among referees for that on-target whiskey bottle? Or Tommy Kramer's penchant for whiskey? Is it the Herschel Walker trade? Punishment for Randy Moss's driving shenanigans and "play when I want to play" mentality? The Love Boat debacle? Failure to fire Denny Green and hire Tony Dungy? What??
Let's just call it . . . The Curse of the Purple, and hope it never rises to match the futility of the Chicago Cubs. Paging Steve Bartman . . .
1. 1969 - The Vikings were led by Joe Kapp, a hard-bitten warrior who's completion percentage hovered around 50%, slightly higher that the percentage of his passes that attained the status, "spiral". Fueled by possibly the best defense in NFL history, the Vikings roared into Super Bowl IV favored by 16 points, exactly the amount they lost by.
2. 1973 - Okay, this year barely counts. With a rejuvenated Fran Tarkenton back in Bloomington, the Vikes dominated the NFC with a 12-2 record. Alas, the Miami Dolphins, fresh off their 1972 undefeated season, were waiting at Rice Stadium in Houston, Texas to gobble up the Purple. Gobble they did, winning 24-7.
3. 1974 - This was the season a nagging sense of futility started to set in for the Viking faithful. Once again the "bend don't break" Purple People Eater defense led the way. Unfortunately, the 10-4 Vikings would meet the "Team of the Decade" Pittsburgh Steelers on their way to the first of their four Super Bowl victories. This title game was so bad the halftime score was 2-0. Seriously, you can look it up.
4. 1975 - This was the year, culminating in the game, that many loyal Vikings fans (yours truly included) have never completely recovered from. I have always believed this 12-2 team was their best ever. Tarkenton was record-breaking, Chuck Foreman scored 22 touchdowns and an aging defense forced 50 turnovers. Not a misprint (28 interceptions and 22 fumbles recovered). Nonetheless, in a play that will live in infamy, Drew Pearson pushed off on Nate Wright to haul in Roger Staubach's Hail Mary attempt in the waning seconds of the 4th quarter of the first round of the playoffs. Even the whiskey bottle that knocked out the referee immediately following the play couldn't soothe the faithful's rage - a rage (and sadness) that has never completely abated.
5. 1976 - This was the last hurrah of the original Glory Days for Bud Grant and his fearsome forty-five. Defeat to the vaunted Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl X was never in doubt. Even after an opportunistic Vikings defense blocked a Ray Guy punt (the first of his career) and recovered it on the Raiders one yard line early in the first quarter, hopes weren't high. And why should they have been, Brent McClanahan fumbled the ball on the very next play. End of an Era.
6. 1987 - Fast forward eleven years to the short-lived (but highly entertaining) Jerry Burns years. The Purple woke the echoes in this strike-shortened season to make it all the way to the NFC championship behind the arm of Wade Wilson and the versatility of Darrin Nelson. But it was to be a fourth quarter Wilson pass that bounced harmlessly off of a Nelson forearm at the Washington Redskins goal line that woke other, more forlorn, echoes.
7. 1998 - Wide and to the left. Take a knee with 25 seconds left in the 4th quarter with the most explosive offense in NFL history?? No more needs to be said about this season - ever.
8. 2000 - Daunte Culpeper's first year as a starter was glorious, as was Robert Smith's final year as a pro. But that old Black Magic set in suddenly and with a vengeance in the first quarter of the NFC Championship. And before Denny Green's Vikings had time to exhale the halftime score was 34-0. Final score? The now-infamous phrase, "41 doughnut."
9. 2009 - And finally . . . Twelve men on the field followed by a foolish pass attempt. After the Vikings faithful were rewarded for enduring the circus that took place in training camp, they were entertained all season long with inspired play from old number 4, Brett Favre. At times fans were doing double takes, cheering for a former hated rival. But eventually they warmed to his farmboy nature and his gunslinger style of play. But just like Favre left the Packers, Vikings fans watched their title hopes dashed after a junior high penalty and Brett's ill-timed pass into the waiting arms of a Saints defender in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship.
Had enough? Be glad I left off the 23-6 loss to the Cowboys in the 1977 NFC Championship. Not worth mentioning - Bob Lee was the Vikings starting QB. For over 50 seasons the Vikings fan base has never waivered, although they have been given numerous opportunities to jump ship. Like Linus waiting for the Great Pumpkin, they have ardently sat, surrounded by other unworthy gourds But their faithfulness needs to be rewarded, and soon.
Or are we cursed? Have the football gods put a hex on us? And what triggered this exasperating curse? Are we being punished for Bud Grant's inability to smile? Or his refusal to allow sideline heaters on those cold, December Sundays? Perhaps it's a conspiracy among referees for that on-target whiskey bottle? Or Tommy Kramer's penchant for whiskey? Is it the Herschel Walker trade? Punishment for Randy Moss's driving shenanigans and "play when I want to play" mentality? The Love Boat debacle? Failure to fire Denny Green and hire Tony Dungy? What??
Let's just call it . . . The Curse of the Purple, and hope it never rises to match the futility of the Chicago Cubs. Paging Steve Bartman . . .
Sorry...could not actually read the whole post. Mostly just skimmed it. I suppose your readers vary in their interests. haha.
ReplyDeleteI get it:) this one was very specific, just like that TV show post.
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