Would Nate Give It Back? (A Vikings Fan Christmas Story)

Thursday, 12/29/2005

It's Christmas day. Rich is excited to give Heather tickets to the Vikings versus Bears game. Both teams are in the playoff hunt. Chicago is 10-4 and the Vikings are two games back at 8-6. If the Vikings can win & if Chicago loses to Green Bay, this weekend's New Year's game will be for the division title and that will give the Vikings a home playoff game! No matter what Chicago does, if the Vikings win, the Vikings are in the playoff chase. The tickets in her hand are for a 'Dome-rocker and Rich is excited to take Heather to her first Vikings game.

The tickets were given in a Christmas card. Christmas day was arranged so that tonight they can watch the Vikings at 5-9 Baltimore. This will be a very winable game. Rich was very excited and this would be a magical Christmas Day!

Fast forward to Sunday night. The Bears have won and the Ravens just scored their 30th point. Heather says to Rich, "So, can you still get your money back?"

Rich told me the story this week and it got me thinking. Can he get his money back? Beyond Rich, can FOX get their money back? After all, they moved the Vikings/Bears game to 3:15 for a national audience. Now, this Sunday's game has as much intrigue as most Monday Night Football matchups this year (Did anyone watch the New England Patriots bully and pummel the hapless New York Jets (New York Gliders? Either way, the list of Monday Nighters follows).

Better yet, since this game has less meaning, can the Vikings get back some of their money? Will Nate Burleson get his money back, too? I'm just asking for Heather's sake.

Bleed on,

Don

In case you're wondering, here are this year's Monday Night matchups:

• Dec. 26, 2006 New England 31, New York Jets 21


• Dec. 19, 2005 Baltimore 48, Green Bay 3


• Dec. 12, 2005 Atlanta 36, New Orleans 17


• Dec. 5, 2005 Seattle 42, Philadelphia 0


• Nov. 28, 2005 Indianapolis 26, Pittsburgh 7


• Nov. 21, 2005 Minnesota 20, Green Bay 17


• Nov. 14, 2005 Dallas 21, Philadelphia 20


• Nov. 7, 2005 Indianapolis 40, New England 21


• Oct. 31, 2005 Pittsburgh 20, Baltimore 19


• Oct. 24, 2005 Atlanta 24, New York Jets 24


• Oct. 17, 2005 Indianapolis 45, St. Louis 28


• Oct. 10, 2005 Pittsburgh 24, San Diego 22


• Oct. 3, 2005 Carolina 32, Green Bay 29


• Sept. 26, 2005 Denver 30, Kansas City 10


• Sept. 19, 2005 New York Giants 27, New Orleans 10 (Saint 'home' game at
  Giants Stadium)


• Sept. 19, 2005 Washington 14, Dallas 13


• Sept. 12, 2005 Atlanta 14, Philadelphia 10
  
  

Seriously - See You Sunday

Hi, I'm Tark. I am the purple headed guy, in 237 that never gives up. Thanks for checking us out. Well, it is done. the 2005 season is in the books. What are you going to do? There were a lot of highs and lows this season. More off field than on field. Well that is what the media says. Tasrk says great season. Tark recognizes the 6 game winning streak than got us in the winning side of things. Tark recognizes the great play coming down the stretch, when Pepper got hurt. Tark just plain recognizes his love for the Vikings. That is why Tark says show up Sunday, and cheer like it meant something. You know, it still does mean something, it means pride. This is a homer page, and Tark is gonna go on and brag about the purple. So hold on, and once again, grab your favorite beverage and let's go.

It all stated last year about this same time. Tark got a present from the lovely Mrs. Tark. It was a puppy. Tark loved her. Tark named it Pepper. Next to Tark's biggest hero was Tark's dog. Well, it did not take long for Tark to know that Pepper loved him. We lost to Washington, and fell in to the play-offs. Pepper was there to lick Tark's face and let him know all was O.K. The Vikes lost to Philly, Pepper was there. This year, the VIkes started 1-4, Pepper was there. The purple rattled off 6 wins, Pepper was there. Either Pepper really loves the Vikes, or she loves Tark. Tark believes both are true. Tonight, when the fellas were done, Pepper was in Tark's lap licking his face. Pepper is a believer, every one should be a believer. This is where Tark is going. Be like Pepper, just believe, and always be there. Oh yea, if you want to lick Tark's face Sunday, go ahead.

These last two games rocked. Tark believes we just hit some hot teams. We had a great game against Pittsburgh, but just made some costly mistakes. You can not turn the ball over in the red zone three times, and expect to win. In tonight's game, Tark wished he was there. We could not stop on third down. You have to hold, on third and long. Too many conversions. All around great performance against Baltimore. Just hold on third down, we would have won. Get over it, though, and show up Sunday to give Chicago a hard time.

Tark will be there in full force on Sunday, 1-1-06. You know the whole gang in "237" will be there. Come out and be proud. With everything that happened, this year, we have a shot at a winning season. This game is against a play-off team, a first round bye as a matter of fact. This happens once every twenty years for the Bears. Let's ruin it. Come on out, and get loud. Show some Minnesota pride.Tark believes the future is bright with Ziggy. Give him a year, and lets see what happens. In the mean time, come on out Sunday, and show the boys we appreciate the effort to make this season suspenseful. Face it, we are all gonna be back next year, our play-off ticket deposits says so. Come on out and show your pride, and lets give Chicago some thing to think about before they go in to the play-offs.

If that doesn't work to get you there on Sunday, buy a dog. They know nothing about football, but they know when you are happy or sad. They will always be there for you regardless. Just ask Pepper.

Skol
Tark

Greatest Show on Turf?

Hello followers of the soon to be NFC North division champions. Tark here, just sitting down at the old keyboard with my victory 7/7 in hand. As I sip on sweet victory I have two questions to pose to the purple nation. Who really is the greatest show on turf, and Why not the Vikings for division champions. So sit back and hang on, oh yea, feel free to respond with your thoughts.

The St. Louis frickin Rams. Yea maybe two to six years ago the greatest show on turf, but not anymore. Tark has waited many years to have this group of overachieving ball hogs to come to our house. The cast is pretty much the same, except that Kurt Warner is gone. One person, is that what it takes to destroy a super bowl team. Tark has to disagree. We lost Pepper, and all we do is win. They lose their quarterback and they go in the crapper. Once again hats off to Brad Johnson. Anyway, Tark has known for the past three years that if the Rams ever came North, we would smoke them. Once again Tark was correct. SO Tark well now rename the Rams to "The greatest show with a Nurf."

On to the Vikings. Tark just loves talking about the Defense. If you get bored, look up some of Tark's first entry's for the new football season. Tark was right on when he talked about how great these guys would be, once they got together. Tark loves just siting back watching the opposing offense put together a nice little drive, then out of nowhere have Sharper, Winfield or Williams ruin it with a great interception. Good work fellas, keep it up. Tark also gives a big hats off to the defensive front four. These guys are pressuring the quarterbacks, and big Pat is stuffing the run. These two keys will be huge in the upcoming games as all our opponents rely heavy on the run. This team is doing what it takes to win championships, stay on tract fellas, and the prize will be at the end of the tunnel

On to the Steelers. As you all know Tark has a pretty good relationship with the Steeler fans. Tark has visited both Three Rivers and Hines Field. Good times as always. Tark is looking forward to host the party this year. Tark has people flying in from the Burgh and the Tailgating is going to rock. So if you are in the area, stop by the lot and have a cocktail with Tark, Don, Bev and the whole gang. Tark is looking forward to this match up and believes that the streak will continue. Especially, like Coach Tice says, if we be loud and obnoxious. This is not a problem in 237, it is my other 63,000 friends that have to get up and make some noise. So, GET LOUD NORTHLAND.

Tark has to close as always by thanking some friends. Tark appreciates all the friends that stop by 237 and tell Tark to keep it up, you are doing a good job. Tark loves the support, and all who join him on third down. Tark also sends a shout to the best Maytag repair man in Nebraska. Looking forward to seeing you and everyone else on Sunday.

Skol,
Tark

Roadkill No More?

After the too-close-for-it-being-Detroit win at Detroit, the Vikings got one step closer to their best road season during Mike Tice's head coaching tenure. With the win, the Vikings are now 3-4 with one game left at Baltimore (Christmas Day at 7:30 PM). If the Vikings can stock their stuffings with another victory, it will be the first time the Vikings have a non-losing record under Mike Tice and the first time as an organization since 2000 (they were 4-4 that year).

Now, the win at Detroit is not really a big deal. The Vikings won their fourth straight game in the Motor City. It's the improbable win at the New York Giants that is impressive. During Tice's tenure, the Vikings have road victories over the Lions, Saints, Packers, Texans, and Falcons. Most of those victories are not shocking with Detroit and New Orleans being bad teams with what only I can describe a bad mojo. The wins in Houston and Atlanta were impressive but the Viking struggled to do better than 3-5 in 2004 and 2003. Now they have a chance to go from roadkill to road warriors.