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Football
Topic Started: Oct 19 2005, 10:44 AM (953 Views)
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Scandal-vexed Vikings listless in loss
Kevin Seifert, Star Tribune
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CHICAGO - Exactly 4 minutes and 37 seconds into a self-described New Era for the franchise, the Vikings lined up for a routine 36-yard field goal. Valiantly and against all odds, they had driven down the field on their opening drive and appeared set to commence the scoring on a beautiful fall Sunday at Soldier Field.

The snap was perfect. The hold seemed fine. The kick ... Wait! Holder Brad Johnson was slow getting the ball down. Placekicker Paul Edinger never swung his leg. Johnson chucked the ball into the ground -- along with it the game, the Vikings' season and possibly the team's leadership as well.

The mishap confirmed the worst for the Vikings' already-fragile team psyche: A tumultuous two-week period that included the addition of two coaching consultants and allegations of player involvement in a sex party on Lake Minnetonka had taken its toll. The Vikings appeared out of sync for the rest of the afternoon, embarrassing themselves once again in a 28-3 loss to Chicago.

Their 1-4 record this season includes three road defeats by an average of 24.6 points. As owner Zygi Wilf announced plans to hire a "senior executive" to oversee the entire operation, the Vikings found a new level of rock-bottom.

"I've been shocked from the get-go with this team," said safety Darren Sharper, who returned from a two-week absence caused by a sprained knee. "I mean, I came here [from Green Bay] thinking we had a chance to win the championship. Right now, it doesn't look like we even have a chance to win.

"To come in here and lose to the Bears this way, let's just say we don't think we're a team that should lose [28-3] to them. That's just totally ridiculous."

Which is a kind way of describing Wilf's sentiments after the sex party allegations arose Tuesday. Wilf declared a "new era" for the franchise Friday. Sunday, his team produced "the same thing that we have every other week," linebacker Sam Cowart said. The offense went without a touchdown for the second time this season and - discounting a 17-point outburst in the first quarter of their Sept. 25 defeat of New Orleans - it has scored a total of 43 points in the other 19 quarters.

Edinger's 23-yard field goal gave the Vikings a 3-0 lead in the second quarter, but he missed from 52 yards and had a 32-yard attempt blocked in the third quarter. Defensively, the Vikings played almost the entire game in a 3-4 alignment featuring new starters Keith Newman and Raonall Smith at outside linebacker. The new formation helped force three turnovers and limit Chicago to 192 offensive yards, but it was unable to stop the Bears in the red zone.

Rookie quarterback Kyle Orton threw a pair of short touchdown passes to tight end Desmond Clark, the second after cornerback Charles Tillman returned an interception 55 yards to the Vikings 3-yard line. Good field position also helped running back Thomas Jones add a pair of fourth-quarter touchdown runs to account for the final score.

The Vikings committed 14 penalties, including five false starts or defensive encroachments. One was particularly damaging: Midway through the third quarter, an offsides penalty on defensive lineman Kevin Williams nullified E.J. Henderson's 25-yard touchdown return of an Orton fumble, a play that would have cut the Bears' lead to 14-10.

"The main thing in this locker room right now is frustration," tight end Jermaine Wiggins said. "We've got to stay positive. We can't let anything affect us mentally. We've got to figure out a way to make plays."

Wiggins and the Vikings had decent success moving the ball but converted only three of 16 third downs. In what amounted to a modified West Coast offense, Wiggins and running back Mewelde Moore accounted for 15 of quarterback Daunte Culpepper's 26 completions. Culpepper finished with only 237 passing yards and threw two interceptions.

"Guys are mad and they should be," Culpepper said. "We've got to do better. I'll only speak for myself, but I get frustrated when we don't win. Simple as that."

The Vikings' previous road losses have been so lopsided - the scores were 37-8 and 30-10 - that coach Mike Tice was at a loss to assess the impact of the week's allegations. Was it the sex party debacle, or just a continuation of their already- established poor play?

"It was a long week for us and I felt decently focused on the football field during the course of the week," Tice said. "I thought we would come in and be mentally sharp. ... [But] if I was to say that [the allegations] didn't have much impact at all, I would be lying to you."

No sense in doing that. The impact was obvious with 4:37 elapsed. New Era, Same Team.
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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Jeffrywith1e
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Packers vs Vikings or the Contest of Suck

who you got? (not who you want to, but who you think will)
you see there are three things that spur the mollusk from the sand
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Jeffrywith1e
Oct 20 2005, 10:09 PM
Packers vs Vikings or the Contest of Suck

who you got? (not who you want to, but who you think will)

I think the Pack are going to come out firing. Favre is going to take advantage of the fact that the Vikes don't have their heads on football and pick them apart. I think the D will get 2 picks off of Culpepper this weekend and our running game should produce some serious results as well after our week off. Ahman returns healthy and everyone got a week of rest by not playing last weekend. Meanwhile the Vikes are coming off weeks of allegations, shouting macthes by the new owner, possible firings, and a awful performance against Da Bears last week. I see it looking something like this: Packers 31- Vikes 10
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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JoshFormerRoomie
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a simple test...
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."

-John Kenneth Galbraith
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Jeffrywith1e
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JoshFormerRoomie
Oct 30 2005, 05:29 AM
a simple test...

what?
you see there are three things that spur the mollusk from the sand
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JoshFormerRoomie
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You love me. You really love me!!
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."

-John Kenneth Galbraith
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Ok, seriously! What is going on with the Bears?! Their mauling over the Panthers yesterday should shut up anyone who thinks they're a joke.
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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JoshFormerRoomie
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I don't know, nor do I care, all I know is that I had three hours of sheer bliss watching the Monsters of the Midway lay the smackdown on the candyasses of the Panthers. 8 sacks, oh it was a delight!

Next up: Tampa Bay. Go forth fellows, make me proud.

As for tonight, Packers 10, Queens 3
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."

-John Kenneth Galbraith
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I'll be hanging from a noose on the Madison St bridge if anyone needs me.
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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JoshFormerRoomie
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So what was learned this extended weekend?

-The Lions suck and should be neutered.
-The Queens discovered that having a viable defense isn't a bad thing.
-The Packers continue to disappoint, although I expect them to beat the Bears at least once this year.
-It's 8:33AM on 11/28/05 and the Bears are legit. At least for another week. (How I wish I had Direct TV!!!)

Jan 1st could prove to be more interesting then originally anticipated friends..........
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."

-John Kenneth Galbraith
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The frickin Bears! Their D is the best it's been since '85 and we all know what happened that year. They still need to get their offense firing on all cylinders but they manage to somehow win their games. Something I cannot say for my beloved Pack who lost another close game this last week to Philly. Here's a rundown of some of the Pack losses: lost to the Browns by 2, to the Bucs by 1, to the Panthers by 3, to the Queens by 3 on two separate occasions, to Cinci by a single td, and to Philly by 5. If the Pack would have managed to win even half of those close calls they'd be in the hunt for the playoffs. Instead I find myself looking ahead to draft day.
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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JoshFormerRoomie
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Aim high and go for Bush. (a motto any red blooded American male should live by.)
"Politics is not the art of the possible. It consists in choosing between the disastrous and the unpalatable."

-John Kenneth Galbraith
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JoshFormerRoomie
Nov 29 2005, 08:10 AM
Aim high and go for Bush. (a motto any red blooded American male should live by.)

I'll take the whole damn USC team!
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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Wallace
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I think the Bears are still a joke. Much in the same way I thought the Raven's were a joke when they won the Superbowl. But, it's an awfully damn good joke.
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Wallace
Nov 29 2005, 09:51 AM
I think the Bears are still a joke. Much in the same way I thought the Raven's were a joke when they won the Superbowl. But, it's an awfully damn good joke.

What do Viking fans miss most about the big party? The invitation.

What's the difference between a dead Packer fan lying in the road and a dead Bears fan lying in the road? There are skid marks in front of the Packer fan.
“Life, liberty, and property do not exist because men have made laws. On the contrary, it was the fact that life, liberty, and property existed beforehand that caused men to make laws in the first place.”
Frederic Bastiat
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