Championship Style Disappointment
I am sitting here watching the Falcons first carve up my Packers through the air, and now, with a comfortable lead, grind them down with the running game. It was 24-0 at halftime and, judging from the way things were going, over at halftime as well. It hasn't gotten any better at 37-7 well into the third quarter. I now have the sound turned down (it helps) and am obviously doing other things.
This is what kills me about being a football fan. You follow a team all year, experience the ups and downs - like the Packers slumping, then nearly "running the table" - only to have them kick you in the privates in the NFC Championship. One game from the BIG ONE!
Now, people will say, "You should be glad you're there - look at our team, we're sitting at home." Well, that helps but getting to the NFC Championship and forgetting that you have to win to get to the Super Bowl is kind of like going to prom in your jeans and a t-shirt. You look bad.
And believe me, I've had lots of practice at this -both as a Viking and Packer fan. Too many to count. I mean a first round playoff loss I can understand. Happens every year with one or the other of those two teams. But these NFC Championship games hurt. A few come to mind going way back.
This is what kills me about being a football fan. You follow a team all year, experience the ups and downs - like the Packers slumping, then nearly "running the table" - only to have them kick you in the privates in the NFC Championship. One game from the BIG ONE!
Now, people will say, "You should be glad you're there - look at our team, we're sitting at home." Well, that helps but getting to the NFC Championship and forgetting that you have to win to get to the Super Bowl is kind of like going to prom in your jeans and a t-shirt. You look bad.
And believe me, I've had lots of practice at this -both as a Viking and Packer fan. Too many to count. I mean a first round playoff loss I can understand. Happens every year with one or the other of those two teams. But these NFC Championship games hurt. A few come to mind going way back.
- The Roger Staubach/Drew Pearson Hail Mary pass. I was just a kid, but that was my first real taste of Championship style disappointment. I should have quit following football then. LOL.
- Cowboys/Packers NFC Championship. The Cowboys dogged the Packers for years in the mid 90's. Just too good. Eventually the Packers surpassed them in 96 and went on to win it all.
- The Gary Anderson missed Field Goal loss to the Atlanta Falcons in '98. Seriously, not since the days of Fran Tarkenton did I feel like they had all the pieces to win a Superbowl as they had in 98. Randall Cunningham was so cool! That loss might have been the biggest disappointment of all my years as a Vikings fan.
- Packers/49ers Terrell Owens catch. Those games that end on a last second score are heart wrenching.
- Vikings/Giants 41-0 game. The Giants won it all including the coin toss.
- The Packers/Giants ice bowl. Brett Favre - Interception. Enough said.
- Vikings/Saints. Brett Favre - Interception. I see a trend.
- Packers/Seattle. In my mind the biggest playoff meltdown in NFL history. To lose after being ahead by 25 is pretty inexcusable.
There's a few more in there, but these are the highly memorable and disappointing ones. Add today's drubbing (it's currently 44-15) to the heap and well, it's a wonder I watch at all.
Wait till next year!
Blogging off...
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