Give us your Al Bundy story. What was your greatest achievement when you played | VikeFans.com

[Guest]

I was an all-state CB who led the state in interceptions until the final game of the season when our own backup QB threw 3 picks to the same kid. Enough for him to take the lead. The reason our backup was in the game? Because I broke the leg of our starting QB the week before. 

[Guest]

^^^^^and THAT's when red jerseys were invented

[Guest]

Not football related, buuut...

First year of competitive cycling (Time Trials), my goal was to make State in my age group (50-54 at the time)...hired a coach, got up at 4:15AM M-F to train for 2.5 hours per day...first state qualifier, I crash, get concussed, fracture my left elbow...get back on the bike and finish because I was the only one racing that day in my age group...did the 5k in 24:35 which wouldn't have been shit if I had been running...

6 weeks off the bike and on the trainer, pure torture...I get back on the road, win two more qualifiers against guys who have been riding for years...next up a master's level Time Trial....my 30 second man (starts 30 seconds before me) was a six time State champ (3 times 50-54, 3 times 55-59) and my best friend...course was a little hilly, he goes off, and he disappears over the first hill...

10 seconds to go, and my heart rate is already pegged at 120 bpm...I take off and my heart rate almost immediately gets pegged around 160...not good...I spend the next couple minutes trying to relax and find my cadence...six minutes in and I'm closing in on the turn around...and, he's just coming out..he's got about 200 meters on me and there's 7.5 kilometers to go...hit the turn around, take a beat and drop the hammer...heart rate is pegged at 180 now and I know I can hold it....couple minutes pass and I don't see him...I push up to 190...I think I can hold that...another minute...still no sign....what was I thinking presuming I could overtake a six time State champ...

I'm holding 27.5 mph and I'm right at the breaking point....uphill left turn, and he's about 50 meters out...then 25...then 10...I can't close any further...I'm just under 200 bpm...look up and I'm just 1 meter off his wheel...I've got enough lactic acid in my legs I swear they are going to ignite...2k to go...I can see he's just about done...at this point just finishing next to him is a huge win, closing the 30 gap...one more rise, then it's down hill to just about the finish with about 200 meters of a small rise...I sell out, pass him, and hang on...finish line...I win...4th best time of the day regardless of age group...

I'm am absolutely stoked that I'll take State for my age group six weeks from now...find the spot in the living room I want to hang my state jersey...all I have to do is keep training...4 weeks out a nd my recover time is slipping...I train harder...now my HR at the start of training is up ten bpm...then twenty...my coach dials back my training...HR has now gone from 68 bpm to 110 at the start of training...three weeks out and I take a week off...get back on and I'm at 98 bpm...train easy for the rest of the week...try a group ride that I'm normally setting the tone of or at least the front of the peleton...barely hang on...

Call my coach...overtrained...4 weeks after States I checked the results...guy from Rhode Island won in a time I couldn't beat, but I would have taken second easy...which, might have been worse...haven't cycled competitively since...

[Guest]

Hmmm...kind of a haze of many pick-up games with UNM Lobos (and some not-quite Lobos) in my late teens where I got to play QB a lot.  Sadly, I never got along with most jocks in my high school (I was with the long haired rocker/stoner types), and used to joke that I'd try out for the football team if they'd let me smoke during practice.

As we played without pads, I had a lot of motivation to get the ball out quickly.  I was tall, but not real big...and being hit by bigger guys that actually were conditioning and practicing.  When sacked, I'd fold up like a Walgreens lawn chair.

On the other hand, I could put the ball where I wanted and my shoulder didn't care if I played all day.  Being accepted and even encouraged by these slighter older, bigger, real football players was great...and them basically assigning me the QB spot was a huge compliment.

Had a great arm, but gave no f***s about anything but typical hormonal teen pursuits during that time.  Plus, if they'd drug tested me, I'd likely have been in jail for years.

There has been the occasional regret, as I could place throws well and the college kids were impressed.  Maybe coulda/shoulda...but then again, might've blown up both knees in my first game.

In any case, my Sundays, Mondays, and occasional Saturdays/Thursdays were open for cheering for the Vikings.  All good.