Better make sure you are sitting down before reading....

https://patch.com/minnesota/southwestminneapolis/minnesota-vikings-super-bowl-odds-are-better-you-think

Some how I feel better when we are flying under the radar and the team isn't expected to do as well as they are.  I like it better when we are the hungry team.

I was listening to KFAN on the drive to work this morning. Ben Leber commented that Minnesota fans are so cautious. We'd almost rather Carson Wentz still be playing and have the Vikings as the underdogs fighting for the win. We're also not comfortable going all in emotionally due to past disappointment. He has a point. I find myself checking my emotions and reminding myself to just look at one day/game at a time. His point was that we are FANS. We can go all in and get excited about the possibility. If the Vikings lose, they lose. We'll still get up and go to work the next day. So, enjoy it while it's here. 

So yeah, I'm going to enjoy it! How about that prediction! I love it.

@"Nichelle" said: I was listening to KFAN on the drive to work this morning. Ben Leber commented that Minnesota fans are so cautious. We'd almost rather Carson Wentz still be playing and have the Vikings as the underdogs fighting for the win. We're also not comfortable going all in emotionally due to past disappointment. He has a point. I find myself checking my emotions and reminding myself to just look at one day/game at a time. His point was that we are FANS. We can go all in and get excited about the possibility. If the Vikings lose, they lose. We'll still get up and go to work the next day. So, enjoy it while it's here. 

So yeah, I'm going to enjoy it! How about that prediction! I love it.

These SI prognosticators who think the Steelers/Patriots will score 30+ points against us at home!  Do they even watch the games?!?

The teams that scare me the most -- in order --  are the Saints, Steelers and Rams.  NONE will score more than 24 points against us.

@"Nichelle" said: I was listening to KFAN on the drive to work this morning. Ben Leber commented that Minnesota fans are so cautious. We'd almost rather Carson Wentz still be playing and have the Vikings as the underdogs fighting for the win. We're also not comfortable going all in emotionally due to past disappointment. He has a point. I find myself checking my emotions and reminding myself to just look at one day/game at a time. His point was that we are FANS. We can go all in and get excited about the possibility. If the Vikings lose, they lose. We'll still get up and go to work the next day. So, enjoy it while it's here. 

So yeah, I'm going to enjoy it! How about that prediction! I love it.

Don't do that I was  thinking something  catastrophic   dam man. And the rams scare me the most

@"JimmyinSD" said:

IIRC, I dont think Ben grew up a Vikings fan,  He is from the part of SD that has a lot of Broncos and Chiefs fans from my travels.   I think in order to understand the cautious demeanor of being a Vikings fan you have to have been one for at least 20 years and have lived the 99 and 09 heart aches.  also the average fan doesnt feel it either,  it takes that fan that lives Vikings football year round.

I have seen all 4 Super Bowl losses with the Raiders loss being particularly painful.
1998 was very painful as well.  It took a while for me to come to view that 1998 season as being fantastic!
I mean every week the team was whuppin' butts.
The journey was worth every penny even though they came up short.

2009 was another doozy but not too bad for me as I felt a disconnect with Favre as the QB.  Have to admit that.
I still wanted to win but it felt like sleeping with the enemy.

This year has been a very surprising ride especially with the QB situation.
The defense has been top notch though.

As long as the defense does not have a severe breakdown then the Vikings should be in every game.
I only worry about the offense being able to put up some points.
I think the Bears played the team differently and were purposely trying to keep Keenum in the pocket.
At least that is what I thought I saw.  Of course I was drinking so who knows?

Either way I will enjoy it!

@"dadevike" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

IIRC, I dont think Ben grew up a Vikings fan,  He is from the part of SD that has a lot of Broncos and Chiefs fans from my travels.   I think in order to understand the cautious demeanor of being a Vikings fan you have to have been one for at least 20 years and have lived the 99 and 09 heart aches.  also the average fan doesnt feel it either,  it takes that fan that lives Vikings football year round.

'99 and '09? I wish. Sadly, I go back to the 1969 season - SB in 1970. That was the only SB I thought we should definitely win. I would have said the same in '98 and '09 but we did not make it. So, yeah, cautious optimism for me.

SB IV is one of my first football memories.  I had just become a Vikings fan.  (I grew up in Nebraska so I could pick any team.) 
There are three years that are particularly stinging for me.  The loss to Pittsburgh in SB IX, the Drew Pearson push-off in 1975 and 2009.  Until 2009, I had never seen a better Vikings team than that '75 group. 
Leber is right.  I'm afraid to say it out loud, but this team is better than '09. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

 

'99 and '09? I wish. Sadly, I go back to the 1969 season - SB in 1970. That was the only SB I thought we should definitely win. I would have said the same in '98 and '09 but we did not make it. So, yeah, cautious optimism for me.

I wasnt born until 73 so the PPEs were barely a memory, I have faint memories of those 70s games,  but not really enough to point to that as an emotional scar.   My pain began in the 80s,  with the 87 CG being the first open wound.   I think to truly feel the pain you have to have been through at least 2 emotional losses.    for you old timers that vividly remember the 60s and 70s... at some point doesnt shock and numbness take over and kind of block out the pain?

My first Viking game memory was watching the SB against Miami with my oldest brother and his buddies.  I was hooked after that game, and watched them lose the other two SBs as an avid young fan.

Yeah, too much heartbreak over the years has me all cautious and guarded.  I'm enjoying the hell out of this team, but I'll only believe we're SB Champs when I see it.  So, I'll be carefully watching how far we go while protecting myself from heartbreak. 

That's not easy to do (to not get emotionally sucked in); I've gotten good at it with my old age.   B)  

I relocated to MN in late '98 and watched that Atlanta game from the hotel room I was living in until I had a home. Sounds strange but I became a fan during that heartbreak of a game. I watched for a few years after that until I bought season tickets in the Metrodome. I skipped one year after being disappointed but got back in right after that. One of the reasons for my Giants hate has a little something to do with "41 - 0". Yes, 2009 was painful. I was too young for the 4 super bowls and I'm not quite at that 20 year mark. But I've put in my time. And all of that time reminds me how rare this is. I still have some caution. I'm human. But damn this is fun. Our only risk is disappointment and we obviously can handle that around here, right? right? RIGHT? :)

Anyway, I'm enjoying every day of this. And even though it's still one game at a time, I'm allowing myself to dream a little. Ben mentioned that it's okay for the fans to have some expectations. The players do. So, I'm all in until the day the ride is over.

SKOL!

@"HappyViking" said: My first Viking game memory was watching the SB against Miami with my oldest brother and his buddies.  I was hooked after that game, and watched them lose the other two SBs as an avid young fan.

Yeah, too much heartbreak over the years has me all cautious and guarded.  I'm enjoying the hell out of this team, but I'll only believe we're SB Champs when I see it.  So, I'll be carefully watching how far we go while protecting myself from heartbreak. 

That's not easy to do (to not get emotionally sucked in); I've gotten good at it with my old age.   B)  

its like i can just about grab it,  we are that damn close... but dont reach for it yet,  its just a mirage.

@"dadevike" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

 

'99 and '09? I wish. Sadly, I go back to the 1969 season - SB in 1970. That was the only SB I thought we should definitely win. I would have said the same in '98 and '09 but we did not make it. So, yeah, cautious optimism for me.

I wasnt born until 73 so the PPEs were barely a memory, I have faint memories of those 70s games,  but not really enough to point to that as an emotional scar.   My pain began in the 80s,  with the 87 CG being the first open wound.   I think to truly feel the pain you have to have been through at least 2 emotional losses.    for you old timers that vividly remember the 60s and 70s... at some point doesnt shock and numbness take over and kind of block out the pain?

It's losing when you know you have the best team - not just the better team on the field that day - that really gets me. That's what we had in '69 and in '98 for sure and in '09, too. Going on memory here (could be made up by now) buy I recall being a 2 TD favorite against KC in the SB and I think we killed them to open the next season - lots of good that did.  In '98, the Broncos were already set as AFC champs. They celebrated our loss to Atlanta more than the Falcons did. Our NFCCG game was their SB.
There is some shock. Not so sure about the numbness. At least at my age I don't stomp around like I did when I was 9 and we lost to KC. But give me a few more years and we'll see.

@"Mark Janda" said:

@"dadevike" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

 

'99 and '09? I wish. Sadly, I go back to the 1969 season - SB in 1970. That was the only SB I thought we should definitely win. I would have said the same in '98 and '09 but we did not make it. So, yeah, cautious optimism for me.

I wasnt born until 73 so the PPEs were barely a memory, I have faint memories of those 70s games,  but not really enough to point to that as an emotional scar.   My pain began in the 80s,  with the 87 CG being the first open wound.   I think to truly feel the pain you have to have been through at least 2 emotional losses.    for you old timers that vividly remember the 60s and 70s... at some point doesnt shock and numbness take over and kind of block out the pain?

It's losing when you know you have the best team - not just the better team on the field that day - that really gets me. That's what we had in '69 and in '98 for sure and in '09, too. Going on memory here (could be made up by now) buy I recall being a 2 TD favorite against KC in the SB and I think we killed them to open the next season - lots of good that did.  In '98, the Broncos were already set as AFC champs. They celebrated our loss to Atlanta more than the Falcons did. Our NFCCG game was their SB.
There is some shock. Not so sure about the numbness. At least at my age I don't stomp around like I did when I was 9 and we lost to KC. But give me a few more years and we'll see.

Actually, in '98 the Jets/Broncos game was the late game after we lost to the Falcons.  I remember it because I was listening to it while driving back to Nebraska in a blizzard.  Ended up having to stop for the night in Worthington.  You're right about KC, though.  First week of the merged NFL/AFL schedule the Vikes won 27-10. 

@"Mark Janda" said:

@"dadevike" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

 

'99 and '09? I wish. Sadly, I go back to the 1969 season - SB in 1970. That was the only SB I thought we should definitely win. I would have said the same in '98 and '09 but we did not make it. So, yeah, cautious optimism for me.

I wasnt born until 73 so the PPEs were barely a memory, I have faint memories of those 70s games,  but not really enough to point to that as an emotional scar.   My pain began in the 80s,  with the 87 CG being the first open wound.   I think to truly feel the pain you have to have been through at least 2 emotional losses.    for you old timers that vividly remember the 60s and 70s... at some point doesnt shock and numbness take over and kind of block out the pain?

It's losing when you know you have the best team - not just the better team on the field that day - that really gets me. That's what we had in '69 and in '98 for sure and in '09, too. Going on memory here (could be made up by now) buy I recall being a 2 TD favorite against KC in the SB and I think we killed them to open the next season - lots of good that did.  In '98, the Broncos were already set as AFC champs. They celebrated our loss to Atlanta more than the Falcons did. Our NFCCG game was their SB.
There is some shock. Not so sure about the numbness. At least at my age I don't stomp around like I did when I was 9 and we lost to KC. But give me a few more years and we'll see.

Actually, in '98 the Jets/Broncos game was the late game after we lost to the Falcons.  I remember it because I was listening to it while driving back to Nebraska in a blizzard.  Ended up having to stop for the night in Worthington.  You're right about KC, though.  First week of the merged NFL/AFL schedule the Vikes won 27-10. 

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"HappyViking" said: My first Viking game memory was watching the SB against Miami with my oldest brother and his buddies.  I was hooked after that game, and watched them lose the other two SBs as an avid young fan.

Yeah, too much heartbreak over the years has me all cautious and guarded.  I'm enjoying the hell out of this team, but I'll only believe we're SB Champs when I see it.  So, I'll be carefully watching how far we go while protecting myself from heartbreak. 

That's not easy to do (to not get emotionally sucked in); I've gotten good at it with my old age.   B)  

no shit... i keep telling myself "one game at a time"  but I get that feeling in my stomach when I start thinking about a game 10 days away against an unknown opponent. 

its like i can just about grab it,  we are that damn close... but dont reach for it yet,  its just a mirage.

@"prairieghost" said:

@"JimmyinSD" said:

@"HappyViking" said: My first Viking game memory was watching the SB against Miami with my oldest brother and his buddies.  I was hooked after that game, and watched them lose the other two SBs as an avid young fan.

Yeah, too much heartbreak over the years has me all cautious and guarded.  I'm enjoying the hell out of this team, but I'll only believe we're SB Champs when I see it.  So, I'll be carefully watching how far we go while protecting myself from heartbreak. 

That's not easy to do (to not get emotionally sucked in); I've gotten good at it with my old age.   B)  

no shit... i keep telling myself "one game at a time"  but I get that feeling in my stomach when I start thinking about a game 10 days away against an unknown opponent. 

its like i can just about grab it,  we are that damn close... but dont reach for it yet,  its just a mirage.

One thing about that unknown opponent--we have a 75% chance of playing someone who we've already beat this year. And yes, I know it's hard to beat good teams twice but we're at home with our crowd and hopefully we'll have our O-line back in full. If we come out stacked with everybody healthy, I say we win no matter who comes knockin'.

Man when I was growing up, I thought making it to 4 SuperBowls in 1 decade, was the norm!