"Who had no interceptions or gray stubble and is going to the Super Bowl? This guy."
What did you think was going to happen, Vikings fans?
Yesterday's NFL conference title games could not have gone better, at least for me (and, really, isn't that what's important?). The Jets were finally beaten (seriously, they didn't even belong in the playoffs), the Saints -- led by our favorite guy -- made their first Super Bowl, and Brett Favre reached into the hearts of every Vikings fan out there and tore their hearts from their bodies. Simply awesome. I dine on your tears, Vikings fans. They are my sustenance.
Now, I really have nothing against Vikings fans. Actually, I don't really know any. But any time you welcome in the guy you fricking hated for 16 years and lots of you begin wearing that guy's jersey... well, you're asking for karma to kick you in the nuts. Idiot Minny fans are getting exactly what any sentient person with a functioning brain knew they were getting when they signed up for a season of Brett Favre: some exciting plays, countless features on the guy, gray stubble, stupid commercials, probably more wins that Tavaris Jackson gets you....oh, and a crushing, devastating, backbreaking interception at the absolute worst possible time.
I don't care that he had only seven INTs this year. That is indeed damn impressive. I admit I was shocked he stuck to their gameplan. Part of the reason he was so good this year was that he had some amazing weapons and actually let them work as they should. But when those weapons began misfiring and spilling footballs all over the Superdome turf? Well, Favre did what Favre always does -- tried to "make something happen." And he did. For the Saints.
The Saints, meanwhile, did their best to give this one away, being outgained by 200+ yards and by Reggie Bush deciding to not call a fair catch when he was about to be mowed down by a Minnesota special teamer. Bushy fumbled and then it took Adrian Peterson's fumbleitis to give it right back. Seriously, what the hell was that all about? How often does a team turn the ball over a half-dozen times and still be able to make a claim they should have won? The Saints not having a clue as to how to fall on the ball is a part of that. Seriously, the Vikes might have had eight turnovers if the Saints had run a fumble recovery drill at all this season.
As some of you know, I was manning the BS Twitter feed and Seth Meyers of SNL made some smart-ass remark late in the game about how he figured the Saints were re-thinking their defensive game plan of blitzing the hell out of Favre since they had no sacks to that point. Um, they had caused six fumbles and two picks. So, uh, yeah, Seth, their defense was doing something right. Oh and they beat Favre into a bruised mess. Stick to late-night comedy. Oh, wait, you don't do that well, either.
We'll have more wandering thoughts at the Super Bowl approaches, but for now, let me get back to some examples of the idiots I was discussing up above.
The Idiot Brigade
--Deion Sanders tried to defend the move last night on NFL Network. Ah, no, Deion. No, sir. Even Michael Irvin knew it was a terrible move and Irvin's probably on heroin.
--Peter King made it clear to everyone that he thought the "high-low" hit on Favre should have been flagged. Okay. What does that have to do with how bad Favre sucks when it comes to late-game decisions? King also said not to blame Childress for this loss, then proceeded to name a bunch of boneheaded decisions Childress made. The full evisceration of King's column is done here. I especially like how King complains again about the overtime rules of the NFL and how it didn't give poor Farvey "a chance." Uhh, Peter, he had his chance, at the end of regulation. If he does basically anything else other than what he did, the Vikes are probably going to the Super Bowl. Way to see the big picture.
--This guy and his kid (I guess) encapsulate being a Vikes fan this year: Probably not really being 100% on board but trying to talk yourself into it, including with a Favre jersey. I could watch this clip over and over:
--This idiot, who won't shave his beard until the Vikings win the Super Bowl. You sir, are a moron. And that's not even the worst part of the story. No, the worst part is how he grudgingly allowed his mangy, disgusting beard to be trimmed for his granddaughter's wedding, but wanted "Favre" stitched on the back of his suit. This kind of a-hole makes me even MORE glad, if that's possible, that the Vikes lost in such crushing fashion.
--Favre, himself. I love that he claimed during the postgame press conference that he hadn't even seen the INT yet, so he doesn't know exactly what happened. Watch this video and tell me how he "didn't see it yet"?
Okay, that was just an excuse to enjoy the Favreplosion again. Seriously, nothing better encapsulates his career than that -- getting his team to big games, but almost always pooping the bed once he gets there. In fact, all but once.
Delicious.