Jeff: That Positive Winning Feeling

When it comes to my favorite sports teams, I've been called everything from pessimistic and bitter, to flat out being in need of intervention. And I deny none of this. BUt let me tell you, I've got nothing on the guys over at the Startribune. Correct me if I'm wrong here, but the Vikings did win yesterday, right? The offense looked like it has the past five years instead of the past two weeks, and the defense started to look like the one everyone was telling us it was suppose to look like. Yes, the Vikes let New Orleans back into it, and there's always things to improve upon, but wouldn't you think this would be a time to celebrate as a Vikings fan that the season's not lost and our playoff hopes are still alive? Maybe it's just me.

But open the Startrib sports section up today, and other than Sid's usual corporate ass-kissing, you'd think the Vikings would have suffered their third straight humiliating defeat in a row! Reusse, in a column titled "2nd Half sag takes joy out of victory", claimed the Vikes allowing New Orleans back into the game was MORE embarrassing than getting blown out by the Bengals! Jim Souhan, who's wit and sarcasm I normally enjoyed, was only concerned about who was calling the plays yesterday. Um fellas? WE WON! WE WON THE FREAKIN GAME AND LOOKED GOOD DOING IT!!!!! I understand that in writing columns you need an angle, and generally the more negative or sarcastic you are, the more interest it generates but give me a break! It's probably the fan in me breathing a sigh of relief at what I saw yesterday, and I'm not at all assuming that all is well and we'll go undefeated now on our way to Detroit in February. Both columnists have vaild arguments. The Vikes need to close games better, because a better team could have come back to get them (there were comeback wins across the league yesterday as examples). And play-calling certainly is an issue and could affect things down the road.

But I'll give you one word to describe why it doesn't worry me all that much: Zygy. Ladies and Gentlemen, VIkings fans everywhere, need I remind you that we FINALLY have an owner who cares as much about winning as he does about the bottom line. Mike Tice and his staff have this season to prove they're qualified to guide this team to the Super Bowl. If they can't, and we end up out of the playoffs or falling short yet again, guess what? THEY"RE GONE! And they won't be replaced by the cheapest staff available. Quite the contrary, we'll have a shot at the best people out there. I'm not saying Zygy Wilf is a saint and a martyr. He bought this team because he knows if (and hopefully when) the Vikings get a new stadium, it will mean a boatload of money for him. But this also means that for Zygy to rally support for a new stadium, he needs the Vikes to win, and that means doing whatever it takes to get the best team on the field. This is good for us.

So I know the win yesterday wasn't perfect, and it could be one of few this year. But after suffering through the first two weeks with this team, am I asking too much when I just want one week to rejoice and feel good about the team? Maybe it's me.