Thread: Rio Rant

For those of you new around here do not worry too much. From my short time here it seems like this is the norm. After a loss it is chaos, Monday is people trying to calm down the masses. By Tuesday everyone is starting to think logically and then on Wednesday people are starting to focus on the next opponent with high expectations and a renewed vigor.

Since there are about one hundred posts out there already I will add to it. You can look at the statistics, and you can look at what you thought happened and make conclusions. The fact of the matter is this, the Minnesota Vikings are going to be a damn good team this year.

Let the Madden game be a game, do not judge our players based on how the computer simulated your season. Do not pretend our defense will look like a game of NFL street body slamming and close lining every opponent. Be realistic to some extent.

Now personally I think we should try to run the ball more. I know the line is banged up, I know those guys are 300 pounds of lard to most of you and nothing more. If you played on the line, or if you have a greater understanding you know that is the heart of the team, that is the battlefield that war is waged on every single play. If you play on the line then you are the only players getting hit every single snap. You are the only players lined up against your opponent a foot away smelling his breath listening to his shit he talks. You’re the guys that get pinched, punched, grabbed, held, kicked, chopped, all of the above.

That is where the battle starts and that battle starts in the heart. It sounds cheesy man lord knows it sounds cheesy but it is true. All of those men are in the NFL for a reason. It isn’t high school where someone’s dad runs the piggly wiggly so he is the QB it is because those men can flat out play.

I think it would be a service to our guys to run the ball more, allow us to attack. Run some I formation let Kleinsasser lead the way, run some split option. Give the line a chance to be the aggressor to take the game under control. There is a list of good things and a list of bad things for every game, even a game that looks flawless is not above improvement.

I suggest everyone that was a fanatic the last 3 months to the point of annoyance and unrealistic dreams keep it going man, don’t get discouraged because right now, RIGHT NOW this week is what will tell us the story of our team. How we handle this week will lay out the rest of the season for us. It will tell you how good Culpepper is, how well the coaching staff really is and above all else what kind of heart we have as a team. Leaders are born of pain and suffering, I could tell by looking at Pep he was hurting inside. Leaders are born from failure. They have the scars to prove their worth.

I know you may not buy what I am selling but this game is 90% mental, this game is spiritual it is a battle of enemies and friends. A loss may very well be the best thing for us. I for one am smiling today, it has been a long time since we lost an opener and that excites me. Because now we will have front row seats this week at an all revealing display of teamwork and coaching.

Obviously the game boils down to wins, and if you only see the game in terms of W and L then you and I are different. I personally enjoy it all, you take the wins with the losses you as a fan get your own scars and how you wear those scars in my opinion is an indicator to everyone of what kind of character you have as a fan. It is ok to blame to be upset to analyze to hate a player, to love a player, but when the pain heals what side of the line will you be standing on? Will you have your head held high or will you be looking like Wiggins shoulders slumped looking like lurch :grin:

This place here PPO I like to think of it as a team of sorts, a family if you will. You have a lot of knowledge here, and a lot of young spirit still trying to learn as much as possible. We are what we are and no excuses need to be made no shame in that. If you are worried about the team to the point that it physically makes you ill take comfort in this place, gather your priorities. Next week is going to be here soon, the team needs cheering and you need to feel the rush of the game. Learn from the mistakes take as much out of this last game as you can. We were unprepared for the Bucs I think that is all it boils down to.

This is a team game, and while individuals make a team it’s the way they act together that will decide victory. To point blame on individuals gets damn near impossible to do without a major dose of ignorance. This board is a team board while we all make it tick with our individuality we can have more productive posts and better communication and understanding of our team if we try to make logical points together and feed off each other.

It’s Monday we are 0-1 and the future looks a good as ever in my opinion, relax, analyze if you have to, and get ready to rock it next weekend.

That seems like a good blog/column. (hint, hehehe)

Rio is right on about the ebb and flow of the fans here....same pattern every week during the season with a loss...its a part of the true fan letting off steam, dealing with disappointment, rallying, etc. I call it the NFL Fan Grieving Cycle. The NFGC.

It does not matter what a team does the 1st game of the season, in September! What matters is what a team is doing in November, December and January!

Great post! If I would have thought I would have thought that I thought of the thoughts that you thought and then wrote.

With recent blogs like Bench Culpepper and please no suicides lol, I just figured I'd get it to the masses. I don't even know how many people read the blogs.

I would really suggest everyone read em they are good.

Piggly Wiggly??? ROTFLMMFAO!!!

Great stump speech, Del!

DR 4 PREZ!!!

"Del Rio" wrote:

With recent blogs like Bench Culpepper and please no suicides lol, I just figured I'd get it to the masses. I don't even know how many people read the blogs.

I would really suggest everyone read em they are good.

The columnists get lots of reads (prophet, DR, Anglo, Shock, Norse)...and the blogs more as more people realize they are there.

"webmaster" wrote:

"Del Rio" wrote:

With recent blogs like Bench Culpepper and please no suicides lol, I just figured I'd get it to the masses. I don't even know how many people read the blogs.

I would really suggest everyone read em they are good.

The columnists get lots of reads (prophet, DR, Anglo, Shock, Norse)...and the blogs more as more people realize they are there.

Blimey you mean people actually read our ramblings ? :lol:

Well said. I for one was over the loss by monday mornig.
Now its time to kick some cat azz!!

Rio, you are insightful! And well spoken!