Top 5 list of tough losses - a new leader.

I have been a Vikes fan since 1973 and I think that yesterdays game has displaced the Hail Mary game as the toughest loss I have experienced. When I was young the loss to end the 1975 season meant there was no football until September (and for a kid 9 months was a long time.) But with maturity and wisdom (somewhat?) I have realized how rare these close moments to glory occur. Therefore they should be grasped when available.

My new top 5 of tough Vikings losses are:

1)2009 NFC Championship
2) 1975 NFC Divisional Playoff
3) 1987 NFC Championship (what a letdown after two great wins in the playoffs)
4) 2000 NFC Championship - the bast@rds didn't even show up to play that day. They were much better than the Giants.
5) 1977 NFC Championship (similar to #3 in that the Vikes pulled off the upset the week before and it was a letdown PLUS you knew that the team's stars best days were behind them.)

Many of you may notice I left out 1998. But in my heart I felt they weren't going to beat Denver and I don't think I could stomach a loss to Elway in the Super Bowl.

Thoughts/Comments
Any body else have a top five list

Well I'm not quite old enough to remember even back to the 87 season so my top 5 are:

yesterday
1998
2001
2003 against cards, last play
monday night in the rain in gb in ot freeman catch and td

no specific order though.

Oh yeah I forgot about 1993. It should be on my list.

what happened in 1993?

It's hard to list as time heals all wounds (but leaves deep scars) but based on how crushed I was the day after, mine are

1987 NFCCG
1998 NFCCG
2009 NFCCG
1975 NFCDG

No others really compare as these were games. These are games we should have won, had a decent chance at winning the Super Bowl if we did, and we were in them until the last minute. (That's why I list them as the 11 year jinx, excepting '75.)

The '77 would be a very distant 5th as it was the end of an era but it was not a last minute defeat to a lesser team that left me crushed like the 4 above.

I meant to say 2003 instead of 1993. For some reason my mind is not working at its best today?

Yesterdays game was the worst for me, after that 1998, 1987 and 2000. It's much worse beating yourself than being beat by a better team.

http://purplejesus.files.wordpress.c...s_08022_ia.jpg

Since I've only been a fan since '85 (wheww missed the Steckle experiment), and all 4 super bowl appearances were before my time, I can only look back and imagine how painful those must of been, so here are the top 5 that stick in my craw.

1. 1998 NFCC vs Falcons: Vikes were 16-1, destroyed everyone, we even had a 10pt 4th quarter lead in our only loss to Tampa. Had homefield, led by 13 in the first half, fumbled just before half, led by 10 in the 4th, coulda led by 10 with 2 min to go, dropped 2 INT during the Falcons final game tying drive, had the ball twice in OT. Lost to the f'ing Falcons?!

2. 2009 NFCC vs Saints: Just like the one in '98 this game will sting for decades, so many chances to win, dominated, shoulda won, all the "what if's", but again we found a way to lose. Lost to the f'ing Saints?!

3. 2003 WK17 vs Cardinals: This was a playoff game imo, had to win. In control all game, led 17-6 with 2 min to go, players and Tice celebrating the division crown on the sidelines. Cards scored a garbage TD, recovered an onside kick, converted 2 4th downs including the game winner on the final play. To make it even more painful, now the NFL removes the push out rule. Just a few seasons too late huh NFL? Lost to the f'ing Cardinals?!

4. 1987 NFCC vs Redskins: Destroyed the 12-3 Saints 44-10 in the wildcard, handled the 13-2 49ers 36-24 in the divisional round, hung in there all game vs the Redskins, Nelson drops the game tying TD on the final play. Redskins go on to destroy Elway and the Broncos 42-10 in the bowl.

5. 2000 NFCC vs Giants: Possibly the single most embarrassing loss in team history. Not only did we lose 41-0 in front of the world, but the Giants had advantages in first downs 31-9, total yards 518-114 (is that a typo?), T.O.P. 42-17 min, and had the ball for the final 13 min of the game. A 13 min drive that consisted of 15 3yd runs up the middle, ridiculous, and beyond frustrating that we couldn't even stop that. Collins 380yds 5 TD's, Culpepper 78yds 3 INT's.

Dishonorable mention #1: The Freeman OT catch, not only is Dishman's futile attempt at defense burned into my memory, but the Vikings had a chance to win at the end of regulation when Berger botched the hold on a 30yd FG attempt with :08 to go, then gave us his best Garo Yepremian impersonation when he threw the INT, instead of clocking it to give us a 2nd GW FG attempt.

Dishonorable mention #2: Vick making our D look like the Keystone cops in 2002, on a 45yd GW TD run in OT. We couldn't have stopped him if it were touch football that day. He finished with the ridiculous sum of 173yds rushing, which I believe is now the record for QB's.

The list could really go on and on, but these are the ones that come to mind first. We need a top 5 greatest wins topic, plenty of those come to mind too.

I have been a fan since 1990 ... so mine all come after that in this order:

1. 1998 - Everyone knew we were going to win this one, we had a comfortable lead early. Still had a 7-point lead, with the ball in chip shot range late in the fourth ... and somehow lost.

2. 2009 - This one is obvious.

3. 2003 - I still vividly remember that loss to the Cardinals and it haunts me. We were far too good not to even make the playoffs, much less lose it in this fashion.

4. 2000 - Just a total embarrassment when we looked ready and poised to finally take the step after the 1998 debacle and the 1999 massacre in St. Louis.

5. 1994 - We had beaten the Bears twice that season and clearly were the better team. We were posed to make a solid playoff run. And then they beat us in the first round.