Purplepride.org

C'mon back with us Brett!! Everybody is human and make mistakes and if the offensive line had done a better job protecting you that wouldn't have never happened!!

5:40 at night on this date, the night before the big game. 24 Hours of a somber , yet hopeful look in my eyes, as I browse through Facebook pages of my friends here on PPO and others across the Minneapolis night.

I have been there before, the night before the Giants I couldn't sleep. Final score 41-0.  The night before Atlanta, just wondering what a outcome could be, an OT loss to Morten Anderson and the Birds.

This night I can be somber and hopeful and not lose sleep. I know this team had been here before and now I have to adjust. I'll be dreaming of runbacks of kickoffs courtesy pf Percy Harvin, a possible ALL Day performance by Adrian Peterson, a 400 yard game of 4 or more TD's from our Bret Farve. Who can step into the spotlight and say we want it more, maybe Longwell will kick us into the Super Bowl as did Anderson did to us in 98.

I know the time is coming either to pull my hair out or to celebrate another victory.  The Saints have proven to be the favorites. But also there is glimmers of hope, same as the light in the eyes of the Falcons when Gary Anderson missed in 98, or when Randy Moss dropped a sure touchdown, I am sure that light flickered because they did go on to win.

The Saints better hope not to let the lights flicker in our eyes because I am sure the same inpending doom we faced in 98, is just the same inpending doom they my face.

Skol Vikings

Nephilim (MJ Goodnow)

I am watching the Brett Favre forever episode on NFL network and I'm in tears for you Brett!! I watched that game after your fathers death and I remember that game and how well you played. I'm so sorry for bringing that up Brett but I just felt obligated to do so. I'm so proud of you Brett and how your father raised you!!!! Win these next 2 games for him bud! Add to your legacy and help out the team that has never won the SB like I know you will!! I have faith in you!
 Gitterdone!!!!                                                                                 


                                                                                                                     yours truly,
                                                                             Purple Heart vet,  Jaremy Austin                                                                                                                                                            

Gitter done you guys!!! I am a 29 yo purple heart vet down here in Ky alltough I was born in Minnetonka, Mn! I have been an avid Vikings fan fer years!!! I am now a one eyed purple heart vet which is very fitting for my support fer ya'll!!!!! As much of a GB hater that I was, Mike Holmgren and Brett Farve have been 2 of my favs fer years!! Jared Allen, Sidney Rice, Ray Edwards, Visante Shiancoe, Adrian Peterson, Percy Harvin, Benny Sapp, Antoine Winfield, Williams boy's, as well as the rest of you guys are playing so well and I'm proud of you guys cause your playing together!! I've been in the army, as well as being hit by a car bomb in Iraq, so I know what it's like to be part of a team!!!! I've been in a coma for a month and a half, due to a motorcycle wreck because I had a flashback thinking I seen an IED so I know what it means to never give up and keep driving forward no matter how bad it gets!!!!!!!!!!!! I have so much faith in you guys!! Gitter done!!!!! Please keep up the great work ya'll!!

Oh my!  Did you see Jared's face when the Cowboy came over to the sidelines to whine?  I couldn't have dreamed of a better response.  Loved it!  The whole team was amazing.  The Cowboys should have gone over to the refs and thanked them for all the calls and noncalls that went their way instead of crying that we scored against them.  They have to face it.  The Vikes were just played way better then they did on Sunday.

one thing that you can be sure of in this life is that things can change in an instant and without warning. So be sure to cherish all that is dear and enjoy them whilst you are able to as you never when that might be taken from you. Case in point being that of Bengals receiver Chris Henry who was lost to the NFL this week. We all know that he had plenty of off-field incidents that led to the league reviewing it's policy for that but regardless of that it is still a young life that has been cut short.

We all look for something constant to hold onto and take pleasure in which why we find so many people here at PP.O. It's somewhere where we meet to talk about all aspects of our favourite team from players, old games and memories and many more. It is also a place where we make good friends whom we rag on because of their views - such as their like, dislike or sufferance of a particular player - say Brett Favre for example ;-)   It's like one big family here and people have come and gone over the years, some we miss and some not but the important thing is that PP.O is the constant part that we always have there.

Some people here are constantly posting as can be seen by their post counts and others, like myself, don't post as often but are still here for large amounts of time though tending to read more then they post. However people  spend their time on the site it is something that we all enjoy doing and many friendships have been forged as a result of being here. Given that, it is very hard to step back even when you post as infrequently as I do.

Earlier this year my wife was diagnosed with cancer in one kidney which was subsequently removed and has been recovering since - hence no trip to Minnesota this season and plans made to make it to two games next season. However those plans will have been thrown in the air following her most recent scan which we had the results of this week. We were told that secondary tumours have been found and have now been referred to a specialist unit to attend in the New year. We know that this will require chemotherapy and have the prospect of a few crappy months ahead, especially for Sharon who is the one having to go through it. So I know that my visits to PP.O will be reduced as my time is occupied elsewhere but don't think that I won't be popping in to check on my friends and fellow posters here.  If only to see what the current feeling is about LNAD - as some yutz has been known to refer to our current starting QB as :-) .

So you will see me about but maybe not as often as before but I will be about and dropping the odd glib comment or smart arse remark in threads. With Gods grace things will work out for the best and when that happens then I will be back to annoy people again.

Just remember the first two lines of this blog and follow them and may everyone have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year for themselves and their loved ones.

I'm still new to Football in general, and still really new to the Vikings. The football-fly actually bit me really bad in the beginning of this year, but I was confused. The playoffs seemed unlogical and weird, and I really didn't end up seeing much of football in the year.

But then, finally, Super Bowl Sunday was here. In my home country Finland the Super Bowl has been showed many times, but this year it was different. No common channels were broadcasting it, and I had to search through the Internet to find a decent streaming channel. But when I found it, I was hooked.

The game was as good as I had thought. The big tackles, the fast runners, the huge atmoshphere, and the brilliance of both of the teams quarterbacks really got me into the game. I watched it through (which was a bit challenging in the end, because it started at 2 A.M Finnish time) and was mesmerized. The wrong team won, of course, but the sheer feeling of watching one football game through was something weirdly exciting,

I have never been much of a fan of any team. The three main sports in Finland are hockey, soccer and basketball, and the only one that I've ever had as a hobby is basketball. I do follow the teams of my city, and I have seen matches of all the three teams, but something just hasn't been there, ever. I haven't been a sports loving couch potato. We'll, before the mighty, wonderful game of Football that is.

Now that I've watched all the games of the season and pre-season, I feel that the Vikes that I first picked as one of my favourites because of the most rational and friendly fan base and the great defense has really won my heart over. It's funny really. I use the word "we" many times when discussing about the Vikes with my friends. Even though WE are not the number one team in the NFL right now, I feel like the Vikes is where my heart's at.


A lot of thanks belongs to the PPO.  I'm not an active writer actually, one reason being that I do not know much of the history, of NCAA, of the Vikes or the whole league really, but I haven't felt mocked or something like that. I feel like this here is a real community of real people.

Thank you, people. Skol Vikings! I hope to spend many year in the forum, chatting with you crazy Americans!

It's not time to hit the panic button - YET.

After losing 30-17 to the Arizona Cardinals, and starting MLB E.J. Henderson in the process, you can excuse the Vikings for wondering what will happen next. In a cruel twist of fate, Henderson was lost for the 2nd consecutive season to injury. Last year, it was his toe(s); this year, the left leg. He broke that leg trying to tackle Arizona RB Tim Hightower in the 4th quarter. So now, in addition to not having CB Antoine Winfield back yet from his "foot injury", E.J. Henderson is gone too.

The Cardinals basically shut down the potent Viking offense for most of the night. Brett Favre threw his first two interceptions since October, and Adrian Peterson was held to nineteen yards rushing on thirteen carries (11 of which came on one run), one of the worst days of his career. All around it was a very uninspiring effort by the Vikings, defense and special teams included. Now, in addition to having to deal with the absence of another of their top-tier defensive players, we have to start worrying about how they'll deal with the rather easy victory by the Cardinals, and how the Vikings will use the loss as a motivator.

Prior to the loss, the Vikings seemed to be confident, loose and cocky. Now, after being knocked down a peg by Arizona, it wouldn't surprise me if the players are a little gun-shy about injuries and the fate of the team. Granted, the Vikings are 10-2 and still lead the division by 2-1/2 games over the Packers, but this latest setback puts a whole new spin on the season. The Vikings defense must hold together now that Henderson is gone. Players must step up and make extra plays. Coaches must make better adjustments at halftime of games, especially better than they did Sunday night. 

Losing Henderson is a pretty serious blow to the heart of the Vikings' defense, but I think there are enough playmakers to cover the hole, at least for the time being. The Vikings need to come out against Cincinnati with an attitude, something they were sorely lacking last night in Arizona. The Cardinals were like the neighborhood bully and punched us right in the mouth.

Time to punch back.

I had an interesting discussion with one of my couchsurfing friends from the Dominican Republic. He was, what I would describe as a bit annoying but very friendly. I personally just dont like when people firing  questions at me and not even care to listen to what my answer on the first one was. Like he really didnt care what i was going to answer.

He has alwys been on to me inviting me to come visit him in DR, and a few chats ago I enlightened him that Im going to a work conference in Florida and that I have the weekend after, the NFC Championship Game weekend that is, to do what I deem fit.

So after pushing me again for an answer yesterday, if I was to visit him. I honestly told him that if I was, it was going to be a last minute decision after watching the Divisional Playoff game to see if the  Vikings are playing the NFCCG at all.

"Its amazing how you let your life be dictated by a sports team so far away from your own country".

And then jadajadajada... going on how strange my life is and that I should pick a local sports team to support...

It didnt take me long to realise that I really dont want to visit that dude and take a visit to DR off the list of what to do if the Vikings Super Bowl run is stopped short. I have many friends Id rather visit scattered around the US, friends in California, Minneapolis, Arizona and Missouri. And I could stay in Florida and head down to Miami or go diving in Bahamas.

So who'd have thought that coming out of the bye weeks that the Vikes would be sitting atop the division with a 7-1 record. Yep we would all have dreamed of maybe 6-2 but realistically not even the most fervered fan would have really expected 7-1 and a sweep of the Pack as well. Well that is the reality of the season so far and with both Green Bay and the Bears imploding early on then that just makes it that much sweeter and helps us towards the division title.

So what is all down to then? and the answer has to be a combination of things. The most obvious thing this year has been the addition of Brett Favre and he has been a difference maker no doubt - see I said it before some smart alec throws that into the mix. Yes he has played well and, so far, has not gone into a meltdown and started throwing passes about without looking where the ball is going. He has been a good manager which I know is a term that he doesn't like to use but that has been his role with of course a little veteran savvy added to the equation. His change this year is that he has a good running game to take the pressure off him, a good defence to help out the offence when needed and several young players who have had stellar seasons so far - namely Percy Harvin & Sidney Rice.

Harvin has been outstanding so far this year and showed why the Vikes rated him so highly come draft day. Offensively he has been been on the mark with his play and his special teams play has been top class. At last we have a returner who can actually hit the gaps at speed and then step up a gear, combined with the improved ST play then we have seen a huge improvement in that aspect of the game.

Rice was always hoped to step up and now that we have a QB that doesn't act like a deer in the headlights then he has someone who can get the ball to him. Given the limited time in training camp for him to develop a rapport with Favre then their hookups have been great to see and promises more for the remainder of the season to come.

So we move into the second half of the season and already in the postion to be worrying about potential seeding positions for the postseason - not something that we have been able to do in recent years.

Here's hoping we don't go for a second half meltdown and that maybe we can get Favre out of the games earlier and help keep him fresh for playoff action. Of course that's getting ahead of ourselves as we first of all have to take care of business with the Lions on Sunday as they won't be looking to do a divisional rival any favours at all

Here's to a good game Sunday and going 8-1

Skol!