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Vikings: Destroyers of Hope
by Jason DeShaw

The Minnesota Vikings are the destroyers of hope.  For any Vikings fans out there, you know exactly what I'm talking about.  And for you non-fans, I'm going to explain it to you.  No matter how good or how bad the Vikings are in any given season, they will give you hope, and eventually crush it.  The 2007 season was a prime example of such a year.

The season started off like most any other season (with the exception of 1998 and the years around it).  The Vikings sucked.  They sucked bad.  Sure, they had an awesome new running back, Adrian Peterson, who at times seemed like a one man wrecking crew, but they still sucked.  It's a "building" year they say.  Which is NFL lingo for, "We're going to suck this year, but maybe next year we'll be better... maybe..."  Because honestly, the Vikings have had nearly 50 "building" years now.  I'd like to see what the hell they are building!

Continuing on, our always changing quarterback position was now filled by Tarvaris "My name looks like a typo" Jackson.  He's really good at fumbling and throwing interceptions.  But he's our future!  So I get to look forward to a future of fumbles and interceptions.

Living in Seattle, I can only catch the occasional Vikings game.  I followed them online as much as possible and watched the season unfold.  They won their opening game, which is always good!  Then they lost a bunch.  By the time I was able to catch their first game, they were 2-5.  At this point and time, I just assumed their season was over.  The Packers were dominating the division for the first time in awhile and we really stood no chance whatsoever, not even in the wild card.  And really, this was fine by me.  You go through sucky years, and I was just glad I didn't have to be put through another stressful season of hope.

In the first game I witnessed, the Vikings were facing off against the Chargers while being very Viking-like.  I watched as the Vikings pathetically attempted to drive down the field before the half to score some points.  Play by play, I shouted at the TV that it isn't going to work.  I know the Vikings, it wouldn'tt work.  Stop while you are ahead!  Take a knee!  Somehow my voice doesn't reach Minneapolis and they kept going.  Each pass made my heart skip a beat as the ball is almost intercepted.  Then Tarvaris goes down for the count.  Then we have to attempt a field goal from about 60 yards.  Our kicker, Longwell, has the most ironic name in NFL history, as he does anything but kick long well.  I watched the ball fly and go straight towards the uprights... and then down into the hands of a Charger, who then made the longest play in NFL history by returning it 109+ yards for a touchdown.  Half-time.  Goooooo Vikings GOOOOOO!

Then something happened.  That something is called Adrian Peterson.  Yes, he's been good all season, but this game... he was amazing.  He rushed for 296 yards.  That's more yards than the Vikings probably get in an entire game of offense, let alone a single running back.  I felt something in my belly.  Hope?  No, it can't be.  Even with this win they are but 3-5.  Push it down Jason, push it down.  There is no hope.  Well, maybe...

Week 10 goes by and the Vikings get destroyed 34-0.  Phew, that was close.  Now I can finally know for sure that the season is over and I can rest in peace.

The Vikings win 5 straight games.  They are now 8-6 and very much in the wild card race.

Why do you do this to me!?  Now the Vikings were sitting in perfect position to secure their spot in the playoffs.  Week 16 vs. the Redskins in Minneapolis.  If the Vikings won, they were guaranteed a playoff spot.  The game was so anticipated, the league promoted the game to a nationally televised Sunday night game, just for me.  And I, of course, foolishly, was filled with hope.  Hope that the Vikings could come back from such an awful season and make the playoffs.  The underdog, the comeback kid, the dark horse; all of these words filled my head, except dark horse, because I used a thesaurus for that one.

Everything was in the Vikings favor.  They were at home.  Their record was better than the Redskins.  The Vikings were on a hot streak.  Their morale was high.  There was a near unanimous vote by the "experts" that the Vikings would win.  And I thought, as all the Vikings fans around the nation thought, that this could only mean one thing.

The Vikings lost.

Yet, there was still one more week in the season and the Vikings were not yet eliminated.  There was still... ugh... hope.  The Vikings had to beat the Broncos (6-9) and the Redskins had to lose to Dallas (12-3).  And in pure Vikings fashion, they lost, and the Redskin's won, thus ending the Vikings season.

Am I upset?  Of course.  Am I surprised.  Absolutely not.  Why not?  Because it is the Vikings way.  There will always be some hope.  No matter how bad they are, there will be hope.  They always manage the miraculous winning streak, only to lose to teams they shouldn't lose to for reasons they shouldn't lose because.  Yet, the most hope-crushing season in Vikings memory is not 2007, but a year when the Vikings were awesome.  When hope was nearly a promise.  But of course, promises can be broken.