Recent Feedback:

Air Force Tailgate Visitors
Giants Game, Oct 26, 2003

Hey Mookie thanks for the great hospitality. Here are a couple of cool pictures. Go Vikes from the Ellsworth Air Force Base South Dakota.

Chris, Dave, Bobby, and Doc

From Mookie:
AWESOME! It was great to hear from you. I am glad you are back safe. That tailgate was pretty fun. I have to admit that watching the video from that day, I saw some things that I didn't remember (not that I drank too much, but well you know...)

Anyway, you guys are all welcome back anytime. Just give us a hollar when you come back to town. This week we beat up the Cheese.

Thanks for the great pictures.

Mookie

Subject: Liked you website

Editors Note: My apologies to the author. Apparently we had his e-mail address posted and it pissed him off so much that he wrote back to retract this wonderful letter, and told us that our web site sucked. (Cue sad music here). Anyway, we're keeping the text because it was nice:

I was a Vikings fan back then. I've moved on. They hurt me too many times.

Your articles are very good. However, the Dave Osborne film clip says 4th Quarter when it should say third. Also, they scored all of two TDs versus Oakland.

I didn't see the KC game either. Interestingly, the schedule makers had Kansas City at Minnesota on September 20, 1970 --- the first day of AFC/NFC merged play. Opening Day. First game since Super Bowl IV. Minnesota won 27-10. Figures.

I did see Super Bowls VIII, IX, and XI. I thought VIII would be close (Minnesota had lost 21-19 in 1972 preseason, 16-14 in 1972 regular season (Miami 14-0 to Minn. 7-7), and had beatedn them in a close game in 1973 preseason). First two Miami drives were long, with Minnesota running 3 plays plus a punt in between. Even still, they had a nice drive at the end of the first half, but Oscar Reed fumbled it away.

Super Bowl IX was painful to watch. I remember vidily the 30-yard second half "drive" by Pittsburgh, the blocked punt score, and Pittsburgh's return drive. But the two worst things were (1) seeing Minnesota try to draw Pittsburgh offside to get a first down, and (2) Fran Tarkenton throw a second pass on the same play (it was batted back to him) (huge gain called back, and I knew play was illegal).

I, most of all, remember exactly what you recalled about the Fred Guy punt. "He's never had a punt blocked" --- then, boom! Blocked. I remember Minnesota had been blocking kicks like that all year (such as in NFC finals vs. LA). I also remember thinking, before the game, that Brent McClannahan would be big, as he'd been big versus Washington in the NFC divisionals. Of course, he fumbled, and that was that.

Okay, here's a stupid tidbit, then I'll shut up. Remember how there was that talk a few years ago about how Dan Mariano and John Elway almost never played, despite long careers. Well, figure this: Joe Namath and Fran Tarkenton had exactly one game (excluding preseason) between them. One. In 1970, when Tarkenton was with the Giants and they played the Jets, Namath was injured. In 1977, when Namath was with the Rams, he was on the bench in both the regular season and postseason games (and Tarkenton missed the playoff with a broken leg).

The only meeting? Oct. 12, 1975, at Minnesota. Vikings won 29-21. Trailed 21-20 in the fourth quarter. Now, in a game between Hall of Famers, who has the winning play? Joe Blahak. A broken punt/safety, then Vikings score on a drive after the ensuing kickoff.

I'd love to see information on that game. I don't know where I was when it was being played, but I didn't see it or reports about it.

Karma? Oct. 11, 1975, the day before, was (1) the day the 1975 Reds/Red Sox World Series started; (2) the day Bill and Hillary Clinton were married; and (3) the day Saturday Night Live debuted.

There. I have exhausted my store of useless information. Feel free to use any of this that you want.

Anyway, great site.