Land of Vikings- Is it just me or has the Circus, three rings and all, arrived in Viking Country?  A day after a rather bizarre presser where Randall Moss all but fell on the New England Patriots' alter with a self-glossed sacrifice not seen since...well, since a tearful Terrell told us all about his quarterback, we are once more the focus of national scorn (scorn might be too harsh but mystification? That'll fly).

     Chilly cuts Moss?  For that?  Why?  A bad press conference or something more?  Was he insulted?  Were you?  I'm not so sure I was and I rarely take much of what is said on the press box stand as something more than candy-coated glam spouted for the simple sake of post game hooplah and a possible Monday sound-bite.

    But Randy being Randy said some things that the 'Ole Ball Coach found far too egregious for his liking and less than a sunset later the Moss Experiment 2.0 is over.  Where does he go from here?  Well, that depends on who you're talking about.  As far as Randy is concerned that's up for debate.  But Chilly?  Chilly's in some hot water of his own and the tide, my friends, may be turning. 

    They're calling for his head and they want him out of town.  300+ comments on the Norseman homepage after a Moderator's reference to a historical dictator (always a fan of the historical nod, Mr. Glover) and a hundred more comments in the thread of 'Fire Chilly Now!"

     That proverbial hot seat is warming up.  And the natives are getting restless.  Well, from my perch on the eastern seaboard we only get the sniff of what's out in the Twin Cities, I mean some people around here are thinking Moss will return to the Land of Bill (I'm not one of them).  But I did come across something here that might find a receptive set of eyes out your way...

     The "Fire Brad Childress" movement is growing and its legitimacy is only confirmed by the age-old American tradition of putting our slogans on something we can wear.  Ah yes, the T-shirt.  An American original and themed to give credence to your painful voice. 

    You don't like Chilly?  Think it's time for him to go?  Well, they got a t-shirt for you then.  Check it out:

Razor Blade Stadium- Some teams of destiny take a little while to get there.  Some start slow, feel the waters and wait for the optimum time to strike.  All in the theory of "Hey, we don't want to go out and be a target for anybody, do we?"

     Well, do we?  Because the time is now starting to squeeze this team into a corner from which there may be few avenues of escape.  The one factor (besides of course that this is the God Fearing Vikings) still offering a glimmer of hope is the utter ineptitude of the NFC North Division.  Thank the good fortune that we've yet to run through the remainder of the divisional contests as they illuminate multiple opportunities to once more raise the arms in triumph and slip our way into that post season tournament where anything, as they say, is possible.

     But that's a while out yet and there's a pretty serious peak to surmount before any vacations in January can be planned with any confidence. 

       Week 8.  It's a big one.  The Viking Ship sets sail for a port of call in storied old New England where the once proud Patriots have found some of the swagger which cast them as NFL elite in some circles and detested egotists in most others.  But that calm, bold stance which hoisted Lombardi after Lombardi in the early 2000's has seemed to once again find a home within the confines of The Razor and come Sunday their road will face a test from which they may emerge as NFL elite and January Bound. 

       Now, to the misty eyes of the Patriot faithful this game need not be played.  I mean, did we not see how Coach Bill led the troops through that hostile landfill known as Qualcom Stadium in southern Cali? 

     Uhhh, yeah.  That, a solid dose of luck and the mismanagement of Coach Norv helped gift that win to the Patriots.  And good luck is often evened out by bad so when the ball is kicked from the 1pm tee this coming Sunday anything can, and most certainly will, happen.

       I no longer question the heart of the Viking Fan.  I know their resilience goes beyond this latest loss.  But I do question the loyalty they will show towards a quarterback who continues to behave, oh how do we say this politely, with questionable actions?

       Is this the week Favre gets benched?  I am beginning to lean towards the logic of that topic and it is not merely for his injury plagued ankles, his ego-driven actions or his friction between Childress and the Offense.  No, I think it might just be time to give the man a rest.  Sit him down.  Forget The Streak.  It's time to play to win.

       And after watching this team for the last few weeks I don't think they can win with him at the helm right now.  Give him a week off.  Rest.  And see what happens.  This team may still possess the fuel to rev their engines all the way to a Superbowl Showdown but I don't think they do it without Brett Favre taking a break and letting this team find it's identity.

       Because it's going to be a circus come Sunday with the Pats on a winning streak, Randy's return and Brett Favre coming to town.  It's all about what is best for the team and giving them the best chance to win.

      I don't think Brett Favre can give us that at this point in the season.  We'll see if Childress can make the difficult call and we'll see how the Patriots react.

      It's a Big Game and I'm already looking to it.  Enjoy the hype leading up to this one, Friends.  It's going to be a great week.

Live Free Or Die,

Radio Kjed

Minnesota- I had a premonition.   A week back, maybe two at most.  Happened while gazing through the standings and looking at the schedules.  Thought to myself, this NFL thing is getting trickier and trickier to figure out and all these pre-season predictions are about as useful as last month's news.  And within the mist of all this confusion I realized something that made more sense than anything else I'd seen or heard thus far.

     The Vikings.  The Minnesota Vikings are going to the Superbowl. 

     What?  This year?  Well no, not this year.  It'll have to wait till next year.  2011 that is.  February 5, 2011 to be exact.  And believe it if you like, dismiss it if you will but sometimes to gain clarification one must remove himself from the surgical focus of singular thought and expand the view to include that metaphorical 'big picture'. 

     And looking at the Big Picture that is the NFL can anybody tell me who's the odds-on favorite to take this thing all the way?  New Orleans?  Uhhh, anybody catch the number on that bus that rolled them over Sunday?  Chicago?  Chicago?  Really?  They needed bad calls and miracles to beat Detroit of all teams.  Dallas, New York (either team), Miami, Indy, Kansas City?  All have interesting story lines, some have pretty records and some even lay claim to Divine Guidance (why else would Rex Ryan flap those jowls like he does)?

      But can any of them honestly claim to be on an inside track when it comes to the Championship Dream?  The only thing I'm sure of is I'm not sure about any of them.

       Which is why I started buying into this Vikings team...well, truth be told, I started buying in because I like the passion and purple fury of those who carry the Viking flag and how early season distress was manifested to resolute solidification of the fan-base and further belief in the mantra that while the road may be rocky it does indeed end in paradise. 

      It's Week Six and the bye week is gone.  A new franchise ball-catcher has been returned home and the outlook for the rest of the way seems, to these eyes, better than what this record says.  Anybody care to peek at the divisional standings this morning?  Yeah, that's right.  Vikes are undefeated in the division. 

     So the playoffs are still a topic of good discussion.  This season is not over by any stretch, in fact it's only just begun and while the fine-tuned mania that is the National Football League might fix its gaze elsewhere over the next few weeks and scandal may raise a head to cause some chaos this franchise might be far better off now than what it looks on the surface.

      Superbowl?  Why not?  And I mean that, why not?  Because they aren't good enough to compete in the division and make a run to the playoffs?  I can't buy that.  Won't buy that.  Because the O-line can't protect Favre long enough to spring Randy?  Hey, that's possible but with a long way to go I think there might be a way to fix that.  The defense?  Anybody think this defense can't perform to a championship caliber?

      Yeah, I didn't think so. 

       It's a punch to the face to lose to the Jets but 1-3 isn't so bad.  Not fantastic, I mean I can be a realist.  But these things aren't beyond repair and this team knows the window wasn't going to left open for long.  They know what they must do.  Question is, do we, as fans, believe they can do it?

      I do.  Vikes in the Suoerbowl. 

      Hope everybody has a great day out there and if you're still feeling down about the game, check a piece of animated comedy to set yourself straight.  It gives an insight on how Randy actually made his way to the North Country.  Enjoy it.

Radio Kjed

Manhappanin' Kansas- K-state.  The Little Apple.  Purple Power and Wildcat Pride.  You've heard it, you know the refrain, that beat hits your pulse and the right arm flies to the punch of 1-2-3...Go K-State!  College ball and start of Fall.  Thursday Night Football and a national game.  This puzzle has all the pieces for an intrigue of front page proportion.  There's a buzz.  It has the drama, the trauma and rocka-rolla-rama to send one program off to 'Greener Pastures" with the sting of defeat that will remind them once, now and forever that while the program under the Cornhusker Hood may have once stood tall on the lonely plains and born the history of four generations it still, still can't match the quality of camaraderie that was, is and will always be, Kansas State University. 

    Some things never change; the sun will rise in the east and shotguns will rain thunder on quail populations on Thanksgiving Day.   Some will favor Coke and others Pepsi and yes, the Husker Nation will swell their chest, stuff their face and gloat like a new father on his son's first birthday whenever their boys hit the iron grid.

     And they might win.  They might.  They might give the Big Red Chuckwagon a reason to stay up late, fire the grill and sip sarsaparillas on the F-250 tailgate while they bask in the glory of one more win. 

     But they might lose and if they do it's a safe bet to say the tents will be struck, the party shut down and a cloud of gloom shall descend upon the grassland from Omaha streets past the Platte River Delta.

     It's just how it is when it's all you got.

     But the other end of the end zone is backed by a wall of purple.  And while we've known our share of Glory and hoisted a wall of trophies of our own we've also felt the sting of despair and the pain of defeat.  And win, lose or draw there is one fact that will have its science proved again this evening.

     Because the final score (while dreadfully important) is not the only component to the physiology of a Kansas State Wild Kitten.  There's a little more to the make up and a little more to the story. 

     Kansas State University is K-state because the game is only part of the overall prize; that score on the board might say one thing and it might not say it well but when the final ticks are done the contest has only just begun.  Because while our record on the turf might need thirteen more years of perfection to reach .500 overall we hold one record that hasn't been touched, won't be broke and can't be taken; K-state has, in its 147 year history, never lost the party.

     And we won't lose it tonight either.  Big time action in Manhattan this evening.  50,000+ will shake The Stadium down and when it's finished and all is over...The Party will have only just kicked off.

     Go K-state!  So Long Saloon-it!  Auntie Mae's Glory Days, Helly at the Rock-a-Belly-Deli, Swill at The Gin Mill, Roll at the Fishbowl, Find Others at Brothers (Yeah!), Lucky's, Pat's, Kite's and that Last Chance Saloon...you know 'em all well...

Looking forward to talking this one out tomorrow...

Radio Kjed

The North Country- An inadvertent tweet, intended for a single set of eyes, was cast upon the sports scene late last evening and erupted into the story of the week as Randy Moss, upon whose shoulders the world may sit, is set to return to the land which spawned him.

    Moss returns to Minnesota as what could be the final piece to a Superbowl puzzle that has eluded the proud, pig-tailed posse of sea-faring plunderers known far and wide as The Vikings for a generation and more.

    The radio waves are electric with the news.  "Good riddance!" say some while others lament the loss as a Titanic lapse in judgment and good sense.  The purest of the optimists in the Foxboro Region have already made the leap to assume the trade can mean only one thing; New England will package the 3rd round pick with disgruntled hold-out, Logan Mankins in a blockbuster deal with San Diego for WR Vincent Jackson.

     Ah yes, the Kool-Aid is best served in a tall glass 'round these parts.

     The trade that will send The Prodigal Son back to his roots leaves an impact on the 3-1 Patriots but the fallout from this front page story will be felt in the Twin Cities as this premier talent joins a team with starlit dreams, a closing window of opportunity and a combination of talent that might, just might, bring salvation to a fan base that ranks among the most-loyal, most-frenzied and most-crazed in all of sports. 

     Is this the piece that completes the puzzle?  Can Moss provide that elusive deep threat that Brett Favre needs?  Does this tip the scales in the NFC North and load the weight in favor of Minnesota?  On the surface the answers to these questions is a resounding 'yes' but peel the skin and what does it say?

     The easy answer is Moss is trouble, he'll run his welcome out long before the final snap and the locker room?  Well, as they say in Brooklyn, fuggetaboutit...

     That's the easy answer and one best left to the other forums.  Here we tend to dig it a little deeper and pry a little further.  This deal makes sense.  Makes sense to Moss who, despite his name of ill-repute, is a solid member of the locker room (always a good place to test and dismiss the rumor mill).  No Patriot in three years has had a single negative thing to say about Moss behind the closed doors.  Second, he's a very intelligent businessman who has not only used his paychecks wisely, he's allowed them to grow beyond their original worth.  So the move could have more to do with Randy seeking to position himself in a financially stable position with an impending NFL lockout on the horizon than anything else.

     Adding a Hall of Famer to a team that has eyes on the Big Prize with an aging, veteran quarterback at the helm is something one would have great difficulty arguing so for the Vikings this is obviously a wise move.

      But the Patriots?  This is where it gets murky.  The reasons here are harder to find.  The popular, morning after reaction is if Randy was on his way to shutting it down for the season then By God, get him out of town on the next Greyhound bus.  I'm not sure that's the case though and I've yet to see evidence of his desire to do so.  I don't think this is about poor attitude or locker room distraction.  I think it's more about the business of the NFL, an opportunity to look to the future and perhaps, an acknowledgment that this season finds the 3-1 Patriots a year removed from where they need to be with a young defense, a sideline devoid of coordinators and a stockpile of appetizing draft picks which may work in Foxboro favor to re-tool, re-build and return to the lofty prominence this franchise has become used to.

      But in the Chilly Cities the fever is peeking and a team which entered the season with one focus now has lasered that focus into a brilliance that may sustain it all the way to a February date in Dallas...

     Time, as they say, will tell.

Thanks again for letting me drop by Viking fans, always interested to know how this looks from your side of the aisle but my attraction to the Purple Pride has now taken on a new shine and lent a tasty carrot to my recent induction to that vast armada that is Viking Nation...Vikings in the Superbowl?  I started believing two weeks ago and my faith seems somehow stronger today...Hope the day finds you well.

Radio Kjed

Miami- Lurking under my bridge with a foghorn-rattle respiratory ailment, bad case of some kind of skin rash, breath so bad it's got its own zip code (?) and a look that's more conducive to a late night costume party at a run-down house past the wrong side of the tracks than the swanky digs of Phinsider Nation I rise from filth, take a peek through the Tuesday headlines and realize "Hey, Good Guys won!  Let's see who noticed..."

      Ahhh, so begins the day of a troll on the morning after the Big Game...

      Well, maybe.  Maybe not.  I'm not here to push opinion or gloat at an opponent's misfortune.  It wasn't like I had anything to do with the game; Belichick's been deleting my emails and erasing my voice mails since midway through the 2002 season.  I mean, there may have been moments where I pushed a clenched fist towards the ceiling in a show of approval but this year's version of the New England Patriots does not make for easy viewing, confident projection or a generally worry-free existence. 

      So while my fellow New Englanders rejoice in our self-made glory on this drizzling, cold and generally gloomy afternoon I'd like to extend an offer to open a conversation about last night's game and what it might mean for the rest of the way.

     And please, if possible, I'd rather the conversation center more on the team from South Beach than the Silver and Blue boys from Foxboro.

     Last night was a huge surprise to me.  After watching the punishing ease with which the Miami offense shredded the Patriots defense early on I almost looked forward to an early wake up as a built in excuse to leave the carnage before the final ticks.  And discounting the combined flukes of run-backs, blocked kicks and interceptions this game was not what the final score indicated. 

      I realize the wounds are still fresh and trust me, I know the distinct bruising feeling of a painful loss, but what's the feeling for this team going forward?  2-2 is not as bad as it feels right now and there wasn't much that I've seen by either the Jets or the Patriots that have guaranteed anything of substance at this point in the season. 

      The recent history of the Dolphins has shown tremendous improvement...wait, that sounds pretty condescending and that's not my intention...The Dolphins are good.  That was my thought going in and while the score turned the other way in the last two quarters without a good dose of luck and opportune fortune that score could have very easily said the opposite. 

      Good teams don't quit when they're sitting on 2-2.  And I don't see this team quitting.  They took a body blow to their pride these last two weeks but pride?  What's pride?  Usually it does more to hurt than help.  Character however, knows no tarnish and won't be hurt by this.  And I think this team has some character.  Some swagger.  They're fast, they play hard, they're deep on both sides of the ball and they can make you pay. 

      Yes, they lost a big game and no they didn't play well.  And while the talking honks are quick to anoint the Next-Best-Thing I'm still hesitant to crown anyone in Week 4. 

       A bye week and then it's off to Green Bay, home against the Steelers and off to Cincinnati for three games that will say far more about this team than a loss to the Jets and Patriots could. 

       My questions then center about how this team will rebound and what adjustments they will need to make.  Henne actually looked okay to me last night...I mean aside from that whole throwing the ball to the other team part.  And I think the weapons they posses on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball (not a single catch by Randy Moss?) are going to help them tremendously as they go forward. 

     I'll say it again.  I believe the Dolphins are a good team.  I'm glad, as a Patriots fan, that we won't see them again until January and man, I hope it's snowing and cold on that day.  This team could (and dare I say should?) make a playoff run but to do so they've got to do some things.  What are those things and what must they do to move forward?  Is it coaching?  The quarterback?  Special teams?  Obviously today's game film sessions are going to be painful but the Dolphins aren't nearly as far away from success than that score would suggest.

      Help an AFC East guy out and let me know what the story is locally.  Your thoughts and comments are appreciated and if you feel like tossing a few bricks at an uninvited, self-proclaimed "troll"...well, feel free to do so, it's all part of the game.

     Thanks Phinfans.  Appreciate anything you can offer.

Radio Kjed

Cycle Nation- The quality of concentrated knowledge and opinion that permeates these SBNation boards elevates the discussion from mere knee-jerk reactionary oration to an honest and passionately informed retort.  This latest headline that ran on the global wire piqued the interest and disdain of those who care little for the sport of cycling and allowed them another round of ammunition in which to lend a cheap laugh and snide remark upon the sport as a whole (ie, Tony K. from PTI).

    My comments yesterday were concerned with how this piece of news would play out in the forum of public opinion and how that opinion would affect the sport and reputation of cycling.  And I wanted to know how we, as the cycling community, may have played a role in the formation of that opinion.  The sport has made tremendous leaps forward in the effort to clean its image and repair the damage done by wide spread cheating via doping over the past few years and this latest might be more of actual good news than bad. 

     Perhaps this test which picked up such a minute sample of questionable material is more a testament to these new efforts than a further indictment on the purity of the sport.  That's an angle I hadn't explored after the news broke. 

     The sport has a tainted past but the past is not always indicative of the future and that was the pulse I wanted to probe with my inflammatory remarks.  Those with nothing more than a two-second interest in cycling are quick to lend the accusatory verdict laced with derogatory humor and I wanted to see where our feelings lay in light of that.

     And again, the opinion offered within this forum is one which can be relied upon for its accuracy, its passion and its truth.  What if this tainted sample proves to be nothing more than a minuscule amount of substance that was found in an innocent post-race steak?  And what if, regardless of how the substance found itself into AC's system, the result is a ban of 9 months to 2 years?  Even the naysayer would be forced to admit the sport is taking enormous strides to police itself and rectify its image. 

     So I appreciate the insights from all who posted and I thank you for the thoughts you offered in response to my questions.  I'm an admitted instigator and I will freely use sharp opinion to provoke response but my line of questioning was sincere and founded in genuine interest.  The answers and responses illuminated new avenues of thought and opened new doors of perception, what more can one ask for when seeking to expand knowledge? 

      I hope the day and weekend treats you well.  There's still a few weeks left till the snow flies and the bike gets racked for winter (nope, I ain't that hardcore, I trade wheels for skis come November).  Thanks again for letting me jump into this forum and thanks beyond that for your excellent views and informed answers.

     Oh, and as for Keith Richards...in another forum, at another time, one could make a very stout argument that he is the Greatest Rock Star of All Time...

     Forever Two Wheels,

Radio Kjed

CycleNation- Three time Tour Champion (name removed out of sheer disgust) and point man on the rebirth of cycling after a generation of doping scandals has torched our sport once more.  On the penultimate day of the Tour his blood? urine? breath? (does it even matter anymore?) failed the test and tainted not only himself, his team, his title, his sport and even, by association, us. 

     Sport and scandal often dance hand in hand and few are removed from the ugly stain.  Steroids in baseball, vulgarity in tennis, weaponry in football, sexual impropriety across the realm, DUI, B+E, Assault and Battery, domestic abuse and once again, a doping scandal in what should be the purest sport of them all.

      Most sports have enough mass appeal and cultural penetration to survive these headlines but when the spotlight shines on a relatively obscure endeavor such as cycling it is a blemish that stings us all.  How many of us entered the workplace today and faced the snickering chuckle of one more butt-end joke about cycling?  Your co-workers know you ride; they see your devotion to the game, the gear you own, the rides you pedal.  But rather than see our sport for the purity between man and machine where nature, topography and human will are the elements which decide the day we once more had to suffer the humility of the uninformed who freely dropped judgment upon the sport, the culture and by association, us. 

      The sickening disgust I feel as I write this bears a history that dates a generation.  The list of guilty far too long to be an aberration and the slime-spewed rhetoric stemming from the fall-out, lawsuits and scandalous accusations has turned the noble pursuit into something best left for late afternoon soap opera drama. 

      No, we don't talk about the sacrifice of the domestiques as they work without reward to push their leader to the front.  We won't hear about the epic drama involved in the Alp d'Huez climbs where man is made to legend.  The pages of press won't speak of precision tunings, calibrated gear ratios or technological masterpieces of carbon-fiber aerodynamics. 

    Today we speak of a disgraced champion and by default a disgraced sport.

    And I ask us, placing the finger squarely in our direction, what is our share of the blame?  Are we free of guilt or do we too share the stench?  Did our passion play a role in this?  Did our warm embrace of the sport, and thus all that goes with it, encourage the filth to saturate it?  Was it our tolerance and quick forgiveness of scandals past that seeped the mind of the latest fallen star and prodded him to tarnish his body, his name, his sport...his soul?

     Where do we fall in this debate?  Let us begin the discussion and form some resolution.  Is the Tour dead?  Should it be?  I once thought never, now it may need a voluntary hiatus to save it. 

     I'm interested in the thoughts.  Let us offer them here.  Have a great day regardless and as a great friend is quick to remind me, "Forever Two Wheels!"

Radio Kjed

Orchard Park- It might be a short jaunt to Buffalo from the New Meadowlands but could this journey be more like a long, cold road filled with diversion, distress and frustration than the necessary pit-stop before the main event next Monday night in Minnesota?

     It's a very tough stretch to forecast this game as even being competitive, much less one that might provide fuel for the upset-fire, but there are a few factors which lurk amidst the shadows that may cause alarm (or at least attention) to be focused on the match-up.

     It is a division game, that much cannot be overlooked.  And it will be played on the road, that much can't be avoided.  And those are the games within the NFL which spell trouble in capitol letters for any keen-minded fan of football.  But those facts alone won't be enough to sway opinion or force calamity.  The Jets are a force this season, that much was proved during the New England game and re-enforced after the Miami one.  They've got resilience, persistence and swagger to match skill, execution and balance, all factors that will play a deeper role in the outcome of this one than mere location and opponent. 

     But the oft-uttered phrase regarding the National Football League is 'Any Given Sunday'.  And Any Given Sunday might play more into the final score than anything else. 

      What's it mean?  What's it mean when some bar-stool swerved meatball refutes all science and natural proof about Vegas odds and point-spread underdogs with that three word phrase?  How can a team with literally nothing going for it accumulate the required luck, fortune and fate to turn the league on its ear and emerge with a coveted 'W'?

      It'll take luck that's for certain.  Good luck for them and bad luck (in ample supply) for the J-E-T-S Jets, Jets, Jets to feel the sting of that result.  But luck plays a twisted role in most our lives and when a team rolls in as a double-digit favorite there can be the occasional circumstance which can't be explained, foreseen or combated, 

      And that's where this game lines up in my eyes.  Will the Jets lose?  I seriously and strongly doubt it.  They've shown enough thus far that if they merely play like their inherent talents let them they should have this one sealed with a bow by midway through the second quarter.  But a twisted ankle here, an errant pass there and a highlight reel return might sway a little weight towards the home team from which the rabid fans may find some frenzy and if this game comes down to the final drive...well, then the coin-flip toss of luck might raise its head.

       Again, I don't see it playing out much like that but if the Jets have already moved past this game and have eyes on Monday Next they'll open themselves up to opportunity.  My question is directed to those in the Meadowland Metro with a finger on the pulse; how is this week's preparation and focus being spent?  Do they give the Bills a chance?  Have they tossed a cookie crumb of respect upstate or is their swagger, fearsome weapon that it is, poised to backfire?

      Always appreciate the passion found in this board and it's to that where my request is directed.  I'd like to hear what's on the collective mind down there and see where the wind might be blowing.  Trap game or just another ripe victim poised for the pickin' on their way to Glory?

      Thank you much and have a spectacular day...

Radio Kjed

Giantland- A day removed from the debut post on Big Blue View by a self-proclaimed "agitator" about the durability of Giants faithful has silenced the critics, fueled the loyal and solidified the stature of what many believe is 'The Finest Franchise in Football."

    Sure, I had to know there would be a united defense against anyone who would be so bold (or brazen?) to venture a suggestion that a 1-2 record would be reason enough to swear off the tradition that, for many, began on Grandpa's knee and survived misery, missteps and mayhem before finally reaching the promised land under the fire-cannon arm of Phil Sims in the mid 1980's.

    A friend once told me of that glorious day by sighing with great content that his very own grandfather, who'd sat in the chill of New York City's Polo Grounds as a youth cheering his heroes, was finally granted the wish to die with ease because he'd seen the view from the long-awaited mountain top. 

    "I'm just glad I lived long enough to watch the Giants win the Superbowl."  The grandson told me years later on the eve of 1991's game against the Bills.

     Later, after being too overcome by the emotion necessary to root that kick wide right in the closing seconds he could barely utter the horse-coughed throaty vocals of celebration as he sighed in punch-drunk glee, "I just wanted to see the Giants win once, now I've seen it twice..."

     Trust me, that phone call after the 07/08 Superbowl was not an easy one to make...

      But that's the essence of it.  Why you root, why you'll stay when there's no more chance.  Why you'll circle the wagons and gather ammo when some stranger comes in and questions the very loyalty that defines what being a fan truly means. 

    I like to generate a reaction, that I will freely admit.  But while I occasionally enjoy the spirited discussion of polarizing subjects I generally feel those are best entertained in areas of mutual non-partisanship.  Hindsight, being that vision of crystal clarity that it is, alerted me to the unintended nature of my suggestions in my earlier post.

    I saw abandonment where in fact there was frustration.  Ridicule where instead there was critique.  Much like a family airing its vexations these were conversations not meant for broadcast to the general public.  The resulting responses have shown me the pulse in Gmen Country is every bit as strong as it ever was.  Jumping ship would be akin to allowing an errant child to wander the subway platforms of lower Manhattan by himself after dark with nothing more substantial than a "Good Luck, Son."

     The Gmen fans are solid.  Always believed that, now more than ever.  So on that subject, and to the ears of one who would like to know, how did all you folks become fans?  I know some have just come up while others have been there from the beginning.  Anybody remember seeing the Gmen play in Yankee Stadium?  What's your history?  It's a couple days till Gameday and if you're perusing this board today it's probably just a remedy for your addiction.

      So let's roll the conversation and talk about it.  How'd you get into the Gmen? 

     Have a great day and feel free to drop your history...

Radio Kjed

Giantland- Alright alright.  I'm new to this page and I'll dispel with the classic 'First Time Long Time' line 'cause truth be known I've got all of about seven minutes invested into this forum and while I initially stopped in to check the pulse of Gmen Culture (with the feeling the 1-2 skid would be met with far more 'Phhhht! Don't mean a Thing!' than 'Oh me, oh my!  Now where'd our Boys in Blue decide to go?') I'm sticking around to lend a voice of 'Hold the flippin' line, boy-os!  It ain't even Week 4 and nothing, stress nothing, is decided in Week 3!'

     I mean, truth be told, I'm not even a Giants fan.  Oh sure, I like the color scheme, love it when a rival forces the other to play in a stadium named after itself (does anyone call the "new" Meadowlands that or can we still say 'Giants Stadium?'...yeah, thought so) and of course I like the fire, fuel and fury of a franchise where simply donning the tattered, baseball cap headgear of logo-dripped attire establishes a lineage dating back four generations.

    Even my Tom Brady-diggin', Patriot flag-wavin' and All Things New England-lovin' self can groove to those tunes, right?

    Yet I step in here, unannounced, uninvited and unsolicited to take a peek and grab a sniff of where the Gmen stand all I read are quotes and posts and blasts about how the ship's gone down, the heart's been stabbed and the end, pray tell, is near.

     Seriously?  This can't be the same team that came into a Superbowl Smackdown against those lovable (hey, it's my post, right?) Patriots in 2007/08 only to spin the globe like a top and rattle cages from Milan to Minsk as they took toughness and tenacity to a level not seen since the resilience of the Bosox circa 2004 (D'oh!).  I mean, it's Week 4 for the good, gracious Lord's sake and this ship has yet to even set sail and I see "open letters' to the team blatantly stating the collective efforts of this year's squad is only capable of, and I sadly quote, 'sucking'.  Sucking?  Really?  Yeah they got busted, broke and blasted by Indy (3rd quarter and you're leaving?  Hey, fans with Eli jerseys had better stay to the painful, bitter end when the boys go on the road...you can lose the game but you can't let 'em win the party! C'mon now!)

      Please don't tell me the weight of Superbowl Glory has resulted in a turned up nose to the game of football and the legend of this franchise.  It might be hard times and bubble-gum right now but 1-2? Man, that ain't even something to get worried about.  I've sat the bleacher routine and rooted for misery in my storied career as a sports fan.  You think cheering for the Red Sox was easy?  How 'bout trying to stay motivated for another year of interest as a Bruins fan?

       And yes, I claim the silver, blue and red boys of Foxboro as my team and the one I'll ride with into the endzone sunset but man, even after the misery of waking to a cold, sleet-ripped day in February, 2008 couldn't keep me from claiming my allegiance.  I mean, I almost bought one of them 19-0! long sleeves from a street corner vendor before they shipped 'em all down to the D.R. as charity.

      But I didn't.  And the other thing I didn't do was give up on my boys.  You wanna be a fan?  You wanna be there to sip the champagne, slap the hearty backs and give 'bro-hugs' to strangers when the miracle happens and you "...can't believe what I just saw!..." Well then you gotta ride it out when the bandwagon empties and the fair-weathers go watch golf.

      This is the National Football League and it's all about the long run, not the short gain.  Gmen, I know you're listening and I want to hear some chatter.  Who's jumping the bus right now?  Who's leaving in the 3rd quarter?  And really, I know, sometimes it can't be helped, but never leave early on the road, that just gives the enemy strength.  And who's got something to add?

      Hope all rolls well for the rest of your day and I hope this gets some blood pulsing through your veins because the Gmen I know still got faith and this bus has eyes on longevity as neither Dallas, Philly or the 'Skins have shown much of anything at this stage.  Or at least enough of something to cause the Gmen to sweat.

      So get back on the bus and let's see where this road runs.

Radio Kjed

Arrowhead- There's no better way to reach the Bye Week than with an unblemished record, a solid trouncing of an NFL upstart and an emotion swirling through the loyal fan-base which hasn't been present since the days of Dick "I Always Cry At Weddings Too" Vermeil, that being one of possibility and promise.

      The possibilities are still so enticing they are only whispered, and then only by the most rabid of the optimists.  But they include discussion of wins, of divisional banners and, on occasion, (perhaps when the wine has flowed a tad to freely) of the mystical land of a place called the NFL Playoffs.  Dennis Hopper himself once referred to that particular promised land with the timeless phrase, "People think the playoffs are a game...Tiddly-Winks is a game!" 

     Indeed the playoffs are still too far beyond the horizon to discuss with seriousness and certainty but along with possibility does come the breath of promise and promise is a glass of fermentation that this crowd will proudly swill.

     Three weeks into the 2010 campaign and all is right in the world as the Kansas City Chiefs hold one of two perfect records in the AFC and a week to enjoy the bounty of their efforts before heading to Indianapolis to face that ancient nemesis who wears the upturned horseshoe, the Colts of Peyton Manning and Co.

     But that's a week and change away.  Today it's about seeing what's been done thus far and what needs to be pressured to ensure this dream is one from which the faithful won't yet wake. 

      These guys can run.  Maybe not Priest Holmes or Nigerian Nightmare style just yet but they have a force that balances their offense.  This is good as doubt remains about the airborne skills of the Pass Master, Mr. Cassel but maybe his three TD effort of Sunday past put to bed some of the questions swirling around his name?  Probably not but at least he now possesses some ammunition with which to deflect his dwindling detractors.  They're well coached, that must be admitted, although how much of that is the result of whistle blows in practice or the assembly of mature talent on the field is still debated.  Can a player like Vrabel attribute his style to coaching or does it rely more upon an inner trigger of something more?

      But that's why they call it a team game.  Because one talent alone cannot deliver the glory.  It takes everyone humping and slugging under one banner, one mission with a singular goal in mind to achieve the greatness this franchise and city deserve.

      And with all the talk I've heard on the AM wires and the cable-talk news shows that's the one aspect about this team I've yet to see explored.  These guys find a way to win and often that involves trust (4 goal line stops at the 5 yard line in Week 1), unity (they rally around Cassel when doubts are aired and he returns the faith with touch downs) and selflessness (each game won by different approaches).

      That's what these eyes see from their distant, east coast perch.  I see a team in development.  A team who has bought into the message and rallies around each other.  They've had a few tests thus far and they've passed them all.  But that doesn't mean the next stretch gets any easier as their next opponent will attest.  Can they come back from a deep deficit?  Survive injuries?  Play intelligent when the chips (and refs) are against 'em? 

      Those are tests for a different day and indeed, that exam will come.  But for now the Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0 and all seems right with the world.

Radio Kjed...and hey, thanks for the appreciation for the style and wit, I'm humbled...I'd like to see this bus run its way all the way to Dallas in February and if that happens, I'll be waving the KC flag with the best of 'em...have a great day.

New England- So this is how it feels, eh?  This is how it feels to have that slow, viral growth of Viking Fandom encroach a once pure sensibility where what occurred in the northern reaches of the NFC mattered little and created not a ripple across my calm stretch of water?

    But then, over a rather slow incubation where I saw myself drawn, nay, pulled to the contagious cloud of purplish fog and the Lore of Thor Himself, I found a slight hitch in my gait as the knee high boots of the Viking Warpath squeezed my feet (where did these come from?) and a blistered, chaffed set of hands itched with pain after my oar was grabbed and I 'set to' with the merry band of faithful pillagers setting sail for the Lion Country and a feast of the jungle beast.

     Proud and boastful with ample supplies of ale and meat we bared our throats and assaulted the sky with our united cries of ancient, bestial bellowing as Game Time approached and our collective sensibilities began to vanish amidst the frenzy of anticipation.  Jowls salivating, feet stomping in an ear shattering cacophony and fists raised in rythmic pulsation we approached the gate to destiny and what would surely be the first of many stout victories on this triumphant march towards glory and redemption.

     Game Day Sunday and the clock ticked away as the opening whistle waited to be blasted.  Ready I sat, awaiting my first venture into the Land Of Viking Country as one who not only waves the flag but does so with passion and perseverance.  I felt stocked with game day preparation, felt comfortable in a forecasted game plan that called for patience, ball control and tenacity on defense and just as the sports heads clicked their cues to send the signal nationwide to capture the fevered energy that is the National Football League I felt I knew what it meant, how it felt, to be a Vikings fan. 

     Because just like that I see the game I'm getting here on the east coast has nothing at all to do with the drama unfolding under the dome in Minnesota.  Like a kid who just got the word that Christmas is canceled, school's going to run a couple weeks into summer and 'since you already had a birthday last year there's no use in doing that all over again...' I felt initiated into the family of Norsemen and Lasses as I received my indoctrination of "No Respect" from the national feed.

      No Vikings game on the east coast.  No way to see the heat between the powerhouses as they battled for divisional supremacy.  Nothing but scrawling scores on the under-wire as the games built their story lines.  Nope, just stuck watching 'local interest' of Brady and Co. and some meaningless AFC South game. 

      Ah well, it's too late anyway.  I'm on this boat till it his the final dock and if that means I gotta find some other way to get a dose of Viking Action well, then that's what this Vike is gonna do. 

     What a win to put 'em up 1-2.  A bye week to think about it and then it's all hands on deck for the Monday Night Mayhem in the Meadowlands.  And I know that game won't be getting the East Coast kybosh! 

       Go Vikes!

Arrowhead Stadium- The local Price Choppers have been pilfered like a South Florida Home Depot two days before the hurricane as the loyal faithful prepare to raise their mighty tailgate flags, bust out their smoked meat specialties and don their favorite KC gear (can I get an Amen from all those who'll be sporting DT #58 jerseys on Sunday?)  In preparation for the biggest sporting event in the 435 metro since...well, since at least the 2003-04 playoff game against those despicable Colts, the KC Chiefs stand able to extend an unblemished record to the region of 3 and 0.

    San Francisco, the team that hoisted five Lomabrdies and created the offense many tried to imitate is on its way to Arrowhead where the grizzled throats of 80,000 strong will rattle the concrete foundations of the newly sparkled palace where pride, passion and persistence reign. 

   Oh, set the clock for Sunday and let me sleep till then 'cause this battle is what the NFL is all about.  Both teams come with a story line.  One, under the fire breath of a legendary name, leads a team which entered the season as a sexy pick to win the NFC West.  A slaughter at the hands of Coach Carrol's Seahawks surely put the bulk order of champagne on hold but maybe there's more to them than what they've shown?

     Safe money would agree.

     The other team, one with a lone trophy to their proud franchise name starts each fall with promise and prediction.  Some years those promises are less than bold and the predictions hover around the over/under of how many home games will get the "Black Out" ruling from the NFL Central Office but hey, that's the nature of the game.

     Not this year though.  This year there's life pulsing through the faithful once again.  The addition of ring toting front office personnel and Champion Banner waving coaches joining a veteran shot caller with a few rings of his own (Mike "I only catch touchdowns" Vrabel) has put the talk into new areas of discussion.  So this year the promise is of a different taste.  One as sweet as the thick sauce caramelizing on the hickory smoked slabs of beef churning from the grills in Lot C.  This year there's talk of hope.  Of possibility.  Of, dare I say, playoff glory?

     Indeed I will.  But to fulfill the wishes of the pained and pressed small steps must grow to large ones and obstacles must be overcome.  And on the final Sunday of September on what will be a perfect fall day for football that hurdle will be met, the test taken and the answers to many questions received. 

    San Fran is no rollover.  To attain 3-0 the Kansas City Chiefs will need perfection.  Maybe not on every play and maybe not all day long but they're going to need it where it counts and when it matters most.  The loyal know the game plan centers more on consistency and execution than fantasy stats and highlight reels.  The long ball may boil the collective fever but a steady punching, up the gut assault may be more conducive to the final victory.  They've got weapons, these feisty war-pathers, and they'll need 'em.  And how they chose to implement them will offer a good glimpse into what they'll really be capable of come January.

     And the Big Gun in question is the gunslinger himself, Mr. Franchise Tag Cassel.  I see the comments as I peruse the boards and while critique and judgment are available in grand supply there is a noticeable lack of confidence in the man behind the center.

     Let me offer this observation as one who watched the dawn and rise of the only NFL quarterback to put in four years of college (and four more in the pros) before he ever tossed a ball with the clock actually ticking. 

     Cassel's alright.  He might not be sitting for his pose on the Rushmore Mountain of NFL greats just yet but this unknown back-up took the Patriots from doom to bloom when he trotted onto the field halfway through the first quarter of 2008's opener (against your very KC Chiefs I may add).  He took that team to an 11-5 record just barely missing the playoffs and on a few of those games he not only led the team to victory but did so late and from behind.

     He's a game manager, sure.  He's not flashy or crafty like 'ole Senore Favre or Mr. Quick Vick but he's not a stone statue either and when the chips are down and the score uneven...well, there's worse folks to toss the franchise keys to.

     But it all comes down on Sunday.  The test is given and study time is over.  One way or the other the Kansas City Chiefs will learn who they really are this weekend; a team still on the road to success or one who may be closer to the goal than people gave them credit for.  

     Superbowl Champs?  Maybe, maybe not.  That exam comes much later.  But a chance to make the early season Honor Roll and run the count to 3-0?

     Yeah, I think they'll pass that test.  Chiefs win and Cassel leads 'em to it.

     Have a ball at the Stadium Sunday, wish I'd be there with you.  I'll be tuning in though so I expect DT to be on the Fan Cam...

Radio Kjed

Miami- Sunday Night Football and all eyes turn towards South Beach, keen to see who rises to the occasion and who drops from the recently anointed.  The New York Jets, one week removed from announcing to the world that their 'Hard Knocks' reputation was more bite than bark after all, will parade their swelled chest egos into the sweaty moisture of Old Joe Robie Stadium to frazzle, razzle and dazzle their circus style boisterousness in front of a nationally televised audience.  Meanwhile, the Dolphin hosts look to tote their unblemished record into the rare air of 3-0.

      More than pride will be awarded on this night however as a taste of AFC East dominance lies in wait for that team which can find the resources and resistance to certify their place among the NFL elite.  While New England hosts a Bills team brutalized by management, bad luck and ineptitude, nearly guaranteeing a divisional victory, Miami has a chance to steal a second divisional win and place itself as the one the others must chase.

     Is Miami for real?  Are the Jets for real?  There's more fuel to that fire today than there was a week ago but across the league doubt still remains as to who these teams truly are.  Can Miami show the fortitude to back their 2-0 record?  Can they repeat the pressure which landed them three forced turnovers and a hard won road victory?  Will the balance, so often spoke of in the national discussion, be the strength it has so far proved to be?  Or do the Jets roar into town swaggering like a boozed up sheriff on a dusty wild west street ready to sling hard balls and bad tempers en route to throttling the division into a chaos not witnessed since the days before the reign of Belichick?   

       It's an interesting argument; on the one hand Miami has yet to show a true, exploitable weakness while on the other the crack in the solid wall of destiny (namely a quarterback who was supposedly unable to throw a deep ball) has reputably been sealed and shined.

      So what's the story?  Are they legit?  Was the Minnesota game plan evidence of things to come or more like a fortunate fluke?  I tend to think Miami has more in the tank than they've shown thus far but I also think maybe the Jets are starting to put things together and might be more of a serious threat than initially perceived.

      Questions are on the table yet answers remain unknown.  For now, all that can be offered is opinion.

      Fortunately that's all I'm after.  So let's hear what the buzz on the beach is.  What must Miami do to go 3-0?  What must the Jets do to run their streak to two?  Sunday night.  All eyes pointed south.  I'd like to see the 'Phins take a little strut outta those Jets.  Just wondering how they'll be able to do so.

     Thanks for hearing me out and letting me know what's on the wire down there. Best of luck on Sunday.

Radio Kjed

Minnesota- I'm really not sure how this happened but driving home the other night I actually found myself thinking about the upcoming games and where I might see the scores falling and when I perused the Week 3 match-up between Detroit and Minnesota I experienced something I'd never before felt and certainly never expected.

     A small, somewhat stirring, desire to see the Minnesota Vikings not only win this game but to do so in convincing and punishing fashion.  I'm not a Favre guy, I could care less about where the Vikings draft in 2011 and, as yet, neither own nor have set plans to own, any Viking paraphenelia or apparel.

     But yet, a long blond wig of Viking curls with that twin prong-horned helmet resting atop my dome is somehow beginning to seem like it might make a good fit. 

      Maybe it was the passion I felt erupting from this very forum where Vike Fans took running charges at those who felt the season was doomed after an 0-2 start.  Perhaps it was the vehement responses by the afflicted who decried an earlier suggestion that this ship might be sinking by proclaiming a willingness (and an eager one at that) to nail their feet to the floorboards to assure one and all that this ship will have a full slate of passengers if or when that tragedy may occur.

    Or maybe it was that loyal man of Viking Faith who commented on an earlier post by pointing out that while I, and I quote, "Haven't got a clue", still might qualify as a nice enough guy...

      So as an eternal fan of the underdog and one well versed in the script of 'wait till next year' I see something brewing in Minnesota that may prove rewarding far past the end of regulation. 

      I came in looking for an insight on how the Opener might shape up.  I sit here now impressed with the stamina and resilience of a passionate breed of sports fan who will fly the banner of their calling regardless of what the final scores may say.  No room for front runners or the easy-week indifferent in this fleet.  This is where passion breeds and fury spawns.

      And I feel myself drawn to the mix. 

      Now I'm not abandoning my loyalties; my heart, home and heroics all bear the New England stain and I won't walk away from that.  But I'm pulled like the Family Corleone ("I try to get out and they keep pulling me back in!") and the attraction is powerful. 

      So if there's room.  If you could use an East Coast stake and a different take.  Someone who likes the look of an 0-2 sleeper with the engine to run it in the red...well, haul me in and put me on an oar 'cause I'd like to join this bunch and ride this run to wherever it goes.

      Vikings...a fan?  Man, I never thought I'd ever see the day but then crazier things have happened and like The Don himself said, 'Every man has his destiny...'

      I can't believe it but I'm not only going to be rooting for the Vikings on Sunday but I'm rooting against the Lions...and you already know my feelings on the underdog...

Radio Kjed

NFL Week 3- The divisional match-ups in the National Football League offer some of the more high-tensioned, razor thin, fist in the throat emotions in all of sports and after a severe thumping on foreign soil at the hands of the heated and hated New York J-E-T-S (JETS, Jets, jets...) the once invincible New England Patriots are wobbling like a punch drunk fighter in the late rounds of a heavyweight rumble.  Direction questioned, ability unknown and age (both by youth and veteran) a serious mystery the fate of this fabled franchise seems headed more towards a return to the Grogan-esque adventures of yesteryear than the gleaming triumphs of a decade past.

    Enter the remedy of the AFC East, the Buffalo Bills.  Surely they will offer exactly what the silver, red and blue need, no?

    Or maybe the story line in this match-up is more centered by what occurs in the northerly region of the Empire State than by what his Excellency, Premier Belichick, can create?

     Buffalo fans, I enter your forum with an open eye and and an inquisitive mind.  To remain indoctrinated by the local press and populace I would be of the opinion that the Bills should simply stay home this Sunday and save the travel cash for an all-you-can-eat buffet at the Sirloin Stockade as, of course, this game is already over.

    Somehow, I have yet to slurp my Kool-Aid and look at this game as one where if all precaution is not attended to and every uniformed player isn't threatened with dismissal for poor execution then come the evening hour we stout fans of the noble Patriots may be whimpering into our discarded dreams and searching for the Celtics yearbook to shift our misery.

     I don't see this game as a walk through.  Perhaps I'm bent and beyond the obvious but this is still a Week Three division game and while an upstart QB may enter with a lot of questions I find the underdog irresistible and dangerous.  Especially when matched against a defense which has yet to prove it can stop a punishing drive or keep its head when pressured.  Put the Patriot offense under the scope and there's a multitude of issues which, while evident, have yet to be remedied. 

     The Patriots may be better than they've shown but they might also be worse.  The loss of 3rd down machine, Kevin Faulk is not going to be easily replaced and while Tommy Brady can sell the scent off a mule and pimp cable TV like Billy Mays I'm less assured of where his head, heart and hands are at this stage of his career.

      So I ask with the respected tone of the passionate fan.  What does this game look like from your end of the field?  I've read the posts and I can empathize with the emotion but I also can't disregard a team after 8 quarters of football.  What must Buffalo do to win this game?  How can they pressure Mr. Brady to force those dramatic turnovers?  How will this Bills offense behave under the direction of yet another quarterback? 

    Vegas says the game is already over.  AM radio gleefully agrees.  The beer-brat honks that pump their diesel fueled pick 'em-ups into Razor Blade Stadium are making plans for late night celebration but I remain unconvinced.  This game may go the distance and might require some last minute heroics to claim the "W".  Question is, if that is indeed the case, can the Buffalo Bills steal the curtain and take the final bow?

    I would greatly appreciate your comments.  Thank you, Buffalo and enjoy your day.

Radio Kjed

Minnesota- An upstart team from South Beach cruises into the Viking Dome and slaps, tugs, wrestles and scratches its way to victory by the narrowest of margins and those long haired norselanders start burning their season tickets, shutting down the tailgate and handing off their Vike-ware to the local Salvation Army?

     Wait a minute here!  This is what it's like when you're down 0-2?  People talking about the end of football in Minnesota? Lips crackin' about it's time to bench Brett Favre?  Panic buttons being punched and emergency glass being smashed? Talk that it's over?  Over?

     Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?  (Germans?)...Hell no!  And it ain't over now.

     So I was relieved to read past the headlines and into the comments of some of the post game posts.  I've come to like you Northern Long Hairs with your pride, passion and persistence.  So when I saw the scores trickling by on the under wire during the games yesterday I knew there would be more than one frazzled fan from Minnesota Land.  But I thought once the reality settled in and perspective was gained there would be room for seasoned discourse and rational perspective.

     And indeed there is.  Most of the knee jerk reactionary comments were probably stoked from the same fire that burned my own self after suffering the dismal effort by my beloved Patriots at the hands of the NY Jets.  But a day removed I see it for what it is; a reality check that shows the team was neither as good as what they put out on Week 1 nor as Bad as they showed for Week 2.

     It's still way to early to give any credible judgment on the fortunes of any team in the NFL. 

     Miami certainly came in with a game plan that called for pressure on Favre and their ability to force turnovers turned the game; you simply cannot give the opposition free possessions and expect to win.  Take away the take-aways and that game goes the other way.

       Now, while that's obvious I only point it out for the reason that turnovers can be corrected.  Practice and execution can do wonders to eliminate them.  And does anyone believe we'll see another 3 TO game from the Vikes this season?

       Probably not.

      So yes, it's a thump to the gut and 0-2 hurts to even look at but it's not the end of the world and it surely isn't the end of the Vikings' season.  Can they turn it around?  I believe they not only can but that they will.  Is anyone fearful of Chicago or Detroit?  The one sports a better record but do they inspire fear?  Green Bay may be the sexy team right now but are they built for the duration?  Maybe.  Maybe.  But are they good for two wins against Minnesota?  Probably not.

       This game caught me by surprise but only because Miami came in with more heart than I gave them credit for.  Minnesota isn't done by a long, long shot and this team might be better off by the loss as the bandwagon now has a lot more elbow room on it.

      I've never been a fan of the front runner, the one who buys the gear, takes your seat and brings sushi to the tailgate.  I like football with the blood sweat and tears served as side orders...well, figuratively speaking, of course.  And i like it when the real fan can lay it out like it needs to be. 

     "If you think down 0-2 is the end of the season then do us all a favor and just go home..." yeah, like that guy said...

      It's not over by a long shot but I am interested in where to go from here.  Our boys took a stinger of a loss yesterday too but there's a game next Sunday and I'm tuning in for the win. 

      How 'bout you?

Radio Kjed

Arrowheads,

       Wasn't this supposed to be a "bridge year" where patience was to replace frustration while the architecture of the Kansas City franchise underwent a massive and multi-phased remodel?  Didn't I hear rumors of "wait and see" and "next year's our year?"  I could have sworn some of the astute commentators on this very forum were of the belief that while promise was in the wind the rebuild was far too enormous to allow for an abundance of proud talk and celebration.

      Then comes an opening night divisional win where the guts and grit of the Blood Red Gold was put to the test in the form of not one, not two, not three but four Titanic stops inside the five and inside a minute to seal the win.  Mayhem ensues yet the national press simply dismisses the event as something, while impressive, still too unexpected to claim any real sense of relevance. 

      Fast forward a week and KC takes their show on the road to visit a franchise with whom they've developed a small but somewhat passionate rivalry over the past several seasons.  Under-dogged by the experts they put forth an effort that was flashed over on the highlight reels and nearly dismissed by the talking heads on the local sports shows (local, that is, for us in New England where apparently only one NFL game was played yesterday and the wrong team won). 

      So all I see is a Kansas City team sitting atop the AFC West with an unblemished record and a feeble San Fran squad arriving for a Sunday showdown.

       Too early to make Superbowl plans?  Probably.  To early to get excited for a deep march through the playoffs?  I would say so.  But too early to think maybe, just maybe, there's a team here who might roll a 3-0 for the first time since Marty Ball played the Sunday matinee back in the late 1990's?

     Well, on that there may be some agreement.

     Let's here the talk KC.  Your team is undefeated and atop the polls.  What have you learned in the last two weeks?  Where's the potential now?  What's been the big key to victory?  Where does improvement need to be made?

    Your comments are appreciated and invited.  Thanks for listening and congratulations on seeing some redemption in that proud franchise.

Radio Kjed

Jetsfans,

     Well, that was interesting.

     And once again the adage of abundant opinions and all their worth is refuted by the reality of what goes on between the markers while the clock is ticking.

      A precision offense backed by a speedy but young defense was supposed to rule the day in the New Meadowlands while a over-hyped, timid QB was to be exposed and dethroned as the wide-mouth coach of the league's most animated squad got out-coached by the genius of Mr. Belichick and his sturdy pedigree.

      Somehow, that script failed to reach the ones who were pegged to portray it.

      Nice win by the Jets.  What a second half to thump the collective chest about today.  Sanchez seemed to shake all his detractors with what I thought was a pretty stout performance.  Wasn't this the guy whose quick trigger release never allowed his play-makers to set up their routes?  Wasn't the word in NFL circles such that the sophomore jinx would cripple his style and force him to resort to a medley of short dumps interwoven with poor decisions and abundant turnovers? 

     He looked pretty poised in the center of that tornado yesterday and his ability to rise after being thumped to the turf showed more than just guts and resilience; maybe this guy really wants to win?

      Divisional games are the heaviest ones in the regular season and for a team to march into an opponent's building and leave with a win is something not even the NFL elite can count as money in the bank.  And for the New England Patriots to hit that Week 2 match up with all that lay on the line only to squander opportunity, commit crucial mental errors and show impotence to halt an onslaught when it mattered most opens the argument in New England to wonder just who this team is and what they might be capable of.

      I'm not tossing the towel on this season just yet; Week Two is still far too early to make any rash commentary on who they'll be or what they've become.

      But, the four month advance sales on Superbowl packages may have slowed after yesterday.

       As far as the Jets are concerned it looks like they are the well deserved recipients of some loud press and boisterous gloating.  Hey, they earned it and like 'ole Dizzy Dean once said, "It ain't braggin' if you can do it."

     They did it.  Shut down the Patriots, made a powerful statement of what they're capable of and turned attetention away from the circus side show and towards something more relevant and topical, namely that these Jets cannot only play some football but they can play it pretty well.

     That was a good win and it wasn't even close in the fourth quarter.  Bad luck at times for TB and Co. may have  played a role but bad luck doesn't commit that many turnovers or commit that many penalties, eventually it's got to be a statement of who you are and where you're at. 

      And for all intents and purpose that place of residence is 1-1 with a big letter "L" staring them in the face of the division race. 

      This win belongs to you, well earned and well played.  Enjoy it and run it for what it's worth 'cause it stings up here in New England.  Hats are off and respect is granted and this season is going to be far more interesting than what one would have believed after last week.

     I'm not counting the Patriots out by any means but I am raising an eye at the Jets and feeling that maybe, just maybe, this dog can not only bark but he might bite as well.

      Thanks for the open forum on this board, Jetsfans.  We took it on the chin and I'm here to receive the payment due.  Have yourselves a great day/week and let the celebration commence.

Radio Kjed...

     It's an intriguing match up on Sunday; one team arrives with the hint of a quarterback controversy in the wind while the other is forced to deal with one of the more tormenting losses in recent NFL history.  Detroit, a team, a city, with deep pride, tradition and history sees their fortunes rising only to be stung by that cruel combination of Bad Luck and Injury.

   Hey, we all know the script, right?  The Lions are supposed to curl into the fetal position with their thumbs placed firmly in their mouths while they feebly allow the rest of the NFL to wipe their cleats on that long established doormat which is (or was) the Detroit Lions.

    I'm not so sure I buy that however.  Look, I'm not pretending to be an astute observer of any team from the NFC North but I've had a loose eye on the Motor City franchise for several years, most likely stemming from the Thanksgiving games I've watched over the years.  I've seen the vision grow from the old Silverdome to the palatial majesty of Ford Field and I've watched this misery of endurance from afar (always feeling some sort of a kinship with it, probably due to my loyalties to the Boston Red Sox)

     And I must admit, my respect has grown for that plagued but recently resurrected franchise.

    I like this game and I like the way it's shaping up.  Philly rolls in, most likely feeling the air of invincibility.  But I'm not so sure they're walking out with a win.  It's my feeling that Detroit proved one thing beyond all else last week and that is they know how to win.  Regardless of what the scoreboard said at the end of regulation that was Detroit announcing to the league that the days of old are no more and the rise of new talent is a force to be reckoned with.

    In that light I pose the question.  Beyond the keys to victory and the roll call of injuries and such, what's the feeling in Detroit on the Friday prior to the game?  I must believe Detroit not only feels they can win this game but now begins to feel they will win this game.

    Is that the case?  What's the level of emotion going in?  I freely admit I'm not a Lions' fan as my loyalties lie with the New England Patriots (and yes, that Turkey Day Showdown is one I've had on my radar for a while now) but I like football.  NFL football.  And I like the intrigue behind this game.  I'd love to hear some impressions on what the pulse is out there and I ask with the open mind of curiosity. 

     When the grills get fired for the Sunday tailgate is the parking lot emotion going to be one of resignation (better not be) or one of "Let's go Rock The World"?

     I'm interested to find out.  Thanks, Detroit.  Enjoy the weekend and maybe we're discussing a big, big win on Monday.

Radio Kjed

My Northern Brethren,

      I've been chummin' the shoreline down in South Beach trying to get a handle on where this weekend's game is leaning and the word filtering through the techno-frenzied club noise and yacht filled marinas seems to be that this game's story line is going to be told early with the heaviest burden of weight lying squarely on the shoulders of the Viking fans themselves.

     Confidence is high, potential stratospheric and visions of a February game in Dallas have not yet been trampled.  Miami, it seems, is every bit as high-tensioned, sushi-stuffed and glorious as they've been since the days when Dan "The Man" Marino was tossin' touchdowns and slingin' jerseys in the club level boutiques.

    The word down there says if the Fins come out early and come out mean they show a chance to grab a few quick points, derail some Viking drives and possibly create a turnover or two.  Accomplishing that they feel the crowd, that veritable "Purple Wall of Mayhem", may plunk themselves back in their seats or, even worse, head for the parking lot...

     Maybe I would have thought that too but that, as they say, was then.  And this is now.  I'm not able to buy that game plan.  Can't accept that the passion and pulse of Vike Nation would be so feeble as to wither in face of simple adversity.  I've surveyed this board and I've seen the purple radiating from the screen.  I know an early let down won't be enough to shift this game the other way.

    It's going all four quarters and if, while I accept the long shot probability, the Vikes are down late in the fourth...well, I wouldn't cash my Vegas pick just yet.

     But I want some verification of my beliefs.  Vikings fans play a role that many NFL franchises envy (just take a look at New England's own Tom Brady chastising the locals for leaving in the 4th) and I want to hear what this game is setting up to be. 

    I'm picking Vikings to win but I don't know if they're going to win big, early or in OT.  Can you help a football fan out and toss a few crumbs of knowledge my way?  Love to hear your thoughts.

   Best of luck on Sunday.

Radio Kjed

Fin Fans,

     A monster road test awaits the this Dolphin team as they roll into the Purple Palace, home of the reputed 'Loudest Fans in Football'.  Coming off a rough opening game with a ten day rest the Vikings will be pumped, primed and primal for the home opener and will undoubtedly put the place in a fevered frenzy capable of drowning both the Dolphin audibles and their chances for victory.

     That is, it is possible... But the question seems to be will the Vikes give their fans room for chaos or will the Dolphins jump the chance and hush the home crowd with a relentless but patient pursuit of grind 'em down, punishing football?

      I'm uncertain of the answer but I'm confident this game will spin more than a few heads around the league.  Week Two gives the Dolphins a chance to lay an early claim to AFC dominance depending on what happens in New York and if they produce the balance they showed in Buffalo while adding a touch of finesse...well, this could put the South Florida franchise in some classy company.

    The key to a Dolphin victory seems to center on coming out early and putting the Vikings on their heels.  A home team playing from behind early and often could throw the Minnesota team into an uncomfortable shiver.  The converse to that is if the Fins stumble from the gates and drop key points or turnovers early...that may prove to be a mountain which they cannot surmount.

     To surmise, I think the Dolphin/Vikings game will be decided early.  If the Dolphins jump the early lead I see a great chance to hit the return flight to Miami up 2-0 on the season.  If they fall behind by multiple scores in the first half my confidence diminishes and a Viking victory would seem inevitable.

    But that's an outsider's opinion. What is the feeling from the fish tank?  Does Miami possess the ability and heart to come from behind and win one on the road against a Superbowl contender, especially this early into a very young season?  I'd love to hear your thoughts on it and I'll be keeping my eyes tuned to this one.

    Best of luck and here's to some great football.  Thanks for the commentary.

Radio Kjed

Phinfans,

     Well, I'm not raising any trophies just yet but I do appreciate the power of a divisional win (on the road) and what that means when the playoffs are being discussed.  It may have been ugly but a win is still a win and as of right now the Dolphins are atop the AFC East with everybody else looking up from below.

    I'll admit, I'm a New England fan (no worries though, I'm not here to talk trash or flex my strut) and I'm interested to hear what the word on the street is way down south in Miami.  Hey, it's rough when the talk is 24/7 home team like it is around here, you'd think there weren't any other teams in the NFL...

     But pre-season hype had a lot of energy directed towards the teal and orange and the opener against Buffalo didn't do much to support it.  I think, however that the game had less to do with a systematic sluggishness than it did with the timing of an opening day on the road.  I liked the balance Miami showed and as the season progresses I think they'll become far more like that precision tool we expected than the somewhat painful sloth they displayed in B-town. 

       What's the feeling down there today?  Confidence high going into Minnesota on Sunday?  The Vikings are certainly feeling good about things.  I think it might turn quite a few heads around the league if the Phins can pull off the win but I think to do so will require Miami to shed the underdog image and replace it one of confidence in destiny.

       What do you think? 

       I'd appreciate any insights you can offer and hope you all have a great day.

RadioKjed

Jet Fans,

       Where's the thinking today?  Still mired in the dismal loss on Monday or setting sights towards Sunday?  I simply can't believe that the showing the Jets put up on national TV two nights ago was a true portrayal of who they are and more importantly, who they'll be.  With the New England Patriots arriving on Sunday for the rare 4:15 start it's starting to gain the feel of an early season, make-or-break contest.

    Question is, who's it gonna make and who's it gonna break?

    I'm honest in my loyalties, I let 'em lie with the Patriots, but I like football and sports in general for that unknown factor that forces the game to be decided upon the field.  Win or lose I'm not jumping off the bus (or the bridge) but I want to see both teams at their best, drilling each other until the final horn. 

     In that vein, I'm not at all naive about how this one could end up.  No way are the Pats as smooth as they looked against the Bengals and no way are the Jets as bad as they looked against the Ravens.  This one could decide the division and it could set the tone for the victor to run the table hard.  

      Looking at the game through the five day lens it looks good for the Pats and bleak for the Green but I gotta believe this game won't resemble much of what we saw in Week One.  It has all the makings of a game that will be decided on the final drive.

     If that becomes the case how does Gang Green Nation feel about it?  If Brady and the boys have the ball on their 20, down a score, with a minute and thirty on the clock will this Jets defense rise to the challenge and stop the machine in its tracks?  I'll say this, I won't be resting comfortably on the couch if that's the case because this is not 2004 anymore and a 4th quarter comeback hasn't shown itself in a while around here.  But can the Jets D be counted on to NOT make those ever so critical errors that cost them the Raven game?  Again, I'm not sure of the answer.

     A more interesting scenario may be the reversal with the Jets needing a score and relying on Sanchez to push the drive the length of the field against a young but fast defense.  And again, I won't be resting comfortably with confidence in the outcome.

    It's a monster on Sunday.  We know who we root for and I'm not here to smack the trash and lob cheap insults.  I love the fire of competition and the fury it ignites.  This one is a pre-season must-see, only enhanced by the drama from last week. 

    My best wish for Sunday is to have one of these scenarios unfold in the final minute.  And while I'd like to see how it plays out, I'm not so sure how it would result.  Let me know your take and keep the fire hot.  Like I said, I'm not here to throw trash and bark about the past as if I was personally responsible for it.  Just a football fan looking forward to great game.

      Let's hope we get it.

Radio Kjed

Vikes,

        See, here it is.  I like you Norsemen and Norseladies.  You match passion with pride, add some intellect and mix in the smash-mouth style of your ancestors.  You talk loud, get rowdy and don't tolerate mediocrity.  Now that there are 13 other teams with similar records (and two more will fall tonight) the Thursday loss doesn't even seem like it counted as all eyes are pointed to next week.

      Miami?  Is Minnesota afraid of Miami?

       I think not.

      But I want to pry that steel-trap gold mine of brains and brawn to see where the needle lies as the banner week that was Week One comes to a close.

      Can the Jets back up the Rex Talk or is the Sanchise doomed to suffer the sophomore blues?  Are the Ravens ready to rebound and build on that wild playoff run?  What about San Diego?  Is their time about to end as a new powerhouse is ushered into the AFC West?

     I guess my real question is this; does anyone in Viking Land think their Superbowl opponent is going to take the field tonight?  I'd love to hear your thoughts as you've already got my respect.  Thanks and have a great rest of the day. 

Radio Kjed

 Cowboys Fans,

         Residing up in the northern region where the majority of talk today is about how great Tom Brady is and how Randy Moss's most recent podium rant will affect the locker room I seek the knowledge of a more informed regional fan-base to assist me in breaking down exactly what happened to this team last night.

        Obviously, when the outcome of the game is decided by a ruthlessly horrific penalty at a fantastically inopportune time the finger of blame need not look too far to seek a scapegoat.

        But I wonder if this loss is more symbolic of a team in disarray than of one victimized by poor mental judgment.  A team with the offensive impotence of the Washington Redskins had no business competing for that all too important divisional win.  Points gifted to them by a last second pitch to end the half should not have been the difference in a game which may determine playoff berths.

      I'm not able to get a clear picture on who the Cowboys will be this year and I would like to hear from those fans in the Texas region who have better access to the talk and pulse of the franchise.  Was this loss the result of simple bad luck or something more serious? 

      The toughest part of an NFL loss is the time between that loss and redemption.  It will be a long and painful week but the sun will indeed rise again.  Hope all else is going well for all of you and thank you in advance for your explanations regarding the game.

Radio Kjed

Arrowheads,

     This is what the opening Kick-Off to the NFL should be like, meaningful games on the sports biggest stages.  I loved seeing the divisional match-ups with their oh-so-important outcomes being decided in the final possessions.  Detroit tries to turn a page yet the script remains the same.  Dallas does what Dallas does best, namely bringing the fan base as close to euphoria as possible before embracing catastrophe and bungling the most import play at the most inopportune time.  Houston makes a play for divisional noteriety and hands the young franchise its biggest win in recent memory.

    In short, this is why the NFL has all eyes and ears in the sports world tuned to its frequency.

    And now, with mere hours to go before the grills are lit in perhaps the greatest BBQ pit in the modern world we've got a a main course dish with its roots lodged well before the dawn of HDTV, plasma screens and ESPN itself.  San Diego brings their highly touted, much discussed and suspiciously unproven circus into the hostile confines of that concrete palace known affectionately as Arrowhead Stadium. 

    The question of 'can they do it?' has already been asked of the young KC Chiefs.  The question of 'will they?" remains to be seen.

     I like the opportunity placed before the KC Faithful.  I like the drama behind the divisional match up and I like the feeling of 'anything is possible' as the seconds tick down towards their date with destiny.

     Plan on a late night tonight, this one won't be decided until well past midnight on the eastern seaboard.  Heads are spinning all across the NFL this morning but I feel heads will turn again towards a once proud franchise as it rises from obscurity to take their rightful seats at the Table of Champions.

    Go Chiefs!  Let the mighty 80,000 roar and let's see the Chiefs take a seat as Divisional Leaders.  It's going to be a monster.

Radio Kjed

Vikes,

    Well, that wasn't pretty and there were some moments when I wondered what they were thinking but I came away somewhat impressed none-the-less.  That game, a season opener in the Superbowl Champs' building, had all the makings of Norseman-flavored, jambalaya stew.  I mean, Mr. Brees, Coach Payton's pre-game rant and Reggie "Who Needs a Heisman" Bush were serenaded, paraded and crowned The Next Best Thing before the banner even went up.

     Which is why it's always important to remember there is a reason we play these games.

     While I was less than impressed with the fluidity of the Vikings offense and that first TD was painful I tend to believe this team is not only legit but a pretty serious threat to run deep come January.  The Saints had to win that game but they did not do so with the precision and beastliness necessary to strike fear into the hearts of the rest of the league. 

    The Champs are not only vulnerable, they're open to an early season slide from which they may not recover.

     Those pesky, long-haired Norsemen however...They could take this loss and slowly glide under the radar during the first few weeks of the season emerging around mid-October as a serious and deadly force (Hey, I know y'all are already on that boat, I merely speak of the rest of the league).

      It wasn't a pretty game but it might be one which tells us more about the future than initially thought.

      And that future may involve far more of the Minnesota Vikings than the New Orleans Saints.

      I'm already seeing a game of national prominence in Week 8 when they come out to Razor Blade Stadium in Foxboro. 

      Go get 'em, Vikes!

RadioKjed

Norsemen (and Women!),

      I must say that my history of changing a pick just prior to kickoff has been a historically bad move for me but I am tempted, and I do mean tempted, to flip my Saints pick to one of Purple and Gold.  I'm feeling a momentum shift pushing a storm of torment and fury down to the Big Easy this evening.

    But rest assured, my Northern Brethren, I won't jinx your mojo.  I'm sticking with the Saints to win but will probably be shaking my head in dismay by starting the NFL 2010 campaign with one game in the hole. 

    This could be a tone setter for the Vikes and for the NFL as a whole.  That easily swayed opinion which the media-darling, hot topic bobbleheads on the TV like to count on might have missed the rising tide on this game. 

     This is one of those classic contests where all the hype, planning and precision of pre-season may be smacked out of the building by midway through the second quarter.  Could be the defense of the Northern Forces who determine this gem and if they bring what their fans (yeah, that's you folks) are claiming they're capable of...well, the Big Easy could turn into the Big Let Down and that wish for 80,000 silent Saints fans might be sweet music to the ears of Minnesota.

     Cheers to all of you and here's to football, the NFL, Underdogs and Upsets.

Go Vikes!

RadioKjed