Woe is me!
Woe is me.  Many years ago, as a boy, my father, one of those depression era kids, once labeled me an Alibi-Ike.  He was clearly upset ... and these were the only words he could bring himself to say.  Facing adversity, it was easy to find excuses to explain away my less than stellar performance.  It was easy to see that I'd given up ... that I chose, at some point, to no longer care.  In fact, for maybe the first time in my life, my father was embarrassed to associate my given name to what I carried on that field and what he had witnessed ... but he had a way about him.  While his guts spilled onto the floor, and his anger built inside ... he decided to take the time to wait for when we were alone to explain to me how I could never take that road again.  You see ... he was never blessed with my talents and skills, where I not only represented him, but others, and more importantly ... his love and devotion for the game.  He understood life.    

"What is an Alibi-Ike?"  He said, "It's someone who makes excuses for what happens."  The part he didn't say, or better stated, didn't have to say, is that you have no one else to blame for the result but yourself.  From then on ... when things got tough ... I was to looking inward.

What you may not know, as it is never discussed, is that indifference hangs upon you like an eternal stink that can never be washed away.  Indifference cannot be obscured or hidden.  It is as obvious as the nose on your face and is as clear as day.  This is because it is written on your soul.  Don't take that road.   The counter to "Woe is me", is what legends are made of ... these are the hero's of my past.  The storied individuals that faced adversity and found away to win.

The Minnesota Vikings have a history of facing adversity that is not pretty ... because the money will keep me warm throughout the winter.  A laundry list of excuses ... of taking the easy path out of adversity.  A peer, an associate that I once worked with, a Dallas Cowboy fan, once called my team Minny-Ha-Ha!  This was served with a smirk.  My first thought was, how can you say that about a truly storied franchise ... the hero's of my youth ... the stalwarts of stone faced wisdom ... the keepers of defensive dominance ... the finesse of a darting sixth sense of the great Sir Francis.  It only took an inward look to see what my team had evolved into.  The only way to erase this stain is to achieve the pinnacle of success ... his smirk understood this.             

Each team is fighting for that same prize ... and if you choose this path of "Woe is me" ... your foes will find a way to exploit your weakness ... and take your opportunity from you.  There is always a way.         

Once again our commissioner has rewarded the money (the Cowboys) with the player named Packman.  The rich get richer.  Now that's justice.  I'm certain Packman got the message and this is a wonderful precedence for the rest of your little misfits throughout the league.  Goodell, if you're listening, and if you truly want to correct what is wrong with this league, here's what the owners of this league should insist on in writing the next league-players contract.  The message should be clear ... we no longer reward bad behavior.  If your suspended for a year, you lose the rights of your contract, which become null and void, including all rights to your upcoming installments of guaranteed money, and when you are reinstated by the league, your will automatically be assigned to the team with the worst record of the previous year, with a one-year contract where you will be paid the lowest salary, based upon your vested experience level.  After that, you will then have the opportunity to become a free agent.  Also, the team that loses your rights would then be rewarded with a draft pick the following year of an equivalent round that that player was originally selected at the end of that round.  The only penalty should be that guaranteed money, of that original contract, should still count against the cap.  I'm certain your little misfits will then get the message.  

The other 31 teams should be livid in regard to this travesty.  As it turns out, the commissioner has rewarded Packman's behavior by now being able to play with one of the NFL's strongest franchises.  Players playing the Dallas Cowboys this year will have their opportunity of extracting their pound of flesh and this little bit of folly should be the focal point.  

One quarter of our 2007 season rested upon the Edwards decision, which ultimately punched the ticket once again for NY money (the Giants).  The McKinney decision now puts our first quarter of the 2008 season, not to mention the shaky health of the blind side of T-Jack, once again into peril.  Should we accept that or is it time to push that rock uphill?

What hangs in the balance is corporate welfare that hangs upon a Super Bowl victory ... not a playoff appearance.  The chance at an open air bone-chilling venue of our past looms ... the continuation of the cradle of excellence.  Our commissioners response is that of indifference.  "Regardless ... it is not enough money."  How do you think Roger Godell's NFL money stacks up against Childress's job ... and his now apparent anguish.  Nothing in life is ever fair!  It is now time to take the gloves off.   

The punishment for the upcoming choice, of the path of indifference, is now clear and has been laid out for us all to see.  This released statement should rock the Viking Nation to its core ... onto a ravenous Beserker Rage.  A new storied multi-billion dollar owner-franchise, located in Los Angeles, with a new second rate tenant, that will have absolutely no chance to ever reach for that prize.  Is this our destiny!  The end of Viking lore!

Plumbers rule #1.  Crap flows down hill.

Rule #2, which is cornerstone of my hand book of life.  Crap keeps flowing that way until someone, or in this case, 53 men and their practice squad, along with the scrappy wisdom and leadership of their coaches, finds a way to push that rock back up hill.  Yeah!  It's tough, but its got to be done.  Personally, my goals in life revolve around giving them all a big crap-burger to eat.

It all begins with you!  Your future is not your destiny until you cast your lot.  In other words, we all create our own destinies.  Exactly what in your life is worth fighting for.   

What was in my past became the foundation of my future.  

The Viking Ghost Writer
MyVikingBlood.com
Date: September 2, 2008