Ok, here we go again. Brace yourself, oh Brothers Nagel, for the big letdown. Good for the Gophers, who for the how manyeth time in how manyeth years beat up on a handful of Gopher Conference teams en route to a 4-0 pre-season. Persons like yourselves put heightened stock on the big "Floyd of Rosedale" game with the Iowas this weekend, ooh, big game. Might determine if the Gophers win two or three Big 10 games this fall. Name me two defensive starters for the Big U? Wow. And I suppose suddenly you're so emotionally invested that you'll be edge of seat, the very outcome of the Big 10 opener setting the mood for the rest of your weekend. Hey, they moved the game to a 2:30 start, that must mean it's a big game. Ski U Blah.
Don't get me wrong, I hope they win, but to pretend you're more emotionally invested in the Gophers is pish posh. The Vikings are your team, they are our team. A great season for the Gophers is 8-4, and if you're gonna settle for "just pretty darn good" as the top of the heap then you need look inward and find a little more from yourself, dig a little deeper. Do you get up every morning hoping to go 7-5 on the day? Or do you strive for something better, like Peyton Manning's 32-of-37 for 341 and 3tds? You shoot for for 10-of-18 for 92 and just one interception, I'll continue to get up every morning and try to make it a 32-for-37 day in every thing I do.
And when the Vikings right this ship and are beating down the Super Bowl door in a couple years I'll be there, never having left (although having slept through some third quarters), and you'll be watching the 7-5 Gophers play the 7-5 Fresno State Huskies in the Blue Bonnet Bowl.