Just some Sunday ramblings as I await the Giants-VIkes game. And if they can catch the Giants sleeping today, the Vikes might not lose another game this season. Seriously. I have not been drinking. OK, I had some mojitos the other night but I'm totally sober this fine Sunday morning. A 9-7 record and a wild-card entry is not to be considered pure fantasy for a team leading the league in rushing offense and rushing defense. Just how close are the Vikes and how important is the Lions game next week? Take a look:

PLAYOFF TEAMS
• Cowboys (10-1)
• Packers (10-1)
• Seahawks (6-4)
• Bucs (6-4)
• Giants (7-3)
• Lions (6-5)

OUTSIDE LOOKING IN
• Redskins (5-5)
• Cardinals (5-5)
• Eagles (5-5)
• Panthers (4-6)
• Vikings (4-6)
• Saints (4-6)
• Bears (4-6)
• Falcons (3-8)
• Rams (2-8)
• 49ers (2-8)

The current match-ups in the NFC would then be:

Wild-card round, Jan. 5-6

No. 5 Giants (7-3) at No. 4 Buccaneers (6-4, NFC South leaders)

No. 6 Lions (6-5) at No. 3 Seahawks (6-4, NFC West leaders)

Second round, Jan. 12-13

Lower-ranked team at No. 1 Cowboys (10-1, NFC East leaders)

Higher-ranked team at No. 2 Packers (10-1, NFC North leaders)

So it is not so far-fetched for the Vikes to get into the thick of things.

On to my ramblings.

Torii Hunter is packing his bags and heading for a team that can contend on a yearly basis. I can't blame him. Hunter speaks to my close, personal friend, Sid Hartman, and rips the ownership in a single breath that goes against the whole Minnesota mantra of "don't go burning bridges" when you leave a job:

It was like a 24-hour decision. I could not leave Anaheim -- that's a nice place, a nice ballpark, they play the game right, they've got a chance to win every year. Because Arte Moreno is that type of owner, he wants to win.

And I can't blame him. Hunter goes on to voice what many of us have been saying about the new stadium but are too Minnesota Nice to state:

It will be hard for the Twins to attract free agents, Hunter added, because the new stadium lacks a roof.

"People aren't even thinking about this," he said. "I wouldn't play in Minnesota unless my career was at an end and I had to go to Minnesota to play the game. ... People think that's not true -- that's 100 percent accurate. This is coming from a player, so I'm telling you."

And I can't blame him. At least he didn't head East. That would have been too much for this Minnesota fan to take. From a recent Facebook group called Dear Boston, you're welcome for all your good players, Love Minnesota here is a summary of the pain I feel every time I hop a plane heading east and have to talk sports with my limo driver:

Randy Moss- Drafted 21st overall by the Vikings, plays 7 years for the Vikings, traded to Oakland in 2005, and was traded to New Enlgand in 2007 thus making them better than they have ever been.

David Ortiz- Surfaced with the Twins in 97, his option was not picked up by the Twins after 2002 and was picked up byt the Red Sox where he won a world series in 2004 and has been a perennial all-star.

Kevin Garnett- Drafted 5th overall by the Timberwolves in 95, played 12 years with the wolves, and was traded to Boston in 2007, instantly making them an NBA title contender.

And lets not forget...

JD Drew- was fromerly a St. Paul Saint, and just hit a grand slam in ALCS for the Red Sox.

Phil Kessel- Played for the Gopher hockey team in 2005 and darted for Beantown after his freshman year.

Manny Fernandez- Wild goalie for multiple years, traded to Boston in 2007.

Laurence Maroney- Stud for the Gophers, now a stud for the Patriots.

Wally Sczerbiak- Who is one of the best looking players in the NBA, was a Timberwolf for 6 years was traded to Boston in 2006. The female wolves fans were left weeping, while the Beantown bitches were wetting there panties.

Bobby Kielty- Was a solid utility OUTfielder for the Twins from 2001-03. After wandering between teams for a few years found his way out east to hit a home run in game 4 of the Red Sox' most recent World Series win.
(Tim Schmidt)

Doug Mientkiewicz- Drafted by the Twins in 1995, won a gold glove in 2001, and stole the heart of hundreds of female Twins fans. In 2004, was traded to the Red Sox during a series with the Red Sox. Then that October our Dougie Baseball caught the last out to end the Red Sox' 86-yr World Series drought.

And this was in the STrib editorial section Sunday morning. Someone in Edina (the stuffy, rich suburb) woke up crabby this week:

THE SIOUX AND UND

Purple mascot is worse

How has Nick Coleman in all of his compassion and support for the Sioux Nation (column, Nov. 18) managed to overlook a far more extreme example of heritage bastardized right here in our own back yards with the Minnesota Vikings? I thumbed through my family history the other night and was unsuccessful in finding photographs or references to any of my ancestors wearing horns, jumping on pogo sticks or riding Harleys.

CHRISTIAN JOHNSON, EDINA

Posted by maasx003 at November 25, 2007 9:31 AM