With the Eagles winning the Superbowl today, their fans cannot claim they have a curse anymore, like they may have previously. They had lost twice before in the SB, and had other teams that failed to make the SB.
The Vikings got beat badly in Philly a few weeks ago. But I would like to just bring up a couple of things.
1) The Vikings had an identical record of 13-3 to the Eagles. and the only reason they had to go to Philly for the NFC Championship game was per their loss to Carolina and the Eagles having beaten Carolina.
2) Had the game been played at US Bank Stadium, I highly question if they would have been blown out, and they likely would have won.
that all being said, those things likely happened differently in a parallel dimension, and the Vikings ended up hosting and playing in SB 52 and while I don't know if they would have won, fate would have had more in-store than just the "Minneapolis Miracle" for the Vikings.
Like this, the 1999 SB in Miami the Falcons lost to the Broncos, I often wonder if the Vikings would have won, but it's all what could have been.
So thinking about that, and all the history, the Vikings Curse feels real. And it seems not even to win a SB, but now it's just to make it to the SB.
I guess if/when they ever make it back to an NFC Championship game, I am assuming they will lose.
I mean I usually assume they will anyway, as I assumed the moment they had to go to Philly, they would.
That stupid statistic about DOME teams who go on the road for a Championship game outdoors have never won. Well, then basically the only chance the Vikings have to go to a SB again is if they get the Home Field Advantage again, or play on the road against another DOME team (Atlanta, New Orleans, Detroit), which even if they did that, they still wouldn't likely win (see 2010 in New Orleans).
I kind of looked at that Eagles game almost like the game against the Giants in 2001. Why did they even show up? they don't have a chance.
But now it's more or less why even have any hope, because they are cursed. They will never win a SB and for that matter, I don't think they'll even get to another one. After '98, they'll never have a better chance, although that Atlanta team was 14-2, but it was at home in the dome to go, and they still lost.
They're cursed to even getting to the SB.
edit: also to add, is there something with the Eagles now? The Vikings have lost 3 straight times to them in the playoffs, and 4 or 5 straight overall. Maybe the #1 goal is for them to face The Eagles next season in the playoffs and win, or the below Yankees and Blackhawk thing may be applying to them and/or the NFC East..Giants and Redskins in '88 (sans for the Cowboys in recent decades at least).
And I think it bodes the same with all the other Major sports teams in MN.
Timberwolves: they are finally a decent team now, after how many years? 2004 was 14 fucking years ago. Granted, even when they were last good, they never seemed to be able to beat both The Lakers nor San Antonio. Which the same still holds true for the Spurs. But how the hell will they ever win an NBA title, or even get to the Finals with the way Golden State is?
Twins: they've had some good seasons/teams since the 1991 World Series team, namely some of the Johan Santana teams, but they never could beat the fucking Yankees. And them losing in the Wild Card game just adds to that. The only way I see them ever winning in the playoffs or at least going to the WS again is if The Yankees don't make it ot get beat by someone else. And they really have had very poor luck with developing long term Starting pitchers. A lot of teams have that issue, but those Gardenhire teams that won the division at least did. The Twins can't seem to keep 2-3 reliable starting pitchers for many years. Especially a bonafide horse.ace. And they also fail to be able to sign them in Free Agency (because The Twins always of course have the money to outbid other teams? lol). But it's fucking sad when you see the Kansas City bleeping Royals win a WS..and Tigers, Indians and Whitesox iirc both getting there in the past decade or so.
Wild: They had that amazing season last season, only to get outed in the 1st round by the Blues. And then of course how many times have the Blackhawks beaten them in the playoffs? ..they can't seem to beat them. I guess at least with them, they haven't been around long enough to have an extensive curse on them, but they still haven't even made it the Finals. And of course the Northstars did twice, both times facing all-time greats who did them in.
Gopher Football: they haven't been to a Rose Bowl since when?..College Football is still fucked up without a real playoff system, but it would at least have meant something for them to make a Rose Bowl, just once in my lifetime. But it never happened. Fucking Wisconsin of course has gone how many times? and others like Northwestern even..Purdue, Iowa..the only ones I can think who didn't are like Illinois and Indiana. Long before my time, Minnesota was a power in NCAA Football. But I think even when they have a good team, they flounder in some game, and/or all the off the field nonsense which adds to their curse.
Gopher Basketball: The latest debacle with them and the suspension of Reggie Lynch adds more to the curse on them. They were supposed to be great this year. Big Ten contender, Sweet 16, etc. Nope.
All the off the court nonsense also plagues them. But just go back in history. The 1997 and mid-90's Clem teams ended up being screwed by the Curse as well. I might even add, the 1990 team with Willie Burton could have and really should have been able to beat Georgia Tech and go to the Final 4. Kevin Lynch missed the prayer at the end of that Elite 8 game, which also in a Curse-less parallel universe, he makes that and we go on to face UNLV in the Final 4. I would not have expected to win, but just getting there would have been enormous.
Gopher Baseball: great teams, yet since I was alive have they made the College World Series? I know they haven't since at least the early 80's. The Dave Winfield/Jeff Ward teams may have, but that was in the early 70's I think.
Gopher Mens Hockey: the Curse doesn't fall too much to them as they won the NCAA twice in the early 2000's, back-2-back. And have made the Frozen 4 a few times this decade at least. But given their stature, that result is only decent, but hardly exemplary actually considering they are sort of 1 of the top 5 or 10 elite Div 1 Mens Hockey programs. I.e. like the Duke or North Carolina of College Hockey. To not have won a title in 15 years, and even consider the lack of a championship througout the 80's and 90's, they still have had a bit of a Curse with that. The fucking Harvard behind the net goal? shit like that and losing to mediocre programs like Notre Dame and Yale in the 1st rounds makes you wonder still.
The Lynx obviously do not have a curse per have won 4 Championships or whatever in 6 years, and are the 1 exception.
Gopher Womens Basketball have been good, and I guess considering where they used to be, since the Whalen/McCarville teams, they seem to at least be respectable if not pretty consistently good.
So, yeah that is my feeling about it. I think The Vikings are the most cursed of all of them, but basically if you are a major sports team in MN, you very likely will be cursed and expect to be disappointed. Don't expect to make to the championship round, let alone winning it.
Lucy pulls the ball away from Charlie Brown. (Charlie being the fans of Minnesota teams, and Lucy being the Minnesota team).
In a parallel universe, the Vikings play either The Bills or Browns in like 5 straight Super Bowls, splitting the 1st 4, and the 5th decides who has to hold on to any part of a curse.
I would like to see the Indians, Mariners, Padres and some others finally win a WS just to be able to say they finally did. And in the Mariners case, even finally just get to a World Series, lol. And in the Vikings case, just get to a SB while I'm alive (the last one I was like 6 months old, which barely counts).
