Greetings Tipsters
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions, two 14 and 2 teams playing the last game of the regular season with division win and #1 seed in the NFC on the line. The previous record for most wins by opponents was 25, when the 15 win Pats played someone with 10 about 17 years ago.
Was your correspondent nervous? Oh, hell yeah. Our banged up D against a very efficient O, our genius OC against their brilliant DC. But when I heard that Alex Anzalone was playing I felt better. He’s our best linebacker and a madman on field, running hard and hitting harder, a smart player who organises the D in an instant and leads by example. I predicted a 31-17 win to the Lions, wrote it on an FB page and two Lions players liked it.
Early in the game, Vikings first or second drive, deep in their territory, the Lions D forced an offside. To quote the referee: “Offside, offence, everyone but the centre.” I knew we had it then.
Well, kind of. We were up 10-6 at halftime, the D had been great, the O rather less so. What if the Vikings O turned it on? Late in the second the Lions threw a stupid interception so I rang Ringo. He’s a cool calm cove. It wasn’t great timing, he was in the supermarket, but it was a short moment that helped me collect my thoughts and the D got a stop while we were talking so I felt a lot better.
Third quarter, the O got its act together and my heart rate began to slow down. Jahmyr Gibbs scored all four Tuddys. Oh, how they laughed when we took a running back at #12! He’s quick and elusive and can catch a pass.
31-9 in the end, my prediction was three-quarters right, I expected three scores from Vikings tho I didn’t think they would all be field goals. Or that their kicker would have a bad night, missing a field goal to the right and sending a kickoff over the sideline to the left.
What a season! All manner of records set, Gibbs, Montgomery, St Brown and Williams each made 1000 yards from scrimmage, an NFL first. Goff threw 18/18 a few weeks ago, the most accurate game in history. The most players on Injured Reserve for the most weeks, most of them D. #1 in the NFC for the first time.
None of that matters a whit.
Sheila Ford Hamp took over principal ownership in June 2020. November, she fired GM Quinn and HC Patricia, who had built a toxic culture that saw great players leave for teams where the coach wouldn’t berate them and wasn’t an idiotic prick. January 2021, she contracted Brad Holmes for GM and Dan Campbell for HC. Four years later, the laughing stock of the league is a genuine Superbowl contender.
Oh, how they laughed at Dan’s first speech.
“This team is going to take on the identity of this city, and this city’s been down and it’s found a way to get up. This team’s going to be built on, we’re going to kick you in the teeth….We’re gonna get knocked down and on the way up, we’re going to bite a kneecap off….Before long we’re going to be the last one standing. Any loss that we take, we’re going to feel the full pain from it and not be numb to it.”
Dan was on the 2008 Lions team that went 0-16. He knows Detroit. Media went “Haha, Detroit, kneecaps, moron” but I heard him speaking to the city, to the fans, I knew, at long last, we have a coach, a GM, an owner who cares about winning.
Winning is hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in New Orleans, 9 February. Honourable losses are still losses. Fuck that shit, we’re here to win.
And, oh how I’d love to hear Dan yell “Kick Out The Jams” on the dais.
Cheers Tipsters
P&C, A TGK Production, a division of Trans-Dementia Inc
Brought to you with the assistance of a stack of singles and albums from Detroit.
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About Earl O'Neill
Freelance gardener, I've thousands of books, thousands of records, one fast motorcycle and one gorgeous smart funny sexy woman. Life's pretty darn neat.
Earl, perhaps under your stewardship the Jaguars might mount a similar resurrection, starting with a new HC!
It’s the hope that kills you Earl. Your analytical pessimism served you and your Lions well all season. Don’t go all dreams and destiny now.
The Steelers need to move out Russell Wilson and move in Justin Fields.
Smokie, given the limited number of capable QBs and Steelers propensity to ‘not lose’ they’ll probably sign Sam Darnold.
Peter, 24 years a Lions fan, I deserve one week of dreams.