So it's the 1998 football season, and after one big victory after another, everybody in Minnesota is absolutely convinced the the Vikings are going all the way to the Super Bowl. Vikings flags sprout on top of cars everywhere, "Purple Pride" towels are hung up in everyone's cubicles at work, and "fans" are suddenly constantly wearing Randy Moss and Randall Cunningham sweatshirts and jerseys. Where previous to this year they'd probably never bothered to watch more than two or three games on TV all season.

And what's especially irritating is the indescribable hubris of them all. The Minneapolis Star-Tribune sports page has been adorned with a gold-and-purple "Road to Super Bowl XXXIII" header for months now. Friends of mine altered their vacation schedules around so they won't miss the January 31st game. Dozens of local sports magazines have been issued boldly proclaiming "The Vikings' Super Season". Half of the Twin Cities TV commercials jumped onto the bandwagon in the hopes that their inevitable march to victory will boost sales. In one that I've seen approximately 827 times, an especially unattractive Minnesota woman wearing trademark purple horns and gold braids sticks her face into the camera and sings, "We're goin' to Miami!"

And since Minnesotans remember the past two Super Bowls, share a division with us, and can be a very jealous and resentful people, they concentrate all their gloating and smug glee on any and every Packer fan they can find. Like me. Over and over. Not that I am bitter.

Well, this afternoon, at the NFC Championship game at the Minneapolis Metrodome, in overtime, the Atlanta Falcons defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 30-27.

And I'm listening to the game on the radio, and immediately after Morten Andersen kicks the game-winning field goal, the blatantly slanted Minnesota announcers spend a few moments expressing their shock and dismay, and then cut to commercials.

And the first thing on is an obviously previously produced advertisement of a local sporting goods store, which congratulates the Vikings on clinching their NFC championship, and invites the listening audience to come to their store this week and stock up on all of their Vikings' Super Bowl XXXIII merchandise.

Hee.

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