NFL Divisional Round Thread: Colts? Chargers? Vikings? Saints? Come Out & Play!

With the Vikings and Cowboys playing tomorrow I was looking for video of the Hail Mary play and found this:

Tarkington's dad died after suffering a heart attack in the third quarter while watching the game on TV.

There was also a flying bottle of booze, but that's another story.

 

Denver game as well - Jan 1998 - for me. Only, not as a fan but as a reporter/photographer. Sooooo cold on the sidelines that day.

I can still see Elvis Grbac motioning that his helmet speaker wasn't working and that, gasp, he couldn't hear the playoff brilliance of Marty and Paul Hackett.

During one of the late timeouts, I enjoyed a brief conversation with the late Lamar Hunt, thanking him - as a local - for what his vision created at Arrowhead. He was extremely gracious and warm back to me.

That locker room was like something I had never seen. Andre Rison crying on the floor. Marty knowing that was his best chance. Rich Gannon with a "I can't help it these idiots didn't play me and went with stiff Grabc" shrug. Tony Gonzalez fighting back tears in our 1-on-1 interview.

I remember telling him (like I had any wisdom - we were the same age), "Tony, you'll get to the Super Bowl."

Whoops.

Only I DID see that locker room again. The next year at the Metrodome when the Falcons rallied to beat Minnesota in the NFC Title Game. Same 'awfulness'.

Come to think of it, I've covered a TON of depressing home playoff losses. Six in my nine years as a sports guy. Most involved Favre.

 

Good stories. I remember that day very well. Marty screwed the pooch again by only running the ball 24 times (and having Grbac throw it 37 times in that permafrost -- no explanation for this.)

http://www.jt-sw.com/football/boxes/index.nsf/8aba06aaab1d51b485256a9e000c9904/40bff443c4ce796d85256ac000549968?OpenDocument

Can't wait until 4:30.

 

Final '98 Broncos-Chiefs memory and I'll let it go...

Seeing all the cars and trucks in the ditch on I-70 on the way to the game as a snowstorm had broken out that Saturday night.

And, seeing that I was on serious deadline to get back to the station for the 10 pm news, I peeled out of the Arrowhead media lot, couldn't see anything with the blowing snow and drizzle, and came within about six feet of running over a pedestrian, walking to his car.

A pedestrian named Len Dawson.

My swan song to covering the Chiefs...

 

You're not in New Orleans today, are you??

 

I think Crockett went nuts against the Chargers in the first round.

 

No, I am NOT in New Orleans. I am "retired" from covering sports - have been for a few years - except for helping our sports guys in 2007 with the Packers.

Yeah, BT - I seem to remember that.

As a Chiefs' fan in 1995, I remember the giddyness of paying the two-bit Colts with that old-man Marchibroda coaching. No way the 13-3, Marty-led Chiefs would blow that, right? (This was before Marty became Playoff Marty. He had been to three AFC Championship games and did not often get bounced in the first playoff game then. Only the second.)

 

Saints 44, Cardinals 21
Book it.
(And I will be in New Orleans next week)

 

I hope you're right. I'll be watching from the office tonight, as I have desk duty, but I'm hoping to finagle a pass for next week if the Saints win.

 

I'm fond of the Saint franchise, and this Cardinal team. No real choice, today . . . go, Cards, as
if this isn't Warner's last roundup, it's close enough.
Saints SHOULD have more chances, if Benson doesn't take
another dose of stupid pills.

 

Saints have waited a long time for this type of season, and should/could have made better management decisions much sooner to have avoided this long dormant period.
Was watching last nite as Saints hosted, got way ahead of, then barely slipped past St. Louis in 2000 for the franchise's first-ever playoff win.
Payton's by far been the most organized and team-supported coach ever in New Orleans.
Stram, Dick Nolan, Bum Phillips, Haslett were good but not great.
Stram's probably the best prior to Payton.
This is the Saints' year to make the big game. Hopefully, yes, there are more chances in the future.
It's all about organizational commitment and understanding of what it takes to win or simply be mediocre.

 

One thing I kept thinking while watching that rewind last night: Next time some ass starts talking about their brilliant young coach, remember Jim Haslett. He had a lot of people shining up his legend and now he can't get a head coaching job.