Quick take on point spreads and "experts"

Well as most of you know, the LIONS are favored to win Sunday AT the Metrodome. The line is Lions -3.5 pts.
According to online sources 85% of the money in Vegas is being put on the LIONS. I find it amazing how much hype, both positive and negative, can affect the public and by default, expert opinions. According to the jist of opinions I've Been reading from non Minnesota based sources, McNabb is "terrible" Detroit will smother us, Matthew Stafford and Megatron will be hard to stop yada yada. NO ONE has picked the vikes to even beat the spread. It seems like no one has any common sense.

First of all we're talking about TWO games thus far more or less, cause clearly no one is looking at the LIONS horrid 14 game losing streak at the dome, the LIONS awful road record, the return of K WILL, Our RB named AP "...who has gained 814 yards in eight career games against the Lions... and he has done most of the damage at the Metrodome, where the teams play Sunday. In four games there, he has gained 520 yards (294 in Detroit) and scored six of his seven touchdowns against the Lions:" etc etc

AHEM.

Mighty Matthew Stafford has faced us twice, lost both games and had a total of 2 TDs 2 INTs and less the 400 yards total. I'm real scared.

Last time LIONS started out 3-0? 1980. This team isn't even as good as the Herman Moore Barry sanders ones. Chill out with the hype please! They're over valued and the Vikes are undervalued.

If I went to the game I'd hold a sign up the first time he's sacked
YOU'RE NOT PLAYING KANSAS ANYMORE

MY money is on the Vikes. No spread.

Should be a fun game...

SKOL!

7 out of 8 stats are useless and arbitrary (Same chance the Vikes make the playoffs)

I get annoyed with the way certain journalists spin sports, especially with Stats. We're fed useless stats in articles and during games so often that we've lost the ability to decipher meaningful ones from stupid ones. Here are two of my favorites that we've all seen a million times. One are those guys in basketball broadcasts who say something like "The Rockets are on a 24-16 scoring streak halfway through the first quarter."

The other is in baseball when they pull up a hitting percentage during an at bat "Crom bats .317 vs Lefties, with runners on the corners, 2 outs, as a pinch hitter, on the road, when trailing, in game one of a double header, against the Yankees, on labor day... Whereas his career average is .324" SO INSIGHTFUL!

Which leads to my beloved Vikings. The big stat being hammered into our domes this week was "Only 12% of the teams that start out 0-2 make the playoffs" HUH? What's the point of this stat? How about teams that start 2-2? Or finish 8-8? 10-6? ( I could not find where they got this stat) Obviously starting out 0-3 would suck balls, but why the negativity? We lost to playoff team on the road and a 10-6 TB team. Sure the fashion of those losses was upsetting but the fact remains, we have an extremely compeitive football team! Our 0-2 isn't the same as the Chiefs for example! You know statistically they have the same chance we do to make the playoffs. You know what percentage of people picked the wildcard steelers, giants or pack to win the superbowl the last times they did? (I assume only their fans haha)

Here's something interesting I found.

"There’s plenty of football still left to be played, so don’t count anyone out. Since 2000, 27 teams have reached the halfway point of the season with a .500 or below winning percentage and proceeded to the playoffs, including at least one in each season. In 2009, three teams – Baltimore (4-4), Green Bay (4-4) and the New York Jets (4-4) – accomplished the feat..."

SIDE NOTE
I received an interesting stat from a lovely high spirited late night TWEET from super fan and director SPIKE LEE, defending his evil YANKEES-

"Do you know Boston has #2 Payroll in MLB? Don't front like Red Sox have a Pittsburgh Pirates PAYROLL. C'mon SON. WAKE UP!"

Great Stat Spike! However A. It's incorrect, the BOSOX have the 3rd highest payroll and B. The Yankees payroll is over 40 million $'s higher the BOSOX, it's 202 million $, JUST 4 million less then the BOSOX and PIRATES pay roll combined! "That's the triplle troof, Ruth!"

THIS BLOG WAS POSTED FROM MY PHONE I APOLOGIZE FOR ANY ERRORS AND THE LACK OF LINKS AND PICS.

SKOL!

VIKINGS VS DETROIT

Haha! Never gets old

WELL.... Before I get into this weekend's game, I'd like to say I am feeling better about our Loss(es) the first two weeks. After looking at all the news conferences and player interviews and reading the blogs I feel like the Viking players themselves are gonna be more focused and turn in complete games moving forward. It's like when someone apologizes to you, either you believe it or you don't, it's sincere or it isn't, and these players and coaches all seem sincerely pissed off about everything. We'll see soon enough! Hopefully we will be able to have fewer penalties, stay aggressive into the 3rd and 4th quarters on Offense and Defense as well as reduce mental errors like lining up on the wrong formations etc. UGH!

Kinda silly to analyze stats this early in the season... On paper DET has a high scoring offense, lotsa passing yards and a solid defense... On paper. But they've played the un-impressive BUCs defense on the road, and got the lowly Chiefs at home. I assume our pass rush will be the best they've faced "all year" haha.

Stats below for you. I think we have a great defensive game and 4 quarters of annoying ball control efficiency with a few explosive plays mixed in. They'll get 17 points or so and we'll get over 30! I could be wrong but that's what we need... We shall see. People are asking if the roar ha been restored etc if the lions are for real I think they've improved but they're not an elite, consistent team yet. They're definitely beatable and I feel sorry for the team facing us this week. Unless someone gets hurt AP, McNabb and Harvin are gonna be beasting it!

Aaaaarggggh!!! ( Conan for "is the skull half full or half empty?")

Well?

Seriously- I'm so mind fucked right now. Clearly the over all negative out weighs the positives, what with a Stale Donut in the W column and a 2 in the L column but... This squad is like that hot girl you almost kinda went home with, who's maybe teasing you, or is she playing hard to get, oh idk I'll give her a third date! If she doesn't put out or at least me feel like a Winner- then Ima hate myself. This bi-polar play of my purple players is giving me blue balls! But APs runs, Harvins kick return and the D forcing 3 and outs is giving me couch boners.
So I ask all of you! Wtf?!

Is the glass half full or empty? Who's serving the drinks? Do the players need to drink more of Frazier's Kool aid? Or less?

Time to point fingers or hold hands?

I heard a lot of frustrated voices in the post game but my gut is that this year is gonna have a lot of growing pains.. We've done things you just can't do but then again... So have the packers... It's all so inconsistent. I'll have more to say mañana when my balls don't ache.

Hopefully to make room for K WILL, we will cut Berrian per my boys at the Daily Norseman tonight.

Please vote on my new poll--->^ Half full, half empty ??