I caught my1st trout of the year and then a few more today on the Bitter root. Some nice cutty’s not huge but an awesome way to break in 2013. The nymphing was good. A hare’s ear was the bug they wanted, it was 40 degrees and a nice day with my friend Joe Cummings.
Other than Delta airlines screwing up and delaying me 8 hours in Salt Lake on Sunday this weekend went well. I went to Denver to help promote Upland Water Adventures a destination fly fishing/ bird shooting booking company that I think will do well. I put on a power point presentation on the Missoula area rivers at the Denver Fly Fishing Show! The presentation was fun, and I met and talked with a lot of fun people in the fly fishing industry.
Green Bay beat the vikings in the playoffs as I watched from my motel room in downtown Denver.
This brought me back a few years ago to one crazy afternoon where my back was against the wall. It looked all over until a remarkable play, combined with a typical vikings collapse, sent me to Lambeau Field in Green Bay where my buddy Phil and I watched Brett Favre beat the Seahawks in the playoffs.
It went down like this. The last week of the regular NFL season the Packers had only one way to make the playoffs. They needed to beat the Broncos, and the vikings had to lose to the woefull Arizona Cardinals who were 3-12. Pack win/ vikes loss, would give Green Bay the last playoff spot Which happened to be whoever won the NFC North division. All the other playoff spots were set. If the Vikings won they take the division and put Green Bay out regardless and were in the playoffs, the vikes could also back into the playoffs with a loss only if Green Bay lost.
I also had the opportunity to travel to Green Bay if the Packers could sneak in, I had access to game and airline tickets in the event of an upset win with Green Bay, winning the division. The Pack would host the 5th wildcard who happened to be the Seahawks, but it all came down to the Minnesota Vikings.
Well I had to watch the game at a sports bar because local tv didn’t show my game. I was sitting at the bar, slamming beers with my Favre #4 jersey on. I’m the lone Packers fan in the bar and there were 6 or 7 vikings fans, dressed in purple, behind me on a long table stuffing their faces with pizza and beer.
My game was going awesome, Ahman Green was lighting up Denver, he had 2 TD’s and Favre was connecting with Driver and the Pack had a 34-0 lead in the 3rd quarter. I was 1/2, maybe 3/4’s drunk and rooting on my team, but to my dismay, the Vikings were also beating AZ. Comments were flying from the table of losers behind me.
“Hey FAVVRAH , too bad your little packers ain’t going to the playoffs, you’ll be watching our Vikes in the playoffs next week and the Packers will be packing up their lockers” one of the purple clad dudes would loudly slur. Then another would pipe up “Hey Packer fan, how’s it feel to not be in the playoffs, next week, poor little packer fan, no friends, all by yourself”. The hole table was taking one shot after another at me and I had to just sit and watch my game, while getting infuriated with these dick-heads behind me but trying not to let it show. With the whole huddle of viking bullies picking on me, I looked ahead, rooted on my team, and of course drank more beer.
Well a few minutes pass by and the vike’s fans are uncharacteristically getting quiet. My team was up 34-3 and had the game in hand. The vikes however who were up 23-3 at half time, squandered their lead to 23-10 in the 4th but Jake Plummer and the Cardinals were driving the field. I looked back at the tv the vikes fans were watching and TD AZ!! 23-17 with about 2 minutes left in the game. I couldn’t help but say something, “hey Vikes fans, your kinda quiet, what’s happening against the mighty AZ Cardinals?” I chipped. They all kind of grumbled and didn’t say much.
AZ attempts a onside kick under 2 minutes left and recovers the foot ball. I scream “Come on Vikes, you aren’t going to let Green Bay in the playoffs are you?” “Sit down asshole” yells one of the vikes fans, off course I’m outnumbered 7 to 1 so he can be brave, but I’m drunk and keep ranting!
Well AZ drives to Minnesota’s 25 yard line and the drive stalls, its 4th and goal from the 26 with 4 seconds left, AZ hikes the ball to Plummer, all the viqueen fans and I are on our feet. Plummer scrambles to the side line zings the ball into the corner of the endzone as the clock runs out TOUCH DOWN Anquon Bolden !!!! extra point made and AZ wins 24-23 I’m yelling screaming jumping, vikes fans are so pissed. Green Bay wins the division and the Vikes are done. The owner of the vikings cries on National television, This is one of the Greatest Moments of My life!!! I thought it might come to blows but the Vikes fans left the bar like rats from a sinking ship and I gloated, gloated, Gloated!!!!
One week later I’m in Lambeau field cheering on the Pack in the playoffs. The Pack beat the Seahawks. There’s another story there but we’ll save that one for later!