Being a “stay at home” dad has been a blessing in disguise. After a few short months of unemployment, I will return to full time work on Monday April 11th.  I can honestly say that I will miss moments with my kids.

The daily job duties required for “Modern Day Mr. Mom”  are more memorable than any milestone, corporate goal or other achievement from any occupation that I have ever held.

On top of the list  is getting the extra time to spend with my very spirited 6-year old son. Just this morning,  I cashed in one of the six daddy coupons he created for my birthday 2-weeks ago. I took him up on the offer for “A walk to school with daddy on a nice day.” Read more…

On this day November 28, 1999, Jim Marshall was inducted into the Vikings Ring of Honor at half-time of the Vikings 35-27 win over the San Diego Chargers.  On October 25th, 1964 a younger Marshall , a member of the Purple People Eaters, took a fumble and ran it to the wrong end zone giving the San Francisco 49ers a safety. The Vikings would end up winning that game 27-22, but for Jim Marshall, it was loss that he hasn’t been able to overcome in getting into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Read on…

This was sent to me back in Januray 2010, and it gave me pause to think how insignifcant was the result of the NFC Championship game. As you know, I am a Vikings fan, true and true, but that devastating loss, is nothing compared to the value of these life prizes. I am sure the importance of that game was very high on the priority list for many of the players, families and fans, but it is still, at the end of the day, “ just a game .”

To realize the value of a sister/brother:

• / Ask someone who doesn’t have one.

 To realize the value of 10 years:

•  Ask a newly divorced couple.

 To realize the value of 4 years:

•  Ask a graduate.

To realize the value of only 1 year:

•  Ask a student who has failed a final exam.

 To realize the value of 9 months:

•  Ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.

 To realize the value of 1 month:

•  Ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.

 To realize the value of 1week:

• Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

 To realize the value of 1 minute:

•  Ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.

 To realize the value of one-second:

•  Ask a person who has survived an accident.

Time waits for no one.

• Treasure every moment you have.
• You will treasure it even more when you can share it with someone special.

 To realize the value of a friend or family member:

•  LOSE ONE.

Several of the gang from Vikingstailgate.com all headed down to KC last year for the Vikings game with the Chiefs. It was a great time, but losing 13-10 to a team that ended up 4-12 sucked.

In the Arrowhead Parking Lot, hours before game time, I can’t count how many times that Chiefs fans kept pointing out that there “Superstar” #69, Jared Allen would be returning for this game, and the Vikings would get whooped.

It was sickening. It seemed like every time we’d strike up a conversation about the game, a Chiefs fan would “nuke us” with a “Jared’s back, and you’ll be sorry!” line. After hearing this ad nauseam, and seeing a sea of Red #69 jersey’s walking all over the lot (most of them on women), I snapped,

“WHO THE F IS JARED ALLEN? AND WHY SHOULD I CARE?”

Admittedly, I was not familiar with this KC icon, and I my loud comment drew laughs of assurance from my Vikings brethren, and gawks of “You call yourself an NFL fan?” from stunned Chiefs fans. I mean really, who ever heard of this guy, hidden in the small markets of KC?

It became sort of a running Joke with my tailgate friends the rest of the year. We would spam each other with quotes from KC newspapers all lauding the great Jared Allen. As the e-mails became more frequent, we started seeing his sacks totals, and tackles add up. Then, we learned that he was named to the Pro Bowl, prompting one of my friends to write,

“WHO THE F is Jared Allen? He is the best damn defensive player in the AFC, playing on a cruddy team.”

Well, the off-season came, and in late February, we jokingly prodded each other with more e-mails.

“Jared Allen is a restricted Free-Agent. Maybe Zygi should cough up the $ and 2 first round picks and go get him. Problem solved.”

Last week, we got an e-mail from Notre Dame Dan,

“HEY, I Think we are Actually Going After this guy, Is this real?”

The e-mail cited a hot NFL rumor that the Vikes and Bucs were going after the star.”

Today, it all came to a sudden, pleasing end.

“Who the F is Jared Allen?”

“He is your starting DE for the next wave of the Purple People Eaters, ‘Purple Peeps Part Deaux”

I am amazed. Who ever thought this running joke between tailgating hard cores would lead to the actual acquisition of this Super Star? I mean, he is EXACTLY what this team, this town needs. He is good ol football in a town that sorely needs this character. He’s the type of guy that shows up to a team MVP dinner, a black tie affair, wearing a fake tux t-shirt, cowboy hat and jeans to pick up his “Player of the Year Award.”

I love it. This is my kind of football player. I dig what this team is trying to do. This is Fantastic.

See you all at the draft.

Bert Blyleven recently came as close as ever to getting elected to baseball’s Hall of Fame. Just last week, Blyleven was named on 336 (61.9 per cent) of the 543 ballots cast, 72 votes short of the 75 per cent required for election and the most he’s ever had. Last year, he received 47.7 per cent. In 2006, he got 53.3 per cent. Blyleven will have four more chances, if he keeps at least five per cent per year.

So until next year, Mr. Blyleven will have to wait, and that just sucks. He deserves to be in the Hall. Period. I found this article on Associated Content; The People’s Media Company online, which presents a pretty good case as to why the “Dutch Treat” should be put in Cooperstown, where he belongs:

• 287 wins…287 wins.
• He pitched 22 seasons.
• 5th all-time leading strikeout pitcher in the history of MLB.
• 9th on the all-time shutout list with 60.
• He won a World Series in 1979 & 1987
• twice named as an All-star.
• finished third in Cy Young voting twice and fourth once
• Ten times he was in the top ten in ERA.
• Six times for wins.
• Eleven times (including first in 1977) he was in the top ten in WHIP.
• Fifteen times (including first in 1985) he was in the top ten in strikeouts.
• Eleven times for innings pitched.
• Twelve times he was in the top ten in complete games (including a league high 24 in 1985).
• Ten times he led the league in shutouts (tops in ’73, ’85 and ’89).

There are thirty nine pitchers in the HOF with less wins than Bert (take a look for yourself ).

Currently Bert is a good broadcaster for the Twins. Fans bring “Circle Me Bert” signs to the game in hopes that he’ll circle them on TV. He has almost a cult following. Given his past success and his continued involvement in baseball, I believe it’s time to let him in. So let’s go Hall of Famer voters. Circle Bert…right into the Hall of Fame.