Great writing, Michael Powell. I've been a fan of Tim Egan's for decades; looks like I'm going to have to watch for your byline now, too. Thanks for a great read.
2
I suppose that neither God nor the J-man had anything to do with the duck-hooked field goal attempt. However, it also wasn't just blind dumb luck for Seattle to win. Their defense was stout throughout, as was the Vikings D., the difference was the QB for the Seahawks. Seattle made it to the end zone with the help of a broken play that very few if any current NFL QB's could make anything of. Wilson hooking up with Lockett and the subsequent run to the 4 yard line was HUGE.
3
No one seems have to commented on how on the previous running play, the Vikings tried to run the ball to the left, seemingly not concerned about how the play would affect the placement of the ball and hence the direction the kicker would have to kick the field goal.
Would have had made the kick if it had been centered straight down the middle?
Who knows, but it seems just to be bad strategy by the coaching staff not to be concerned about the spot of the ball.
Would have had made the kick if it had been centered straight down the middle?
Who knows, but it seems just to be bad strategy by the coaching staff not to be concerned about the spot of the ball.
In his press conference, Richard Sherman said that he exclaimed "Thank you, Jesus!" when the kicker missed, but he also credited the "football gods" with the win and thanked them. Maybe Thor and Odin have become football gods?
If Thor and Odin were the football gods, don't you think the Vikings would have won?
1
I'm a die hard Patriots fan, but I don't think the Pats can make it past their own 20 yard line from this point forward.
But wouldn't it be interesting if the Seahawks and Pats meet again in the SB. Let's see if Houdini lives on.
The real problem with a rematch is that the winners will be the TV networks and the criminal, headbashing NFL
But wouldn't it be interesting if the Seahawks and Pats meet again in the SB. Let's see if Houdini lives on.
The real problem with a rematch is that the winners will be the TV networks and the criminal, headbashing NFL
3
So NY Times. There must be an editor vetting the columns to make sure there is a minimum of PC political content. I'm not very religious, but your cavalier disdain for those of faith is by now borderline caricature, as is your veering off into the horrors of football in general (though I must admit that the fretful reference to the plight of freezing cheerleaders represents a new high/low). But then again the Times's sports section long ago abdicated the reporting element of sports coverage in favor of an editorial-driven narrative; one that apparently does not allow for critical self-examination.
1
@ T3 — I’m •glad• that the Times doesn’t restrict itself to uncritical shilling for the immensely wealthy businesses of professional sports, that it doesn’t issue fluff that pretends these business enterprises somehow float on an Entertainment Cloud separate from employment issues and the other gritty realities of our society, and that it doesn’t confine itself to the role of a credulous amanuensis for dubious assertions of divine intervention in a game.
But if you prefer your “journalism” to be thoughtless, I’m sure you can find plenty of options elsewhere that will thoroughly suit your desire for browsing undisturbed by challenges to complacency.
— Brian
But if you prefer your “journalism” to be thoughtless, I’m sure you can find plenty of options elsewhere that will thoroughly suit your desire for browsing undisturbed by challenges to complacency.
— Brian
Why would God care about anything so trifling as the outcome, one way or the other, of a game? However omniscient and omnipresent, why would a compassionate, beneficent God think one team undeserving of his beneficence any more than He would think the other team deserving of it?
2
I'm with Ronn. Go 'Hawks!
1
The crediting of God for the whimsical twists of a game’s fortunes, and invocations of His assistance by one side or another in whichever game happens to be played this week, are a familiar, and surpassingly silly, manifestation of the absurdly excessive seriousness with which we take our games and ourselves.
My old high school coach, an intensely competitive man himself, once told me,
“I cannot think of a •less• significant occasion on which to invoke the aid of the Almighty, than a football game, for goodness’ sake. I mean, to •imagine• that God cares which team wins a •game•?! To me, the only sensible prayer for a player or coach to make before a game might be, say, one expressing hope that no one gets seriously hurt.”
I suspect an experience that significantly informed my coach’s outlook was his service as an 18 year-old helmsman on the Navy destroyer USS Johnston in WWII, including his ship’s sinking in the Battle off Samar on 25 Oct. 1944 (part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf), following heroic action against a vastly superior Japanese squadron. He saw savagely bloody fighting; almost 100 of the Johnston’s 327 men and officers were killed or mortally wounded in the battle. And for the rest of his days, I suspect he was never in danger of overestimating the significance of a mere football game in the big picture of life — for either man or God.
— Brian
My old high school coach, an intensely competitive man himself, once told me,
“I cannot think of a •less• significant occasion on which to invoke the aid of the Almighty, than a football game, for goodness’ sake. I mean, to •imagine• that God cares which team wins a •game•?! To me, the only sensible prayer for a player or coach to make before a game might be, say, one expressing hope that no one gets seriously hurt.”
I suspect an experience that significantly informed my coach’s outlook was his service as an 18 year-old helmsman on the Navy destroyer USS Johnston in WWII, including his ship’s sinking in the Battle off Samar on 25 Oct. 1944 (part of the larger Battle of Leyte Gulf), following heroic action against a vastly superior Japanese squadron. He saw savagely bloody fighting; almost 100 of the Johnston’s 327 men and officers were killed or mortally wounded in the battle. And for the rest of his days, I suspect he was never in danger of overestimating the significance of a mere football game in the big picture of life — for either man or God.
— Brian
2
Didn't team "Houdini" lose the Superbowl last year on a "chip shot."
3
They didn't lose on a chip shot, they lost on a stupid play call. At least the attempted field goal was the result of good coaching (not so well executed).
Somehow [inexplicably] the kicker missed a field goal? You think it being minus-10 and a windchill of minus-30 might have had something to do with it. You think?
1
Not really. Wind wasn't bad and temp was fine.
This is the best written and most interesting sports article I ever recall reading.
Thank you Mr. Powell. Brilliant writing is a rare thing, and a joy to behold.
Go Hawks.
Thank you Mr. Powell. Brilliant writing is a rare thing, and a joy to behold.
Go Hawks.
17
Totally agree. The most memorable writeup I have ever read. I rolled with laughter before I could finish reading.
2
Mr. Powell: This article is despicable. Pro-atheist promotion disguised as a sports storytelling...pretty cowardly. If you don't believe in God, or Jesus, or the Holy Trinity, that's fine. You're entitled to believe whatever you want. However, you shouldn't use the platform that the NY Times has given you to ridicule and mock the players (and the READERS) that do happen to believe in God. Your snarkiness and jokes about God are not appreciated, at all. Worse off, your one-liners weren't even funny! The only thing that is a "joke" is this article - and it's a bad one.
1
Because it's well-known that God follows football, right? And is The Reason some football player makes a great play?
2
Do you seriously think God cares one whit about a football game. If HE does, I have nothing to do with that God. There are bigger fish to fry. I personally find athletes displaying their religious fervor quite obnoxious but of course they're entitled to express themselves that way.
2
Just in defense of the author: I think what Mr. Powell is lampooning is the players' apparent certainty that an omnipotent deity of any sort might actually care who won a Vikings/Seahawks NFC Wild Card match up. Is it somewhere written: "Thou shalt search for offense where none be given, and all times suffer thine skin to be thin."? Don' think so.
3
just stupid and dangerous to play in that cold......
skills are frozen...people get hurt
are there no domed heated places to play these final crowning games ?
skills are frozen...people get hurt
are there no domed heated places to play these final crowning games ?
4
It wasn't all that cold for the players. They were active and generated plenty of heat. Apparently you didn't see Coach Grant when he came out for the coin flip. He was wearing a short-sleeve golf shirt. This was just a nice Minnesota January day!
All Glory to Jesus for pushing that kick wide left. Richard Sherman rightly gave credit where credit is due!!
Now that there are no NFL games until next week, hopefully the big guy will deal with Mayga in Syria, malaria, and the heartbreak of psoriasis.
Now that there are no NFL games until next week, hopefully the big guy will deal with Mayga in Syria, malaria, and the heartbreak of psoriasis.
5
Keep your "Silly God" comments to yourself.
1
@ dae — Why? The players didn’t keep •their• comments to themselves. Why would they expect their public affirmations not to be subject to commentary?
— Brian
— Brian
1
Michael Powell joins colleagues John Burns, Roger Cohen, Dan Barry and Tim Egan on NYT's All-Star team. Another great piece. Thanks. (Check out Powell's earlier take, last year, on Vikings' new stadium...or, rather, the Wilf family's tithing from the state of Minnesota...or, even better, the genuflection of local powers-that-pretend-to-be at the altar of Almighty NFL.) As for Sunday's game itself: well, some saw it coming a long way off, prophesy. Divine, indeed. (As reward, the Vikes get to occupy league's ugliest stadium next year.) Blessings upon all.
7
Adrian Peterson lost that game for the Vikings. It's impossible to understand how he fumbles in that setting, on that play.You can blame the kicker all you want but the fact is, if Peterson doesn't fumble -- or he picks up one more yard at the end of the game on 3rd and 4 -- the Vikings win. And the kicker -- he'd made three previous field goals when not kicking into the sun with the game on the line -- should have made the chip shot. But, when you play like that in the 4th quarter, you lose in the NFL playoffs.
2
" It's impossible to understand how he fumbles in that setting, on that play."
That was an active strip not a passive fumble, Kam Chancellor is how AP fumbled in that setting on that play.
That was an active strip not a passive fumble, Kam Chancellor is how AP fumbled in that setting on that play.
3
"That's why you do wrist curls, kids. 150 sets of 150."
The extreme cold home field was an advantage for the arctic dwelling Vikings. It forced Seattle into a running game without their #1 running back. Wilson was uncharacteristically off target in his passing, long, short, OB, perhaps in part due to to an effective Viking pass rush and tight coverage.
The snap flew by Wilson while he was putting in his mouth guard, based on close-up replay. Given how the Vikings secondary collapsed, leaving Lockett wide open, we might see that play again.
But the final field goal was unbelievable, given the previous 3 dead center kicks by Blair Whatshisname, just as bad as the fumble by Michigan punter that was named play of the year.
The snap flew by Wilson while he was putting in his mouth guard, based on close-up replay. Given how the Vikings secondary collapsed, leaving Lockett wide open, we might see that play again.
But the final field goal was unbelievable, given the previous 3 dead center kicks by Blair Whatshisname, just as bad as the fumble by Michigan punter that was named play of the year.
1
His name is Blair Walsh. Show some respect.
2
First of all, the 'extreme' cold (it was only -5° F) at game time isn't the advantage that it might have been in the days of the Met Stadium. The Vikes practice indoors and have played outdoors only the last two seasons. Most of the players come from much warmer climates. And, for all the comments about the cold affecting the kick, remember that they use special 'kicking balls' that are kept on the sidelines (warmed, I am sure) and brought out for just the kick.
(BTW, thank you, GLC. Walsh has shown real class in handling this situation).
(BTW, thank you, GLC. Walsh has shown real class in handling this situation).
Platitudes of imagined micro-management aside...
Unpredictable imperfections in performance will always reign supreme, notable in their 'Murphy's Law' moment. Trailing laces...whoda thunk That coulda happened in da pro's?
Unpredictable imperfections in performance will always reign supreme, notable in their 'Murphy's Law' moment. Trailing laces...whoda thunk That coulda happened in da pro's?
...and the "trailing laces" bit happened twice in Walsh's efforts that day. He luckily made the earlier one. In a lot of ways, that miss is on the long snaper and the holder even more than on walsh.
Funny the way the ball bounces. I many ways, the 'Hawks "got obe back" after the disasater in Phoenix with 1:30 or so to go in the Superbowl last year ( 2015, SB 49) against the Patriots.
Funny the way the ball bounces. I many ways, the 'Hawks "got obe back" after the disasater in Phoenix with 1:30 or so to go in the Superbowl last year ( 2015, SB 49) against the Patriots.
WIlson's TD pass was one of the more amazing plays I've seen in 50 yrs of watching football. What a frustration for the Vikings' D, to have him in their grasp several times only to have him wiggle away and then to get it out for the first down and a huge gain. It was like watching Fran Tarkenton scamper around in the backfield, trying to escape Dick Butkus/Bears. I guess what goes around, comes around!
4
What TD pass?
Locket didn't score on the play where Wilson scrambled around on the ground after the bad snap. Long gain, yes. Set up a score, yes. Great play, yes. But that wasn't a TD pass.
Locket didn't score on the play where Wilson scrambled around on the ground after the bad snap. Long gain, yes. Set up a score, yes. Great play, yes. But that wasn't a TD pass.
Beautifully written article about a heart-breaking loss (for us Viking fans)
8
Seattle didn't win it, Minnesota lost it.
7
This may be true, although we really don't know what would have happened if the Vikings made that kick. There would have been 20-25 seconds left, which translates to a kickoff, and 3 or 4 plays. A long field would not have been an impossible task, and more likely that what finally occurred.
5
Absolutely, that is the case. And I would even have a hard time placing the blame on Walsh. After all, he did score ALL the points that Minnesota got. Minnesota had several chances to win. If Adrian doesn't fumble, if the defensive back makes the interception when the ball hits him in the chest, if the quarterback makes one or two more plays to get at least one touchdown. Minnesota is a good team, but Seattle is better at this point in time.
Assuming there's something to at least one of the planet's thousands of religions, I would think the Big Guy would be a little preoccupied with a couple billion people living on a buck a day to care about a herd of multi-millionaires trying to knock each other's brains out.
But that's probably just sour grapes from a long-suffering Vikings fan watching his team choke in the clutch for the umpteenth time. We appear to be entering Chicago Cub territory here.
But that's probably just sour grapes from a long-suffering Vikings fan watching his team choke in the clutch for the umpteenth time. We appear to be entering Chicago Cub territory here.
13
My thought upon seeing the game ending missed field goal that gave the Seahawks this improbable victory Sunday was to remember how they gave away last year's SuperBowl to the Patriots with the dumbest play in sports history.
It seemed like the Football Gods had decided the Seahawks might deserve the chance to return to the SuperBowl this year to redeem themselves because that would be the best story line for SuperBowl 50. It will take two more games to prove if that is what the Football Gods have in mind for the Seahawks and all of us. Don't bet against it !
It seemed like the Football Gods had decided the Seahawks might deserve the chance to return to the SuperBowl this year to redeem themselves because that would be the best story line for SuperBowl 50. It will take two more games to prove if that is what the Football Gods have in mind for the Seahawks and all of us. Don't bet against it !
8
The Football Gods just sentenced the Seahawks to fly 3,000 + miles to play the best team in football. On their home field. And, well rested to boot. That doesn't sound like a chance for redemption to me.
2
Carolina is the "Team with the best record" in football, yes. "Best team" remains to be seen. Of the Panthers' impressive sum of 15 wins, only 4 came against teams that finished with a winning record, 2 of which were 9-7 teams that made hay in horrible divisions (the Texans won the AFC South and Washington won the NFC East, and both got spanked in the first round of the playoffs). Carolina won a close game against Seattle during the Seahawks' 2-4 start. If Carolina beats the Seahawks again, then beats the winner of Green Bay/Arizona, and beats the AFC Champ in the Super Bowl, I'll be the first to say they are the best team this year. Until then, nobody has earned that mantle.
1
The kick wouldn't have been required if AP hadn't made a freshman mistake. All those yards and he still hasn't taught himself the right way to hold the ball. The Seahawks didn't win. The Vikings, led by AP, lost.
2
Long Memory is right... the laces on the football should be facing away from the kicker... not directly toward him as happened here... (that may not be THE reason for the flub, but it surely didn't help)
It should be noted that Walsh made no comment on the position of the laces. Only Jeff Locke (holder) mentioned that he (perhaps) should have tried to turn the ball. Also, the long snapper said it was partly his fault, since they practice the snap so much that they know how the ball will arrive to the holder. That said, all Walsh had to do was get it over the line, since it truly was a 'chip shot'. Let's face it... they Vikings are cursed. Primarily cursed by not having an outstanding quarterback that can make the plays that Russell Wilson made.
I enjoyed your writing, Mr. Powell. I found it entertaining, funny,informing, and refreshing. Keep up the good work.
12
Team Houdini? Bag of tricks? They're an impressive team, but I seem to remember a time when the magic ran out: at the one yard line, with 25 seconds left in a game in Glendale last year.
4
Is this not why fans of all NFL teams find themselves so addicted, to the twists and turns of cruel fates so often seen in the playoffs, and indeed reflected in so many of our lives?
7
When it comes to end-of-the-game magic, do not besmirch Houdini's name. On 3rd down at the one, there is no way Houdini would have passed.
7
One would think the cold would have favored the Vikings.
3
Uhh ... it did. That's why Seattle only won by a point.
To be fair, the pass interference called on Chancellor against Rudolph that set up the go-ahead FG for the Vikings was a bad call.
Did anyone ask Walsh if he aimed left to avoid Sherman's block attempt, considering how close he came to blocking his previous attempt.
To be fair, the pass interference called on Chancellor against Rudolph that set up the go-ahead FG for the Vikings was a bad call.
Did anyone ask Walsh if he aimed left to avoid Sherman's block attempt, considering how close he came to blocking his previous attempt.
10
Bravo; the Lord Jesus reigns supreme and the Seahawks will meet their inevitable doom at the hands of their eternal nemesis. Let's have a re-match
1
Who would that be, exactly? The Pats won't be making it to the end of the month.
2
Yes, a rematch! And do note no deflation used in this cold weather game.
I feel bad for the kicker -- but my Vikes have a great coach now and some great young talent -
5
Someone will probably comment about the fact that the laces faced the kicker on his failed field goat attelpt shot but on at least one other occasion in the game the laces also faced the kicker. So maybe it wasn't the kicker but the holder.
1
I blame it all on the ball....it was like kicking a chunk of ice. No wait.......maybe it was the goalposts, they weren't in the right place!
1
@ Chester — As to the placement of the goalposts, there’s good authority that you’re on to something. At my college, one of our best kickers ever, who graduated several years before I matriculated, held the school record for longest FG, 49 yards, for over 40 •years•, before a young man he was helping coach broke that mark a couple years ago.
Asked why •he• hadn’t broken the 50-yard barrier himself, our old friend proclaimed,
“I would have made •plenty• of 50+ -yard field goals, if the goal posts weren’t in the middle of the field!”
— Brian
Asked why •he• hadn’t broken the 50-yard barrier himself, our old friend proclaimed,
“I would have made •plenty• of 50+ -yard field goals, if the goal posts weren’t in the middle of the field!”
— Brian
1