"Jackson takes the snap, hand-off Adrian Peterson, stops, cuts back to to the left, he's got some blockers...makes one man miss, cuts back across the field and ADRIAN PETERSON IS GONE! 30! 20! 10! TOUCHDOWWWWWWN ADRIAN PETERSON!"
Those were the words of Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen this
past Sunday. Now, like all NFL radio commentators, Allen is a TREMENDOUS homer. He acts like he just won the lottery whenever the Vikes score, but if an opponent scores, he has as much enthusiasm as a guy who realized he just stepped in dog crap. But when he called each of Adrian Peterson's three long touchdown runs, there was something extra in his voice. A bit more fervor. Why? Because he, along with every other long-suffering Vikes fan, realized they were witnessing something special watching Peterson dash down the field into the end zone. We now have a bona fide superstar. A reason to have hope in a team that's given us more than a fair share of heartbreak and disappointment over the years. The Next Great Back.
past Sunday. Now, like all NFL radio commentators, Allen is a TREMENDOUS homer. He acts like he just won the lottery whenever the Vikes score, but if an opponent scores, he has as much enthusiasm as a guy who realized he just stepped in dog crap. But when he called each of Adrian Peterson's three long touchdown runs, there was something extra in his voice. A bit more fervor. Why? Because he, along with every other long-suffering Vikes fan, realized they were witnessing something special watching Peterson dash down the field into the end zone. We now have a bona fide superstar. A reason to have hope in a team that's given us more than a fair share of heartbreak and disappointment over the years. The Next Great Back.Watching Peterson run rampant through the Bears defense, Vikes fans couldn't help but think of that wet Monday night in Lambeau field just over a decade ago when Randy Moss burst onto the scene in his rookie year catching bomb after bomb thrown by Randal Cunningham while totally obliterating the Packers' secondary. He was unlike any receiver the league had ever seen. He had that WOW factor that only a true superstar could provide. Peterson brings that same element to the table. He has the physical appearance of Eric Dickerson with the mentality of Earl Campbell. A whirling dervish of size, strength, speed and nastiness. A rare combination. As the game wore on, you could see that the Bears' DBs wanted no part of tackling Peterson one-on-one. They didn't want to take the punishment. As a Vikes fan, it was a thing of beauty to watch; seeing him break through the first level, then the second, and then just kick it into another gear and literally run away from the defense on his way to the endzone. It was like seeing a prized thoroughbred break away from the pack down the stretch and win a race by ten lengths.
With Peterson, me and my fellow Vikings fans know that we have a chance. No more waking up Sunday mornings filled with pessimism and dread. No more thinking, "Unless the defense plays lights out, turns the ball over two or three times and scores a touchdown, we can't win today." There's a sense of hope again. And it's a good feeling.
With Peterson, me and my fellow Vikings fans know that we have a chance. No more waking up Sunday mornings filled with pessimism and dread. No more thinking, "Unless the defense plays lights out, turns the ball over two or three times and scores a touchdown, we can't win today." There's a sense of hope again. And it's a good feeling.
