The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

AFTER an amazing finish in Minnesota on Sunday, we Cowboys fans no longer need to hear it from Vikings fans about the “Hail Mary”, and bitter playoff losses that occured since then.

That chapter has been closed, thank God.

HAIL MARY

It was second and 10 with no timeouts and 32 seconds left on the clock when Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach threw a long bomb above the frozen grass of Metropolitan Stadium, home field of the Minnesota Vikings.

In a postgame interview, Staubach told reporters that when the ball left his hand, he closed his eyes and said a “Hail Mary,” and launched it with everything he had all while praying for a miracle.

The crowd was on its feet, screaming and swearing as the ball spiralled 50 impossible yards into the hands of Drew Pearson, a Cowboys wide receiver who, after out duelling (some say pushed?) Vikings cornerback Nate Wright, and glided into the end zone.

The play was contested, but when the field judge ruled for the Cowboys, giving them a 17-14 lead, the crowd was gutted and the Cowboys held on to win! That’s how it went down, and for years I’ve still had to hear it from Vikings fans, that Drew Pearson pushed off, the refs were bought, blah, blah, blah.

HISTORY REPEATS

ITSELF

Finally, after Sunday’s NFC Divisional Playoff game between the Saints and the Vikings we can move on, thanks to Case Kenum, Stephon Diggs and the Saints Marcus Williams.

Keenum completed his last-ditch heave near the sideline Sunday on the game’s final play to Stefon Diggs, who slithered away from the phantom tackling Williams, and the rest of Saints defence for a 61-yard touchdown to give the Vikings a 29-24 victory and a spot in the NFC championship game in Philly. So there Vikings fans it’s done, the demons of Staubach and Pearson have been exorcised, and now you have to hear it from Saints fans on how lucky you guys got and didn’t deserve it blah, blah, blah.

Until next week, Vikings fans enjoy your teams victory, but always remember the Cowboys “Hail Mary” was infinitely better than yours.

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1.

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