Despite all the supportive song-writing, the Vikings just couldn’t pull it off against the Saints last night. Devastating. Devastating. But what a game (full of a good share of atrocities, of course).

Sad today? Here’s a little reminder of the love.

Prince’s song:

and Jeremy Messersmith – “Let’s Go Vikings”:

Feel even worse now? Maybe this will help: Punch Pizza has stepped in to ease the pain with free pizza today!

Meanwhile, what say you about the game? About the Vikes? About the Saints? About AP’s fumbles? About Favre’s injuries? About Berrian’s game (despite the fumble)? About that lost stadium, if ever there was one to be had?

Well, let’s see how the game will turn out in New Orleans. Many fans end up in heated discussion about the results, but one stays calm. Governor Pawlenty just announced that he declined Louisiana’s Governor’s offer to join him for the game against the Saints.

Watching the Tweets come in was gruesome, too.

“WTF are you doing you stupid motherfuckers?” “Did they leave their defensive (and hell, their offensive) skills at the dome?” “I can’t throw a completion to my own team worth a shit so might as well try for the other team instead.” “Classic Favre.” “So this is the Favre they warned us about… ” “Ooh they keep batting down passes. Whooptie fucking shit. Let’s stop them from scoring instead. Fucking worthless millionaire douchebags.” “The MPLS PD was supposed to put the restrictor chip in the BMW not in Adrian.” (A little funny, at least.) “Brett Favre is finally playing like a Viking.” (Not funny at all!) “More classic Favre.” “First Tiger, now Favre, it’s a hero meltdown.” “Favre is not in this game. He can join Peterson in owing us pushups everytime he fucks up.” “Dear Vikings: You’re not why I left Minnesota, but you definitely make it easier to stay away.” “Sadly – Vikes all looking as old as Favre tonight….” “What’s up with the viqueens?” “Our Vikes are getting slapped around like Tiger on Ambien.” OK, that one is funny; but @billhelm was right in his assertion, “I need to stay off Twitter when the Vikings are losing. A lot of you are so goddamn fairweather.”

Tough game, but in the end… we were outplayed. Right? What say you? Did we suck, or were they just on us?

Hence the term “any given Sunday.”

“I don’t care if you’re the Vikings best player, a good friend of mine, or the freaking President… driving like that is irresponsible, reckless, and dangerous to those around you.”

Thoughts? Should this even be a concern on the field? Or is it just one more indication of the Peterson way?

Skol, Vikings! (Sunday’s game against the Cardinals is already sold out!)

On Monday, a group of legislators visited the Mall of America Field (ok, the Metrodome) to assess the space first hand. What are the issues keeping the Vikings from renewing their lease after 2011? The roof is eight years past its warranty and expected life. The concourses are narrow. There are inadequate restroom facilities for women. The scoreboard is in need of replacement. And so is the turf.  The annual maintenance costs are projected to be $4 to $6 million per year. And, unfortunately, renovation are highly unlikely, as the mechanical plant contains parts from the ’70s and has become outdated.

What then? If the Vikings leave, the dome is dead. Bye bye, Metrodome?

Here’s a game preview from Vikings Gab.

“The Vikings will dominate this game as the Seahawk’s will provide little more than a few speed bumps as resistance.  Home field advantage, nearly at full health, and superior talent spells a victory for the Vikings.”

Seems like a no-brainer. Put money on it.

As for the home field advantage, however, looks like it’s going to be the Metrodome for a while still — which the Vikings aren’t very happy about. The Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission approved a plan to force them to extend their Metrodome lease by two years.

Hank doesn’t care that some fans of his country music can’t stomach the metal portion of his show. He also doesn’t care that he makes his metal fans wait through the country set before unleashing the heavy guitars and double-bass drum pounding. For much of his career, Favre didn’t seem to mind crossing over two different styles either. He embraced his heavy metal side: Making risky throws into double and triple coverage, flinging underhand pass as he’s inches away from being sacked, and launching the 50-yard bomb when a receiver may have been more open underneath. He also showed a country side: Throwing conservative slants and screens with precision, involving his team’s tight ends to pick apart coverages designed to eliminate his downfield threat, and speaking frequently about sitting on his lawn tractor in Mississippi.

Unlike Hank III, however, it seems that Favre has given up his wild heavy metal side and is content with the more conservative country side. We haven’t seen heavy metal Favre since a Nov. 29, 2007, nationally televised game against Dallas. Anxious to show a prime time audience he could still win games with his arm alone, heavy metal Favre started chucking 50-yard bombs into double and triple coverage, ignoring the country-style of play that led the Packers to a 9-1 start. Favre finished 5-for-14 with no TDs and two interceptions before mercifully leaving with an injury in the second quarter. Aaron Rodgers couldn’t clean up Favre’s mess and the Packers lost 27-17.

Country-music Favre led the Vikings to a 27-10 win over the Lions on Sunday, at the Metro— err, I mean Mall of American Field, improving the Vikes to 8-1. Country music Favre joined a run-dominating Vikings team and has provided the passing attack to make the Vikings a Super Bowl contender. If Favre continues to embrace his country side by handing off to Adrian Peterson, only throwing to receivers that are open, and picking the right time for the 50-yard bomb, this team might make a Super Bowl run. But if Favre gets the urge to dust off his heavy metal side again and the Vikes have to try and overcome interceptions and bad decisions, Minnesotans will start leaping off the No. 4 bandwagon faster than country fans scurrying for the doors before Hank III’s heavy metal set.

Besides, it’s not like Favre’s or Hank III’s country side is boring. Favre is putting up MVP numbers and finished with 344 yards on Sunday. Hank III’s country set is louder than most rock concerts and would rival a hip-hop show in number of swear words and drug references. The difference between the two is Favre has realized (at least I think he has) he just can’t do the heavy metal Favre any more. He’s content, and even happy, to stick with country Favre. Hank III still wants to play both country and heavy metal, even though he may be better served by pulling a Favre and picking one genre and sticking to it.

Teammate Devron Bostick was suspended for violating team rules. Forward Trevor Mbakwe is sidelined until his upcoming felony aggravated assault trial wraps up in Florida in December.

And in football, freshman defensive back Michael Carter was arrested and jailed early this month for underage drinking and obstruction of justice. Linebacker Gary Tinsley was arrested last month. And Cedric McKinley and Tim Dandridge received two-game suspensions for violations of team rules.

To top it off, the Gophers just don’t seem to be doing very well at all. Why the continual embarrassment?