Several of you have sent to us the image that temporarily appeared on the Vikings’ official web site during Sunday night’s NFC title game.
Yes, the Vikings had declared victory over the Saints before victory had been secured.
It happened not because anyone connected to the football operation opted prematurely to declare “mission accomplished,” but because some guy with the keys to the official computer account published the prepared image prematurely.
Still, football fans are a superstitious lot, as evidenced by the clothes they wear on game day, the food they eat before kickoff, and the specific spot in the room where they sit during the games, often in the fetal position.
In many cases, it’s enough to make Rain Man say, “Dude, you should see a doctor about that.”
So for those who fear the concept of the jinx, the team’s online operation committed the biggest possible faux pas on Sunday night.