Purple Pride

I guess it's no surprise the Austin household is in a good mood tonight! Quite a day at the Dome! We honestly were not feeling confident about the Vikes going up against the hot Cowboys. You just never know if a week off is going to be a good thing or bad thing. Thankfully, it was all good!

While everyone (but us) is praising Favre, we certainly want to give credit where credit is due. The defense played tough and Sidney Rice had just a stellar day receiving (reminded me of the Big 3 days of Carter, Moss and Reed).

And don't forget to give credit to the fans. We made every effort to show our Purple Pride. Here are some helpful hints if you want to join us next week as we play for the NFC Championship:

First, you gotta set the mood. My sister Romey (who loves the Packers) probably regrets giving me these purple lights last fall with the comment, "Here, you can use these for your Superbowl party!" Thanks, Romey. They're working fine (so far) for the playoffs.

Second, you gotta get your Game Day gear on. Carter donned the horns and I had on my doo-rag. I also pulled out the "vintage" touchdown towels from the '99 season plus my Robert Smith #26 jersey, too. Of course, we had to start the game with a playoff tradition: shots of eggnog in our Vikings shot glasses. Every little bit helps!

Lastly, everybody's gotta get into it. Do not neglect the family pet! Sylvester actually enjoyed a nap under the towel. I think purple is her color, don't you?

OK, I think you're set to join in the fun. Unless you're a Packer fan who is still whining about how the Vikings wouldn't be anywhere without Brett Favre. Those people just need to get over it. We had 7 other players not named Brett who made the Pro Bowl this year. It takes a whole team to get a win for the purple and yellow.

And, as evidenced on Blue Jay Drive today, it takes a whole family to show Purple Pride.