Second Thoughts

Vikes fan, 99, did not throw brick Sunday

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum celebrates after the Vikings’ 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in Minneapolis. With 99-year-old Millie Wall in attendance at U.S. Bank Stadium, Keenum threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs to give the Vikings the victory.
Minnesota Vikings quarterback Case Keenum celebrates after the Vikings’ 29-24 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Sunday in Minneapolis. With 99-year-old Millie Wall in attendance at U.S. Bank Stadium, Keenum threw a 61-yard touchdown pass to Stefon Diggs to give the Vikings the victory.

You might say the Minnesota Vikings had a good luck charm at the game Sunday night when they defeated the New Orleans Saints with a stunning 61-yard touchdown on the last play. And you probably saw that charm in a few of the cutaway shots during the broadcast.

CBS Minnesota reports 99-year-old Millie Wall was having a screwdriver at the game with her granddaughter, Ashley. The Vikings had surprised her with a pair of tickets to attend Sunday night's playoff game in honor of her upcoming 100th birthday.

Toward the end of the game, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell took time to visit with her and gave her two tickets to the Super Bowl.

Wall said she's been a Vikings fan for 56 years, but not every year was a joy. In fact, there were years that she considered hopeless.

"You just had to bear it," Wall said reluctantly.

During those times, she often threw a foam brick at her TV.

"There were years I got up all the time so I thought, 'Well, this is dumb.' So now, I put a string on [the brick] so I can retrieve it," she said.

It's Mongo

A Pennsylvania man accused of having punched a police horse in the face after being ejected from an Eagles game because he was intoxicated and didn't have a ticket has been charged with assault.

Philadelphia police said Tuesday that 22-year-old Taylor Hendricks approached a mounted police officer and started punching the horse in the face, neck and shoulder after being turned away from Saturday's playoff game between the Eagles and Falcons. Police said some blows also landed on the officer's legs.

Court records indicate Hendricks is charged with aggravated assault, trespassing and taunting a police animal. Court records don't list a defense attorney and a number listed in his name rang unanswered Tuesday.

Police say the horse and the officer weren't injured.

Ice, ice baby

Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald, on NBC's plans for 2,400 hours of Winter Olympic coverage: "If you don't despise mixed-doubles curling at the beginning, you will by the end."

Ad nauseam

From Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com:

"Since we are now looking at a possible Minnesota-Jacksonville Super Bowl, neither with a quarterback most Americans have heard of, I guess this might be a game where people really do watch for the commercials."

Sports on 01/17/2018

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