NFL Network to Re-Broadcast the 1975 Drew Pearson Offensive Pass Interference Game

There are certain things in life which I know are true. For example, I know that two plus two equals four, that George Washington was the first President of the United States and that the Minnesota Vikings lost a playoff game in 1975 because the refs didn't call offensive pass interference on Drew Pearson.

I'm sure of that last one because I watched the game live as a 10-year old and nothing can be more certain than the eyes of a pre-teen fan.

Recently, I found out that NFL Network is going to rebroadcast that game in August. Now, I don't have that channel and my only thought was: I've got to watch that game!

Now, just so we are clear on the significance of this game, I've watched literally thousands of athletic contests in my life and this is without question the single most crushing sports defeat I've ever suffered. The gap between this game and my second-worst defeat is so huge, it makes the Grand Canyon look small in comparison.

So why am I going to subject myself to that again? Was it not painful enough the first time?

I'd like to think that I've become more objective in the nearly 33 years since this game happened. I want to see the play and the various camera angles and see if I have the same opinion I did as a kid.

Because when I watched the game live, I distinctly remember yelling when the play happened. When I saw the flag on the play, I was relieved because the refs were going to disallow the Hail Mary touchdown pass which gave the Cowboys the lead with under a minute to play.

But they called a foul on defensive back Nate Wright instead.

Now, I could string together a couple of hundred words right now, filled with expletives in an attempt to describe the rage and disbelief that washed over me. But there's no way I could give those feelings justice.

I want to see that play with adult eyes and see if the Vikings were indeed hosed. I think I'm going to be okay either way. If the refs did blow the call, I'll have the satisfaction in knowing that a 10-year old saw it right while the paid professional choked and I've been correct in holding a grudge for all these years.

And if I was wrong, I'll be happy to let go of the angst I've been carrying all these years. I'll do my best Emily Litella imitation and carry on.

However, I also want to see the game to watch the famed Purple People Eaters, which was the nickname given to the Vikings defense, in all of their glory. The front four of Carl Eller, Alan Page, Jim Marshall and Doug Sutherland got all of the headlines, but I remember the linebackers - Matt Blair, Wally Hilgenberg and Jeff Siemon - being every bit as fearsome. And the defensive backs - Bobby Bryant, Paul Krause, Nate and Jeff Wright - were not nearly as good as the front seven, but they were a veteran group that played together well and didn't make mistakes.

I want to see the offense - Fran Tarkenton and Chuck Foreman and John Gilliam and Stu Voight in action, although they didn't have a great day versus Dallas. I want to see a playoff game in Metropolitan Stadium, with freezing temperatures and steam coming off the players whenever they remove their helmets because they played outside, not in the wimpy dome they've played in for nearly 30 years now.

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I sent out an email to a bunch of my friends to see if any of them had the NFL Network so they could tape the game for me. Here are three responses I got back:

"If my math is correct, that was 33 years ago. If I can get over the 1969 Mets stealing the World Series from the Orioles, then you can get over this game. ( Swoboda trapped that ball )."

"... if you will send me a reminder somewhat closer to the date in question I will make my best effort to record for posterity that which must be the "Bill Buckner" moment in your life simply to encourage your follicle depletion in order that you may try to catch me..."

"If things had been different, could you really have suffered through another Vikings Super Bowl loss?"

Aaah, friends.....

1. If you mentioned JC Martin running outside of the basepaths, you'd have a complaint about the '69 World Series but the Swoboda catch was legit.

2. The Red Sox have won two World Series since Buckner, which came 11 years after Pearson. And thanks, I will definitely let you know so you can tape it for me. My bald spot in back is holding steady but it's the receding front that will be my downfall.

3. My 10-year-old self is convinced that the 1975 Vikings were the best team in franchise history, which is another reason this loss hurt so much. The Steelers were lucky to win the Super Bowl the year before versus the Vikings. I believe, as only a true fan can, that the Vikings would have broken the Super Bowl drought had the refs not blown this game for us.