Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 17 - Green Bay Packers At Minnesota Vikings (Sunday Bonus!)

They on some nonsense, we on some non-stop!

Well hello again, football fans!  Welcome to a special bonus edition of Ten & Six!

Now, we did something a little bit different this week.  As you all probably know by now, the Vikings and Packer faced off this afternoon with a Vikings playoff berth on the line.  Sadly, our usual football commentator Mike Otto was tied up at work and was unable to watch the game.  Bad times, as it was an incredible game and he certainly would have enjoyed it.

Fortunately, TCDroogsma was not working.  Since he was going to tune in anyway we asked him to keep a running diary of the game.  Keep an eye out for cameos from TCDroogsma's father and Mike Otto via text message.

So, TCDroogsma, rewind it back for us.

3:15 – Hey everybody! Welcome to my attempt to co-opt Mike's Ten & Six column! It's not every year that your beloved football team takes on their most hated rival in the last game of the season with a berth in the playoffs on the line. In fact, now that I think of it, I'm not sure that happens in any season.

Regardless, I figured it was important to commemorate the occasion by breaking out a running game diary for Week 17. Packers! Vikings! Metrodome! Playoff implications! Somewhat outdated internet gimmicks! Let's do it!

3:18 – For the record, I'm watching the game at my girlfriend's house with her pupper.  We're feasting on sesame tofu and Summits.  I wish every day was like Sunday.

3:19 – Jimmy Johnson: “Ponder has played... better the last few weeks. If he can be efficient the Vikings can win.” It's a recession, man! Efficient is the best we can hope for out of our quarterback.

3:20 – Howie Long: “Adrian Peterson put this football team on his back.” Doe! My leg hurts, but it doesn't matter!

3:22 – I should probably mention that I'm running on 5 cups of coffee after a day of work and 3 hours of sleep. This diary definitely has the potential to go off the rails.

And on that note: Summit!

Figured it was important to stay All 'Sota Everything when it came to the drinks this afternoon.

3:23 – We got Buck & Aikman! Err... great?

3:24 – My girlfriend: “Troy Aikman! That's a name I recognize! God, his hair's so shiny.” She's kind of new at this.

3:25 – Pam Oliver: “...............................” (footage of roof collapse, footage of AP's injury) “.............” Good contribution, Pam.

3:25 – Text from Mike Otto: “Vikings get the ball first, the game's over.”

3:25 – Text from Mike Otto: “Give us the trophy.”

3:25 - Here we go! Kickoff! Marcus Sherels past the 20!

3:26 – Joe Buck: “Understand, we've had some audio difficulties already.” Hadn't noticed.

3:27 – Ponder's 1 for 1 passing! First down, son!

3:28 – Buck: “The guy they love here in Minneapolis carries it for a first down.” You don't speak for us, Joe Buck! But, yeah, we do love him.

3:30 – Third down conversion! Jerome Simpson has an awful lot of swagger for someone who's essentially useless. He's like the Meek Mill of the Vikings.

3:31 – Ponder audible. This can't be good... Nope, throws it away.

3:32 – Here we go, Blair Walsh from 54...... Good! Blair Walsh for MVP! 3-0 Vikings!

3:35 – Thank god Randall Cobb is hurt. That guy is on the Mt. Rushmore of Guys Who Terrify Minnesota Sports Fans (in between Joe Sakic and Frank Thomas).

3:37 – Toyota's slogan is “Let's Go Places.” Advertising team, I like you, and that's why it's so hard to cut you, but you're cut.

3:38 – How is Mike McCarthy 10-3 all time against the Vikings? He's the NFL coach most likely to injure himself sneezing.

3:39 – Three and out! Mike Otto predicted the Vikes would go up 10-0 and never look back.... just sayin'...

3:42 - Jesus Christ, Ponder! Just take the sack!

3:42 – Mike McCarthy is challenging that the incomplete pass was actually a Clay Matthews sack. So basically, Mike McCarthy is risking a timeout 5 minutes into the game to try to move the Vikings from 2^nd and 10 to 2^nd & 15. Somewhere Bill Barnwell just hammered out 400 words.

I mean, McCarthy's going to get the call, but it's a risk/reward proposition. Are those 5 yards really worth potentially losing a timeout at this point in the game?

3:45 – Congratulation, Shamu, you won the challenge. C'mon, Vikes, get the first down on this play.

3:46 – Aikman: “I know Vikings fans are tired of hearing about how the Vikings are better at rushing the ball than throwing the ball...” And yet, here we are...

3:47 – Toby for the first down! Run, Toby, run!

3:47 – Do we really need gamebreaks for this Broncos/Chiefs game! Let me save you sometime, "Let's go to Denver.... It's Peyton Manning to Eric Decker for the touchdown!  The Broncos now lead 49-3 and Romeo Crennel had to leave the game after eating too much peanut butter on the sideline."

3:48 – All Day for 22! Aikman: “This is one of those backs that you can't just throw a should into him and think he'll go down.” Clearly, Troy's done his homework.

3:49 – Touchdown AP!!!!! 10-0!! Paging Nostra-Otto...

3:53 – Fox graphics just showed us that AP is now 147 yards away from Dickerson's record. Settle in, folks, you're about to witness history.

3:54 – Text from Mike: “I am so damn good it hurts. AP BAAAAABY!!”

3:55 – Three and out for the Packers!

3:56 – A montage of all the 2,000 yard backs set to Nas' “The World Is Mine?” Fox brought the A game today.

3:58 – Vikings go for it on 4^th and 1 and midfield and AP gets it because, well, he's Adrian fucking Peterson.

3:59 – Troy Aikman is comparing Adrian Peterson to Emmitt Smith. It's completely warranted.

4:00 – Another third down conversion! Ponder that!

4:01 – Aikman: “We've seen it all year long, if you give Christian Ponder a lane to run he's going to take it.” And sometimes he'll just start running regardless.

4:02 – End of the 1^st Quarter: Vikings: 10, Packers: 0. Vikings driving! Positivity abounds!

4:04 – Blair Walsh from 37.... Good! 13-0! Get some!

4:05 – Texas A&M is playing Oklahoma this Friday in the Cotton Bowl?!? But every other channel on TV will be showing something else, right? Thank god, that was a close one.

4:07 – Goddamnit! Jeremy Ross is not Randall Cobb!

4:08 – Let the record show that it was with 14:00 left in the second quarter that the Packers got their first first down.

4:08 – And Rodgers is promptly sacked by Jared Allen on first down! Loss of 12!

4:09 – Delay of game wipes away a big completion to Jermichael Finley! Holy hell, some days you get the breaks. At least that's the cliché. As a Vikings fan I have no idea if that's true.

4:11 - 4^th & 11 for the Packers on the Vikings 41.... time out. C'mon, Shamu! Pull the trigger!

4:12 – I'll bet it's fun playing against Cam Newton on his Xbox. Especially when he tosses your controller 5 feet over your head.

4:13 – Text from Mike: “Go for it, McCarthy. I fucking dare you.”

4:14 – And boom goes the punt... (Copyright: Gregggggg)

4:16 – Text from my dad: “Thanks to Fox glitches we get Pam Oliver the best way: Seen but not heard.”

4:18 – Three and out for the Vikes. Drat!

4:18 - GODDAMNIT! JEREMY ROSS IS NOT RANDALL COBB!!

4:19 – DuJuan Harris? Jeremy Ross? Who the fuck ARE these people?

4:21 – Damn! First third down conversion for the Packers. Momentum's shifting just a bit here....

4:22 – Girlfriend: “What's a down?”

4:25 – Third and goal and the Packers take a time out.

4:28 – Pass to Finley is complete. Might be a touchdown. Definitely a penalty against Erin Henderson.

4:29 – Alright, no touchdown, penalty enforced, first and goal from the 3. Love the fact that McCarthy couldn't challenge because if he was wrong he would be out of challenges. Why would he be out of challenges? Because he pissed away that one earlier! Even I know this shit! He's a professional football coach!

4:30 – Jennings drops the ball in the end zone! No catch! Timeout: Packers.

4:31 – Text from Dad: “Apparently Rodgers thinks you get 11 timeouts per half.”

4:31 - 2^nd and goal.... incompletion! Rodgers throws it away!

4:32 - 3^rd and goal... Damnit. Touchdown. God, I hate Aaron Rodgers.

4:36 – Big return from Sherels. I wonder if Percy Harvin is still alive?

4:38 – WHAAAATTTTTT!!!! That was the strangest catch I've seen in ages! Jarius Wright comes down with it!

4:38 – Ahahahaha! That's not a catch, but McCarthy can't do anything about it because Rodger's burned up all his timeouts!!!!

4:40 – Mike McCarthy's really making his case for stepping into Andy Reid's now departed shoes as the definitive, “I'm a fat yutz who has no idea how to manage a game” coach.

4:42 – Nice grab by Jerome Simpson on an out. How is this drive still happening?:

4:42 – Adrian Peterson abuses Morgan Burnett and turns it into 18 yards! 1st and goal from the 8.

4:43 – TOUCHDOWN!!!!!!! JARIUS WRIGHT!!!!!!! GREATEST DRIVE EVER!!!!! 20-7 VIKES!!!!

4:46 – Packers have 1:07 and no timeouts starting at their own 20.

4:47 – Buck: “Remember, the Packers do have a shaky kicker right now in Mason Crosby.” Haha!  That's right, they do have a shaky kicker don't they?

4:49 – Crosby from 51... good. Halftime. 20-10 Vikings

4:54 – I'm still nervous about this one. A lot of things went right that half and the Packers looked like they were gaining some momentum. Now they get the ball to start the second half. Maybe this is just years of tortured Vikings fan talking, but we'll see...

4:59 – Text from Mike: “I gotta good feeling. AP is 11 from 2000 and 117 from Dickerson. It's gonna happen.”

5:03 – Pam Oliver reports that Aaron Rodgers thinks the officials are taking too long to spot the ball. Just go fuck yourself, Aaron Rodgers.

5:04 – Three plays into the half and the Packers are into Vikings territory.

5:05 – Rodgers trips over his own lineman for a loss of three on first down and then a false start. Maybe the Vikings are going to get the bounces today.

5:06 – 45 yards and two colliding Vikings later... Maybe they aren't going to get the bounces.

5:08 – And Greg Jennings hauls in the wide open touchdown pass as three Vikings point at each other. 20-17 Vikings.

5:09 – It is not a coincidence that the wheels started coming off now that Antoine Winfield is stuck on the sideline. This may get worse before it gets better.

5:11 – Josh Robinson returns the kickoff? Josh Robinson?

5:11 – All Day goes for 20 on first down. Hello 2,000 yard mark!

5:13 – Buck: “Not a lot of teams should be able to get more out of play-action than the Vikings.” I'm glad Joe's here to explain these things to us.

5:14 – Three and out. Fuck.

5:16 - “Stars In Danger: The High Dive. A special two-hour event on Fox.” Because being responsible for American Dad just wasn't enough.

5:17 - Jasper Brinkley takes a brutal Roughing The Passer penalty after Aaron Rodgers throws the ball away. 15 yards and first down. Oh no...

5:18 – Text from Dad.: “Without a turnover we're beat.” That's 53 years of Viking fan talking.

5:20 - 3^rd and 7 and... fumble!!!!!!! Vikings recover at the 50!!!!!!! Dad calls it!

5:21 – Girlfriend: “Haha! The ball wasn't in his hands but he moved his hands like he was holding the ball.” That is indeed what happened.

5:23 – Ponder to Simpson for 20 yards! And it was a bullet! The fuck?

5:24 – Buck: “That's a deep play... by Vikings standards.” Joe Buck: Sassy! (Copyright: Phil Hartman)

5:26 – Ponder to... Jerome Felton?!? Looks like Leslie was saving a few tricks for Week 17.

5:27 – Oh, God no! Adrian Peterson knee was down before he dropped the ball! I swear to everything holy, he was down!!!!

5:30 – The fuck is Loadholt doing taking an Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalty at the end of a fumble that his team, supposedly, lost. That gets enforced regardless of the turnover review. LOADHOLT!!!

5:31 – Troy Aikman seems very impressed by his stat guys ability to do math. Do we have Troy's baseline tests somewhere?

5:32 – Second and 27 and Adrian Peterson takes it 28 yards for first and goal!!!! 64 yards to go to get the record. More importantly, 8 yards for a huge touchdown.

5:34 – Looks like finally caught up to Jerome Simpson. I hope they have his baseline test somewhere too.

5:36 – Text from Mike: “What's that I feel? Could it be a play-action pass to Rudolph?”

5:37 - 3^rd and goal and.... out of bounds. Wait! Flags! Holding on the Packers! First and goal from the two!

5:37 – TOUCHDOWN!!!!! PONDER-TO-PETERSON!!!!!!! SKOLLLL!!!!!!!

5:41 – Text from Mike: “2 TD's for young Mr. Ponder? No INT's? In the biggest game of his young career? Silencing some doubters today through 3 quarters!!! Whatta you think of my quarterback now!”

5:43 - Aikman: “Sorry, Joe. I've played some big games in this stadium, some playoff games, and when the crowd gets behind this team, it feels like you're playing against 15 defenders.” It should be noted that Troy routinely saw 14 defenders on the field.

5:44 – Jordy Nelson for 72 yards! Noooo!!!!!

5:44 – James Jones fumbles at the goal.line? Or scores a touchdown? Either way, it resulted in Aaron Rodgers sprinting over to the sideline and yelling. God, how do you Green Bay fans sleep and night cheering for this jackass?

5:47 – Oh god! Jordy Nelson just went out of his way to try to hide the fact that his fucking idiot of a coach threw the challenge flag illegally. Seriously, this is a NFL head coach? What a joke.

5:49 – It's a touchdown?!? AND a 15 yard penalty!?! God, I hate being a Vikings fan. 27-24 Vikings

5:49 – Aikman: “There's a host of people in Detroit, Michigan upset at this ruling after Jim Schwartz on Thanksgiving.” No, they're mostly upset because their boats are on fire and their houses have been stripped of copper.

5:51 – Alright, Pereira pretty much just kicked Detroit in the teeth. “It's most important that we get the call right. Penalize the coach 15 yards, but get the call right. It's a stupid rule anyway.” It's been six weeks since Thanksgiving! Six weeks! It was the rule then but not now?!?

5:53 – Wait, Adrian Peterson had knee surgery in the offseason? This is the first I've heard about it.

5:55 – Three and out... Ross is bringing this punt all the way back, isn't he?

5:56 – After a Facemasking penalty the Packers get the ball at their 49. The Vikings are all kinds of screwed.

5:57 – Text from Dad: “I'm very scared.” Couldn't agree more.

6:00 – 3^rd and 5 and James Jones runs six yards, turns around, and catches a pass. Football is so easy.

6:01 – Antoine Winfield needs to teach Marcus Sherels how to make open field tackles... and cover receivers... and read plays... and blitz....

6:02 – 3^rd and 4... incomplete. Thank God. Bring on the Mason Crosby show.

6:03 – 40 yard try... good. 27-27. The season is suddenly 12:21 long.

6:06 – Damn! Eric Dickerson had 40 more carries than AP? And he hadn't torn his knee up the year before? Interesting.

6:08 – 65 yards to Jarius Wright on first down! Where did that arm come from!?!?! Best pass of Ponder's career.

6:09 – All Day with the first down! First and goal, baby!

6:09 – GODDAMNIT LOADHOLT!!!!!!! That's 25 yards you've cost your squad today!!!!!! First and goal from the 12.

6:10 – Wow, A.J. Hawk is still in the league? That's surprising.

6:11 – Second and goal and Ponder overthrows Jenkins in the end zone.

6:12 – Aikman: “Those are the plays that make a difference between winning a game and losing.” Buck: “Or making the playoffs or not.” Shut up, shut up, shut up!

6:13 – Third and goal goes nowhere but Tramon Williams takes a cheap shot at Simpson's head away from the play! The same Simpson who looked concussed earlier. And the same Tramon William who was fined for a helmet-to-helmet on the back of John Carlson's head a few weeks ago. Stay classy, Tramon. Regardless, 1^st and goal!!!!

6:15 – Alright, third and goal... please... please... please... YES!!!!!!!! TOUCHDOWN!!!! MICHAEL FUCKING JENKINS!!!!! PULL THOSE 84 JERSEYS OUT!!!!!! 34-27!!!

6:16 – Aikman: “When Ponder released this ball I thought for sure it was an interception.” Nah, doe. NAH!

6:16 – And Fox goes to commercial playing “Jungle Love!” ALL! SOTA! EVERYTHING!

6:17 – Text from Dad: “Ponder is playing with a horseshoe up his butt.” Good! He had to try something!

6:18 – 1^st and 10 Packers from their own 22.

6:19 - 1^st and 10 Packers from their own 34

6:20 – SACK! EVERSON GRIFFIN!!!! That's 5 sacks today for your Vikings!

6:20 – False start! 3^rd and 20!

6:20 – Get a stop... get a stop... get a stop... 19 yard completion!?! Odd.

6:22 – Somehow the Packers convert the fourth down. Damnit.

6:23 - 3^rd and 4 from the Vikes 46... get a stop... get a stop... DAMNIT!!!! Threads the needle to Jennings!!!! Don't you do this to me again, Vikings!!!!

6:24 – Buck: “Every Chicago Bear and every Chicago Bears fan is hoping for the Packers to end this drive in the end zone.” Oh fuck you, everybody. Just fuck you.

6:26 – Pass interference on A.J. Jefferson. Evidently Rodgers has realized he can pick on the young man. First and goal from the 2.

6:26 – Touchdown Jordy Nelson. 34-34. I need 20 more beers.

6:29 – And just like that, the season is 2:51 seconds long.

6:30 - “Boy, let's hope the Vikings don't score too soon and leave Rodgers too much time.” - Nobody

6:31 – Dear Football Gods, I don't ask for much, and lord knows that's exactly what I've received, but please, find it in your hearts to deliver the Vikings a victory in this game. Let them get thrashed next week, I don't care. Just let them have this one.

6:32 – Text From Mike: “Time for a statement drive. 45 from Dickerson. Will CP7 notch his first 4 TD game? Ahhhhhh FUCK!!” I admire the homey's confidence. I don't feel so good.

6:34 – 3^rd & 11. Two minute warning. Big thanks to Fox for reminding us as they went to commercial that every Packers fan is uglier than the ugliest fan of every other team in the NFL. Seriously, get surgery.

6:34 – Here we go, 3^rd & 11.... Jenkins again!!!!! 25 yards and the first down!!!

6:37 – Not to bring up Mike's predictions again, but at the beginning of the year he said most of the Vikings games would be close and many would come down to Blair Walsh. Who knew that the whole season may come down to the rookie kicker?

6:38 – Text From Mike: “Ponder is doing this! He CAN handle the big spot!!” God bless your optimism, Mikey.

6:40 – AP for the first down and Joe Buck announces that they are now in Blair Walsh's range. Come on, boys, come on!

6:41 – Text from Dad: “Having a bad Gary Anderson flashback.” Well there's no such things as a GOOD Gary Anderson flashback now is there?!?!

6:42 – ALLLLLL DAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!! AP takes it to the 15!!!!!!

6:43 – Blair Walsh from 29 and the win... c'mon... c'mon... c'mon....

6:43 – You can't ice Blair Walsh! Blair Walsh will ice you!

6:44 – Here we go... here we go... here we go... GOOOOOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SKOLLLLLL VIKINGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLAYOFFS, BABY!!!!! JAY CUTLER, SUCK IT!!!!!! AARON RODGERS, SUCK IT!!!!!!! MATT STAFFORD, it gets better, dude. Keep your head up. CHICAGO, SUCK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREEN BAY, SUCK IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

6:47 – Sorry, I got a little out of hand there. I didn't say anything I didn't mean, but I probably could have phrased it better..

6:52 – SUCK IT, CHICAGO!!!!!!!!!!!!! SUCK IT, GREEN BAY!!!!!!!!!!!

6:53 – Yeah, that's much better. All things considered, that is by far the best football game I've seen since the '09 NFC Championship Game. And for the first time in a while The Purple came through!!! Seriously, I feel like going downtown and hooking up with the hordes leaving the Dome! Everything is purple! Everything is purple!

Well there you go, everybody!  TCDroogsma's drunk and excited.  Mike Otto's Ten & Six prediction came true.  And, most importantly, the Vikings are off to Lambeau next week to meet the Packers for the third time this season.  Gee, wonder if the Vikings have ever won a playoff game at Lambeau field in spectacular, notorious, unforgettable fashion before?  We'll have to look that up.

Ten & Six will return later this week with Mike's recap of this game and his breakdown of next week's game (plus his playoff picks).  Gotta ride the hot hand.

For more TCDroogsma be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@TCDroogsma).  Might want to wait until tomorrow to let him get his Vikings tweets out of his system.

Newest Industry also lives on Twitter (@NewestIndustry1).  Give us a follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a great way to support the blog.

Ten & Six With Mike Otto: Week 17 - Green Bay Packers at Minnesota Vikings (Plus Picks!)

It feels good to be home, baby!  Feels good to be home!

Well hello once again football fans!  Welcome to a very special edition of Ten & Six!

It's Week 17, which means that this will be the last regular season post of Ten & Six.  We can't stress enough how much we appreciate everybody who's stopped by over the course of the season to check in with Mike's coverage of the Vikings and his rantings about the rest of the NFL.  He puts a TON of work into this each week and it means a lot to us that you stop by and have a look.  Extra special thanks to those of you who have retweeted or shared a link to Mike's column.  As a blog with no budget whatsoever your word of mouth is our biggest asset when it comes to advertising and we truly appreciate it.

All that being said, Mike will be running his column all the way up through the Super Bowl (or Super Whore, as he once called it).  Plus, we're sure he'll want to put together a season recap once all the dust has settled and we Vikings fans have had our hearts broken for the 52nd straight season.

But all that is for another day.  This, right here, is Week 17 and all the marbles are on the line!  Vikings! Packers! Metrodome! Playoffs?  It could happen.

Michael, you've taken us this far.  What's on tap for tomorrow's Border Battle?

This is it, season's on the line!  Ponder takes the snap, drops back, looks left, back to the right, steps up, fires into the end zone...

If you're a Vikings fans it doesn't get any better than this.  Week 17, at home, against the hated Green Bay Packers, win and they're in.

Welcome back to Ten & Six!  The Vikings improved to 3-0 in December with a victory over the Houston Texans last week and oh, how sweet it was!

Speaking of peaking at the right time, my picks went 15-1 last week!  I feel like the '98 Vikings right now (pre-Falcons game).

Oh, by gosh, by golly!  It's time for touchdown throws and 'Sconny!

If you can't tell, I'm jacked up!

Interesting note: If the Vikings win on Sunday, their first playoff game would be against a very familiar team:  The Green Bay Packers!  Back-to-back games against the same team almost never happen in the NFL!  Talk about playoff football!

So much more on The Purple a bit later, now for the necessary evil of league picks.  Let's see if I can go 16-0!

Tampa Bay (6-9) at Atlanta (13-2)

Matty Ice and the Falcons have the #1 seed locked up, but I think they would be wise to play all their starters.  We all know about the well-documented Matt Ryan/Atlanta Falcons 1st round playoff woes.  One week off is plenty, two weeks away from game action and the rust may start to build up.  The Falcons can't afford to be rusty for that divisional playoff matchup.

And now, an ode to Josh Freeman:

Josh Freeman, you ruined me left, you ruined me right,
You beat my team on Thursday night...

My predictions, you made look silly,
Can't believe I ever thought you'd win,
I mean, really?

Your inconsistencies are great,
Losing season? Sure, your fate...

For a division title, Tampa fans must wait,
Until Josh Freeman is used as trade bait
Until that day, I will...

Hate
Hate
Hate...

Falcons win 24-17

New York Jets (7-9) at Buffalo (5-10)

For whatever reason, most everyone in the national media thinks Rex Ryan will be back next year.  I think that's just wishful thinking on their part.  Now, I love being able to trash a head coach from New York just as much as the next guy, but this fat moron has to go!

Hello?  Do you not see the same fat and doomed idiot I do?  Players don't respect him!  How could they respect the Rush Limbaugh of the NFL?  Albeit, with less racism & sexism than the real Rush, but just as much dumbism.  He's a freaking blowhard dunce.  A "speak-your-mind" coach is only a good thing when he has intelligent thoughts.  Jets lose 21-9 and Rex needs to go.

Baltimore (10-5) at Cincinnati (9-6)

Let's hear it for Cincy!  They are playoff bound and I'm rooting for them in the AFC.  Andy Dalton-to-A.J. Green has become a feared, and at times, unstoppable connection.  I just love rooting for the underdog and, come the AFC playoffs, the Bengals will be just that.

The Ravens finally turned it around last week and beat a seriously slumping New York Giants team.  That Bengals defense is playing mean and I think they beat the Ravens 23-20 and get their 10th win.

Chicago (9-6) at Detroit (4-11)

The Bears were 7-1 at one point this year.  Since then they have gone 2-5.  Only the 1986 Washington Redskins have started 7-1 yet failed to make the playoffs.  Now the Bears must root for their fiercest rival to win in order to have a chance to make the post-season.  Talk about an identity crisis.

I don't think it even matters though, because the Lions are going to win 27-24 and Megatron is going to become the first NFL wide receiver to break 2,000 yards receiving.

Jacksonville (2-13) at Tennessee (5-10)

Word has it the loser of this game has to drink a bucket of Blaine Gabbert's tears.  Who says there's nothing on the line?  Imagine the biggest bucket you've ever seen at your local hardware store.  Now imagine it filled with salty, warm Blaine Gabbert tears.

There was a lot to cry about this year.  Titans win 17-13 and this week ends like so many others, with Blaine Gabbert tasting his own tears.

Houston (12-3) at Indianapolis (10-5)

Chuckstrong! returns to the sideline!

I hate to point this out, but the Colts were 1-3 with Pagano on the sideline and 9-2 without him.  To be fair, those were Andrew Luck's first 4 NFL starts.

We'll see how the Colts perform this weekend when their head coach returns.  I think the Texans win 27-23 and lock up the 1st seed in the AFC.

Carolina (6-9) at New Orleans (7-8)

The first year of Drew Brees' monster contract hasn't gone quite according to plan.  The Saints need a complete defensive overhaul in the offseason to do their star quarterback justince.

I didn't mind that arrogant bastard Sean Payton being forced to sit this season out.  In fact, I openly enjoyed the fact that the punishment was complete bullshit.

One thing is for sure, Roger Goodell loves his power and probably likes abusing it whenever he thinks he can get away with it.  Roger Goodell:  An iron fist with skin like a hot dog.  Seriously, dude, lay off the tanning.  Saints win 35-31.

Philadelphia (4-11) at New York Giants (8-7)

No more Victor Cruz salsa dance.  No more Eli Manning pouty face.  No more cocky asshole Osi Umenyora.  No more New York teams in the playoffs!  I am loving this!  Who the fuck is ESPN going to report on in January?

Now, I'm not ignorant enough to think their won't still be daily Tim Tebow stories.  "Where Will Tim Tebow Land Next Year?"  "Can Tim Tebow Start In The NFL?"  "Tim Tebow Has Wet Dream, Wakes Up, Goes To Confession..."  Things of that nature.

Now, I know the Giants aren't officially eliminated, but they will be when The Dog Murderer beats them.  Eagles win 24-20.

Cleveland (5-10) at Pittsburgh (7-8)

No playoffs for Pittsburgh either?  Poor little bitches!  Take your six Super Bowl rings and shove them up your ass, dickwads.  You should've kept playing Charlie Batch.  Well, that's the first time in recorded history that sentence has been written.

A perfect ending to this lackluster Steelers season would be a loss to the Browns, but, I mean, c'mon, it's something called Thad Lewis?  Thad Lewis who is behind Colt McCoy and Brandon Weeden on the depth chart!  Steelers win a meaningless game 20-16.

Kansas City (2-13) at Denver (12-3)

The Broncos still have something to play for.  The Chiefs haven't had anything to play for since last year, when they somehow went to the playoffs.  NASA's best scientists are still working on that one...

The Broncos look good, but their division has been crap all year.  The list of quality opponents that Denver has defeated is short.  We'll see if that screws with them come playoffs because it won't be a factor this week.  Broncos win easy 28-10.

Miami (7-8) at New England (11-4)

I'm so fucking sick of trying to find anything interesting about the Miami Dolphins.  Bring back Chad Pennington!  Dolphins fans, remember when you went 11-5 with him at quarterback?  That was fun.  And sad.  Even when your team succeeds it's kind of sad.  And that's coming from a Vikings fan.

Until next year, Miami!  And thank god for that.  Bring back Shula!  Bring back Shula!  Patriots win 27-17.

Oakland (4-11) at San Diego (6-9)

So this is it. Years of unparalleled and impressive failure is coming to an end.  Norva is about to coach her last game for the Chargers.  After thousands of pock marks and at least 100 tubes of Pro-Active, it's all coming to its unceremonious conclusion.

Sure, Norva might be looser than a Packers fan on a rooster farm.  Sure, she might have more diseases that a 60 year old Lindsay Lohan.  But god damnit, Norva deserves our respect!  She is the first female NFL head coach!  Not only that, but she tricked three different teams into giving her the job!

It started in Washington, where she famously blew President Bill Clinton in the Oval Office and gave birth to Daniel Snyder, who remains in control of the Redskins to this day.

Then she was off to Oakland, where she notoriously gave Al Davis, "the best handy this side of Jon Gruden."

Once she sent Al Davis spiraling she was off to San Diego, where she seduced Philip Rivers behind the San Diego Pump 'n' Munch.  Norva did a little of her own pump 'n' munchin' that day and a love story was born.

Through all the baby mama drama, through the countless pick sixes, and through the endlessly questionable play-calling one thing is certain, Norva and Philip deserve each other.

Chargers win 31-20

Arizona (5-10) at San Francisco (10-4-1)

Harbaugh West has lost every 3rd game this year.  That ain't going to win you a Super Bowl, homeboy.

The Niners lost Mario Manningham to a gruesome torn ACL last week.  That makes Michael Crabtree and Randy Moss the Niners starting wide receivers.  I like dat!

Colin Kaepernick has been somewhat streaky, which needs to stop if the Niners want any chance of going to the big dance.  Niners get the win this week 24-16.

St. Louis (7-7-1) at Seattle (10-5)

Those Seahawks are dominating right now.  In fact, the last three weeks they have been downright unstoppable.  I won't fully believe they are a Super Bowl contender until I see Russell Wilson win a game in the playoffs.

The Rams should be happy with the direction Jeff Fisher is taking their team.  They are one solid offensive lineman and one solid wide receiver away from being relevant.  Seahawks win this one 26-17

Dallas (8-7) at Washington (9-6)

This is going to be a picturesque Tony Romo game.  Tightly contested, a lot on the line, plenty of good plays for both teams, somebody is going to be the goat... and I think I know who it's going to be...

I'm seeing a one-score game going into the final quarter and a potential game-tying drive by the Cowboys ending with a Tony Romo pick.  Because, in the end, he just can't help himself.  Redskins win 31-24.

Nice picks.  We're all going to miss Norva.  After his 15-1 showing last week Mike's record stands at 163-95-1.  Take us to the big show, Michael.

GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-4) at MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-6)

The biggest weekend in Vikings football since 2009 is here!  Win and IN!

The defense is playing great, Christian Ponder has been proficient, and Adrian Peterson is chasing history.  I haven't been this excited about the Vikings for quite some time.

Much like last week, I think this game will come down to quarterback performance.  Christian Ponder has no chance of out-performing Aaron Rodgers from a statistical standpoint, but, if he can make smart decisions and avoid turnovers, the Vikings have a very legitimate chance to win this game.

It doesn't matter that the Packers have won 12 straight against NFC North opponents or that Aaron Rodgers has a 115 QB rating indoors.  It doesn't matter that the Vikings have sacked Rodgers 19 times in 5 games at the Metrodome.

All of that goes out the window come 3:25 on Sunday afternoon.

It's the biggest game of Christian Ponder's career and I think he's up to the test.  Let's take a look at some positives and negatives from last week's victory over the Texans.  As always, let's start with the positives.

-The entire Vikings defense!  This group is playing the definition of team ball right now.  The Front Four has been getting pressure on the quarterback, the linebackers have been making plays against the run and the pass, while the secondary (led by rookie Harrison Smith) has been ball-hawking and hard hitting!  The defense looks elite right now and it's a joy to watch.

-Blair Walsh  He is the unsung hero of this Vikings team.  If the Vikings have a crappy kicker (like, say, Mason Crosby), they lose the Jaguars game and quite possibly a couple others.  He has made tough kicks look easy all year.  I think the Vikings only have 7 wins without him.

-Christian Ponder  Now, going 16-31 for 178 yards and a TD isn't going to make Aaron Rodgers blush, but it is going to be enough to win us a big game.  Most impressively, young Mr. Ponder was 8-12 for 98 yards on 3rd down.  He also scrambled for gains of 21 & 28 yards on separate 3rd downs, making him responsible for a total of 9 Vikings 1st downs.  Not too shabby and exactly what the Vikings need from him.

And, of course, the negatives.

-For the first time this year, there are no negatives to report.  The Vikings won the turnover battle and dominated the game physically on both sides of the ball.  Sure, I would have liked a couple of those field goals to have been touchdowns, but they also came while the Vikings were intentionally draining the clock.

When it comes down to it, nothing about a 23-6 victory on the road against a 12-2 team is negative.  The Vikings couldn't have picked a better time to pull it all together.

Three Keys To A Vikings Victory:

Key #1: Keep Aaron Rodgers In The Pocket

Rodgers' ability to improvise with his receivers once he escapes the pocket is second to none.  In the last game against the Packers, Aaron Rodgers hurt The Purple most when the Vikings defensive ends got too far up field and broke containment.  This allowed Rodgers to slide out of the pocket and buy time until one of his down field receivers inevitably got open.

You can't blitz Rodgers.  He'll recognize it and burn you.  The Front Four needs to get pressure while maintaining containment.

Key #2: Stop The Run!

The Packers inexplicably had success running the ball in the last matchup against the Vikings and it killed them.  The Packers passing attack is hard enough to stop by itself.  Any success they find in the run game makes things even more difficult for pass defenders trying to keep Packers receivers in check.

The Vikings defense has been spectacular since that Packers game and I fully expect them to hold the running game in check this time around.

Key #3: Win The Turnover Battle

Turnovers derailed the Vikings chance of winning at Lambeau earlier this year and if they get sloppy with the football on Sunday the result will be the same.  During their 3 game winning streak the Vikings have been a plus-3 in the Take/Give column.

Christian Ponder has taken better care of the ball while the defense has done their part with timely forced fumbles and interceptions.  If the Vikings win the turnover battle they win the game!

Two Matchups To Watch:

Matchup #1: Vikings Offensive Line vs. Packers Front Seven

I'm convinced the Vikings O-Line can out-muscle the Packers linemen easily, but they also have to worry about Clay Matthews (who was injured when the teams first met).  The Vikings need to account for Clay Matthews on every play because he is very adept at creating those dreaded turnovers.

The Purple did a great job of neutralizing J.J. Watt last weekend and if they could minimize Clay Matthews impact on Sunday it would go a long way towards a W.

Matchup #2: Aaron Rodgers vs. Harrison Smith

The rookie safety has had a great year.  What better way to celebrate than picking off Aaron Rodgers a couple times?  Last week he destroyed the Texans backup quarterback on a strip sack and if he gets the ball in his hands he is a threat to take the return to the house.

I can't emphasize enough how much the Vikings defensive resurgence has impacted their 9-6 record and Harrison Smith has had a lot to do with that.  I expect a big game from #22.

Mike's All Purpose Flour Lock Of The Week:

Adrian Peterson, running back, YOUR Minnesota Vikings

He has to get the nod here.  Ever since Week 7 he has run the football like a relentless locomotive.  He has put the team on his back and has been the only absolute guarantee week-to-week from an offensive standpoint.  He is running for more reasons than one in this game and if I were the Packers that would scare me.  225 yards and 2 TD's.  Record books, baby.

Final Takes

The Vikings defense has been playing with a fierce tenacity that disturbs the tempo of teams that want a fast-paced, up and down the field type of contest.  The Purple took command of that Texans game by forcing Houston to play their style of football.  They should use a similar model against the Packers.

The Vikings defense is going to come out fired up and I'm certain they can disrupt Aaron Rodgers timing, but the Front Four must keep containment of #12.

This is the most the Vikings have had to play for in nearly 3 years and the first real "Big Spot" test for Christian Ponder.

One thing is for sure, a few questions will be answered by Sunday night.

I've got a really good feeling about this game.  I love how the team is playing and the Dome is going to be rocking on Sunday!!

Plus, we're 6-1 at home this year!

I think the Vikings come out strong, jumping out to an early 10 point lead and never really look back.

Final Score:

Minnesota Vikings: 27

Green Bay Packers: 21

...and The Vikings Are In The PLAYOFFS!  WOOOOO!!!

There you have it, football fans!  Optimism rules the day!  We're scared to even start thinking about how great a Vikings victory would be tomorrow for fear of jinxing the whole thing, but Mike hasn't been wrong many times this year.  Skol Vikes!!!

For more of Mike's commentary on football and life be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@SwervinTaters).  He's putting the blog on his back, doe.

Newest Industry also has a Twitter home (@NewestIndustry1) which you can follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  More importantly, we have a Facebook page here.  Trivial as it seems, stopping by and giving us a "Like" is a great, free way to support the blog.  Putting the internet on our back, doe.

Newest Industry 2012: Lists On Lists On Lists

One more year like this one, I could never make it on my own...

Well hello everybody!  Welcome to Newest Industry's 2012 wrap up!

We asked all of our regular contributors to help us out with some end of year lists because, as card-carrying members of the blogging industry we're legally obligated to put together end of year lists.

Let's note quickly that not all of the posts are strictly Minnesota based.  We asked Dr. Bill for his 10 favorite songs of the year because that's just what he's good at.  Ryan was kind enough to give us both a local and non-local list of his favorite punk rock albums of 2012.

Justin Meyers, KPlow, & SwervinTaters were kind enough to give us their takes on their favorite food, drink, and nightlife spots in the Twin Cities.

And TCDroogsma & MinneSarah continue to bicker like a couple of 50 year olds trapped in 30 year old bodies.

This is a special post because it's also our 100th overall post.  A big thank you to everybody who's stopped by so far.  We'd especially like to take second to thank everybody who's retweeted or reposted any of our work.  There's a lot of stupid shit on the internet.  Thanks for helping promote our stupid shit over everybody else's stupid shit.

Now, on to the lists!

Ryan's Favorite Punk Rock Albums Of 2012

Well, another year has passed and I am even further up to my ears in records. Surrounding me now on 3 sides of my bed inching in closer and closer as time goes on.....

Local Top 5:

1. Frozen Teens - S/T LP - Tragedy struck the Twin Cities earlier this year when, after a series of outstanding shows and stellar LP reviews, Frozen Teens announced their demise. One of the two Wills in the group was moving away. Well, he came back. The band is back on! Just saw them 2 weeks ago and they played a few new songs that I don't believe are on this LP. I can't wait for new recordings!

2. Wild Child - Demo 7" - Well, the demo released last year certainly topped my list. Now it's on vinyl thanks to local fave labels, Fashionable Idiots and Rock Bottom Records. Their new 7" has been pressed up already and Deranged Records of Canada is waiting for just the right moment to drop it on top of our heads but he'll probably will wait until after singer, Antione has dropkicked us in the chest at one of their shows.

3. Brain Tumors - Fuck You Forever 7" - Deranged Records is snatching up Minneapolis hardcore bands almost as fast as Southern Lord Records is signing up the Havoc Records back catalog of bands. Listened to this several times at the store, shocked to not find it here at home in my "recent listens" 7" box that is blocking the only clear pathway to my bed.

4-5. ??? Ummmm? Twin Cities? What is going on here? I didn't pick up much local stuff this year. I'm kinda wondering what happened.

Kontrasekt 7"??? I still need to listen to that again to really say. Varix 7". I guess we've got a tie between Varix and Kontrasekt then. I know Serenghetto had a 7" on the way but the pressing plant they were using was taken out by Hurricane Sandy so that project might be MIA for some time. I would like to hear that record.

Non-Local Top 5 - LP/12" Division:

1. Baader Brains - New Era Hope Colony 12" - I can't really say if the death of Baader Brains member Sarah Kirsch made this record hit me that much more or not. Anyway, it hit me like any project that she was involved in. The message of hope and resistance is there and the music sounds just as fresh as it does familiar. There aren't that many people involved in DIY hardcore punk that have been in as many bands as Sarah that were as good for 20+ years. I am very saddened that we won't be blessed with any more of that shredding guitar and those impassioned, inspiring vocals.

2. No Statik - Everywhere You Aren't Looking LP - I booked this band back in January for probably one of the top 3 shows I have ever had the pleasure of putting together. This Oakland, California band is made up of four punk lifers my age and older. Blistering hardcore punk that is near unmatched in 2012. Probably would have made #1 if not for the eerie extended intro extending a bit too long.

3. Wiccans - Field II LP - I wish I could have seen this band this year. In summer 2011 they played an incredible house show and really surprised all of us. After just a pretty good debut 7" in 2010, they toured that following summer on their Skullduggery LP and somehow topped it this year with Field II. Remember hearing me go on and on about Denton, Texas? Guess what? Denton, Texas. Again!

4. Neon Piss - S/T LP - Still trying to take this one in fully. I had them pegged wrong in the beginning as just another band riffing on what the Observers had perfected 10 years ago. Nope. A lot more going on with this band. Kicking myself HARD for missing them when they played here last month.

5. Swearin' - S/T LP - Yep. The Swearin LP. Love it. I'd go into it but I already covered it on one of my Record Of The Week posts on this very blog. Besides, I am behind and on a deadline!

(Editor's Note: He did indeed cover it.  Have a look.)

Non-Local Top 5 - 7" Division:

1. Double Negative - Hits 7" - Final recordings with their original singer. However, I just got to see them play here in Minneapolis two months back and the new singer is holding it down. I am excited to see where they go from here. It's tough to find a band playing such a distinct and exciting style of hardcore at this moment in time. I wish they had t-shirts of the artwork from the 7" insert. It's a submarine with their -/- logo blasting a torpedo directly at the Beatles Yellow Submarine. Hits! Hilarious.

2. Siamese Twins - S/T 7" - Not what you would expect from members of Ampere and Foreign Objects! Some slow to mid-paced gothy stuff that would have fit in nicely on the 4AD roster alongside Cocteau Twins or something. Super catchy. Very addictive. I believe this 7" is two songs off of their 2011 demo tape.

3. Coffin Pricks - S/T 7" - Fuck. Missed this band too. They played their last show this month in their hometown of Chicago. This band features Chris Thomson on vocals and his pedigree goes way back to the late 80's when he played in a series of D.C. hardcore bands that were all favorites of mine. Ignition, Circus Lupus, Las Mordidas, The Monorchid, etc.

4. Belgrado - Panopticon / Vicious Circle 7" - Newish band from Barcelona, Spain that I had previously thought were from France. This band is following the Siouxsie and the Banshees / Madhouse blueprint. Their LP will make my top10 at the very least. There are a LOT of bands now doing the dark gothy post punk thing at the moment. I think Belgrado are quite possibly the best at it.

5. Desperat - Barjan Pa Slutet 7" - There had to be some rampaging Swedish D-Beat making the list. In lieu of any new recordings by Heratys (new LP soon on Prank Records), Desperat are 2012's best offering. Well, 5th best for me anyway!

Top Reissues:

01. Rites Of Spring - Demo 10" - Not much needs to be said about this. I listen to this. Then I listen to the Rites Of Spring LP. Then I listen to this. Then the All Through A Life 7". Then this.

02. Warhead - Never Give Up! LP - Early 7" and compilation recordings. Top-tier Japanese hardcore punk!

Almost every single 7" and LP from Svart Records classic Finnish punk reissues series. Last year brought us the obvious ones like Lama and Ratsia. This year is making me go broke with tons more from Loose Prick, Nolla Nolla Nolla, Sensurri, Stalin, and so many more. I can barely keep up with this stuff. Pricey but so worth it.

Honorable Mentions: (quite possibly my 6-10s if I only started this earlier this evening) - Boston Strangler Primitive LP, Prisoner Abuse LP, Confines Some Sick Joke 7", Anasazi s/t 7", Permaculture Swallow What You're Given 7", Troubled Sleep Wacky Past Is Now 7", White Lung Sorry LP, Crazy Spirit s/t LP, Retisonic Robots Fucking LP, Criaturas LP and the Pottymouth Sun Damage 12".

Wow!  Thank you, Ryan!  Looks like it was quite a year in the punk rock world!

As you all hopefully know by now Ryan is a volunteer down at Extreme Noise and has been for quite some time.  People like him are the reason the Twin Cities has such a vibrant music scene.  Stop by and see him some time. His cat's name is Rabies.




Though most of you probably know Justin Meyers as our resident synth expert, he's also our resident beer expert.  If you think about it long enough, it makes perfect sense.

Justin Meyers' Favorite Local Beers Of 2012

Honorable Mentions: Schell's Emerald Rye, Indeed Midnight Ryder, Surly Wet & Coffee Bender

5. Lucid Air - The lightest beer on this list, but it doesn't lack in the flavor department. Toasted malts impart a delicious cereal like quality to the brew.

4. Indeed Day Tripper - Not balanced at all. The resinous and spicy nature of the selected hops really shine in this one with little malt to speak of.

3. Steel Toe Rainmaker Double Red: Great malt and hop balance. Could move up on the list with better availability.

2. Harriet Brewing West Side: Fruity Belgian yeast meets the light bitterness of a West Coast style IPA. BOTTLE THIS PLEASE!

1. Surly Furious: Minnesota is so spoiled when it comes to beer. This one could be on the top five on any best of list and it's only available here. Perfect malt and hop balance. I will drink a billion of these in my life time.

There you have it, Sota! It's a good time to be fan of beer!

For more of Justin Meyers, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@JustinCMeyers).  He also runs his own record label, Tone Filth. He's working on big things for 2013.  His cat's name is Missy Spacek.

Even though Dr. Bill is relatively new to Newest Industry, he's already our indie music expert.  We're hoping to have a lot more posts from him in 2013.  Here, though, we have his 10 favorite songs of 2012.

Dr. Bill's Top 10 Tracks Of 2012

10. Paws - Sore Tummy

09. DIIV - How Long Have You Known?

08. Cloud Nothing - No Future/No Past

07. Guided By Voices - Class Clown Spots A UFO

06. Frank Ocean - Forrest Gump

05. Chromatics - Kill For Love

04. Aesop Rock - Fryerstarter

03. Beach House - Myth

02. FIDLAR - Cheap Beer

01. Joey Bada$$ (w/Chuck Strangers) - Fromda Tomb$

There are so many I could put on here. Killer Mike, Kendrick Lamar, Grimes, Swans, Bloc Party, Blur, Mountain Goats, but these are the ones that I've had stuck in my head. Now my top 10 albums are a little different, but that I still have a little pondering left to do.

That's that.  Thanks for tuning in.  You can step back out of the light now.

For more Dr. Bill, be sure to give him a follow on Twitter (@DrBillRubin).  We're hoping to feature him a lot more here over the next year.  His cat is named Oliver. 

Alright, let's get back to our beautiful Twin Cities.  We asked KPlow and SwervinTaters to tell us their favorite spots to grab a bite to eat or a stiff drink.

KPlow's Top 5 Restaurants Of 2012

1. Bachelor Farmer - It’s perfect. Splurge and hand over the cash. Comparable to higher end restaurants, but won’t break the bank. If you are short on cash shell out $3 for the popover with honey butter…an absolute must!

2. 112 Eatery - Servers are the too-good-to-serve-you type but the food is stellar!!! Priced from cheap to turn around-walk out the door expensive, but it’s still a definite must! Certainly worth a stop.

3. Craftsman - Delightful ambiance, stellar wait-staff and nummy comfort food. Not much is cheap, but hey, no metered parking!

4. Lucia’s - It’s ancient but it’s always a treat. To-Go, Wine Bar and Restaurant, there is something to fit your style and price. Alas, however, it’s in the heart and heat of a busy, busy Uptown.







5. All the places I think you should go but I haven’t gotten to yet:

1. Victory 44.
2. Left Handed Cook
3. Ngon Vietnamese Bistro
4. Piccolo
5. Kenwood Restaurant

Nom nom nom.  Plenty of good choices and plenty of places yet to be explored.

KPlow is our resident higher-end, non-vegan restaurant reviewer.  Here's hoping she can get to some of those new spots in 2013.  Her pup's name is Belle. 

SwervinTaters Top 5 Bars Of 2012

5. Bryant Lake Bowl - A great atmosphere and long list of specialty cocktails gets the good ol' BLB on the list. Plus you just can't hate on any bar that does breakfast 7 days a week! Go enjoy some late night happy hour accompanied with a great drunken pastime, BOWLING! And hey, if you wake up with a pounding headache go right back to the BLB for a giant starch filled breakfast that will set you back on the right track.

4. Pat's Tap - In terms of bar food, it doesn't get any better than Pat's Tap. Try the unbelievable Harissa and Honey Roasted Chicken sandwich and some cheese curds to go along with it - you won't regret your choice. The bartenders mix a strong drink, so get a cab home if you weren't lucky enough to meet a friend who lives nearby. Heh-heh

3. My Porch - Strongest drinks in the whole damn city and my chances of getting laid are much higher than anywhere else. If I don't know you, ya ain't gaining admittance!

 


2. The CC Club - So many memories. So much History. The CC Club is so great for so many reasons! If you're a regular, you can probably get away with more than you should be able too, which is always a plus! The place gets packed at night, but the over-matched wait staff handle it well. There is nothing more relaxing than going to The CC at noon on a day off, having a couple beers and watching a little American Pickers with a friendly bartender who knows what you want to drink before you ask for it. Feels like home... drunk home.

1. Rudolphs BBQ - A generous happy hour of drink and food specials got me in the door and assures any patron of this bar does not need a pot of gold to get sloppy! What really makes Rudolph's number one though is the amazing wait staff and bartenders. These people go hard, they are courteous, timely, and know how to make a damn good drink! Add on the new on-tap craft beer selection they have recently added and you have everything you would want from a bar. Kudos to everyone at Rudolph's!

There you have it you hungry, thirsty Minnesotans.  Food and drinks, drinks and food.

For more of the always charming SwervinTaters be sure to give him a follow in Twitter (@SwervinTaters).  Here's hoping for some new bar reviews in 2013! His cat's name is Doug.






And, to end our lists of lists, we asked Minnepolis resident TCDroogsma and St. Paul resident MinneSarah to try to settle the greatest of arguments: Which is better, Minneapolis or St. Paul?

TCDroogsma's Top 5 Reasons Minneapolis Is Best

01. People outside of Minnesota have actually heard of Minneapolis - When people from the Twin Cities move to new cities, it's common practice to just tell new acquaintances that they're from Minneapolis?  Why?  Because telling a Brooklyn-ite that you're from St. Paul will leave you with a confused hipster.  Not to mention the fact that I've watched something like 90% of all Minnesota Wild games.  National broadcaster frequently greet viewers by saying, "Welcome to tonight's game from wintery Minneapolis..."  I can promise you that no commentator has ever introduced a Twins or Vikings game by saying, "Greetings from St. Paul!"

02. We actually build new things - Minneapolis is in a constant state of flux, which I say is a great thing.  New bars, restaurants, concert venues, and theatres are constantly popping up.  Whether it's Uptown, Downtown, or Northeast, there's always something new to try.  Plus, this constant shifting leaves the cream to rise to the top (CC Club, First Avenue, Electric Fetus, The State Theater... I could go all day).  All of these venues earned their iconic status by weathering different trends and economics over the years.  In St. Paul you're left with places like Moscow On The Hill and The Nook which survive simply because there's nowhere else to go.  Wait, that's the original Green Mill? Special.  (Exemptions for Mickey's Diner & The Turf Club).

03. Things happen in Minneapolis after 8:00 -  I realize that's an old joke, but frreal, have you ever been in St. Paul past 8:00?  If you have, chances are you were sleeping.  When I head over to St. Paul for Wild games I can't even stop at the downtown Chipotle before the game because it's closed.  The game that starts at 7:00!  Shit, the Chipotle on Nicollet Mall is open until 10 every night!  St. Paul's flagship block party, Grand Old Days, runs until about 4:00 in the afternoon, which is just about the time you can catch one of MPLS's dozens of block parties during the summer. 

04. Minneapolis actually created it's own reputation - MPLS is known as a Gay & Lesbian friendly city thanks to the city's efforts to turn the Gay Pride Festival in to one of the best in the country.  It's become a nationally renowned biking city thanks to efforts from bikers, drivers, and city planners alike.  It's known as a vibrant music community thanks to DIY efforts from musicians of every genre.  It's built more theatres per capita than any city in America, lending it the reputation of a cultured, art-appreciating city.

St. Paul is known as the Capital Of Minnesota.  A distinction I'm sure it's citizens worked diligently to earn.

05. Celebrity most associated with each city - MPLS: Prince.  St. Paul: Garrison Keillor.  Done.

Well, that was pretty much coherent, which is really all we ask of TCDroogsma these days.

TCDroogsma hosts our weekly podcast and also contributes to our Songs Of The Week column with MinneSarah.  For more he can be found on Twitter (@TCDroogsma) and on his personal blog Flatbasset. His pup's name is Margo.

And the other side of the coin...

MinneSarah's Top 5 Reasons St. Paul Is Best

1.  More natural beauty - Have you even seen the sun rise over Cathedral Hill?  Breathtaking. St. Paul has more geographical beauty than its sister city - it's a city of changing elevation, beautiful bluffs, and caves for all you homebrew/old school crime fanatics!  I'm pretty sure there are more trees per capita than Minneapolis, and Como Park beats Loring Park any day of the week.  Plus, our street names are way more creative than that numeric grid Minneapolis has allowed itself to become.

2.  You probably won't get shot here -  St. Paul is definitely more low key, and the result is, you are less likely to get yourself into trouble.  While the occasional knife fight is bound to happen in any big city, you can rest assured that you have less of a chance of being the victim of a violent crime in sleepy St. Paul.  It's the perfect place to pop a Werthers Original in your mouth on your front porch and watch all the businesses close up shop at 6pm on weeknights.  I'll bet you can catch up on your reading list at any of our historic libraries and many private universities.  St. Paul, keeping you on the straight and narrow since 1854.

3. It's the capital - beat that Minneapolis!  If a bill wants to become a law, it has to go through this city.  Along with that honor is our distinguished capital building and the fact that the city name is a star on every elementary school map in the country.  Plus Mark Dayton's adorable pups call this city home, and if you walk past the Governor's Mansion on a snowy evening, they'll say hello (bark bark).

4.  Prettier residents with less pretense - So, this one might be a tad subjective, but seriously.  I live here, and also all of my friends are quite attractive and decent people.  Sure, we might be the Garrison Keillor to your Josh Hartnett, but at least we stick to ourselves.  Plus, we have better coffee shops (J & S, Nina's, Kopplins, Ginko's) and thrift stores (Goodwill on University and St. Vincent on West 7th) because there are less pretentious people to contend with, but all the same quality you'd expect from places with a way higher hipster quota.

5. More iconic events - What would the state of Minnesota be without the "Great Minnesota Get Together?"  Those state fair grounds lay mostly fallow throughout the year, but then host the biggest party you'll see in this state.  I'd like to see Minneapolis block off that much land for an annual ten day party.  Also, the Winter Carnival is St. Paul taking over an entire season - the worst season, but the longest and most annoying.  This city has turned it around as something to celebrate and also get frostbite trying to find a lucite medallion in a snow globe. Sure beats a tribute to lakes.

Honorable mention to Izzy's for serving the best vegan ice cream in the state.

Hmmm.... They both make good points.  Seems that it's best to just agree that we're two cities filled with talented, smart, funny, literate, drunk, sexy, sexy people.

MinneSarah regularly contributes to our Songs Of The Week column with TCDroogsma and is a big fan of caramel candies.  She can be found on Twitter (@MinneSarah) pining for the 90's.  Her cat's name is Theodore.








Well that's it, folks!  2012 is in the books.  We hope it was a good one for you, as it was certainly a good one for us.  Again, a huge thanks to anybody who's checked out the blog and/or shared the blog via social networks.  It means a lot to us.  We've got plenty planned for 2013 so please stay tuned.

We have a Twitter home (@NewestIndustry1) which you should follow to stay up on the work being done by all of our contributors.  As always, we have a Facebook page here.  Stopping by and giving us a "Like" is the easiest, cheapest way to support what we do.