The Vikings loss to the New Orleans Saints was difficult to accept. It seemed as though Minnesota was predestined for a Super Bowl win. The fates were aligned for a victory to happen. It was pretty much thought after the Dallas game that the team would be in the Super Bowl, at the very least, and once there, probably win. That was our attitude. In fact, you could almost hear analysts proclaiming that once the Vikings had Favre, it was pretty darn close to a sure thing.

The loss was particularly hard, for much of Minnesota was feeling that with the previous losses in the Super Bowl and NFC championship games we were due, especially with the greatest 40-year-old to ever play the game at quarterback. Alas, it was not to be, with the fates changing sides and poking the ball out of the Vikings’ hands.

I was thinking that the loss is a little like a small death. Not really, but there are some similarities. All of us are sad that we will not see the 2009 Vikings again. Comparing it with death even facetiously reminded me of the guru of death, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross. In her 1969 book “On Death and Dying,” Kubler-Ross describes the five stages of death we go through when faced with a catastrophe or death. Now unless you had your entire life savings bet on the Vikings it wouldn’t qualify for a catastrophe, but I thought it would be interesting to take her five stages of death and line them up with the Viking’s defeat.

Denial — “This can’t be happening to me.” There was a moment of denial when Favre threw the interception. Oh no, a flash of disbelief. And it’s true there was that moment of disbelief. It was hard to absorb all at once.

Anger — “Why me?” “It’s not fair.” I think many of us thought that. We were mad. We were mad at Brett Favre and the sideline coaches’ lack of awareness in permitting 12 players on the field the previous play. The fumbles and interceptions made us mad at Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Bernard Berrian and anybody else that contributed to the defeat.

Bargaining — Bargaining presupposes that there is an unknown amount of time left in a present life. One thing about football and almost all games is that they have a defined beginning and end. When a football game is over, it’s over. Time has run out. There is no sense in trying to bargain. Changing your lifestyle and not smoking might help if you were dying, but it matters not one whit to the timekeeper of a football game.

Depression — “I’m so sad.” “It’s not fair.” “Why bother with anything.” During this stage the person refuses visitors and spends a great deal of time being silent, crying and grieving. Kubler-Ross recommends that no one make an attempt to cheer up the individual at this stage. Now this is probably true for some over the top fans and you might get a poke in the nose with false cheerfulness. However, most of us realize that it is only a game and there are many things in our lives that have a much higher priority than a football game.

Acceptance — This is Kubler-Ross’ fifth and final stage. “It’s going to be OK.” “I can’t fight it.” “I might as well prepare for it.” This has been described as the end of the dying struggle. I think all of us at this stage are accepting the Vikings defeat. It’s too bad, but that’s the way it goes. In talking with some fans, a lot of them expressed this Minnesota nice sentiment. “It’s a shame, but the Vikings had a good year.”

I think we all understand it was not a tragedy and as the Brooklyn Dodgers fans used to say: “Wait ‘til next year.” I think Dr. Kubler-Ross would agree.