(via Huffingtonpost.com)

Following his two epic blunders in the NFC Championship game, 49ers returner Kyle Williams quickly became the scapegoat for Niners fans everywhere, even receiving death threats via Twitter by adults who have clearly lost their grip on reality.  Here’s a sampling of some of the more vile messages directed at Williams:

@KyleWilliams_10 HOPE U RUN n2 A BULLET DA WAY U RAN INTO DAT BALL…

Jim Harbaugh, please give @KyleWilliams_10 the game ball. And make sure it explodes when he gets in his car.

@KyleWilliams_10. I hope you, youre wife, kids and family die, you deserve it

Well fortunately, as is often the case, our children are here to help put everything into perspective.  Following the Niners’ loss, 7-year-old Owen Shure is a lifelong 49ers fan, and decided to write an old-fashioned hand-written letter as a show of support for Williams.  You can see the letter itself in the banner pic (above), but in it, little Owen reminds his favorite player that he should be proud of everything he accomplished this season, and to keep his head up.

Let’s just hope some of the “adults” out there learn a thing or two from young Owen. It’s only a game, people. Let’s not forget that.

FULL TEXT FROM OWEN’S LETTER AFTER THE JUMP

Young Owen. So wise. (Photo via huffingpost.com)

Dear Mr. Williams:

We just watched the Playoff game. I feel really bad for you but I wanted to tell you that you had a great season. you sould be very proud, so I wanted to say thank you.

I am your #1 FAN!

Owen Shure

Los Angeles, CA

p.s. your awsome

Apparently, while braving the Soldier Field crowd to root on his beloved Packers, this gentleman had an encounter with none other than diehard Bears fan and comic legend Bill Murray, who was seated right behind him. And even though Green Bay won the game, ole’ Bill wasn’t going to let this interloper intrude on the Bears’ home turf without at least giving him a little bit of the business.

"This picture is of him laughing in my face" (Photo: BlackbookMag.com)

From the source himself:

My friend Matt Katrosar flew to Chicago last weekend to hang out with some of his Windy City pals and attend the Bears/Packers NFL playoff game. He was wearing a Green Bay jersey (in support of old-school Packers legend Ray Nitschke) amid a sea of Chicago blue. During the 2nd quarter, Matt celebrated a considerably good play on the part of Green Bay with the usual hootin’ and hollerin’ reserved for such moments. That’s when he was blatantly shoved from behind. Turning to catch a glimpse of his assailant, he discovered his pusher was none other than Bill Murray, a huge Chicago Bears fan, who was unapologetically enjoying the moment.

Matt’s friend managed to capture a photo of Murray in mid-celebration, laughing at the rival fans. Naturally, Matt wanted a picture with the legendary actor. Murray’s response to his request? “Nitschke is a pussy.” So much for “No one will ever believe you.”

LOVE IT. And Bill Murray wins again.

Cutler secretly journals in his helmet during practice (Photo: Chris Sweda, Chicago Tribune)

Monday January 17

Playing Packers on Sunday. Papers are calling this a big deal. I am the only one in the locker room that reads the paper.  Tribune is a rag. The Packers uniforms look stupid. I might have pancakes for dinner.

Tuesday January 18

Eating a Chipotle burrito. Reading nutritional content. Wildly caloric. Not surprising how fat the women are in this town.  Does not explain overall stupidity, however.  Spent some time last night watching tape of Packers. One of their linemen looks like a G.L.O.W. wrestler. Possibly shaved armpits. The world is going down the crapper one shaved manpit at a time.

Wednesday January 19

Urlacher gave a speech at the end of practice. Wasn’t listening. Distracted by strange cracks in locker room ceiling. Poor paint job. Shoddy union work. Players seemed fired up when he was done. Slipped out the back door when no one was looking. Sat in car in the parking lot. Listened to an old mix tape from old Vandy girlfriend. Counting Crows. The players stream out into the lot. A lot of the guys on the team drive really stupid cars.

Thursday January 20

Parents forwarded me a column from espn.com about me by some hack Rick Reilly. Parents still have AOL account. Print out and read article while in the hot tub. I remember Elway, very equine-shaped head. Very successful owner of car dealerships. I did not realize he was a football player. Just another thing Shanahan could not explain succinctly. Martz comes by drinking tea. He nods at me. Have ignored him since week 6 and life has been better for it.

Friday January 21

Spend evening with girlfriend. When she falls asleep head downstairs to watch TV. NFL Films is showing old Packers/Bears games. Make turkey sandwich and drink a glass of sodium-packed Spicy V-8. Watch grainy film and read poorly written scouting reports until I get tired and then go to bed. Even scouting reports on the Packers are boring.

Saturday January 22

I can tell that some of the guys are getting nervous about game on Sunday. Have to tell one of the receivers what the route is on simple audible during walk through. Gather the offense around me before heading into locker room. I tell them tomorrow is just another game. I tell them the Packers are idiots with shaved armpits and have a bush-league coach that couldn’t solve a crossword puzzle in a Highlights magazine much less come up with a plan to stop our offense.  I look them in the eye for the first time all season, every single one of them, I promise them that we will win the game. When we break I notice the turf, as usual, looks like it has been taken care of by a drunken cadre of moronic, blind groundskeepers.

Sunday January 23

Wake up early. Write check to children’s hospital. Read paper. Girlfriend makes me toast. Poorly. Drive car the long way to stadium. Bears flags fly from apartment windows and from car antennas. Whole city seems to be wearing our jerseys. I even see an attractive woman amongst the general flab.  She is pushing her young son in a stroller.  He is holding a stuffed bear and smiling. I smile too. It will be a pleasure to beat the Packers today. What a stupid team.

Garrett Hartley kicks a 40-yard, game-winning FG in overtime of the NFC Championship(Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images via ESPN.com)

The New Orleans Saints eked out a 31-28 OT victory over the Minnesota Vikings for the NFC Championship in a thriller tonight.  It was a back and forth contest, with both offenses taking shots at one another, until time finally ran out for one of them.  But in the end, it came down to turnovers – Minnesota had 5, New Orleans just 1.  Time and time again, despite moving the ball almost at will, the Vikings put the ball on the ground and threw away scoring opportunities when it mattered most.

At the end of regulation, with the ball in Saints territory, the Vikings needed only to run the clock out and attempt a last-second (albeit long), game-winning FG.  Instead, on 3rd down, Brett Favre was intercepted by Tracy Porter on and ill-advised pass, saving the game for New Orleans.

CONTINUE AFTER THE JUMP FOR VIDEO OF PORTER’S INT

Give credit to the Saints defense, who pressured Favre all day, and were opportunistic in creating turnovers for themselves … but this one will haunt Favre for a long, long time.

Listen to the Vikings Radio call of the play, which is  about as satisfying as you might expect.

Vikings TE Vishante Shiancoe with General Larry Platt (Image via Twitter)

In case you were worried that the whole American Idol “Pants on the Ground” meme would go away too quickly, rest assured that the Minnesota Vikings are doing their part to give General Larry Platt his full 15 minutes of fame.  Brett Favre sang Platt’s song in the Vikings’ locker room after last week’s win, and this afternoon, HC Brad Childress brought in the General himself to inspire the team prior to today’s NFC Championship game.

CONTINUE AFTER THE JUMP FOR VIDEO OF PLATT’S PERFORMANCE

LT Bryant McKinnie uploaded this grainy cell phone video of the performance:

[Via Shutdown Corner]

(Photos via ESPN.com)

Well, the big day is here.  Championship Sunday.  Colts vs Jets and Saints vs Vikings for the right to play in Super Bowl XLIV. By now we all know the set-up. It’s time to shut up and play.

We’ll be following the game action all day long, and providing our ongoing thoughts in the comments section.  Please join us, won’t you?

CONTINUE AFTER THE JUMP TO FOLLOW ALONG IN THE COMMENTS