The Final Score

In the '99 NFC Championship, which the Vikings lost, who was the kicker who missed the field goal?

That's a key question in Monday night's episode of "How I Met Your Mother," and it's raised at a Minnesota Sports Bar in NYC.

Robin (pictured, a Canadian trying to pass as a Minnesotan) answers "Rashad Tarkenton" and her annoyed pal, Marshall, informs her that the correct answer is Gary Anderson.

Thing is, it was really the 1998 NFC Championship Game they were talking about. It was played in January of 1999.

It's not the first time that the Vikings played a key role on a CBS sitcom. Remember the Mary Tyler Moore Show just before Super Bowl IX when Lou Grant bet Ted Baxter's money on the Steelers and lost?

And during the credits, MTM herself made this disclaimer:

"If the Pittsburgh Steelers win the actual Super Bowl tomorrow, we want to apologize to the Pittsburgh team and their fans for this purely fictional story. If they lose, remember, you heard it here first."

In reality, Lou and Ted would have won their bet.

BTW, the wording from the MTM Show disclaimer came from Super Bowl Conciege.

And if you're curious about the 1998-99 championship game and Anderson's stunning miss, go here.