I started playing football in 2009. At the time, I was looking for an NFL team to root for. That year Brett Favre had just joined the Vikings. The Vikings had star players like Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, Steve Hutchinson, and Antoine Winfield. They were an amazing team that had Superbowl aspirations. But like all amazing Vikings team, they hit their ceiling in a deep playoff run, losing to the eventual Superbowl champions – the New Orleans Saints – now known as the team revolved around Bounty Gate. Ever since then, the Vikings have had heartbreak after heartbreak. Whether it be the diminished career of Teddy Bridgewater, the 2017 NFC championship game with the Eagles, or Mike Zimmer being an awful coach of an excellent roster in the last two years of his tenure – the Vikings have been the bane and the light of my existence.
But I am a loyal and die hard fan. I believe that the Vikings have a great ownership team and a great front office. Meaning that they’re not just idiots trying to win football games, they’re rich people who are idiots trying their best to win football games. They are consistent in trying to do their best and the franchise, as bad as they may be on the field – will never be a dumpster fire like the Jaguars or the Browns. On Sundays, when the Vikings lose – I will still wear their hat on Mondays, because I’m loyal and I will not fade in my loyalty to them. As a grown man I can say without a doubt in my mind that it is wild that a team that has done nothing but rip my heart out and as an organization that knows nothing about me – can dictate my happiness between the months of September to February every year.
And because I’m a fan of the team, I sit here with purple tinted glasses, being a Kirk Cousin apologist. I sit there watching Aaron Rodgers being a jerk face and root for the Packers’ demise every playoffs. The Packers losing in the playoffs, is my Superbowl. And even if the team is garbage, I will come back and watch every week regardless of the result. Maybe it’s because I’m an optimist. But I’m pretty sure that repeating this pattern every week, every month, every year – really just shows if anything that I am insane. I do pity any future girlfriends or wives that they’ll have to watch me yell at my monitor for 17 weeks a year. I also feel bad for any future children who will be indoctrinated with this visceral sports fan experience.
But at the end of the day, I live by the purple and gold. I love this team unconditionally. And isn’t that beautiful? This red flag of mine isn’t crazy. It’s a show of commitment of love. Any person would be lucky to have my show of loyalty and commitment in their lives. The Vikings bring out the worst in me, but they also bring out the best in me. Yes, I guess I am an optimist. An insane optimist who believes that every year will be our year. Make fun of me all you want, but at this point I am wearing chainmail and I have equipped a wooden shield just like a Viking. I am a Minnesota Viking through and through. #SKOL
