Skol!

As a teenager I had the usual teenage crushes:  David Cassidy, the Monkees, Barry Manilow.  

 

But my biggest and longest lasting crush was with the Minnesota Vikings (sigh). 

 

I have three brothers who all played football so I grew up with football.  We lived in northern Iowa and the Vikings were the closest pro football team there was, so we were instantly Vikings fans.  Friday nights were spent watching my brothers play football and Sunday was spent watching the Vikings. 

 

At a time when I could have had posters of any of the above teenage idols scattered around my room from the latest Sixteen magazine, I had an autographed team poster of the Minnesota Vikings hanging above my bed,  a Vikings banner, and a Vikings garbage can in my room. 

 

I loved watching the Purple People Eaters.  I idolized Carl Eller, Alan Page, and Jim Marshall.  Nobody could kick like Freddy Cox or coach like Bud Grant.

 

My biggest crush was Fran Tarkenton (aka Scramblin' Fran). 

(double sigh)

 

As a very young teen we went to a couple of football games in the old Metropolitan Stadium. I remember our seats were usually at the very top of the stadium, and it was usually November when we went, so it was cold, and at times snowy, but I LOVED going to those games.  I didn't care where our seats were or what the temperature was, the Minnesota Vikings were on the field and I was in awe!  It was such a neat experience.  There were no temperature controlled domes.  These guys played in the bitter cold and the snow, and they did it well. 

 

The last game we went to at that stadium was on November 13, 1977, against the Cincinnati Bengals.  It was at that game that Fran Tarkenton broke his leg.  The carried him out in the tunnel right by our seats. 

 

 

I was devastated. 

 

 

I sent Fran a get well card and received an autographed letter from him. 

 

 

Okay, it was a xerox copy and I am sure thousands of people got the same one, but I was sure Fran had read MY card and had personally sent me that letter.  I still have that framed letter to this day!

 

 

So 40 years later my heart still bleeds purple and gold.  I've had other favorite Vikings players over the years. 


Cris Carter was amazing. 


I loved to see Daunte Culpepper run with the ball - for someone his size he could be pretty fast and get some good yardage when needed! 


Randy Moss was fun to watch because he made such awesome leaps to catch the ball. (I won't speak to his attitude and antics off the field, only his talent on the field). 

 

Robert Smith was another top player.  My favorite quote of his was, "If you need 1 yard I'll get 3, if you need 2 yards I'll get 3, if you need 10 yards, I'll get 3."  He was the kind of runner I loved to watch because often it WAS a 3-yard gain, but the times he broke a tackle or two and got a 15, 20,or 25 yard run were sweet! 

 

Of course today you can't help but like Adrian Peterson, Jared Allen, and I could go on and on.

 
 

I know, I've heard every joke you can think of regarding the Vikings:

 

  Always the bridesmaid, never the bride. 

Their color is purple because they always choke. 

Wasn't Jim Marshall known as "Wrong way Marshall?" 

 

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

 

But I'll never turn my back on my favorite team.   


 

So if Fran Tarkenton, Alan Page, Carl Eller, Freddy Cox, Robert Smith, Cris Carter, Adrian Peterson, or any other past or current Vikings happen to read my blog (a girl can dream can't she)...

 

I love you guys! (sigh)



Hope springs eternal.