I was only five years old when the team started playing. I don’t recall exactly when I became a fan because my family back then may not have had a television yet and I wasn’t in school until the following year, when I started first grade in St. Cloud.
The team was the Minnesota Vikings. Following the team in my earlier years wasn’t because I was interested – it was because my dad didn’t miss a game and if I wanted to watch television on Sunday afternoon it would be football I watched with my dad.
As I grew older – especially after I graduated high school – my interest changed. I recall going to my folks home every Sunday during the NFL season to watch our Minnesota Vikings.
There were some exciting seasons back then. I recall that Fran Tarkenton was one of the quarterbacks, and we had the “Purple People Eaters” on defense. There were only four times I remember the team making it to the Super Bowl, but lost all four times.
It seemed there were promises made every year that that year was going to be different…the team had made changes and was promising great results. Year after year, the team made promises and claimed to have the answers to a winning season and another trip to the Super Bowl – every year proved the team wasn’t fulfilling its promises, and some years were downright disappointing.
Then, about five years ago, the team announced the hiring of a new quarterback and promised this was the answer to winning a Super Bowl – all you Vikings fans know the team didn’t even get close – if the team made the playoffs it usually lost in the first round.
Last year, the team finally announced that the quarterback would be leaving the team, there would be a revamping of the players in certain positions, and some coaching position changes.
Now, understand that fans of the team have heard the hype over and over and usually find themselves disappointed with season results. As one of those fans, I found myself feeling like I would hold back any enthusiasm for a good season until the last half of any season – that way, I wouldn’t feel disappointed early in the season, and the disappointment would follow later in the season.
During this last off-season, the team made some fairly extensive personnel changes. New players, new coaching staff members – because of those changes (one being at quarterback) I got myself ready for a disappointing season. I figured the team had a lot of rebuilding to do and fans shouldn’t expect a lot of wins.
This column is being written in the evening following the team’s third game, a game they won, just like the first two games that they won. After these three wins, I’m finding myself feeling hopeful. I ask myself if this might be “the year” all of us Minnesota Vikings fans can be proud to be a fan. Could this be the year we go beyond the first round of playoffs? Could it be the year we go to play in the Super Bowl? Will it be the year we aren’t embarrassed by another Super Bowl blowout loss?
I won’t go to any mountain tops to scream this, but if the first three games are any indication, it might be our year!
Don’t hate me if my hopes jinx our team.
Have A Good Week!
