Ballad of the Minnesota Vikings

Growing up a Minnesota Vikings fan I was always told to keep expectations low. Ever since I could walk, I would go to a local Vikings bar with my dad each Sunday that the Vikings were on. Being surrounded by the disgruntled hopefuls for some reason felt like home. In today’s blog, I am going to talk about the short-comings of the Vikings in a multiple seasons.

In 1998, the Minnesota Vikings built themselves a offensively talented team. Not a single defense should be able to stop them. When it came time to play, they proved that they could score with anyone. Eric Smith reported, The Vikings scored 556 points in 1998, averaging almost 35 per contest, which set an NFL record that has since been eclipsed. Minnesota scored at least 24 points in every game, and broke the 30-point barrier in 11 of 16 regular-season games (1). The team lived up to the up hype and made it all the way to the semi-final game. At this point in the game, a field goal wins it. Thankfully the Vikings kicker was a perfect 35 for 35 that season (2). Yet, when it mattered most he missed it.

When 2009 rolled around Brett Favre was the newest member of the Vikings. He was suppose to be the savior that could help us with our forever long quarterback problem. He did just that during the regular season. Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, and Sidney Rice were too much offensively and yet again they found themselves in the semi-final game playing the Saints. History loves to be on the side against the Vikings, so as you can imagine everything imaginable went wrong. Unlike in 1998, the Saints had a field goal opportunity to win the game and they took full advantage.

While 2017 isn’t the only other season that ended in sadness, it is one that also had to end in the semi-final game. However, this time it was against the eagles. By the time this game came around, Vikings fans like me were still coming down from cloud 9. The Minneapolis miracle really put the vibes around this playoff run on a different level. Even as the game started, the Vikings got the ball first and scored right away. The final score for the game was 35-7 Eagles. After the first drive, Minnesota did nothing the rest of the game.

These are just the types of events that happen to Vikings fans all of the time. As I stated, there are many more years of heartbreak as well, but these three seasons all ended in the game before the super bowl. From needing a field goal to win to needing a field goal miss to win, the Vikings are always on the short end of the stick as they say. Even with all of the heartbreak and realization that the Vikings will probably never win a super bowl, I have hope at the beginning of every season.