THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS

The Vikings come from the cold, but inviting state of Minnesota.  Only in Minnesota can a team have as much hard luck as the Vikings, and still have a strong and supportive fan base.  During their time based in Minneapolis, the Vikings have integrated a great deal of pride in their namesake, as many of the residents of Minnesota, particularly northern Minnesota, are of Norwegian decent.  Even the team’s fight song, Skoal Vikings, is sung with a Norwegian accent and draws from traditional views of Viking Warriors. 

The Vikings, who were originally supposed to play in the AFL, joined the NFL in 1961 as an expansion team.  Since then the Vikings have won their division 16 times, and became the first team to reach the Super Bowl 4 times.  However, the Vikings were also the first team to loose their first four, and only four, Super Bowl appearances.  It’s because of this that many call the Vikings “Hard Luck” losers and make jokes referring to Hell freezing over when the Vikings win the Super Bowl. 

However, despite the hard luck the Vikings have endured during their existence, they have also had some great moments and teams.  Fans will remember the 1998 season, when the Vikings were so close to being the second team to have a perfect regular season record.  They ended up loosing their last game by 4 points, which seems like so little to most, but seemed like a blowout to most Minnesota fans. 

Fans will also remember the Denny Green era.  As the Vikings head coach from 1992-2002, Denny Green led the Vikings to 4 division titles, 8 playoff appearances, and 2 NFC championship appearances, with an overall record of 97-62 to top it all off.  During the famous 1998 season, the Vikings also set an NFL record for most points scored in a season with 556. 

During the last ten years or so, the Vikings have had their share of memorable players.  These include quarterback Daunte Culpepper, wide receiver Randy Moss, wide receiver Chris Carter, and quarterback Brad Johnson.  Daunte Culpepper currently holds the season record for most passing and running yards in a season, surpassing Dan Marino’s record, with 5,123 total yards. 

The last few years have had their shares of ups and downs.  Although the Vikings continue to make the playoffs, they haven’t enjoyed the same regular season success they are used too.  The team was also just bought by Zygi Wilf, and has just named Brad Childress, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, to be the new head coach for the 2006 season.  Vikings fans, who are still eagerly awaiting their first Super Bowl championship, have high hopes that Wilf and Childress will be the two that give the Minnesota fans what they have been wanting and waiting for so long.