Are you old enough to remember the “Purple People Eaters?” Then you know I’m talking about Football as it used to be played in the Vikings stadium on 494- outdoors in rain, sleet or snow with temperatures sometimes in -30 degrees windchill. I’m reminiscing about stoic coach Bud Grant, the “scrambler” Fran Tarkenton, the elusive Chuck Forman, heart stopping Ahmad Rashad and the famous four defensive guys in purple- Marshall, Larsen, Eller, Page. But my focus is not so much on the players as it is on the fans – the loyal enthusiasts who followed their team through four gut wrenching super bowl losses. We thought karma was going to grant our wish in 2018 at home but it turned out to be another nail pounding frustration. Our football family is now scattered across the country – Atlanta, Portland, Chicago, Allentown, Honolulu- but when the Vikings play, we’re transported back in time to Minneapolis where we know the people of the North Star state are not only MINNESOTA NICE but MINNESOTA TOUGH!
