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Purple Pride Defined: My Journey to Becoming a Minnesota Vikings Fan
Published: May 25, 2009
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Within every fan there exists a story about the path that brought them to wear the colors of their favorite team. There are millions of NFL fans around the world, each one with a unique background.
The colors that I wear are purple and gold and that will never change
As an Atlanta native, my situation is different than most. I am constantly asked the question: “Why the Minnesota Vikings?” I usually just smile, because my connection to the Vikings is one that is not easily explained.
I was born and raised in Georgia, but I have always been a Viking. My father, Eddie Gunn, had a passion for the Vikings that may never be matched. He never lived in Minnesota, either. Born in Virginia, he saw the Vikings on television at the age of six and never looked back. Even through the heartbreak of four Super Bowl losses, my dad stuck with the Vikings.
They say the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree; this could not be more true when it came to me becoming a fan. From the age of three, I was with my father at a local sports grill watching the Vikings. I remember players like Wade Wilson, Anthony Carter, and Rich Gannon.
In the beginning, the only thing I cared about when we went to watch the games were Shirley Temples and begging for quarters so I could play in the arcade. The older I got, the more I became attached to the real reason why we were at the sports bar—to root for the Vikings.
At 12 years old, I officially joined the purple nation when we went to my first Vikings game. It was against the Atlanta Falcons and Brad Johnson led us to victory. In that same season, I saw the Vikings win their first playoff game of the 90’s; a 23-22 victory against the Giants.
Although I could recount a number of memorable games that have some type of meaning to me, it is the bond that the Vikings gave my father and I that is really behind my love for them. Every Sunday during the NFL season was about the two of us, rooting for the Vikes, together.
My life took an unfortunate turn during the 2005 season when my dad was diagnosed with stage IV colon cancer. The same weekend he was in the hospital after having major surgery, the Vikings were playing their biggest rival, the Green Bay Packers.
At halftime, they were down 17-0. My dad was not able to watch the game while he was in the hospital and I had to call him to tell him that things were not looking good. Everything seemed to be falling apart and for the first time I no longer cared if the Vikings won or lost.
A funny thing happened in the second half though; the Vikings scored 20 straight points to take a three point lead in the fourth quarter. Then, Brett Favre marched the Packers down field and they tied the game with under a minute left. The Vikings were able to get back into Packers territory and the game came down to a 53-yard field goal attempt by Paul Edinger.
It was in that moment, as the ball sailed perfectly through the uprights, that I knew I would be loyal to this team for the rest of my life. Even though my father passed away a year later, in 2006, I always feel close to him when I am watching the Vikings.
His loyalty and passion for the Vikings and everything else in life inspired me to never give up on anything.
It is easy for Vikings fans to wonder if the team they love so much will ever win an elusive Super Bowl trophy. My advice to them is this; if you are passionate enough for the Vikings, enjoy every single game. Celebrate every win, embrace every loss. It may be cliche, but you have to take the good with the bad.
We know what heartache feels like. The long time followers have experienced defeat in four Super Bowls. The younger generation of fans, like myself, saw a team go 15-1 during the regular season, only to lose to the Falcons in the NFC Championship in overtime at the Metrodome.
If that game wasn’t bad enough, in 2003 we were forced to watch our team’s playoff chances fizzle when Nate Poole caught a touchdown pass on the last play of the game to end the Vikings’ season.
So, yes, we know what it feels like to come just short. While it may be hard to see Steelers fans brag about their six Super Bowl rings and hear Bears fans talk about the 1985 season, just know our day will come. All the agony of defeat, all the thoughts of potential that was never quite reached, that will all be gone.
Although it is interesting to know why someone became a fan of a team, it is the reason why they stay a fan that truly tells their story. The connection that I feel to my father when I am watching the Vikings is what gets me excited for every game.
That, combined with the anticipation I feel when I think about the day they are crowned Super Bowl champions, is why I will always be a fan of the Minnesota Vikings.
