Sunday Night I Fulfilled a Dream

I'm a passionate Minnesota Vikings fan. From the day I heard I was going to be a father, I dreamed about having my child watch a game with me and, someday, attend a game all dressed up in Vikings gear.

Sunday night, the Vikings played the Pittsburgh Steelers in a mostly meaningless Hall of Fame pre-season game in Canton, OH. While the result of the game has no baring on either teams' success/failure, it provided me with an opportunity to watch the team I love with the person I love most: my daughter.

Of course, cheering on the Vikings will be 100x cooler when she gets older, but holding my daughter while watching football for the first time ever is something I will never forget.

Being a Vikings fan develops a young person's character quickly; you learn how to deal with heartache and disappointment while still getting an unfulfilling tasting of success (the occasional appearance in the NFC Championship game). You learn at a young age the meaning of loyalty and how to cope with failure while still maintaining a positive outlook fueled by eternal hope.

Being a Vikings fan isn't easy. That's OK. If you can't handle it, wear a block of styrofoam cheese on your head on Sundays.