As many of you know, I somehow slithered my way into a job where I write blogs for Vikings fans as a Packer fan. Before you burn me at the stake, I’m a diehard Twins and Wild lover. So, I’m not just pure filth. Obviously, 10K Takes is also an undeniably progressive company, and they honor their equal opportunity employment to the max. Don’t worry though, the higher ups keep my leash real short. I’d never do anything aggressive like post a graphic comparing the Vike’s and Pack’s Super Bowl records.
Vikings’ Fans Party Pre-Game:
10:30am – Homemade jalapeño bloodies in downtown Minneapolis. Solid 8.2 with a combination of bloody mix spiced up.
11:00am – Had to go back for round 2 because I love bloodies, and I needed to burn the rest of my tongue off.11:30am – Start the walk to Tom’s Watch Bar for the party. Safe driving is walking people.
11:36am – See belligerent Vikings fan handing out free “knucks” with the Apollo 13 of all snot rockets hanging from his nose.11:45am – Arrive at Tom’s Watch Bar in rookie fashion. No chance we were getting seats 15 minutes before game time. People filled every seat in the entire place, but luckily we found some standing spots just off the corner of the bar. Not too shabby to be honest.
Vikings’ Fans Party During Game:
First Quarter:
15:00 – Utilize the first of two free drink tickets on a Bomba Juice. Absolutely outrageous they didn’t offer the Nordic Thunder at this event. I’ve been waiting to try it.
10:27 – F-bombs fill the bar as Jameson Williams scores his first NFL touchdown on botched coverages. You’d think Harrison Smith was Jesus himself based on all the prayers for him to rise from the dead.
4:02 – “Shots” by Lil John starts playing while actual shots in the hundreds get passed around on platters. Dalvin scores the first Vikings touchdown. Wish he didn’t have to commit the murder of #5’s ankles on national television.Second Quarter:
15:00 – Chad Greenway and Hall-Of-Famer John Randle enter the bar to sign autographs, mingle with fans, and make a generous donation of $25,000 to John’s charity of choice. This was very cool.
15:00 – Order Bomba number 2. Forget to present drink ticket, and bar tender never asks. Free drinkipoos for the boys. Couldn’t get any better than that.
14:56 – Vikings turn the Lions over on downs. First of the many to come “Skol” chant hits the bar. I can barely hear myself think.
6:34 – After a few punts, another wide open touchdown for the Lions. At this point, the murmurs of “classic Vikings” and “that’s Minnesota sports” are first heard.
1:06 – You could hear a pin drop before someone yelled out “What a terrible play call KOC!” Dalvin Cook fumbling on the 3-yard line on first and goal just destroyed the hearts of everyone around me.
Third Quarter:
15:00 – In order to boost morale, the next round of shots come out. This time, they’re Gray Duck Vodka’s version of strawberry lemonade vodka. Pretty dang decent.
13:33 – It’s time for Bomba numero tres with the hopes of conserving a 3rd life for the second drink ticket. No such luck, the bar tender remembered his mistakes and made sure to ask for them. Needless to say, nobody held theirs out until he directly asked.
2:17 – The Minnesota boy Adam Thielen breathes the breath of life back into the soul of the entire state of Minnesota. However, it’s pretty short-lived as the Vikings go for the questionable 2-point conversion. Nothing like hearing 200 drunk Minnesotans complain about analytics, and how football used to be a game of heart. Also, yes. Another round of shots were most definitely distributed through the entire bar.
Fourth Quarter:
13:28 – Justin Jackson brings the lead up to 15, and now everyone’s really coming for Coach O’Connell’s head. I’m slightly worried a mob is about to form and walk it’s way right down to US Bank.
10:47 – Greg the new leg’s field goal actually angers most of the bar as they question the whole 2-point fiasco again.
3:41 – I know for a fact, not a single person in that bar knew that Justin Jefferson had just set the Vikings’ single game receiving record. I watched the whole game and knew he was doing decent. But 223? Are you kidding me? He’s a monster.
2:50 – It seemed like every time the Vikings would get momentum, one decision derailed everything. KJ’s late TD brought the Vikings back within a score, but analytics again reared its head. The decision to kick an onside with 2 time-outs and the two-minute warning, while putting the Lions on the Vikings side of the field was bold. It was just bold enough to earn the bar another 1000 shots.
0:17 – A textbook 7-play, 14-yard drive was all the Lions needed to put the dagger in the Vikings season. At least that’s what you would’ve thought at the scene of sadness that filled everyone’s faces. Luckily, it was only momentary as fans began to remember they were still 10-3 and controlled their own destiny.
Vikings’ Fans Party Post-Game Thoughts:
I’ll be short and sweet. My first Vikings experience had everything I though it would. Free drinks, “Shots” by Lil John, real shots, JJettas going off, hall-of-famers and Vikings legends, poor play calling, mood swings, verbal violence, heartbreak, Kirk going for 402 yards and 2 TDs in a loss, and everything in-between. I thought it couldn’t have gone any better. I got to experience what it was like to be a true Vikings fan.
I’m just the ugly stepson of the 10K family. Part Minnesotan, Part Wisconsinite. Half best friend, half mortal enemy. Can’t live with me, can’t live without me.