50 years of purple

Uffda, we are off to a busy start! :) Life at St. Olaf continues...students are back on campus, their classes have resumed and my schedule is filling up quickly. Now that the holidays have passed, I look to new milestones that will mark the changes in time as we crawl through the long winter months. One of the most noticeable changes is the Vikings season coming to a conclusion.  It seems that our years are no longer measured from January-December but rather by what the cycles in our jobs and personal lives bring.  Mike's daily life has dramatically changed not because January 1st has arrived but because the 50th season has (finally) overcome it's last hurdle. While his working life revolves around his July-January schedule, mine surrounds the academic calendar of September-June. So it has been interesting to see his "year" come to an end as mine picks up again. As I have promised, I will post a much deeper report (soon!) about life at St. Olaf and some of the great things happening here. I will even include pictures of my office, etc. but for now I'd like to reflect on Mike's year with the Vikings...

As I mentioned, this season marked the 50th season of the Vikings franchise...a great celebration indeed but it certainly put a LOT of extra work on Mike's plate. But of course he tackled it swiftly (no pun intended). :)

The season started without no. 4 but after a steak and some sweet talkin', Jared, Hutch & Longwell talked him into coming back just in time for the Saints. Wow, okay. He announces his retirement, breaks my heart and then comes back after all...heart repaired...for a moment, until I find out Sid Rice is out for the year.  The shenanigans only continued for what turned out to be the most eventful season of his 6 with the Vikings. There were some crazy moments this year and he was lucky enough to have a front row seat through it all...



Brett Favre makes his last trip to Lambeau Field of his career...
My dad and I made our debut trip to Green Bay that weekend to see it first-hand. What a memorable experience. Lambeau was amazing (but I still HATE the Packers).



Moss joined the team...and then left.



 

The Metrodome collapses...what thaaaa.

Percy Harvin and Randy Moss on the same side of the line of scrimmage.
Percy's collapse at practice and battle with migraines added another unpredictable (and scary) element to the emotion at Winter Park, too. 

The magazine that was the source of many choice words for Mike :) but it turned out great and he'll always be able to look back on this season because of it...not to mention dorks like me get to read it and relish in the memories.

The collapse at the Metrodome led to a home game to be played at TCF Bank Stadium after it had been put into hibernation for the year. Fake out. It was a crazy day of weather that day, too. Apparently the football gods and the weather gods decided to tag-team the purple people eaters. The gods always win.



Vikings release Brad Childress and hire Leslie Frazier. We were bummed to see Brad go because he was an awesome guy but at the same time were excited for Leslie to get the opportunity.

What a roller coaster it was for the Vikings and for everyone involved in their season. Game day programs printed, interviews conducted, 50th season publications sold, blogs posted, live-chats led, know-your-enemy segments recorded, radio chats with PA, 50th celebration dinners, many road trips, major drama, records set and records broken, hall of famers named, ring of honor members introduced...another year in the books. You're great at what you do, Mikey...keep it up! :)

Some of my favorite Vikings moments this year...

• Spending the day at training camp watching practice on the sidelines
• My first road trip with my dad visiting Green Bay for the first time...and getting to see Brett Favre play his last game at Lambeau
• Going to games with my friends Kristin & Kerin
• Attending the Vikings 50th Celebration with my friend Charlie
• Winning the 3rd and 4th scoring periods of the Rohde Family Fantasy Football League :) (Thank you Michael Vick)
• Watching Favre, my favorite athlete of all time, act like a kid celebrating with his teammates

I hope the 2011 season is as exciting as this year but more successful than last. Skol!