7 Decades of Purple Pain

Purple Pain Let me start by introducing myself. I am a long-time Vikings fan, almost 60 years old. I have been through just about anything a Vikings fan can imagine. I became a fan when my Dad introduced me to the Vikings when I was about 6 years old. He was a long-time fan himself. He took us (my two brothers my age and I) to old Met stadium for many a game. I remember the seeing the Vikings playing the Los Angeles Rams on December 26th, 1976, in the NFC Conference Championship. Bobby Bryant got the team started after he returned a blocked Rams field goal 90 yards for a touchdown in the first quarter, and the Vikings were off to the Super Bowl after a 24-13 victory. Unfortunately, we all know the Super Bowl history of the Vikings and, alas, the Vikings lost to the Oakland Raiders 32-14. Actually, lost isn't really the right word that comes to mind. Perhaps a better word would be dominated. The Raiders were a much better team that day, and it showed. Since then, the Vikings have no