My buddy and I are partial Minnesota Vikings season ticket holders. We made this purchase for the express purpose of seeing our beloved Chicago Bears live at the Metrodome in November. We decided to sell off the majority of our game tickets (no use going and supporting a division rival) but kept two additional pairs so we could each go once with our wives. Today Rachel and I hit the Vikings/Colts game and I have a few observations…
First: NFL football + stadium with a lid on it = VERY LOUD. I sought out the answer of just how loud it got in the dome at these games and saw the words “airliner taking off”. That particular blurb was in reference to the Twins and it has to be louder at the football games. The crowd itself gets extraordinarily loud and the fact that they choose to jack the music levels on the house speakers (each aimed directly at my seat) up past the level of distortion did not help. My eardrums were begging for mercy early on and many attempts at conversation ended with a “huh?” response followed by a mouthed “never mind” (no use straining the vocal cords when you’re not going to be heard or understood anyway). The noise does what it’s supposed to do as All-World quarterback Peyton Manning was owned by the Viking defense for most of three quarters. I’d have difficulty doing my job with 65,000 people yelling that loud in my workspace too (although Peyton’s got a much bigger cubicle than the rest of us).
Second: Way too many people root, root, rooting against the home team. There were a lot of people cheering for the Colts today which happens but it seemed they had an unusually large representation. I even saw people in purple (the Vikings color) cheering the Colts victorious final field goal. Were they forced into those jerseys against their will? How do you wear one team’s logo and celebrate their loss? When I attended my first NFL game last season at Soldier Field in Chicago there were a few Chiefs fans but they were WAY over matched. I attended a Cubs game in Cincinnati where the majority of the fandom was adorned in Cubbie blue. I get it when it’s one of 81 home games and your team doesn’t sell well but 100+ straight sellouts to your home games (only eight a year) and the girl in the Adrian Peterson purple jersey suddenly loves the Colts kicker…not cool.
Third: I can’t fake support of a team that is not my own. When it got loud and intense I gave some courtesy applause but my heart was not in it. I got excited when I saw the Bears score posted on the scoreboard (until they were on the wrong side of things) and the only times my heart went pitter pat was when the Colts Reggie Wayne made two big plays (he’s on my fantasy football team). I cheer for the Big 12 when the Cyclones aren’t playing them but that doesn’t compete with my team’s postseason chances. Thinking about the Vikings dropping to 0-2 was appealing but I was cheering the Bears against the same Colts last week and they ruined our Super Bowl visit two years ago. I will admit the introductions were impressive in volume. There was a even a Viking looking dude on a motorcycle (pictured below), a few fireworks and the team running out of an inflatable Viking ship along side the loudest rendition of Led Zeppelin’s "Immigrant Song" that I’ve ever heard.
First: NFL football + stadium with a lid on it = VERY LOUD. I sought out the answer of just how loud it got in the dome at these games and saw the words “airliner taking off”. That particular blurb was in reference to the Twins and it has to be louder at the football games. The crowd itself gets extraordinarily loud and the fact that they choose to jack the music levels on the house speakers (each aimed directly at my seat) up past the level of distortion did not help. My eardrums were begging for mercy early on and many attempts at conversation ended with a “huh?” response followed by a mouthed “never mind” (no use straining the vocal cords when you’re not going to be heard or understood anyway). The noise does what it’s supposed to do as All-World quarterback Peyton Manning was owned by the Viking defense for most of three quarters. I’d have difficulty doing my job with 65,000 people yelling that loud in my workspace too (although Peyton’s got a much bigger cubicle than the rest of us).
Second: Way too many people root, root, rooting against the home team. There were a lot of people cheering for the Colts today which happens but it seemed they had an unusually large representation. I even saw people in purple (the Vikings color) cheering the Colts victorious final field goal. Were they forced into those jerseys against their will? How do you wear one team’s logo and celebrate their loss? When I attended my first NFL game last season at Soldier Field in Chicago there were a few Chiefs fans but they were WAY over matched. I attended a Cubs game in Cincinnati where the majority of the fandom was adorned in Cubbie blue. I get it when it’s one of 81 home games and your team doesn’t sell well but 100+ straight sellouts to your home games (only eight a year) and the girl in the Adrian Peterson purple jersey suddenly loves the Colts kicker…not cool.
Third: I can’t fake support of a team that is not my own. When it got loud and intense I gave some courtesy applause but my heart was not in it. I got excited when I saw the Bears score posted on the scoreboard (until they were on the wrong side of things) and the only times my heart went pitter pat was when the Colts Reggie Wayne made two big plays (he’s on my fantasy football team). I cheer for the Big 12 when the Cyclones aren’t playing them but that doesn’t compete with my team’s postseason chances. Thinking about the Vikings dropping to 0-2 was appealing but I was cheering the Bears against the same Colts last week and they ruined our Super Bowl visit two years ago. I will admit the introductions were impressive in volume. There was a even a Viking looking dude on a motorcycle (pictured below), a few fireworks and the team running out of an inflatable Viking ship along side the loudest rendition of Led Zeppelin’s "Immigrant Song" that I’ve ever heard.
So I will wait and watch weekly on TV until the Bears roll into town in late November. Then I’ll have a partner in crime proudly wearing navy and orange with me as we unashamedly cheer for our Bears. Though it’s been a bit strange to watch the Twins and Vikings playing inside over the last few months the coverage will be appreciated as we’re knocking on the door of December. Hopefully we’ll witness a Chicago victory as we did last September when the Air Force flyover and Devin Hester’s returned kickoff for a touchdown had my heart leaping inside of me. Hester could have run for governor of Illinois that day and won in a landslide…perhaps he’ll spoil election month in Minneapolis.
Run Devin Run!
1 comment:
Looks like a great time, despite the noise. Just catching up on your blog. LOVE the photos from your vacation. Everyone looks so good! What a hoot to see all those places (corn palace rocked, didn't it?!). Have a good one!
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