It’s not easy being a Vikings fan. We all know it, but some know it more than others because they’ve been dealing with it longer.
If you’re nearly 70 years old like Steven Rowland of Chatfield, Minnesota, is, then you’ve tasted disappointed every year since 1961. That’s what makes Rowland’s special letter to the Rochester Post Bulletin, which you can read and enjoy in full right here, so perfect.
Basically, Rowland begs the Vikings to win a damn Super Bowl before he’s “on the wrong side of the grass.”
“I will turn 70 years of age in June. I have put away a little cash, here and there, for many, many years, to be able to attend a Super Bowl to watch the Minnesota Vikings compete at the highest level in football. I could be gone tomorrow and never have been able to witness that dream. Pretty sad and probably pathetic that I maintain this wish, but if these Minnesota Vikings can get it together, perhaps I may realize my dream before I end up on the wrong side of the grass.”
Props to Rowland for saying it like it is. And who can blame him? Nobody wants to end up like the millions of Chicago Cubs fans who died without ever seeing their team win a World Series during a 107-year championship drought.
And here’s a fact: no NFL team has achieved a level of expertise in preaching patience like the Vikings have.
Since the NFL merged with the AFL in 1966, a la the Super Bowl era, the Vikings have been to the playoffs 27 times. Only the Steelers (30) and Cowboys (28) have reached the postseason more.
Most playoff seasons since the merger:
PIT – 30
DAL – 28
MIN – 27
NE/SF – 24
MIA – 23
Colts/DEN – 22
GB/PHI – 21
Rams – 20
Raiders – 19
WAS – 18
TEN/SEA – 17
KC/NYG – 16
CHI – 15
ATL/BUF/CIN – 14
Chargers – 13
DET/NYJ – 12
BAL/CLE/NO – 11
TB – 10
CAR/Cardinals – 8
JAX – 7
HOU – 5 https://t.co/jMZXJs7FBd— Pro Football Reference (@pfref) January 12, 2019
But the Steelers have six Super Bowl trophies and the Cowboys have five rings, whereas the Vikes are batting zero, so to speak.
Rowland’s column included an apology for jumping around in his rant, but then he delivered his best line: “I merely write from my battered heart.”
We feel you, Mr. Rowland. Hang in there.
