| Friday, 07/30/2010
We've been seen tailgating on TV and have even been featured in news articles around the Twin Cities and beyond. From local cable TV to National Media, we have been featured as Vikings Maniacs. Over the years our hearty band of Viking Tailgaters, aka, the Berserkers, have been featured on NFL Films, a Local Twin Cities Cable TV show, WCCO Channel 4, FOX Sports Pre-game and the Minneapolis Star & Tribune. This section of the webpage is intended to show off some of the media outlets that we have been featured in: 2008: Almost every Sunday morning a TV truck from KMSP or KSTP was in the lot to do live remotes this season. The best of the year was KMSP, who came out in -20 degree weather for the game vs. Atlanta and hung out all morning with O.J. and Angel. They were the stars that day. September 2007: The Minneapolis Star & Tribune's Aimee Blanchette interviewed Marcus "Mookie" Anderson for September 30th feature titled " Parking-lot picnics pose profit potential. The increasing popularity of tailgating is finally prompting retailers to get a piece of the pie." The story ran in the business section of the Sunday edition and included a few quotes from the Vikingstailgate.com Webmaster. September 2007: KMSP Channel 9 with Todd Walker, and KSTP Channel 5 with Susanna Song were both in the tailgating lot with us on Opening Day vs. the Atlanta Falcons. Both stations had remote reporters in the lot with us, and several other tailgaters throughout their entire Morning Show coverage. The highlight of the day was when Vikings Owner Zygi Wilfe joined us in the lot, shook some hands, kicked some field goals and gave our "tribe" an impromptu pep speech. August 2007: WCCO Channel 4 lead story on the 10:00 PM News. When news of the Vikings backing out of their deal to purcahse parking lots from the Star & Tribune broke, Mookie received a call from Esme Murphy requesting an interview. She and a photographer drove out to Lakeville, MN and shot an interview in his basement Sports Bar & Office. Video Coming Soon! December 2006: Featured on KMSP Fox 9 Morning News Remote prior to the New York Jets Game. Kansas Vike, Justin (Next One), and the Battlewagon Boys were interviwed by KMSP's Todd Walker throughout the entire morning. Video is coming soon. December 2006: Featured in the book, Purple
People REVIEW OF PURPLE PEOPLE: Purple Posse Many a book has been written about sports figures and teams, but "Purple People" is the first to be devoted to a teamÕs fans. The Purple People Ried Holien refers to are, of course, Minnesota Vikings fans. Holien calls Vikings fans Òthe best fans in the NFL,Ó and sets off to prove it in "Purple People". Although the book is humorous, "ItÕs not a fluff piece", he explains, "though it is a positive take on Viking fans." The idea for the book came to him in 2002. He traveled from his home in South Dakota to take in a game and arrived a couple of hours early. He entertained himself by walking through the tailgating parking lots, watching the fans partying. "The Vikes were two and five that season, and about to fall to two and six," he says. "Yet the lots were packed, and the fans were in a good mood." As Holien thought about it, he realized the Vikings had a bad year the year before, and in fact, had a string of four to five years without much success. He realized, he says, that "these people had built a culture above and beyond the team. The Vikes gave people an excuse to get together and have a good time anyway." "If youÕre a Vikings fan," Holien says, "youÕve had your heart ripped out a number of times." Holien says there are three different camps of fans. One group just plain loves to party. They are the ones most likely to be tailgating. A second group has a rich history with the Vikings. They are the ones most likely to watch games with family members. Holien lumps himself into the third group of fans. "I have friends who are Vikings fans," he says. Last Sunday after the Vikings unexpectedly routed the Giants 41-17, Holien called co-author Steve Belatti in Oregon and talked about the game. "Would we be friends without the Vikings?" he said. "Probably." But he says that having the link of being Vikings fans adds a depth to their friendship. Richard Lustberg is a renowned sports psychologist Holien went to when seeking validation for his claim that Vikings fans are the best. He says that Lustberg, when asked which football team has the best fans, immediately named the Vikings. Vikings fans are the best, according to Lustberg, based on "loyalty, perseverance, and what they have had to go through." Holien adds that television ratings are high, the arena is usually sold out, and the Vikings have a nationwide fan base. "You canÕt say just because the team loses they have great fans," he says. He admits the Vikings have had some black eyes for on and off the field behaviors. Former Viking Randy Moss had run-ins with the law. There was that "love boat sex scandal" thing where a handful of Vikings faced criminal charges. Criminal charges came out of the Winter Blast fundraiser. And last year, Koren RobinsonÕs attempt to outrun police earned a yearÕs worth of legal hassles and court appearances. ÒItÕs been pretty hard to be a Vikings fan, he says. And yet, fans always show up. Of the fans, Holien says, ÒThey donÕt have to be ashamed. ItÕs about who they are, not about the team. Growing up and living his entire life in South Dakota, Holien could have attached his loyalty to just about any team. Even a winning team. Though he has many relatives and friends in Minnesota, and considers himself to be "30 percent Minnesotan," his loyalty is not based on geography. "Playing football outside, with friends, boys always have to pick who they want to be," he explains. Holien picked 1980s-era quarterback Tommy Kramer. He started watching Kramer and the whole team. As a result, he has been a season ticket holder for the last 25 years. Holien has been researching "Purple People" since his walk among tailgate parties in 2002. "I wanted the book to come out in a year when the Vikings were doing good, but I realized I could die before that happens." "Purple People" features interviews with former Vikings players and broadcasters. It also provides insider tales of training camps in Mankato, favorite haunts of players and fans, and stories from myriad fans. November 2006: St.
Paul Pioneer Press October
2006: Metro Magazine September 2006: Playbook Magazine, Minnesota
Vikings October 2005: KMSP Morning Show August 2004: Cub
Foods Commercial December 1999: Minneapolis Star & Tribune's Fan Cam
November 1999: WCCO News on Twin Cities Channel 4 September 1999:Minneapolis Star & Tribune: Feature Story
1999: Ripped
Off With Keith King, Cable Access TV 1998- Present: The Commissioner of NFL Tailgating 1999: NFL Films
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