Taste Of The NFL Gives You A Taste Of The Vikings Off The Field

If you're the kind of Vikings fan who only likes to read about statistics and analysis, stop reading this now.  You'll only be wasting your time.  However, if you're a die-hard fan who loves to hear about the Vikings both on and off the field, read on and enjoy.

Last Monday evening, my husband, Tom, and I had an opportunity to attend an annual local event called Taste of the NFL.  Tickets are expensive ($150 in advance) but the proceeds support the efforts of the Vikings Children's Fund and Second Harvest Heartland provide summer lunches to children who normally qualify for free lunch during the school year and may otherwise go hungry.  (I happened to win tickets through a prize drawing.)  Fourteen local premier restaurants handed out tasty morsels while attendees mingled among Vikings players and bid on silent auction items.

I paid to be able to go through the first autograph session and was able to meet Chris Kluwe, Adrian Peterson, Pat Williams and Kevin Williams.  I told Chris that I had written an article for a local paper about him several years ago and mentioned that he was the only consistent player on the team that year.  He threw his head back, laughed, and said, "Yea, that was a rough year." Adrian, Pat and Kevin (we're on a first-name basis now) were all quiet but friendly, but you couldn't miss that famous Adrian Peterson smile.

Later, as we milled around we ran into Bob Lurtsema who gave me a quick lesson on how to remove my football from its cardboard case so it was easier for the players to sign.  Chuck Foreman walked right up to us and said, "Would you like me to sign that ball?"  It was obviously a rhetorical question.  I mean, who wouldn't want Chuck Foreman's autograph?!  Brad Childress was parked in front of the dessert stand all evening (surely a coincidence) giving one the impression that he was rather unapproachable but when my husband walked up and asked for his autograph, he was very friendly. He and Tom talked a little about the game against the Steelers, but Tom refrained from mentioning that he's a huge Steelers fan.

The Good Sport of the Night Award went to Visanthe Shiancoe.  He had a line of women waiting to take their picture with him and he just kept putting his arm around one after the other.  I think half the women in the place had a photo taken with him and he smiled the entire time.  Near the end of the evening, we spotted E.J. Henderson trying to grab a bite to eat.  Every time he put something in his mouth, someone came up to him asking for an autograph.  He kept signing balls and never seemed annoyed but something told me the poor guy just wanted to eat.    

All-in-all, it was a very fun evening and the fact that the money raised went to a good cause made it even better.  If you ever have the opportunity to attend, we highly recommend it.