Erin Cochran/Winonan

In my household, football isn’t just a sport…it’s a way of life.

On any given Sunday you can find everyone huddled around the T.V. cheering on the Minnesota Vikings.  It’s the same every single year. We get our hopes up by the stellar start the Purple People Eaters debut with and then everything falls apart around week seven. Our mantra, “there’s always next year!” (50+ years later)

Ever since I can remember, there have been certain rituals we perform every single Sunday. Every television is set to the Vikings game at full blast, game day jerseys on on and ready to give us good luck and we all sit in the exact same seats.

Food is also an extremely important part of the day.  Good old Kentucky Friend Chicken makes an appearance with an assorted buffet of fried chicken, hot wings and any side you could imagine.  What’s a day of football without it?!

We don’t just sit around with our legs crossed, twiddling our thumbs and clapping every once in a while, no. The way that my dad yells at the screen, you would think someone had just totaled his car. The passion in his voice is extreme but mostly of disappointment; I mean we are talking about the Vikings.  It’s no wonder I get so emotional when my beloved Vikings inevitably disappoint.

It wasn’t just game day when my family’s obsession is in full force. Every year, my dad would bring my brother and I to Vikings training camp in Mankato, Minn. We would wake up at five in the morning, load up the car and prepare our assortment of Vikings memorabilia to get signed by our beloved role models.

This tradition has continued into present day and we’re still as passionate as ever. I’m not ashamed to say that when I met Jared Allen for the first time three years ago I cried. Yes, I cried at the tender age of 18, meeting the big man himself. Jared Allen is my own personal Justin Bieber.

Coming with the territory of being a die-hard fan, I very much dislike the Packers. That’s the polite way of putting it. Many times I get bashed for hating the Green Bay Packers so much but what do you want from me?! I’ve been bred to look at them as public enemy number one and of course, my two best friends are devoute cheese heads.

It’s too bad that one of them is actually from the Forbidden City itself, Green Bay, Wis. We love each other more than anything but come game day, all bets are off. Our friendship was tested after the infamous Seahawks-Packers game, but I’m proud to say we made it through that dark time.

Fantasy football is another story of enabling this passionate obsession. My team, the ‘Shawshincoe Redemptions’ are currently doing well in my league. If you’re an avid watcher to the show, “The League,” you could pretty much parallel everything that happens in that show to my life. Shivakamini Somakandarkram!

If you think I’m over exaggerating about my family’s problem, you would be mistaken. During my senior year of high school, while everyone was going off to Mexico, Florida, Hawaii and all the amazing places one could choose to go for the week my family and I went to Canton, Ohio. What’s in Canton? Pretty much nothing except for Mecca itself, the National Football League Hall of Fame. Walking through the hallowed halls of football greatness changes a person. It was a truly religious experience.

Football isn’t just a game; it’s truly a way of life for so many people around this great country. I have two favorite teams in the NFL, the good old Minnesota Vikings and anyone who plays against the Packers. Sports have been a way of life since I can remember and it’s only just the beginning. I can’t wait to raise my own little Vikings fans! Skol!

Contact Erin at [email protected]