Crazy Man Loves the Vikings

Date: Sunday, September 23, 2007. Time: Sometime before noon. Place: Yankton, SD

Sunday morning, you noticed him if you drove on Broadway . Maybe your kids yelled from the backseat, "Who is that, Mommy." Maybe you thought to yourself... there's another release from the Human Services Center. He was there, just as he is every Sunday. To locals he is known "Viking Phil". To message board users he is know as "#1VikingFanGaryAndersonSucks". His real name is Philip R. Vega.

Philip devotes his Sunday morning routine to the Minnesota Vikings football team. He loves the Vikings so much that at 8:00 a.m. he completely abandons his trailer and 47 cats (all named after Vikings players), to "get his buzz on." He is out of bed at six, showers, and prepares "football feasts", usually while still intoxicated from the night before. Phil then makes his way to the closest convenience store to buy his beer. After that he gets dressed.

His dress attire consists of big fur boots, a heavy fur coat, and a helmet made of real leather, fur, and horns. It is after he is fully prepared to be a fan that he walks to Broadway, with wagon in tow. The wagon carries his food, drinks, and props. The props vary from week to week, but there is the one prop that remains the same, that is the Vikings horn. Phil proceeds to march up and down Broadway bellowing on the horn, singing "Skol, Vikings," and yelling various football statements. Through eye witness statements most of Phil's expressions consist of; "First down, Cris Carter", "Touchdown, Ahmad Rashad", "What a run by Chuck Foreman!", and "Carl Eller with another sack!".

At 11:30 he heads off for his friends house. His friend refused an interview for this article and wished to remain anonymous. Only saying, "You leave Phil alone, he's had a hard life." I was able to run into Phil leaving his friends house after the Vikings 13-10 loss at the Kansas City Chiefs. I asked Phil about the game while he sat on the curbside leaning to one-side, one eye closed, and trying to light a cigarette with a very unsteady hand. Phil told me the Vikings had won the game 48-3. He then attempted to get to his feet, he was successful on his third attempt. When he regained his balance he began to yell at the top of his lungs while jumping and stumbling around,"Vikings Win! Vikings Win!" It was when the neighbors started to appear outside their houses that I walked away from the scene.

After later investigation I was able to find out that Phil had spent that evening in the drunk tank at the Police Station. Seems to me like that is a harsh punishment for someone who was just expressing his love for his favorite football team. I mean isn't it punishment enough just being a Vikings fan? Next time you are driving down Broadway on a Sunday morning keep your eye at for Phil, if you see him honk.