In an effort to prevent any additional pain for Vikings fans, I’ll steer clear of football talk and stick to the fun stuff. Let’s just say the season wasn’t ideal for the folks in purple. Fortunately for me, I get to hedge my fan emotions with the consistent and reliable source of joy I get from hosting the Vikings’ gameday segment ‘On Board’.
To be honest, the whole season ends up being one big blur. I’m so focused on doing my job (yes, it’s a real job), that game days themselves are a sh*tshow - “Sorry, A-Rod, gotta run. Gotta go interview a Corgi dog downstairs” kind of deal. It’s not until after the game when I (kind of) process things… like the fact that I was in the elevator with the entire 1998 Vikings team or that former coach Jerry Burns petted me on the head during an interview (never washing my hair again).
With SB LVI (that’s 56th for those of you who didn’t study Latin) coming in hot, I wanted to put together a photo collection of my favorite interviews. That’s when I really got to process and realized just HOW MANY cool moments there were. Grinning from ear-to-ear, all the stories (from on and off air) came flooding back.
In Week 1, I decided to wear a purple sequin jacket not considering that we’d be running around outside for pregame activities. It was 92 degrees. We caught a few moments on stage with country music star Dustin Lynch, ran around talking to fans, chatted with former players and the energy for the season was set. According to my watch, the photog Louis and I walked just under 10 miles (in my “Gameday Gold” shoes, of course).
Throughout the season we chatted with some old friends: Mark Rosen, DJ Skee, Esera Tuaolo as well as former players like Steve Jordan, Cris Carter, Kevin Williams, Chuck Foreman, Paul Krause, Robert Smith, Chad Greenway, and others. Chatting with these guys is funny – they’re either totally nostalgic and calm OR adrenaline pumping and ready to put pads on and run onto the field…(I’m looking at you Brian Robison!) Nonetheless always SO FUN to chat with.
In Week 11 vs. Green Bay my photog and I found ourselves in the stands towards the end of the 4th Quarter. We run around so much during the game it’s hard to keep track of the score, so when we were headed down the stairs in the stands towards the end of the game I said “Let’s get out of here!” thinking we were going to lose. Louis (who knew next to nothing about football at the start of the season) said “But I think we’re only down by one score.” He was right - I had no idea - so we stood at the base of the stairs in the stands and celebrated with fans as we watched our team win, then lose, then win the game all in 90 seconds.
Primetime always makes for some of the best content, and Thursday Night Football in Week 14 did just that. I chatted with A-Rod and Marc Lore (after waiting for them to finish chatting with Roger Goodell) who assured me the T-Wolves would indeed be staying in MN. Ok, not word for word, but they seemed to be enjoying the Minnesotan hospitality. Before half, I met up with the Gopher Football squad who were on parade with Paul Bunyon’s Axe. FYI – The Axe is 6 feet tall and very heavy. DO NOT try to lift with one small hand while holding a microphone. They had the chance to show off their prize during one of the breaks, which lead up to one of my fav moments of the season: while the gophers were on the field, the Minnesota Rouser echoed through US Bank Stadium followed by a hearty, like really hearty, M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A. Vikings or gophers, we ARE Minnesota. Halftime came and I danced on the field as FloRida played through his catalog of hits (there are a lot of them!) bringing me right back to 10th grade (think: boots with the furrrrrr) while Louis filmed the performance from a few different angles. After the show, we chased down the stage, which is swiftly rolled backstage so the 3rd quarter can start, and ended up getting a spur of the moment interview with Flo himself after his side kick “Intl Nephew” pointed out that he and I were wearing the same shoes. Really nice guys. Very fun moment.
On a more serious note, one of the special things about football and sport itself is that it brings people together, so the games with NFL initiatives are always really special. The Crucial Catch game focuses on early detection for cancers of all kinds. Gabe Grunewald’s family was among those honored. Gabe was a professional runner who passed from cancer, and I’d followed her inspirational story for years before she went on. It’s a special story with many special humans involved. Learn more here: https://www.bravelikegabe.org/
Another initiative is Salute to Service, which always has me overjoyed with pride and full of tears. Fans had the opportunity to fill out signs that read “I Salute _____” and could fill it in with honorees of their choice. For me, it was my Grandpa Cliff and Great Uncles Glen and Harley, all veterans of WWII. Speaking of WWII, there were a handful of the very few remaining WWII Vets honored on the field during the 3rd quarter. Humbling doesn’t quite explain the feeling of observing these guys in their wheelchairs watching the game from the tunnel. After what they saw many years ago, football seems pretty insignificant…but the recognition the NFL and the Vikings offer is not. Thank you to all military, past and present.
Other causes include ‘My Cause My Cleats’ and ‘Inspire Change’, at which game I was able to chat with Prior Lake High Schooler and bullying victim/survivor Nya Sigin. She along with the NFL and the Vikings are bringing people together in hopes of strengthening community and uplifting everyone.
We’re NOT done yet!!! Erin Andrews, Olympian Gable Steveson, actor Adam Bartley, Bachelorette Michelle Young, country singer Caitlyn Smith, and others including the cutest group of racing corgi dogs you’ve ever seen. Last, but not least, Tony Oliva. Let me start by saying this guy is 83 years old, one of the best baseball players of all time, and was like a kid being interviewed by the local news when I approached him for an interview. Happy as a freaking clam, SO excited, SO kind, and didn’t even mind the drunk woman who tackled him during our interview before puking on herself. He was just stoked she was having a good time! He and I chatted and laughed long after the interview was over.
With all of that said, for me it’s not about the magnitude of celebrity or notoriety of who I get to talk to, it’s that I get to connect with folks of all walks of life and, when I can, share their stories with the world. From security guards, ticket takers, and many folks behind the scenes to shaking hands with global icons, all the connections are meaningful.
I’m beyond grateful for the opportunity to work with an amazing group at Vikings Entertainment Network and get to do my favorite things every game day: learn about real people and share their stories. At the end of the day, that is my favorite thing to do, both in my work and in everyday life. Thank you, Vikings and friends, for the opportunity to do something I truly love.
See you next season. SKOL
