Just as I procrastinated my first blog post for Just Win, I ate up a larger chunk of my morning than I’d like deciding how to best help the Minnesota Vikings get a win through the power of my fashion choices and certainly not delusion.
It works, believe me.
The stress of this potentially insignificant regular season game against the Indianapolis Colts was going to eat away at me all day if I didn’t get this decision right on the money.
I turned to my wardrobe where I carefully honed in on the shelf occupied by Vikings paraphernalia among other jerseys collected over time.
(Gone but never forgotten is my Tracy McGrady Toronto Raptors jersey. Worn during WeFest 2013 where many things were forgotten.)
Breaking the selection down further, an eclectic mix of jerseys reveals itself as I mentally prepare for being the best Vikings fan I can be today.
Reflecting on the “enemy of my enemy is my friend” angle in my flowchart is none other than the number 15 I see which Mr. Greg Jennings, the former Green Bay Packer, donned for the Vikings.
We seemingly have a shared distaste for Aaron Rodgers and his #SuccessStalkers trend from Twitter circa 2013 continues to provide unending motivation across the globe.
Jennings is always a solid choice in my mind, but he’s best served in the two, sometimes three weeks in the season when the Vikings and Packers face each other.
Five minutes of thought later, it’s onto the next one.
And just like Kenny Chesney when he hears a song, I go back to the thrift store where I purchased the next option I sorted through on the shelf.
My eyes were caught rifling through the thrift store clothes when I saw a number eight staring back at me.
Kirk Cousins had followed his heart (*cough* wallet *cough*) to Atlanta but his tenure in purple always presented the opportunity for exciting football.
Lo and behold when I turned the shir-sey around on the rack to see none other than the name of Sam Bradford surprising me.
A number one overall pick in the NFL draft arrived to Minnesota via an atypical (at the time) high-value trade for the Vikings. He was another field general who provided an NFL record-breaking season while helming the Vikings offense in 2016.
After another five minutes of reminiscing about Bradford’s sweet vintage car he drove to training camp go by and I decide today’s not the day for the former Oklahoma Sooner.
At this point, I’m realizing I’ve spent far too much time picking out a jersey to wear for essentially a 20-minute trip to the grocery store but I strive to embody the passion for the Vikings in which Marshall Eriksen displays in How I Met Your Mother.
The exasperation lifts when I see a star-spangled banner across a gold-trimmed number five imprinted on a black mesh billboard for goodness in this world.
It appears as though my mind had been made up for me after spotting the Teddy Bridgewater jersey. Purchased, again, whilst thrift shopping minutes from Winter Park, the Vikings former practice facility off of 494 in Eden Prairie.
NOW HERE’S A GUY who made Mike Zimmer (of all people) emotional just by talking about his role on the team.
The jersey was able to outmaneuver my closet-organizing skills and find its way to the rack above the purple-laden jersey shelf.
Nonetheless, as I finalize my outfit, Bridgewater feels like the perfect symbol for the kind of energy the 2026 Vikings need to maintain the hope of the fanbase.
And as I get to the end of writing this post, it’s halfway into the first quarter against the Colts. I’m now seeing Jonathan Taylor (maybe a future Viking, maybe) break through the lauded Brian Flores defense for a north of 30-yard touchdown rush.
A familiar feeling in Vikings lore.
No matter, there’s a lot of ball left.
And if play on the field do not recover from Taylor’s touchdown, then at least I’ll rest easy on the fact that my jersey choice is “fire” as I’m sure nobody says anymore.
What tf is this