Vikings at Minnesota State: Quarterback Signing Day

Dear MavBlog readers,

I’m going to start off this post by asking you a question.

Have you ever had a time when you and your friends/family, whoever it may be, waited in hour-long lines for something? Maybe it was for a midnight movie premiere to your favorite movie, like Harry Potter, with long lines of people dressed as wizards, with capes and broomsticks and lightning bolts etched into their foreheads. Or maybe it was the Twilight premiere, with people sauntering around with vampire fangs and signs blaring Team Edward or Team Jacob. Maybe it was for an event to meet your favorite celebrity, like Justin Bieber or Taylor Swift at Mall of America. Maybe it was camping outside Target with your family at four in the morning on Back Friday to be one of the first 50 people to get the latest video game system, or at Best Buy to get the half-priced 72-inch flat screen you want. Whatever it may be, I bet once in your life you have done something like this.

Today, the reason behind those long, long lines that we speak of, are for the Minnesota Vikings quarterbacks, Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder, and Teddy Bridgewater. It’s quarterback-signing day today, and if you’re a die-hard fan, those lines are worth the wait.

Some fans were showing up as early as 5:00 am to get their first spots in line for the 11:30 signing time. I got to go and interview some of these fans that were waiting in line.

Let's take a look.

Bill, 52

Bill here is 52, and was in the autograph line for Matt Cassel. I asked him why he was waiting for Cassel’s instead of the other two quarterbacks, and he said “I take pictures of him myself when they’re practicing on the field. So today I’m getting one of the pictures I took of him signed.” Bill has always been a Vikings fan, ever since he was born. He said that after he gets the autograph he will frame it and put it on a will in his living room, where other memorabilia hangs. As a last question, I asked what his favorite part about training camp is and he replied, “My favorite part is that you can get up close and personal with the players. If you go to a game, you just can’t do that. You don’t even get close to them. Coming to training camp, I’ve actually become good friends with Jerome Simpson.” Bill and his wife drive back and forth from home everyday to attend camp, and usually get here 7:30-8:00 but said because tomorrow is running back day, it might be 6:00am.

Rick, 55

Rick here is 55 years old, “or one day older than yesterday,” he joked, and is one fan that probably sticks out to even other loyal Vikings fans. Rick attends almost every practice, showing off his full ensemble of Vikings gear and drumming the Vikings horn. Today he was in line for the new quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater. He said that coming to training camp has been a special tradition for him, and when asked how many autographs he’s gotten, he pointed to his flag and said “More than I can count.” Rick collects the autographs on his flag, and brings it back to camp every year for more. I then asked why getting an autograph is special to him, and he replied, “Well, they’re players to remember. Before you know it, the year has come and gone. You never knew if their name will still be on that roster."

Sally, 27

Sally, 27, might be one of our furthest travelers to attend training camp and one of our most devoted Matt Cassel fans. She is from Rochester, Minnesota, but drove all the way from Richmond, Virginia, where she currently lives. She said she makes a trip home to Minnesota every year but this will be her first year attending training camp. When asked why she makes such a long drive, she replied, “I just love the Vikings so much! And Matt Cassel is my favorite player so this will be my first autograph too.” She, as I might add, was the first person standing in line waiting to get Cassel’s autograph. I asked her how early she got here to be first in line and she said, “Honestly, I got here at like 9:00am. I should’ve been here at 7:30 though, but I had someone holding my place.”

Paul, 27

Paul here is 27, and has been coming to training camp for the past five years. Him and his wife are both teachers, so they get to enjoy the summers off and are able to attend camp, except this year, his wife couldn’t be with him due to some piano lessons. Their entire basement is decorated in memorabilia, autographs, cards, signed photos and other signed memorabilia. When I asked what have been some of his favorite autographs he’s gotten, he said, “favorite autograph would probably be when I got Adrian Peterson’s in his Cadillac Escalade. He was driving by and I held up my canvas photo and he stopped, turned around and I ended up getting his autograph. It was pretty cool. Another would be when I got Jared Allen’s. I waited and got here at three in the morning and was fourth in line. I got his signature on the 9 of a jersey and now have it hanging up in a jersey frame.” I then asked if he had more than one of the quarterback’s autographs. He said he got Ponder’s when he was a rookie, on a Florida state mini helmet, and now today, he left his house at 4:00am to get here at five in the morning for Bridgewater, and had a Louisville mini helmet for that.

Mikko, Malena and Their Father

This family has been to training camp for four years in a row now. This picture is of Mikko, Malena, and their father. Mikko is seven years old and Malena is five years old. They were here just for the day, and were very excited to be getting an autograph.

Tyler, 9, Paige, 8 and Father

Here we have a family that was at their first ever Vikings Training Camp, calling themselves “rookies.” Paige, 8 and Tyler, 9 were standing in line with their father waiting to get Matt Cassel’s autograph. Paige said that they have gotten two autographs in the past, and when asked who their favorite player was, both in unison said, “Adrian Peterson!” After autographs, their plans were to go to the Gaterade kids camp which they were both excited for.

George, 37, Mark, 35 and Sons

Here is George, 37, Mark, 35 and their sons. George said that they are very big on getting autographs. They have been here for the past five years, and have gotten multiple of everyone now. Mark said he’s been coming for the past ten years, and used to get them when he was his sons age. “We bring our kids down, just our tradition to do it. We got our Vikings memorabilia room. The basement is full of it. Every autograph if a memory.” I asked what has been his favorite autograph that he’s gotten and he replied, “Adrian. I also got Chris Carter back in the day. Chris Carter…. That ones special. He’s my guy.”

After talking to the fans, I went by the entrance to where the players come out, and waited for 11:30 to strike. Once it did, this is the excitement that I captured.