A FANATIC...

 - Spends every day (yes, all 365) thinking about his team.

 - Has at least 80% of the clothes in their closet devoted to the team colors (or the team logo on it) and has often been asked if they own anything else.

 - Wears the team colors/logo so much that people assume they are sick if they are not wearing something oriented with their team.

 - Is not someone you need to ask what they want for a gift.  Your question to them should be, "What can I get you that you do not already have?"

 - Can sing the team fight song on command (and if their team does not have one, they have created one).

 - Is someone people will refer to as an "expert" when it comes to their team.

 - Has friends that talk to other people about what a FANATIC they are.  Those friends then  can (and begin to) list reasons why.

 - Is faithful.  Win or lose, they are true to the team (and can't stand the "fair weather").

 - Has, at one point or time, put on the entire team uniform (authentic version of course) and thought about "what it would be like".

 - Is so contagious that people who had never even heard of their team begin to watch so they have something to talk about.

 - Promises everyone that they bleed the team colors.

 - Carries on the "family tradition" of team loyalty.

 - Considers going to any home game for their team a pilgrimage and any away game to be "enemy territory".

 - Could open their own memorabilia store with the team merchandise they have acquired over the years (and has some pretty crazy things with the team logo on it).

 - Considers all other teams to be good, but just not "as good" (even if the other team wins).

 - Would need a 21-step rehab program if anything ever happened to their team that would cause them to move or be dismantled beyond recognition.

 - Believes that there is no off season.

 - Knows that the only way to win is by working as a team.

 - Owns at least one team jersey with their name on it.

 - Has at least considered, or actually gotten, a tattoo for the favorite team to make their team statement permanent.

 - Has an entire room (with permission of course...it's the easiest way) decorated, furnished, and devoted to their team.

 - Has, (at some point during the course of a game where their team is losing) been the only one still yelling themselves silly (and trying to get others involved) and strongly felt that their team could pull it out (no matter the point difference).

 - Has broken down emotionally when their team wins and/or loses the tough ones.

The 24/7/365 Vikings FANATIC

I made a statement above about "showing your colors" every day and I meant it.  

I followed myself through a week of my own personal Vikings "style".  I work in a professional market that requires me to be fairly well dressed every day in addition to my "down time" attire.  I also followed myself on mine and my wife's vacation in June of 2006 to Puerto Rico...

Work day wear...

Some keys to good options in your FANATIC wardrobe are to have pieces that allow you to show your allegiance without being too "in your face".  If you are in business for yourself, like I am, you want to give a good impression.  Being covered in purple from head to toe can be a little distracting to others.  They won't understand and you might even lose an otherwise good business deal because they think you just "aren't quite right in the head".  

In the two pictures above, this is a great way to show you my basic work day attire with some nice things you can work into your wardrobe that work for every day.

In the first picture, this might be a good business casual day.  I might have a meeting of some such or be meeting someone for lunch.  Basic look...but look closer:

 - On my right hand you will see I am sporting my Vikings franchise ring .  Balfour makes these and they look great.  The ring is a classy addition and I try to have that on just about every day.  It has just enough flair to be noticed but is often mistaken for a class ring of some kind.

 - Moving over you will notice my belt I have on .  That is a Norseman logo on that belt.  I got this a few years ago and looks like one of those nice designer emblems at first glance, but it's all Vikings.

 - On my left wrist, that is a DirecTV NFL Sunday Ticket watch .  Again, like the belt, it has that designer look with that "something extra" to make it uniquely me.

 - In the left chest pocket you will see I have a nice wooden-style pen .  This is the pen part of a Vikings engraved pen and pencil set.  I use a pen every day and this nice option gives me another every day Vikings piece that works with everything I do.

In the next picture, this might be a little more of a business-oriented type day.  I can throw a tie on with this and be in a meeting with a business owner or colleague in minutes.  Nicer dress shirt and pants, etc.  Notice, however, that I did not have to sacrifice my Vikings for this look:

 - Left chest pocket...there is my pen again.

 - This time on my left wrist I went with a nice metal bracelet watch .  Metal watch bands are a little more professional looking than the leather bands and there are plenty of great options out there to get your favorite team logo on it.  This is one of my two Vikings business watches.  This one is silver in color and dons the Norseman head logo on the face.  I have another that is a two tone (silver and gold) with the helmet logo on it.  I also have my ring on again as well.

The next picture is a good Sunday outfit.  When I go to church I still show my Vikings pride.  When you go to church with Steelers fans (some bandwagon and some legit), you have to step it up:

 - I would definitely have my Vikings pen in my left chest pocket.

 - The Vikings ring is on my right hand.

 - I am wearing one of my nice metal band Vikings watches.

 - One of the outer additions I feel I can do from time to time is the basic lapel pin .  You see the owners and coaches, when they dress up, wear theirs and as an "ambassador" for my team I have joined that club.  It's just a nice, simple addition that does get some attention but does not look too "over the top".  I actually have quite the collection of lapel pins.  Some get to looking too large, but I might be in that mood one Sunday and sport one that might be a little more "in your face".

 - The other obvious addition I can wear on Sundays is the Vikings tie .  The one in the picture is a "tonal tie".  It is an understated tie with Norsemen logos all over it with a gray/silver base color...so it goes with just about anything.  I have a few Vikings ties with different base colors (black, purple, etc.) so I can always have that option.  Big logo ties are not that good for business, but on Sunday I can get them out and sport them with pride.  I might also go out to eat somewhere and my Vikings ties work OK there too.

Full suit look...

When you have to meet VIPs and MVPs, you need to look your best...especially in my business.  I like to look as nice as I can without sacrificing my Vikings look.  The two pictures above throw some additional options out there to help you keep your Purple Pride while you are at your best.

 - For guys, a purple tie is a must and when you find one get it.  Ladies are all about accessorizing, but the guys should know that the tie makes the suit and a nice Vikings purple tie does the trick with most suits you may find regardless of the color of the suit.  You can also hit the yellow/gold tones as well and feel pretty confident.  Style with a little Vikings flair.  I also have on one of my Vikings watches AND...look at the sleeves of the shirt.  If you like cuffed shirts, there is a great pair of cufflinks out there you can put in those stud holes.  Those cufflinks feature the Norseman head and I wear them almost every time I put on a cuffed shirt.  Again...a  nice, classy, understated option to add a little Vikings flair to your professional wardrobe.

At home or just bumming around...

When those Saturdays roll around, or I take a day off to go looking for Vikings cards or shop, there is a little less thought that I have to do to "dial it down" on the Vikings side.  I still might see someone I do business with (or would like to) and I might not want to go too crazy...or do I?

This is a good basic Saturday look.  The classic polo shirt, jeans, Vikings watch (I have 10 or so Vikings watches).

OK, now this is the look we all we wish we could wear every single day.  I am no exception and every now and then I could care less what I look like to anyone else and I just get this "throw and go" look going on.  This one is great because I could have a jersey on with it, different pants, etc.  I went with the military Vikings look this day with my purple camo pants, Korey Stringer "Soldier of the Game" T-Shirt, Vikings watch, Vikings hat, and NFL Reebok shoes.  This look gets noticed and it's fun to let loose now and again.

Vikings FANATIC on vacation...

You would think that on vacation you could just go wild and live in your Vikings gear the whole time.  I guess if you went by yourself and had no regard for anyone else you could do that.  When my wife and I get to get away, we like to go to places like Egypt, Greece, or in the following case...Puerto Rico.  Neither one of us likes to look like the "tacky tourist", but we also like to relax and be ourselves.  We have also learned that in some places we go to it is better to try and blend for safety's sake.  I don't mind being smart in my vacation attire, but I also do not want to leave my Purple Pride at home either.

This was my basic look while we were in Puerto Rico.  I have on one of those great travel shirts that repels stains and dries fast and all that, but the hat and sunglasses make this outfit work for me.  The hat is one of those Vikings bucket hats.  It packs well and really comes in handy for keeping the sun from burning your scalp when you are on the beach all day long.  The sunglasses are those JAX sunglasses where they create an under layer on the lens that reads "VIKINGS" all the way across both lenses and also says Vikings on the sides.  They are tough sunglasses that I wear every day and I have to take them on vacation.

This was a day of beachcombing for treasures.  I took a purple polo and this was one of the days for that.  Some might ask, "Why not just pack Vikings polo shirts to wear?" and I will respond with, "I don't want them getting messed up."  This shirt makes a cheap option to show some purple pride without sacrificing a nice Vikings polo.  I have my VIKINGS sunglasses hanging from the collar.  The "treasure" I have in my left hand is a conch shell I found.  In my right hand, that is a withered coconut that looked just like a football...so I struck a pose.

OK, when you are on vacation you have to go out to neat places and eat.  This was one of those places as we were literally "in the trees".  Notice the purple Under Armour shirt.  Again, it does not have to be "in your face" to remind the people around you where your allegiance lies.

My Minnesota Vikings Tattoo

On October 10, 2006 I decided to finally do what I had thought in my mind to do years ago.  I made the commitment to get a Minnesota Vikings tattoo on my upper left arm.  I had been thinking about it for a few years and was trying my best to come up with the perfect design for me.  I had originally thought about getting just a simple purple "V" in the Vikings script and let that be it.  The thought continued, but I never took action.  Then one day I was looking around the Internet for some different design ideas.  I did not find anything that really "spoke to me".  Then one day I was perusing my favorite fan site at PurplePride.org and saw a signature someone had for their online persona.  It had this tribal look to it and still looked like the Vikings' horn on the side of the helmet.  As I looked at it I started to incorporate my original "V" idea into it as well as my year of birth, 1969.  The more I started working with it, the more excited I got about my design.  I took my idea to the guy I was going to have do my tattoo (I had gotten that serious about it) and he perfected it.  The pictures below are a walk through my Minnesota Vikings tattoo...

These are some of the design pages as we were working on perfecting the design and colors we would use (no "just black" for me).

This is the place.  A friend of mine mentioned this place as a good, clean place to get a professionally done tattoo.  He was right on target.

They start with a simple outline using an ink that will stick to your skin.  They do this to position your design correctly and to be sure it will lay OK as they get started with the actual ink.  We had to set this bad boy about 3 times before we got it where we wanted it.

With the stencil laid out the next step is to get the outline done in black.  I had heard from people that this was where the pain really was in this process...and they were right.  If you make it through this part it's all good from there.  It also did not help my pain cause very much to have such a good-sized design for my first one...but I was going to get it done right.  This part took about an hour to complete.

With the outline done it was time to add the color and there you go!  The coloring took another hour but was less on the pain scale. 

This original design comes from many places, so thank you to all who had a part in it and thank you to Jeff Fredericks, the actual tattoo artist.

(This picture was taken right after it was done so you can see some of the blood still coming through the yellow)

I will now forever be VikingsFanatic69!

...The 06/2007 picture...healed and all: