Minnesota Vikings: Waiting is the Hardest Part

Dec 28, 2014; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker

(57) celebrates his defensive play against the Chicago Bears with

in the fourth quarter at TCF Bank Stadium. The Vikings win 13-9. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

As much as I love Super Bowl Sunday, the days following it are some of my least favorite of the year.

The Minnesota Vikings haven’t played a game since December 28th. The good news was that in the meantime there were bowl games in college football and the NFL Playoffs as a distraction. Now, the distraction is gone.

More from Minnesota Vikings

• Kyle Rudolph signing gives stability to Minnesota Vikings offense
• Kirk Cousins: More wins with fewer turnovers
• Minnesota Vikings Kyle Rudolph Conundrum
• Minnesota Vikings: how the Vikings can upset the Patriots
• Minnesota Vikings: Xavier Rhodes could be difference-maker versus Lions

Make no mistake, I love hockey and basketball so there will still be plenty of sports watching ways for me to pass the time, as my fiance Katy could no doubt attest. Still, nothing is the same for me as football. I have loved football for longer than I can remember which makes this time of year a little rough for me. Living in Minnesota makes it particularly tough. I like having seasons and enjoy winter but it definitely starts to wear on me once February rolls around. The temperature never hit double digits in Duluth today so it’s not like I am going to find something fun to do outside as a distraction right now.

It seems as though some NFL players have struggled with the past few days too. Johnny Manziel checked himself into rehab and is hopefully getting the help he needs. Joseph Randle got arrested…again. D’Qwell Jackson was arrested after punching a pizza delivery guy for taking his parking spot.

More from Sporting Sota

• Minnesota Twins bullpen will be their downfall
• Top 5 Minnesota Twins Pitching Prospects
• Kyle Rudolph signing gives stability to Minnesota Vikings offense
• Jake Odorizzi’s emergence fueling Twins starting staff
• Former Minnesota Twins player David Ortiz shot

Most notably, former Viking and 2014 member of the Packers Letroy Guion got arrested in style. He got popped with over $190,000 in cash, 357 grams of marijuana and a 9mm handgun. I knew Guion was familiar with the purple and the green but that’s ridiculous. So far the Vikings have managed to stay out of the police blotters and headlines in general other than Teddy Bridgewater winning the Pepsi Rookie of the Year Award. Hopefully this is a trend that continues. As everyone knows the Vikings have had more than their fair share of legal problems since the turn of the century. A quiet off-season would be refreshing.

Soon we will have free agency and the draft which is always fun. It seems that the Vikings are building a young, strong core. I am excited to see who they are able to add to it. Still, we are a long ways off from training camp opening and the games firing up again.

But hey, I’m a Vikings fan. I have waited 28 years and counting for them to win the Super Bowl. So really, what’s seven months to wait until the next regular season game? We will make it.