Vikings Home Opener Emotional Experience for Longtime Owatonna Fan

Todd Walkingstick bleeds purple. The Owatonna man and longtime Minnesota Vikings fan was so happy he could have cried during the team's home opener Sunday.

Then the Vikings won 17-14 over the Packers to top it all off. Walkingstick joined KRFO's Roy Koenig for a recap of the experience of being at U.S. Bank Stadium for the first regular season game. His voice was a bit hoarse from hollering, even to his wife who was sitting right next to him.

Walkingstick said his ears were still ringing the next afternoon from the 66,813 fans in attendance. Very few of those cheers were pro-Packer. He said in years past a significant number of Green Bay fans found their way into the Metrodome and TCF Bank Stadium. But Walkingstick said their presence was much reduced at this game.

He thoroughly enjoyed the experience, from watching pregame media reports on the plaza, to the former Vikings who took part in the night, to the impressive halftime performance by the Minnesota Orchestra. Walkingstick said departing the stadium went smoothly as well.

Follow Walkingstick on Twitter @Purple_Stick for photos and video from Sunday's opener. He also hosts an local sports interview show called Beyond the Game, which is available through Owatonnalive.com. Steele County prep athletes, coaches and other sports figures are the subjects of his interviews.