Legendary is the perfect word for the long-running, well-loved sitcom,How I Met Your Mother. The story follows the future Ted Mosby (Josh Radnor) as he tells his children the events that lead up to the moment he meets their mother. From his college experience with the long-lasting lovebirds Marshall Eriksen (Jason Segel) and Lily Aldrin (Alyson Hannigan) to his life in New York when he meets the professional womanizer Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris) and a passionate news reporter from Canada, Robin Scherbatsky (Cobie Smulders).
Among the five friends, a Minnesota man by blood and heart, Marshall is the most passionate fictional sports enthusiast. His unwavering allegiance to the Minnesota Vikings is as bright as a stadium floodlight on game day — pushing out Minnesota Vikings at every chance he gets.
These are just the tip of the iceberg of Marshall’s passionate love for the Minnesota Vikings, which is unwavering and eternal.
10Vikings Game Party
It’s a New Year’s Day of 2012. Marshall attempts to continue his long-going tradition with his deceased father — “tailgating” — where they listen to the Chicago Bears vs. Minnesota Vikings game on the radio. Though he failed the first time, the magic of New Year’s Day and his eternal love for his father and their tradition push him to give the tradition a second chance.
Many people join his game party, much to Marshall’s annoyance at first for making his private moment with his father not so private anymore. But, once he’s reminded of his father’s love for hosting a Vikings game party, heembraces the little changeand enjoys the game together with fellow Vikings lovers.
9Marshall’s Alarm Clock
What better way to start your day than with a song that’s associated with your favorite team? Marshall’s undying love for the Vikings is a big part of his life, down to the little details. He has the Vikings’ fight song as his alarm sound — which sometimes annoys Lily and those around him in the morning.
One of the physical items that Marshall owns of the Vikings is the legendary Vikings alarm clock, which he proudly shows off to Lily and his friends. A man with so much love to give for his hometown team, such solidarity isoften unmatched.
8Real Fan Identity
In general, Marshall is a pretty trustworthy and honest person, even to those who don’t deserve his trust and honesty. While in a friendly battle with Lily, Marshall tries to make her jealous by letting his co-worker Jenkins flirt with him.
But, in the end, Marshall can’t take the guilt and surrenders. In the process, though, Jenkins gets a little upset that Marshall is using her. She asks Marshall if he really is a Vikings fan, and he very surely announcesthat he is a true Vikings fan— a thing he would never lie about.
7Minnesota Tidal Wave
As a regular at MacLaren’s, Marshall never fails to bring new things to the place he loves the most. Once, he brags about a delicious cocktail he claims he invented, calling it “Minnesota Tidal Wave” — a wordplay off his favorite hometown and sports team.
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His love for the team is so great that he invented a drink to celebrate the big what-if moment of the Vikings winning the Super Bowl. However, it isn’t going as he desires it to be — as Robin has been ordering it so much that the bartender names it the Robin Scherbatsky instead. With true Vikings passion at heart, Marshall challenges Robin for the drink’s name.
6Family Bond
To Marshall and his family, the Vikings aren’t just a hobby — it’s a glue that bonds them together as a familythrough thick and thin. When Marshall’s father passed away, he and his brothers gathered at home for his funeral. Marshall tries his hardest to remember the last words his father said to him, but he hits wall after wall.
To commemorate and ease up the grief, Marshall and his brothers play a beloved board game — a Vikings-themed one — as they attempt to remember their father’s last words. The Vikings aren’t just a team to root for; it’s also a big part of a core memory for the Eriksen family, one that they will carry forever.
5The Slap Bets
Originating as a bet about Robin’s secret, the slap bets become more profound asthe story goes on. Marshall has granted himself several slap bets, and he is always eager to use his slap chances. However, there’s always an exception.
Barney, being on the receiving end of the slap, begs Marshall to delay the slap until after the Super Bowl game so that he can enjoy the game without fearing a slap coming to his face. Marshall, a true Vikings fan, agrees and waits until afterward. It’s always Vikings before the slap for Marshall.
4The Heated Argument
Being a lawyer himself, Marshall has his way of arguing and presenting facts. Add him being an avid Vikings fan; the equation just gets stronger. Whenever someone (mainly Robin) says something remotely wrong about the Vikings, Marshall is always ready to jump her with his arguments.
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One time, Robin gets on Marshall’s nerves for catching more fish than he did, and this drives Marshall mad, and starts pointing out Robin’s “lies” about many things, including the Vikings. He debunks her previous statements about the Vikings — righting the wrong that’s been bugging his mind.
3His Strength as a Weakness
Lily knows how big Marshall’s love for the Vikings is all too well. On some occasions, whenever they are in an argument, Lily knows just what to do to push Marshall’s buttons. Understandably, it’s really not difficult to use a man’s love against him.
The couple is in an argument for having different goals in their relationship. Lily uses the situation to her advantage and tries to provoke anger in Marshall by taunting them about the fact that the Vikings will never win the Super Bowl. This, of course, is successful, and Marshall also tries to push Lily’s buttons by making her jealous of him and his love for the Vikings.
2Dwelling Over a Lost Chance
Marshall takes Robin to a Minnesota-themed bar, the Walleye Saloon. Intending to cheer her up, Marshall instead gets reminded of the painful loss during the 1999 NFC Championship.
He explains to Robin that the Vikings were very close to making itto the Super Bowl, but one little, accidental mistake took the chance away from them at the last minute. He recites the grieving experience with so many emotions that one might think he just got fired and dumped at the same time.
1Vikings and Vows
The Minnesota Vikings are such a big part of Marshall’s life that he puts them into his vow renewal with Lily. After listing a few realistic, a little TMI, and lovely vows to Lily, Marshall squeezes a new one about the Vikings. He vows to Lily that he will attempt to cry less during the Vikings season.
A love so great for Lily and the Vikings pushes Marshall to be both a better husband and a better sports fan. Though his Vikings vow isn’t equal to Lily’s of trying to cry less during her second pregnancy, it still means something for both of them.
