There have been a few other teams that felt special both in the moment and in memory. The 2003 Wild. The 2009 Vikings. The 2019 Twins.

All ridiculously fun seasons to cover for different reasons.

The Wild’s ‘03 postseason run was the definition of unexpected. They were a young team slaying giants, overcoming a pair of 3-1 series deficits to reach the conference finals. And the most likable group of players and coaches I’ve encountered in this profession.

The 2009 Vikings had the most assembled talent of any team I’ve covered. That team featured colorful personalities and tons of star power, led by Brett Favre, Adrian Peterson, Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen and Kevin Williams. It’s a shame that team didn’t finish the deal with a championship parade.

The Twins Bomba Squad hit a record number of home runs and made going to the baseball park fun again. Nelson Cruz provided a case study in the importance of locker room leadership.

The ’24 Vikings are a hoot. This season contains all the ingredients that make being a fan of sports so captivating: Unexpected success (14-2 record), compelling story lines (Sam Darnold’s renaissance), high drama (eight one-score victories), stars shining (Justin Jefferson, Jonathan Greenard, Jordan Addison, Andrew Van Ginkel, etc.), emotion (Kevin O’Connell’s locker room speeches), fun personalities (Camryn Bynum’s and Josh Metellus’ choreographed celebration dances).