Over the past quarter-century, the Minnesota Vikings have consistently been at the top of their division. During that same period, only Dallas has made more playoff appearances. In addition, only four teams have played in more Super Bowls than Minnesota, which participated in Super Bowls IV, VIII, IX and XI.

Perhaps no team in history ever had a more spectacular debut than did the Minnesota Vikings in their first game ever on September 17, 1961. Rookie Fran Tarkenton made a once-in-a-generation debut when he came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes and run for a fifth score to lead his Vikings to a 37-13 thrashing of the fabled Chicago Bears. Two-and-a-half decades later in 1986, Tarkenton became the first Vikings player to be elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The success of the Vikings over the next two decades always will be highlighted by the image of the stone-faced Grant on the sidelines of the frozen field at old Metropolitan Stadium. In only their second year under Grant, the Vikings began a stretch of 11 division titles in 13 years. They won the NFL championship in 1969 and NFC titles in 1973, 1974 and 1976. He first retired in 1983 but came back for a year in 1985 before making his retirement permanent. Grant's 168-108-5 record makes him the eighth winningest coach of all time.

In 1982, the Vikings moved into the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, the site of Super Bowl XXVI, with a capacity of 63,000. There they have continued to enjoy an approximately .600 home winning record. From Bud Grant, Fran Tarkenton, Chuck Foreman and Alan Page to the stars of the new millennium -- Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss -- the names have changed over the years but the Vikings' tradition has remained constant. And with this constant tradition sales of Minnesota Vikings tickets have not missed a beat.