James H. Bruton has been a life-long fan of the Minnesota Vikings. After thirty-five years in the field of corrections he retired as the warden of Minnesota’s maximum-security prison, Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights. In 1965–66 he was a member of the Minnesota Golden Gophers football team. He currently resides in White Bear Lake, Minnesota.

Bud Grant is one the pioneers of professional football in the U.S. and Canada. He began playing football while in the Navy in the late 1940s. After graduating from the University of Minnesota he was selected in both the 1950 NFL and NBA drafts. He eventually became head coach for the Vikings and brought his team to four Super Bowls between 1976 and 1985. In 1994 he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He currently lives in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.