As I walked to class Tuesday morning, I noticed there was something different about everyone.

Then I realized that more people were wearing purple and gold than usual. This was no doubt the result of the Vikings manhandling of the Packers on Monday night.

Being a Minnesotan and a huge Viking fan, I thought it was pretty cool to see so many fellow students supporting the Vikes. But then I thought about how many of these people wouldn’t have worn their Vikings hat and purple sweatshirts if the Packers would have won at Lambeau Field like they usually do.

Instead, I would have seen a plethora of green and yellow jackets parading around campus. I think it is strange how a football game can dictate one’s wardrobe.

A lot of Packer fans were so embarrassed after their team lost the Super Bowl last season that they froze in February because they stashed their Packer coats for the winter.

Are you kidding me? Your team was the second-best in the league, and you are ashamed because they weren’t “the champs.” It’s just a game.

I don’t care if my team lost the night before, I’m not going to wear my roommate’s Bulls shirt just because they’ve won the last three NBA championships.

I’ll still wear my Michigan cap even though they are not going to win the national championship this year. If it’s cold, I’ll wear my San Jose Sharks coat because it is the warmest one I own.

Sure, the Sharks aren’t the greatest hockey team around, but you would be surprised how well a bright blue coat sticks out in a crowd when you’re hanging from a goalpost.

Something that really bothers me are the unloyal fans that jump from team to team week after week. They are known as fair-weather fans. They watch Sportscenter and see who’s hot and then jump on the bandwagon.

Seriously, how many Packer fans did you know five years ago? Probably not very many because the Pack sucked. Green Bay won Super Bowls I and II and then, in the words of Chris Farley, didn’t amount to “Jack Squat” until recently under Mike Holmgren and Brett Favre.

I’ve been a Tony Gwynn — and thus a Padres — fan since I was young, and I finally have something to cheer about since they defeated the high-powered Houston Astros. Sure, they may be knocked out of the playoffs by the Braves, or they could lose the World Series to the Yankees or Indians, but I’ll still cheer for San Diego come next season.

I had to endure many years of futility with the Timberwolves, but now the tides have turned. With Kevin McHale acquiring some big name players and owner Glen Taylor forking out the big bucks, the T-wolves just may be the team of the future.

I’m proud that I stuck with the Wolves through the Pooh Richardson days and through J.R. Rider’s and Christian Laettner’s fiascoes.

I’m also proud to be a Twins fan. Hopefully we are the worst team in baseball next season. That usually means we’ll win the title the next season. Yeah, I followed the team in ’87 and ’91 when they won it all, but I also cheered for the team every year in between and after when they were terrible.

One of my friends who goes to college at Oklahoma is a die-hard Indianapolis Colts fan. That’s right, the Colts do have a fan. He has been for years and always will be. It was unbelievable to see him run into my room last year with his miniature Colt’s helmet just to say that Harbaugh scored to cut the other team’s lead to 20.

Many people disagree with Chad Calek’s opinions from time to time. Okay, all the time. But last year all he ever wanted was a Cyclone victory and an excuse to drink more Icehouse.

So to the guy who wore the John Randle jersey on Monday, to Costanza and his Colts and to Chad Calek, I salute you for your loyalty to your team.

If you bleed cardinal and gold, then I’ll expect to see you at Jack Trice Stadium for the homecoming game. It would also be great to fill Hilton Coliseum this weekend for the hockey games.

Go all out and support Cyclone athletics and Scott Johnson, keep wearin’ that dirty, old Redskins hat.

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Eric Taylor is a junior in mechanical engineering from Elysian, Minn.