Hello, Vikings nation.

I'm Eric, and I am beyond excited to join such an amazing team as a staff writer for the Minnesota Vikings.

Born in Kansas City and raised in Southern California, I attended my first Vikings game during Sunday night's win over the Giants. I braved the cold and loved the atmosphere and intensity of the Minnesota faithful.

Although I am learning on the fly about the Vikings, it's easy to see the rabid support and dedication the fans constantly provide. 

Prior to joining the Vikings, I spent the last six months in Nebraska as a health and fitness reporter for the Omaha World-Herald. Before that, I was a freelance journalist in Phoenix.

Most of my journalism experience came in Southern California at a small newspaper, The Antelope Valley Press. I covered everything from high school sports to minor league baseball to the Rose Bowl and Stanley Cup playoffs. I spent two years as the beat writer for the Lancaster JetHawks, an affiliate of the Houston Astros, and covered numerous high-profile players such as Carlos Correa and Lance McCullers.

I'm a proud graduate of Arizona State University. During my time at ASU, I wrote for the school newspaper and interned for multiple semesters at The Arizona Republic. I've also written for a variety of other publications around the country covering baseball, golf and hockey.

When I'm not working, I love to read, cook and play golf. I am a huge hockey fan, which I'm sure will come in handy around here. I brought my skates, stick and gear with me and am more than ready to play some pond hockey soon. 

Although I am brand new to Minnesota, I am incredibly excited to provide you with engaging and informative content on a daily basis.

I know how much of an honor it is to work for such a prestigious franchise and I hope my work reflects how passionate I am about this job.

Sideline Notes

Hobbies:Golf, hockey, reading, spending time with family and friends.

Favorite Viking of all time:Randy Moss

Favorite sports team (other than the Vikings):I'm a tortured fan of the San Jose Sharks.

Sport to watch (other than football):Hockey. I'm hoping to catch a few Wild games this season.

Connect with Eric on social media:Follow me on Twitter at EricLSmith