First things first: No fans of the Minnesota Vikings or the Green Bay Packers will end up in the frigid St. Croix River next weekend during a massive tug-of-war battle on the Stillwater Lift Bridge.

Be thankful that you don’t play tug of war the way ancient Vikings did, where they tugged on animal pelts stretched over a fire pit. The game’s losers received a hotfoot … or worse if they ...

There was also opportunities to earn extra points in a football race, tug-of-war and a Madden face-off. Minnesota Vikings cornerback Byron Murphy, Jr. was named the defensive MVP of Sunday’s event.