The rivalry between the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers is centered in the Upper Midwest and exists wherever the fans are found nationwide and around the globe. But it is a local story, too.

And it isn’t easy to be a Green Bay fan in Minnesota.

“Everyone gives me grief over being a Packers fan,” said Dennis Dieser of Albert Lea. “They make sure to give me grief.”

Dieser moved around the Midwest as a boy. In the third grade, the family moved to Baraboo, Wis., and that’s about when he started following the NFL. A radio announcer for the Packers lived next door and brought Packers memorabilia, such as media guides. Dieser still cherishes a Packers football the announcer gave him.

Matt Maras of Albert Lea grew up near Windom. The Vikings, founded in 1960, were still a new team when he and his brother watched NFL football as boys. He was 9 when they watched the Ice Bowl on Dec. 31, 1967; his brother rooted for the Dallas Cowboys and he latched on to the Packers. He’s liked them since.

Maras will watch the Green Bay Packers play the Minnesota Vikings tonight with a group of guys at a friend’s house.

“They are all Vikings fans, so I am going to have to be quiet,” he said.

Dieser will watch it at home following Albert Lea High School girls’ tennis practice; he is an assistant coach. He said the rivalry provides a healthy social factor — everyone talks about the games the next day and brings people together.

Albert Lea resident Scott Pirsig, a Vikings fan, will be at the Metrodome tonight watching the action in person with son Cal.

He, Craig Westrum and Bob Sturtz have split a pair of season tickets since 1998. It was his turn to get first pick for the 2009 season. He asked Cal to pick a game — this was all before the Brett Favre acquisition — and Cal picked the Oct. 5 contest against Green Bay.

Is Scott Pirsig excited?

“If you can’t get excited about going to this game, you are not a Vikings fan,” Pirsig said. “What more could they draw up to make a better kind of excitement?”

Pirsig, Dieser and just about every fan interviewed agreed that the chief rival of the Packers were the Chicago Bears in the classic NFL days going back to the 1930s. In the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, the Vikings and Packers weren’t very good at the same time. The mild rivalry existed because of proximity only.

In the 1990s, suddenly both teams were good. As the result, the games had more meaning. Vikings fans referenced the Randy Moss coming out party in 1998 — also on a Monday, Oct. 5 — when Moss racked up 190 receiving yards. The Vikes defeated the highly touted Pack 37-24, and the rivalry shot up in intensity.

“That Moss coming out party was one of the greatest games I’ve ever watched,” Sturtz said.

Forget the Bears. The most-hated team of Packers fans now is the Minnesota Vikings, and the feeling is mutual.

Now with Favre wearing purple and gold, it has made everyone’s head spin. Many Vikings fans hoped he wouldn’t join when news broke last summer of the idea. Now that he is on the team and winning — the Vikes are 3-0 — the people who bleed purple seem to like him.

And many Packer backers in Wisconsin are furious. Bars are holding Burn Your Favre Gear nights.

Maras said burning is “a little over the top. He gave us 16 seasons, and that’s more than most players have ever done”

Pirsig told a story about visiting the pro shop at Lambeau Field with his family. They looked around and he noticed some little helmets from the NFC North Division. He pointed out to Cal that the place did have some Vikings goods. He bought some Packer knickknacks for friends, and a woman at the counter, who must have been listening to them talk, said, in her Wisconsin accent, “If ya go out troo da door, in da hall ya can look at da Lombari trophies ya Minnesota fans wouldn’t know anyting aboot.”

Sturtz doesn’t like to hear Packers fans talk about winning Super Bowls.

He points out that the Vikings dominated the Packers for about 25 years when the Packers were hapless. Once the Vikings finished their early franchise years, he said, they have done a better job of fielding good teams through the years, rather than having cycles like the Packers.

“Packers fans forget that. All Packers fans say is they’ve won Super Bowls,” Sturtz said.

For the record, the Packers do lead the series 49-45-1.

Favre has made a believer out of Sturtz.

“I mean I used to hate the guy. He was so good. I didn’t like him because I didn’t like the Packers.”

Dieser thinks it was Favre’s time to retire.

“I think the Sears commercial explains him the best.”

In the commercial, Favre can’t decide whether to buy a TV set.

Pirsig said that when the Packers had him, he thought Favre was overrated and selfish. He still says those two things but is happy to have him on the Vikings.

“All superstars are overrated,” he said.

Maras said he still likes Favre but he thinks the star quarterback, by going to the Vikings, is trying to stick to the Packers organization over the bumpy way they parted in 1998.

If you don’t know, here’s the tale: In March 2008, Favre announced his retirement, but he didn’t seem like he really wanted to and later said he was pressured. In July, he wanted to come back, but Packers general manager Ted Thompson affirmed the Packers’ commitment to new quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Favre requested an unconditional release so he could play for another team. Thompson denied it because Favre had trade value.

That same month Green Bay filed tampering charges with the NFL headquarters against Minnesota, claiming the Vikings’ offensive coordinator had contacted Favre. The commissioner ruled there was no violation, and later that month the commissioner reinstated Favre. That August, Favre reported to Packers training camp. After a meeting with Thompson and the head coach, they agreed to part ways. Favre was traded to the New York Jets. He asked and was granted a release frmo the Jets following the season. Finally, on Aug. 18, 2009, he signed with the Vikes, angering Packers fans everywhere.

Yes, all Vikings and Packers fans agree, the rivalry can only increase from here on out.

So what will happen tonight, when all this drama meets on the Metrodome field?

“Green Bay will score the final meaningless touchdown late in the game,” Sturtz said “The Vikings will win the game because we will be able to run the ball on them, and they won’t be able to run the ball on us.”