This week, we're on for another installment of the Sprint Game Ball of the Week. Normally, we would have had a poll and all the other accompanying fanfare, but then we had the Childress firing to talk about and all the associated fun that came with that. Well and, let's face it. . .when your team goes out on the field and gets curbstomped to the tune of 31-3, who on earth are you going to give a game ball to?
But, somebody has to get the game ball for this week, and after the performance this team put together on the field on Sunday afternoon, it didn't take me a terribly long time to figure out who the recipient should be. You know who deserves this week's game ball?
I do.
You do.
WE do.
It's been a long damn season thus far, ladies and gentlemen. We all know this already. From the first day of Training Camp this year, we've had to deal with a ton of things. . .a sequence of events the likes of which I don't ever recall another team having to deal with, and there are still six games remaining in this season. Many lesser fans might take this excuse to pack things up and start finding other things to do with their Sunday afternoons for six weeks.
But that's the great thing. . .we're not lesser fans. Never have been, never will be, and anyone that wants to try to tell you otherwise is simply, as the kids today are wont to say, just "sippin' on that haterade" and such.
We're still here, we're still standing, and we're not going anywhere. And just like all of the other things that we Viking fans have seen in the history of this franchise, this too shall pass. Are we playing for draft position at this point? Yeah, we are. . .I mean, we're mathematically alive for the playoffs, but really. . .come on. Even if this team manages to run the table the rest of the way and get to 9-7, there are simply going to be too many other things to overcome and, quite frankly, I don't think this is one of those years where 9-7 gets you into the playoffs in the NFC.
But I, just like many of you, are going to be here every single week anyway, hoping for them to get to that 9-7. I find the mere thought of hoping for the Vikings to lose simply for the sake of "draft position" to be abhorrent. Draft position means squat. . .the Vikings have drafted busts at the top of the first round, in the middle of the first round, and at the end of the first round. They've drafted great players in all those positions, too. So, since playing for draft position is a completely stupid idea, there's no reason not to hope for this team to win as many games as they possibly can. Losers hope for draft position. . .winners hope for their team to win.
And, quite frankly, I don't think we have a community of losers here.
So, for enduring, for keeping the faith, and for being the best damn fans that there are anywhere, we deserve this week's Sprint Game Ball. Feel free to pat yourselves on the back, pat one of your fellow Viking fans on the back, or indulge in the beverage of your choice.
Just make sure you're here on Sunday with the rest of us, hoping for a Level Five beatdown of the Washington Redskins.
I sincerely hope that all of you enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday, and if you're going to brave the shopping crowds tomorrow. . .really, don't take this the wrong way or anything, but I think you're insane. . .just make sure you drive carefully and get home in one piece. I've heard that the roads in Minneapolis over the past couple days have more closely resembled ice rinks than actual driving surfaces. We'll be back with more good stuff over the next couple of days.