Tanking

One of the worst things about the Minnesota Vikings struggling through a difficult season is some of the fans. As the losses pile up some of the fans start calling for more. The same thing happened two years ago. They want the Vikings to lose each week. Imagine that. Vikings faithful hoping that their team loses. Two years ago, it was "suck for Luck." There's no clever slogan this year, probably because there's no clear cut #1, but the sentiment is the same. Fans want the Vikings to lose so that they can get a higher draft pick. The higher the better. The more losses the better. Two years ago, some fans lost their collective minds when the Vikings lost to the Washington Redskins. That loss ended up being the difference between Robert Griffin III and Matt Kalil. No one knew that then and there's no going back. Wouldn't matter if we could.

The games are entirely about the players and the coaches. The only thing that matters to them is the game that day. They don't give a shit about the draft. In a rough season, the coaches are trying to keep their jobs. If the coaches lose their jobs, a housecleaning could follow and the players could be on the streets. The players are playing for their careers. It's only the fans that think about draft picks in October, November, and December. Coaches and players will not tank games. It's not good for their football futures. Fans wanting losses isn't a thought among the people that are on the field. It's pointless to cheer for something that coaches and players have no interest in providing.

The draft is a gamble. Ryan Leaf, Jamarcus Russell, Tim Couch, David Carr. They sure changed the franchises that drafted them. Flops and successes seem to come in equal numbers. There's no guarantees. I've never understood the desire to lose on purpose to try and insure a pick that is, at best, a gamble. If a team makes good choices, it doesn't matter where they pick. Impact players are found throughout the draft.

There's enough time to fret about the draft after the season. The season is for the games. Players and coaches only have so many games in their career. They will always make the most of each one.