Standard Pickles
Remember Sunday evening when Kellen Mond entered the game in Green Bay, relieving Sean Mannion in what folks believed was a “finally” moment?
That was all for a pickle juice break.
Veteran QB2 Sean Mannion started the Week 17 contest for the Vikings after QB1 Kirk Cousins missed the game due to COVID. Mannion was generally ineffective, refusing to push the ball downfield and missing a handful of open pass-catchers. His QBR was a lowly 34.4 on the evening.
Because Mannion did not shine, Vikings fans fervently wanted a look at Mond, a rookie from Texas A&M. But the current Vikings regime seems a bit low on his future status as a QB1. Nevertheless, Mond suddenly showed up in the huddle late in the game, apparently taking over for the struggling Mannion.
Well, Mannion was drinking pickle juice, hoping to alleviate cramping in his hand. This explained why Mannion rejoined the offense on the following drive [after Mond threw a sure-fire pick-six to the Packers that was dropped].
Evidently, pickle juice cures cramps. If you had a miserable time watching the Packers flog the Vikings, at least you can go forward in life knowing pickle juice is the elixir for muscle cramps. Mannion drank some, and the gigantesque quarterback was back in a matter of minutes.
[brid autoplay=”true” video=”935034″ player=”26279″ title=”3%20ideal%20Dalvin%20Cook%20trade%20scenarios%20this%20offseason” duration=”111″ description=”The Vikings have gotten ahead of potential future concerns in the past, surprisingly dealing Stefon Diggs before anyone expected it. The reason? General manager Rick Spielman got an offer he couldn’t refuse. What if the same were to happen ahead of April’s 2022 NFL Draft with Dalvin Cook?” uploaddate=”2022-01-03″ thumbnailurl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/snapshot/935000_s_1641223279117.jpg” contentUrl=”https://cdn.brid.tv/live/partners/17660/streaming/935000/935000.m3u8″]
According to Active.com, this is the science behind pickle juice and cramps:
“Research, as far back as several decades ago and as recently as 2013, suggests pickle juice relieves cramps. In the 2013 study, cramps lasted about 49 seconds less when participants drank pickle juice rather than water. The first assumption is that fluids and sodium are anti-cramping agents. However, other studies have concluded that the plasma volume and plasma concentrations of sodium remain unchanged after pickle juice consumption, leading researchers to believe something else is causing the cessation of the cramps. Most experts think it’s the vinegar. It’s believed that the vinegar triggers a reflex that alerts our brains to tell our muscles to stop contracting and relax, and the muscle cramping is reduced as soon as the vinegar touches receptors in the mouth.”
In the end, Minnesota lost to Green Bay 37-10, mathematically eliminating the purple team from playoff contention – and likely propelling the team toward an era of change. The threesome of Rick Spielman, Mike Zimmer, and Kirk Cousins is unlikely to stay intact after missing the playoffs in three of the last four seasons.
But at least the pickle-juice-Mannion lore can live forever. That – and offensive lineman Garrett Bradbury’s circus catch.
The Vikings host the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium in Week 18 for a meaningless game.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sally from Minneapolis. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).