Vikings Players Surprise Lincoln Football Team (10.29.13)

Today I spent part of my afternoon covering a surprise visit by two Minnesota Vikings players, two cheerleaders and the mascot to a Lincoln High School football practice at the Sanford Fieldhouse here in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The event was sort of funny. It was a complete surprise to the Lincoln High School football team, but they had to know something was up because there were two P.R. photographers there (one with Sanford and one I think was with the Minnesota Vikings), an Argus Leader reporter, an Argus Leader video guy and several broadcast media people. Oh, and one of the local T.V. stations had their broadcasting van in the parking lot. Not to mention all of the other random Sanford P.R. folk around.

This was obviously not a regular football practice.

Everything seemed to go off without a hitch, though, and the kids seemed pretty surprised--if not a little confused.

Here are a few of my favorite photos from the event. More of my photos can be seen in a large gallery at the Argus Leader website.

Lincoln High School football players look on during a surprise visit from Minnesota Vikings' Josh Robinson and Toby Gerhart to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Lincoln's Keshaun Britt, center, looks on during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice by Vikings' Josh Robinson and Toby Gerhart to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Minnesota Vikings' Cheerleader, Kayla C., talks with Lincoln High School football players during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Minnesota Vikings' mascot, Viktor, gets in the middle of a drill during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Lincoln head coach Aaron Beavers looks over at Vikings' Josh Robinson, center, and Toby Gerhart during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Vikings' Josh Robinson, left,  demonstrates how he tackles with Lincoln's Keshaun Britt during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Lincoln High School football players look on during a surprise visit by Vikings' Josh Robinson and Toby Gerhart to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Vikings' Toby Gerhart speaks during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

The Minnesota Vikings' mascot Viktor during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Vikings' Toby Gerhart, left, and Josh Robinson walk into the Sanford Fieldhouse during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Vikings' Toby Gerhart speaks during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Lincoln High School football players warm up before a surprise visit by Vikings' Josh Robinson and Toby Gerhart to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)

Vikings' Josh Robinson claps during a surprise visit to a Lincoln High School football practice to award Lincoln football players a 24-person suite for the upcoming Vikings vs. Eagles football game and an iPad with the X2 Ice application, which is used to help athletic trainers with the brain health of athletes, at the Sanford Fieldhouse in Sioux Falls, S.D., on Tuesday, Oct. 29, 2013. (Joe Ahlquist / Argus Leader)