The month of March is usually one of my favorite times of the year, baseball chatter starts picking up, the weather gets back above 40 degrees and, with apologies to the Stanley Cup playoffs, the best tournaments in sports take place. Within a span of 4 weeks, the Minnesota high school hockey tournament, WCHA Final Five and a little thing called March Madness (you might've heard of it) all occur, peppering the monthly calendar with one great game after another. Throw in the typical run up of conference hoops and hockey tourneys, along with high school sectional playoffs, and you have the greatest month on the sports calendar this side of October, which gets the top spot since it's the only time that all 4 major sports (yes, I'm sticking to hockey as a major) are in season.
This year we get to hitch March with a running start, thanks to a rousing Olympic hockey tournament and run of big games in other sports kicking off today. A little sampling of what's in store for the next week:
Today
2:00 - USA vs. Switzerland - The Americans cannot sleep on the Swiss, they may be a 2nd tier team, but are definitely dangerous, losing today would be a tragic ending after the big win over Canada
4:30 - Canada vs. Russia - Game of the day, no question. Tons of NHL talent, including the two best players in the league, not to mention I can't be disappointed, because one of these teams will be going home without a medal!
9:00 - Finland vs. Czech Republic - Solid game featuring a lot of players from the Wild, chance to do some scouting for the semifinals
11:00 - Sweden vs. Slovakia - Probably past my bedtime, which is a shame, every game on this slate is good, with this one being no exception. If Mary Ann Gaborik pulls here groin and I miss it, that would be terrible.
Throw in a huge Gopher hoops tilt and you have one heck of a Wednesday.
Thursday
I'm not a big high school sports guy, but the hockey in this state is second to none, and when my alma mater Burnsville is on a 14-1-1 run coming into the section tourney, it demands attention. The Blaze should roll over Shakopee on their way to the semifinals.
Friday
Two Olympic hockey semifinals and a slate of crucial WCHA games kick off the weekend
Saturday
Hopefully the Gophers and Burnsville are still both relevant at this point, if so a couple more huge games to pass the time on Saturday, Gophers @ Illinois, Blaze vs. TBD in the section semis.
Sunday
Ditto for the USA hockey team, just make it to Sunday and play for the gold, then anything is possible.
All in all, one heck of a slate of games to jump start one of the best months of the year.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
The Real Redeem Team
When the 2008 men's basketball team traveled to wherever it was they had the last Summer Olympics, they adopted the moniker "Redeem Team" to reflect their view that they had performed poorly in their last go-around. The rest, as they say, is history: The team won gold, demons were exorcised, and the Minnesota Timberwolves were indirectly doomed to waste a Top 5 draft pick on an overrated Spanish point guard, largely due to the effusive and hyperbolic praise lobbed in his direction by many members of Team USA. It's become clear in the interim that these tactics were all part of a diabolical plan laid out by American players to con some inept GM into picking said point guard at an insanely elevated draft position, thus poisioning the common wisdom against European players and stemming their influx into the league.
But that's a topic for another time (likely 2-3 years from now) and I only bring all of this up to suggest that for me personally, the Redeem Team did not play two years ago in Beijing, in fact they don't even play basketball. For my money, the true Redeem Team played hockey in Vancouver last night, upsetting Team Canada 5-3 and throwing a nation of puckheads into turmoil. This was less about atoning for failures and more about giving me a reason to care that the Olympics in the first place. I'm just not an Olympics guy, never really have been, most of the sports are boring nonsense that I would never think twice about following. The fact that they change the venue and air it on NBC does not magically transform these uninteresting activities into interesting ones, at least in my mind, judging by the level of interest among the general public, most of you feel differently.
So I say like what you like, and will avoid an anti-Olympic screed here. But I will say that I had begun to chafe at the constant coverage slamming me over the head, an the incredulous questions from friends and co-workers when I admitted my dislike for the Games. That all changed last night, as I witnessed a hockey game that was so historic and well-played, it caused me to completely withdraw all of my prior objections to relentless beat of Olympic activities over the past 10 days. I'm not saying that I'm ready to start breaking down figure skating and the two-man luge here, but for someone who loves the game of hockey, it is difficult to deny that this is as good as the game gets, and that all the nonsense leading up to it was rendered moot.
The idea of All-Star games has always fascinated us, even though many of the participants phone in their effort so transparently, things can border on the ridiculous. This was an All-Star game with playoff intensity, a very rare opportunity to watch the best players in the world play to win at all costs. The World Cup might be the only parallel here, Olympic basketball could be argued, but the competitiveness of the teams is far too limited to match up with the 6-7 hockey teams having a legitimate shot to win gold.
At any rate, the unique opportunity to watch the best the world has to offer in one of my favorite sports and trumped my Olympic hate fully, at least for this biennium. I'm not sure what the Summer Olympics has to offer that could make me detest it less, but I pledge to remember the excellence of the hockey, and tolerate the smarmy nonsense that accompanies it. Unless of course, they pull NHL players from competing, as has been mentioned as a possibility 4 years from now, but we'll jump off that bridge when we come to it.
But that's a topic for another time (likely 2-3 years from now) and I only bring all of this up to suggest that for me personally, the Redeem Team did not play two years ago in Beijing, in fact they don't even play basketball. For my money, the true Redeem Team played hockey in Vancouver last night, upsetting Team Canada 5-3 and throwing a nation of puckheads into turmoil. This was less about atoning for failures and more about giving me a reason to care that the Olympics in the first place. I'm just not an Olympics guy, never really have been, most of the sports are boring nonsense that I would never think twice about following. The fact that they change the venue and air it on NBC does not magically transform these uninteresting activities into interesting ones, at least in my mind, judging by the level of interest among the general public, most of you feel differently.
So I say like what you like, and will avoid an anti-Olympic screed here. But I will say that I had begun to chafe at the constant coverage slamming me over the head, an the incredulous questions from friends and co-workers when I admitted my dislike for the Games. That all changed last night, as I witnessed a hockey game that was so historic and well-played, it caused me to completely withdraw all of my prior objections to relentless beat of Olympic activities over the past 10 days. I'm not saying that I'm ready to start breaking down figure skating and the two-man luge here, but for someone who loves the game of hockey, it is difficult to deny that this is as good as the game gets, and that all the nonsense leading up to it was rendered moot.
The idea of All-Star games has always fascinated us, even though many of the participants phone in their effort so transparently, things can border on the ridiculous. This was an All-Star game with playoff intensity, a very rare opportunity to watch the best players in the world play to win at all costs. The World Cup might be the only parallel here, Olympic basketball could be argued, but the competitiveness of the teams is far too limited to match up with the 6-7 hockey teams having a legitimate shot to win gold.
At any rate, the unique opportunity to watch the best the world has to offer in one of my favorite sports and trumped my Olympic hate fully, at least for this biennium. I'm not sure what the Summer Olympics has to offer that could make me detest it less, but I pledge to remember the excellence of the hockey, and tolerate the smarmy nonsense that accompanies it. Unless of course, they pull NHL players from competing, as has been mentioned as a possibility 4 years from now, but we'll jump off that bridge when we come to it.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Back in the saddle
It's been three weeks since I last posted an entry here, my apologies for the long layoff. Frankly it was difficult to muster much enthusiasm for a while there, as the stink of defeat seemed to linger around every topic. But now that I've picked myself up and dusted myself off, it's time to get back to it; losing is what we do around here, so how can I use a loss as an excuse to mope? At this rate the next horrible loss will follow right on it's heels and if we stopped to mourn every one of them, well none of us would ever get a thing done.
So while I never intended for this type of layoff, it must be acknowledge that some time should be allowed to pick up the pieces. After all, even Jesus took three days before he bounced back from his toughest defeat, and as anyone who knows me will be quick to tell you I'm far from Christ-like, so I suppose three weeks is appropriate. Especially considering that Jesus was dead and I was only in a state of deep despair; then again, he didn't have to see the highlights of his crucifixion on ESPN every time he turned around, so we'll call it a wash.
At any rate, there is no escaping the ugly truth that here is Loserville, losses are a fact of life that must be confronted and conquered. You're certainly not going to get by trying to distract yourself with other endeavors in sport, there is nothing pleasant to serve as a distraction. You're not going to take a few weeks off watching and enjoy the outdoors, because it is 10 degrees and snowing every day. So what's a person to do? Climb down, climb into the crevasse.
To explain, I am a big fan of the show 30 Rock, and on one particular episode, titled "Into the Crevasse", Jack Donaghy, one of the shows main characters, recounts a tale of falling down an ice chute while mountain climbing. There was no way to climb out, as the opening had closed above him, the only way out was to climb down, to go lower still and hope it led to freedom. This is the winter of our discontent, the most putrid winter sports season in recent memory, on the heels of a crushing Vikings loss. There is no hope of anything coming along to lift our spirits, only many weeks of bleak winter, before baseball season finally arrives. So I invite you to stink still lower with me, and offer the Minnesota Hall of Pain, in no particular order, the worst defeats in a life that has been filled with them:
Vikings
12 Men In The Huddle/Fumblaya/Balls On The Ground (2010) - I think this one has been covered.
Take A Knee (1999) - Until this point, the gold standard of Vikings futility, at least as far as my life has been concerned. Now that the shock has worn off this year's game, I feel I can do an honest comparison, and still hold that the 2010 debacle beats the 1999 one. It's more about where I am in my life and better appreciating the rarity of the opportunity, ten years ago I was still young and naive enough to not believe in curses.
41-Doughnut (2001) - Didn't have the rip-your-heart-out factor that the other two brought, but made up for it by being an abject embarrassment. The kind of game that makes you wish your team had lost the week before, for no other reason than at least you might've had an entertaining football game to watch.
Twins
Bumble In The Bronx (2004) - Game 2, 2004 ALDS, Yankees vs. Twins. The scrappy underdog Twins are poised to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the hated Yankees, following a Torii Hunter home run in the top of the 12th inning which made the score 6-5. Unfortunately All-Star closer Joe Nathan implodes in the bottom of the inning,issuing back-to-back walks in the bottom of the inning, including one to the #9 hitter, and allowing both to come around to score.
(Bonus pain points for me, as I spent the rest of the night cursing myself for watching the game at Benchwarmer Bob's in Burnsville, site of the aforementioned Take A Knee debacle. You avoid a place for 5 years during playoff games, then you let yourself slip, thinking it's safe to go back. Remember, it's never safe. Fortunately they gutted to old place and I was able to exorcise the demons by watching Game 163 at the new establishment last year, good times)
Bumble In The Bronx 2 (2009) - Game 2, 2009 ALDS, Yankees vs. Twins. The scrappy underdog Twins are poised to even the series at a game apiece versus the hated Yankees, following a brilliant pitching performance by righty Nick Blackburn. Unfortunately, stop me if you've heard this, All-Star closer Joe Nathan implodes in the bottom of the 9th inning, surrendering a tying 2-run home run to Alex Roidriguez, and watching the Yankees go on to win in the 11th.
Timberwolves
Rush Hour (2004) - Game 6, 2004 Western Conference Finals. In a pivotal game that could've sent the Wolves back home with a chance to advance to the finals, little-known reserve Kareem Rush (you may know him as the guy who bagged your groceries last week) rolls in averaging 2.5 points per game and proceeds to hit six 3-pointers, propelling the Lakers to a 96-90 victory. The first, last and only run of the Kevin Garnett Era, this is the high water mark of a franchise that has been reeling ever since.
North Stars/Wild
Jose Can You See (2008) - Game 5, 2008 Western Conference Quarterfinals. Earlier in the playoffs than many of the previously mentioned defeats, but just as brutal, given the circumstances. A Wild team with high hopes for the playoffs coming off it's first division title drops the pivotal game in a 2-2 series, outshooting the Colorado Avalanche by a whopping 40-17 margin, but falling by a 3-2 score. One of the most frustrating games I've ever watched in my life, as the Wild dominated up and down the ice, but couldn't solve Avs netminder Jose Theodore. Adding insult to injury, Colorado got it's 2nd and 3rd tallies only a minute apart in the 3rd period, stealing a game they never deserved to win.
THUD! (1991) - Game 6, 1991 Stanley Cup Finals. A Cinderella run by the North Stars hits midnight with an unceremonius 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tough to look at this one as too disappointing, given that the Stars delivered way more than people ever expected, but what a buzzkill. I still remember sitting in the basement, watching goal after goal get pumped in by the Pens, it was about as wide a gap in talent I've ever seen in a championship round, if you feel like reliving it, here you go: http://game6.nhl91.com/
So there it is, my own personal trip through sports hell, frankly it's been cathartic and reminded me that as bad as things can get, they could always be worse. Now on to bigger and better things (or at least no more additions to the Hall of Pain for a while...please?).
So while I never intended for this type of layoff, it must be acknowledge that some time should be allowed to pick up the pieces. After all, even Jesus took three days before he bounced back from his toughest defeat, and as anyone who knows me will be quick to tell you I'm far from Christ-like, so I suppose three weeks is appropriate. Especially considering that Jesus was dead and I was only in a state of deep despair; then again, he didn't have to see the highlights of his crucifixion on ESPN every time he turned around, so we'll call it a wash.
At any rate, there is no escaping the ugly truth that here is Loserville, losses are a fact of life that must be confronted and conquered. You're certainly not going to get by trying to distract yourself with other endeavors in sport, there is nothing pleasant to serve as a distraction. You're not going to take a few weeks off watching and enjoy the outdoors, because it is 10 degrees and snowing every day. So what's a person to do? Climb down, climb into the crevasse.
To explain, I am a big fan of the show 30 Rock, and on one particular episode, titled "Into the Crevasse", Jack Donaghy, one of the shows main characters, recounts a tale of falling down an ice chute while mountain climbing. There was no way to climb out, as the opening had closed above him, the only way out was to climb down, to go lower still and hope it led to freedom. This is the winter of our discontent, the most putrid winter sports season in recent memory, on the heels of a crushing Vikings loss. There is no hope of anything coming along to lift our spirits, only many weeks of bleak winter, before baseball season finally arrives. So I invite you to stink still lower with me, and offer the Minnesota Hall of Pain, in no particular order, the worst defeats in a life that has been filled with them:
Vikings
12 Men In The Huddle/Fumblaya/Balls On The Ground (2010) - I think this one has been covered.
Take A Knee (1999) - Until this point, the gold standard of Vikings futility, at least as far as my life has been concerned. Now that the shock has worn off this year's game, I feel I can do an honest comparison, and still hold that the 2010 debacle beats the 1999 one. It's more about where I am in my life and better appreciating the rarity of the opportunity, ten years ago I was still young and naive enough to not believe in curses.
41-Doughnut (2001) - Didn't have the rip-your-heart-out factor that the other two brought, but made up for it by being an abject embarrassment. The kind of game that makes you wish your team had lost the week before, for no other reason than at least you might've had an entertaining football game to watch.
Twins
Bumble In The Bronx (2004) - Game 2, 2004 ALDS, Yankees vs. Twins. The scrappy underdog Twins are poised to take a commanding 2-0 series lead over the hated Yankees, following a Torii Hunter home run in the top of the 12th inning which made the score 6-5. Unfortunately All-Star closer Joe Nathan implodes in the bottom of the inning,issuing back-to-back walks in the bottom of the inning, including one to the #9 hitter, and allowing both to come around to score.
(Bonus pain points for me, as I spent the rest of the night cursing myself for watching the game at Benchwarmer Bob's in Burnsville, site of the aforementioned Take A Knee debacle. You avoid a place for 5 years during playoff games, then you let yourself slip, thinking it's safe to go back. Remember, it's never safe. Fortunately they gutted to old place and I was able to exorcise the demons by watching Game 163 at the new establishment last year, good times)
Bumble In The Bronx 2 (2009) - Game 2, 2009 ALDS, Yankees vs. Twins. The scrappy underdog Twins are poised to even the series at a game apiece versus the hated Yankees, following a brilliant pitching performance by righty Nick Blackburn. Unfortunately, stop me if you've heard this, All-Star closer Joe Nathan implodes in the bottom of the 9th inning, surrendering a tying 2-run home run to Alex Roidriguez, and watching the Yankees go on to win in the 11th.
Timberwolves
Rush Hour (2004) - Game 6, 2004 Western Conference Finals. In a pivotal game that could've sent the Wolves back home with a chance to advance to the finals, little-known reserve Kareem Rush (you may know him as the guy who bagged your groceries last week) rolls in averaging 2.5 points per game and proceeds to hit six 3-pointers, propelling the Lakers to a 96-90 victory. The first, last and only run of the Kevin Garnett Era, this is the high water mark of a franchise that has been reeling ever since.
North Stars/Wild
Jose Can You See (2008) - Game 5, 2008 Western Conference Quarterfinals. Earlier in the playoffs than many of the previously mentioned defeats, but just as brutal, given the circumstances. A Wild team with high hopes for the playoffs coming off it's first division title drops the pivotal game in a 2-2 series, outshooting the Colorado Avalanche by a whopping 40-17 margin, but falling by a 3-2 score. One of the most frustrating games I've ever watched in my life, as the Wild dominated up and down the ice, but couldn't solve Avs netminder Jose Theodore. Adding insult to injury, Colorado got it's 2nd and 3rd tallies only a minute apart in the 3rd period, stealing a game they never deserved to win.
THUD! (1991) - Game 6, 1991 Stanley Cup Finals. A Cinderella run by the North Stars hits midnight with an unceremonius 8-0 drubbing at the hands of the Pittsburgh Penguins. Tough to look at this one as too disappointing, given that the Stars delivered way more than people ever expected, but what a buzzkill. I still remember sitting in the basement, watching goal after goal get pumped in by the Pens, it was about as wide a gap in talent I've ever seen in a championship round, if you feel like reliving it, here you go: http://game6.nhl91.com/
So there it is, my own personal trip through sports hell, frankly it's been cathartic and reminded me that as bad as things can get, they could always be worse. Now on to bigger and better things (or at least no more additions to the Hall of Pain for a while...please?).
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