First off, it's 52 degree in Minneapolis right now, I have two things to say about that:
1) Al Gore, you were right, but it is in no way inconvenient
2) It's only 10 weeks until March Madness/Final Five, the greatest sports weekend of the year, any chance the weather could just stay this way until then?
A bit odd to be thinking winter sports on a day when it's anything but winter outside, yet it's time to assess the winter sports teams. Or as I call them, the Olves and the Ild, the two Ws that lack Ws.
That joke may not be great material, but it doesn't change the reality of the situation faced during the long, (typically) cold Minnesota winters. February can be a hellish month to live in this state. In addition to the cold or snow, boredom weighs down like an anvil on your chest. Cabin fever sets in, it's dark all the time; once the temperature reaches a certain point, venturing outside is limited to getting the mail and the hated act of shoveling. During really bad winters, like the last one, people end up walking around with a half-glazed look on their face, hallucinating an oasis of green grass like a thirsty man in a desert.
Basically the need for distractions is at it's peak, just as the number of them dwindles to almost nothing. Only so many trips to the rink can be made and the skiing situation is limited at best, so basically everyone ascribes to the twin tenets that I do year-round: Drinking and sports. Problem is, the precious little entertainment offered by awful winter sports can make drinking a bit too prominent in the equation. So it's basically the improvement of the Wolves and Wild is more than a sports thing, it's a public health issue.
(But first, we need to get whoever comes up with the ridiculous definition of "binge drinking" as being five drinks to realize that they need to calibrate. Nobody is taking you seriously with this type of nonsense, it's going to fall on deaf ears. People hear the term "binge" and think "that sounds excessive, then they hear the definition and think "what a bunch of reactionary BS, that reminds me, I should have a beer".
Five drinks isn't a binge, it's a Friday. Five drinks is only a binge if you're under 18 years old and 5'8". I wouldn't call having five slices of pizza "binge eating", particularly if you were really hungry. The whole thing depends on the circumstances, and alcohol should be treated the same way. If you lost your job today, five drinks is probably just getting warmed.
This topic is front-of-mind today, because I just read this really dumb article in the paper. My first question is, if people are averaging nine drinks when they binge drink, then why not make that number the definition? Not only would it be more fair to every guy who ever had five beers over a couple hours of poker, it might make people take the whole concept seriously for once. We also need a more firm time limit, the whole "few hours" thing not only seems too generalized, but implies a leisurely pace that I do not associate with the term "binge". I'm putting it at 3 hours, if you're not putting down a drink every 20 minutes, that's not a binge, plain and simple.
Secondly, if binge drinking is most common among people who make $75k or more, where's the problem? One man's binge is another man's unwinding at the end of a long week. My advice to anyone making over $75k a year would be to keep doing what you're doing. Have we spent any time investigating the linkage here? I know that correlation doesn't prove causation, but perhaps people that know how to have a good time are just inherently more successful.
Finally, Wisconsin at 26% binge drinkers, once again you show us the way. The West Virginia number I don't buy for a minute, they're lying so you don't go snooping around by the still out back. And is it just me, or is there caption on that picture blatantly racist? Not to mention you spelled schnapps wrong, otherwise great work their guys.
So here's where we landed:
Binge drinking - 9+ drinks in under 3 hours
Happy hour - Binge drinking for people who work, but make under $75k for year
Cocktailing - Binge drinking for people who make over $75k per year
Wassailing - Binge drinking on a holiday
Bender - Binge drinking for 3+ days in a row, requires immediate hair-of-the-dog, any attempt to fight a hangover disqualifies
Now those are some definitions with a chance of getting some traction with the public, back to sports.)
The Wolves haven't been to the playoffs since 2004, which was also the only year they made it out of the first round in franchise history. The Wild are currently nursing a 3-year playoff drought of their own, and similarly have a single season of any real note in their history. Both teams came into this season with new coaches, and both, despite early signs of life from the Wild, seem likely to continue their current streaks of futility this season.
But things are looking up (no, seriously, they are), with an influx of young talent and prospects on both rosters. I'm happy to say that it appears I was dead wrong on both Kevin Love (who I didn't think they should've traded OJ Mayo for) and Ricky Rubio (who I didn't think would ever play here). Both are here now and look like franchise building blocks, although it is quite early to say that, on Rubio in particular.
The Wild have turned a bare cupboard into and nice stockpile of young talent, granted that much of it is still too young to be contributing at the NHL level. Despite my personal conspiracy theory that owner Craig Leipold forced the signing of uninspired winger Marty Havlat a few years ago, he generally seems like a fan at heart, wanting to see the team win and being willing to spend to do so.
Both teams have left the salary-cap hell of a few years ago, when they were not only terrible, but paying handsomely for the privilege. As difficult as it seems to be to lure free agents to Minnesota, there is at least now room to do so. It's highly doubtful we'll see a playoff appearance in Minneapolis or St. Paul this spring, but in the not-too-distant future, that should be the expectation. If next year isn't contention, then it should definitely be the year after, frankly it's been too long already.
Timberwolves
Where we are: Emerging from the 7th circle of franchise hell
2012 Ceiling: 25 wins, figuring out that the team has three legit NBA starters in Rubio, Love and Derrick Williams, being poised to add the piece that makes them a playoff contender in the offseason
(Of course the downside is that Love doesn't want to play here, signs a one-year tender and bolts as a free agent the following year, then all bets are off)
Long-term prognosis: Until they get a guard who seems suited to take (and make) big shots in key spots, all I can see is an entertaining team that's a fringe playoff contender. No doubt a huge upgrade from where they were, but it doesn't appear to be on the roster yet.
Wild
Where we are: Still one of the more boring and low-scoring franchises in the league. Showed some signs of life early in the year, but after a series of excellent breaks, things have regressed to the mean in a big way, the bleeding needs to be stopped pronto to have any chance of a playoff berth.
2012 Ceiling: 10th in the Western Conference, just where they appeared to be headed when the season began.
Long-term prognosis: Perhaps it's just that the hype of the World Juniors tourney hasn't yet faded away, but there seems to be a lot to be excited about here. Prospects like Mikael Granlund and Jason Zucker could be ready to contribute in a year or two, and the impressive collection of young players makes the idea of a big trade seem possible. Not to mention, some huge names could be hitting the free agent market this offseason, and unlike the NBA, a few might actually consider signing in Minnesota, particularly if they look to be headed in the right direction.
So in a nutshell on both teams, enthusiasm as always, and as always, it's tempered.
Time to get myself outside :)
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