Note: I've had some choice moments to blog on lately (see Sergio yesterday at the PGA) but nothing with a ton of meat on the bone (see my helpless Twins somehow in a pennant race?).
But then it happened, I received my Gopher Football Tickets in the mail. An annual rite of passage for a diehard fan like myself. Ah, the ticket design, the opposing teams, sizing up wins and losses and so on and so on. You get the picture right?
I get to the Iowa game and for those keeping score at home that is the last game the Gophers will play the Metrodome. The ticket is different shaped (it's square) and its got pictures of all kinds of recent Gophers on there (Tyrone Carter, Darrell Thompson, Ben Hamilton, etc). But the 6 words on the bottom made me throw up in my mouth. Quote "Celebrating 27 years in the Metrodome" End Quote. Do I need to say another word? Since it's a sports blog I think its my rite of passage to lament the worst 27 years of my football watching life.
First of all the words celebrate and Metrodome should never be allowed in the same sentance, much less thought, daydream, or haiku.
Since there have been so many bad moments in the Metrodome (note: any response poking fun at the team's poor performance the past 27 years will be censored).....nothing needs to be written on that. It's well documented.
Here are 5 highlights (short list):
1. 1993 Wisconsin. 6:00 start to a Wisconsin/Minnesota game on a 70 degree fall day was a bad recipe for loud drunkeness from both sides. The Dome roof nearly came off on one of the final plays of the game (Rosga INT).
2. 1984 Iowa. Chip Lohmiller hits a 60 yard field goal at halftime.
3. 1998 Michigan State. 10 points in the final 2 minutes...Homecoming win. This Fall will mark the 10 year anniversary of my last hangover.
4. 1999 Penn State. Okay this victory didn't happen at the Metrodome (you see my point yet?). Minnesota defeats then unbeaten ranked #2 PSU on the final play of the game (Nystrom FG). Note: I was there. I was also there in 1997 when the Big Ten officials gift wrapped a victory for their beloved JoPa making this victory very sweet.
5. 2008 Iowa. Final game at the Metrodome.
If you have any highlights...please add below. Save the wisecracks. Trust me, I've heard 'em all.
P.S. Also, in my season ticket packet was a future schedule. Within a 4 week span next fall, these 3 teams will be playing at TCF Bank Stadium: September 12 - Air Force, September 19 - California, and October 3 - Wisconsin. Only 7 more games to go!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
The Sports World is Getting Back to Normal
The last few years of sport has been pretty crazy and unpredictable (see 2004 Red Sox, Michael Vick, last year's Super Bowl...). However the last few weeks I've noticed that things are getting back to normal:
1. Celtics/Lakers: Are you kidding? One of the best rivalries in sports and the games are actually fun to watch. Even NBA haters have to like what they are seeing (mostly good guys playing hard every time down the court for a full 48 minutes).
2. Wings win Cup: Like the Swallows returning to Capistrano every year in the Spring, it seems that the Red Wings are always contending for the Stanley Cup. This year was no different.
3. Gopher Football Predicted to finish just ahead of Northwestern this Fall: Enough Said.
4. Triple Crown Hopes Crushed: Big Brown loses in his bid to win the Triple Crown. Aaaaah, that's more like it. Oddly enough, I cheered against this Colt. Trainer Rick Dutrow made Bob Baffert (the horse racing equivalent to Bob Huggins) look like Santa Claus. Too bad, because Kent Desourmeaux (the jockey) seems like a pretty likable guy.
5. Timberwolves in Lottery: Ok that is almost every year, but when it happens I get all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that the sports world is running it's normal course.
This could only mean one thing...the Vikings will lose in the Super Bowl to a traditional power from the AFC (is New England a traditional power now that they've won a few Super Bowls?).
Any other signs of normalcy?
1. Celtics/Lakers: Are you kidding? One of the best rivalries in sports and the games are actually fun to watch. Even NBA haters have to like what they are seeing (mostly good guys playing hard every time down the court for a full 48 minutes).
2. Wings win Cup: Like the Swallows returning to Capistrano every year in the Spring, it seems that the Red Wings are always contending for the Stanley Cup. This year was no different.
3. Gopher Football Predicted to finish just ahead of Northwestern this Fall: Enough Said.
4. Triple Crown Hopes Crushed: Big Brown loses in his bid to win the Triple Crown. Aaaaah, that's more like it. Oddly enough, I cheered against this Colt. Trainer Rick Dutrow made Bob Baffert (the horse racing equivalent to Bob Huggins) look like Santa Claus. Too bad, because Kent Desourmeaux (the jockey) seems like a pretty likable guy.
5. Timberwolves in Lottery: Ok that is almost every year, but when it happens I get all warm and fuzzy inside knowing that the sports world is running it's normal course.
This could only mean one thing...the Vikings will lose in the Super Bowl to a traditional power from the AFC (is New England a traditional power now that they've won a few Super Bowls?).
Any other signs of normalcy?
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Evil vs. Evil
Flashback....1991 Duke beats UNLV in the national semifinal to play Kansas in the Championship game. Here I was a Duke Hater and a Kansas Hater trying to settle in for a great basketball game. Dook: Bobby Hurley, Christian Laettner, and Grant Hill those three names should cause most to throw up in their mouth. KU: Mark Randall, Alonzo Jamison and Adonis Jordan -okay I couldn't name one of these guys...Google is sweet - the point of this blog is I usually cheer against TRADITIONAL POWERS.
What prompted this blog was the disappointment I faced Friday night when both Benilde St. Margarets (National Viewers: the equivalent to Gonzaga - up and coming power with a lot of recent success and big wins) lost to Edina (NV: The USC of MN High School Hockey: Money, Titles, Hot Cheerleaders, everyone's rival). I was okay with Edina winning, because it was a great game and it was the team I wanted to see lose in the Finals most. Then it happened. Yep. The little engine that could got thrown off the track. Roseau (NV: Green Bay Packers, very small town, steep tradition, Northern Minnesota, and rabid fans) plays Hill Murray (NV: They're like Notre Dame or as some call them the St. Paul All-Stars, Catholic, strong tradition, no one likes them unless they went there or know someone who went there). Hill Murray upsets Roseau (yes, the Rams were 28-0 and beat everyone badly until that fateful Friday night). Wasn't even close, the All Stars beat the Rams and then went on to thump the mighty hornets of Edina. Didn't see it, just like I didn't see the game in 1991. Here are some other Traditional Power Championship match-ups I wouldn't watch:
NCAAF: Notre Dame v. Texas
NCAAB: Dook v. UCLA
MLB: Yankees v. Dodgers
NCAAH: Michigan v. Boston College
NFL, NHL, or NBA: The days of traditional powers are pretty much gone. Teams I routinely cheer against: Cowboys, Wings, and Lakers. The problem is if either of those teams was in the finals I'd be fine cheering for any of the teams they were playing (e.g. Patriots, Devils, Celtics).
Can't wait to hear from the Peanut Gallery...its been a while. If you can't get reply to this post, simply send me an email and I will post it.
TZ
What prompted this blog was the disappointment I faced Friday night when both Benilde St. Margarets (National Viewers: the equivalent to Gonzaga - up and coming power with a lot of recent success and big wins) lost to Edina (NV: The USC of MN High School Hockey: Money, Titles, Hot Cheerleaders, everyone's rival). I was okay with Edina winning, because it was a great game and it was the team I wanted to see lose in the Finals most. Then it happened. Yep. The little engine that could got thrown off the track. Roseau (NV: Green Bay Packers, very small town, steep tradition, Northern Minnesota, and rabid fans) plays Hill Murray (NV: They're like Notre Dame or as some call them the St. Paul All-Stars, Catholic, strong tradition, no one likes them unless they went there or know someone who went there). Hill Murray upsets Roseau (yes, the Rams were 28-0 and beat everyone badly until that fateful Friday night). Wasn't even close, the All Stars beat the Rams and then went on to thump the mighty hornets of Edina. Didn't see it, just like I didn't see the game in 1991. Here are some other Traditional Power Championship match-ups I wouldn't watch:
NCAAF: Notre Dame v. Texas
NCAAB: Dook v. UCLA
MLB: Yankees v. Dodgers
NCAAH: Michigan v. Boston College
NFL, NHL, or NBA: The days of traditional powers are pretty much gone. Teams I routinely cheer against: Cowboys, Wings, and Lakers. The problem is if either of those teams was in the finals I'd be fine cheering for any of the teams they were playing (e.g. Patriots, Devils, Celtics).
Can't wait to hear from the Peanut Gallery...its been a while. If you can't get reply to this post, simply send me an email and I will post it.
TZ
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
BCS bashing
Note: Author is an alumnus of a BCS conference school (albeit a bad one).
The BCS is a joke. Okay, not exactly stepping out on that one. But, here's what it comes down to: Money. No, I'm not talking about the lame Bowl Money (that one's been argued to death). No, I'm not talking about TV revenue money, so has that one.
I'm going to talk about the one no one wants to talk about: The Haves and the Have nots.
The Haves (BCS Schools) have so much money from TV, Guaranteed Bowl Money, and Large Stadiums/Fan Bases that there is no way they are going to just let some Have Not play them and potentially beat them and tear down the aristocracy that they have built. The Haves have so many built in advantages to keeping the money on their ledger and preventing the money from going to the Have Not Ledger. One of the more unheralded advantages is the fact that most BCS teams rarely play out of conference road games because it doesn't make their athletic department any money. They basically hire the Washington Generals to come to town for a beating, pay them $300,000 for their time and pocket the additional 4 million+ dollars for their Women's Rowing team (insert your favorite minor sport team here). This isn't competition this is the Globetrotters sans Curly Neal!
Here are 4 teams that scare the Haves: Boise State, Hawaii, TCU, and Fresno State. Why? Because IF somehow they got into the championship game AND won, the purpose of the whole BCS would be ruined. Right now a precedent has been set that these four teams and the teams in their conferences can only finish 10th in the nation at best, which will always keep them out of the Championship Game. This is LEGAL segregation, and unfortunately this is their "I had a dream" speech. So, the BCS is never going to allow the Have Nots a way into their party, because eventually its going to cost them their free ride.
George Mason went to the Final Four 2 years ago in Hoops. George Mason (and every other DI hoops team) has a chance every year to make it to the Big Dance. Its a shame that Hawaii doesn't have the same chance to play for the National Championship in football.
Hey BCS: there's a white elephant in your living room, (this year it's Hawaii) I'm pointing it out!
My solution: 6 Conference Winners (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, SEC, PAC 10, Big 12) plus 2 of the following in this order: Undefeated Cinderella or/if not then Notre Dame if they are in the Top 6 in the BCS Poll, if none/one apply take the next highest rated BCS conference team/s.
A 3 Week (9 Bowl Game) Tournament can be managed under the current BCS system, Non qualifiers still get their bowls/bowl experience. And the fear of academics would never be in play, all of these games happen during Semester break. The Basketball Tournament takes 3 weekends and effects a lot more kids and teams than this tournament would.
This Year's Seedings:
1. Ohio State (Big Ten) v. 8. Hawaii (Undefeated Cinderella)
2. LSU (SEC) v. 7. Georgia (At Large)
3. Oklahoma (B12) v. 6. West Virginia (BE)
4. USC (PAC) v. 5. Virginia Tech (ACC)
Under this format 2 current BCS teams are left out (Illinois and Kansas, neither really threatened for their conference title). Notre Dame despite a late surge with quality wins over Duke and Stanford didn't make it.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
TZ
The BCS is a joke. Okay, not exactly stepping out on that one. But, here's what it comes down to: Money. No, I'm not talking about the lame Bowl Money (that one's been argued to death). No, I'm not talking about TV revenue money, so has that one.
I'm going to talk about the one no one wants to talk about: The Haves and the Have nots.
The Haves (BCS Schools) have so much money from TV, Guaranteed Bowl Money, and Large Stadiums/Fan Bases that there is no way they are going to just let some Have Not play them and potentially beat them and tear down the aristocracy that they have built. The Haves have so many built in advantages to keeping the money on their ledger and preventing the money from going to the Have Not Ledger. One of the more unheralded advantages is the fact that most BCS teams rarely play out of conference road games because it doesn't make their athletic department any money. They basically hire the Washington Generals to come to town for a beating, pay them $300,000 for their time and pocket the additional 4 million+ dollars for their Women's Rowing team (insert your favorite minor sport team here). This isn't competition this is the Globetrotters sans Curly Neal!
Here are 4 teams that scare the Haves: Boise State, Hawaii, TCU, and Fresno State. Why? Because IF somehow they got into the championship game AND won, the purpose of the whole BCS would be ruined. Right now a precedent has been set that these four teams and the teams in their conferences can only finish 10th in the nation at best, which will always keep them out of the Championship Game. This is LEGAL segregation, and unfortunately this is their "I had a dream" speech. So, the BCS is never going to allow the Have Nots a way into their party, because eventually its going to cost them their free ride.
George Mason went to the Final Four 2 years ago in Hoops. George Mason (and every other DI hoops team) has a chance every year to make it to the Big Dance. Its a shame that Hawaii doesn't have the same chance to play for the National Championship in football.
Hey BCS: there's a white elephant in your living room, (this year it's Hawaii) I'm pointing it out!
My solution: 6 Conference Winners (ACC, Big East, Big Ten, SEC, PAC 10, Big 12) plus 2 of the following in this order: Undefeated Cinderella or/if not then Notre Dame if they are in the Top 6 in the BCS Poll, if none/one apply take the next highest rated BCS conference team/s.
A 3 Week (9 Bowl Game) Tournament can be managed under the current BCS system, Non qualifiers still get their bowls/bowl experience. And the fear of academics would never be in play, all of these games happen during Semester break. The Basketball Tournament takes 3 weekends and effects a lot more kids and teams than this tournament would.
This Year's Seedings:
1. Ohio State (Big Ten) v. 8. Hawaii (Undefeated Cinderella)
2. LSU (SEC) v. 7. Georgia (At Large)
3. Oklahoma (B12) v. 6. West Virginia (BE)
4. USC (PAC) v. 5. Virginia Tech (ACC)
Under this format 2 current BCS teams are left out (Illinois and Kansas, neither really threatened for their conference title). Notre Dame despite a late surge with quality wins over Duke and Stanford didn't make it.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
TZ
Monday, November 26, 2007
College Hockey Unis
Got a lot of requests for my take on college hockey uniforms after my post on college football uniforms. I have 5 top ones and an assortment of "others receiving votes".
1. Wisconsin Badgers - Two Colors, never changes from year to year...they are the Penn State of hockey uniforms. Note: the only reason I can stomach giving the hated "94 Easts" this title is that their team is always so beatable, their fans are so uneducated, and their arena doubles as a basketball gym. Enough said.
2. Maine - A brilliant design of color and class. Always fun to see a Black Bears highlight.
3. CC - For years this has always been a favorite: Black and Gold done right. A uinque type treatment for CC combined with a taste of the tiger stripes
4. Michigan - Classic Jersey never changes, great helmets. The whole package, again their fans don't know the difference between a forecheck and and a body check.
5. St. Cloud State (3rd Jersey) - A great jersey could have been much higher but their Home and Away copy of the Montreal Canadiens almost bumped this jersey to the Others Receiving Votes.
Ohters Receiving Votes:
Denver/BC - I love this uniform, the little number in front is always a cool touch. Denver needs to kill the shiny material.
UND (old logo) - an entire book could be written about the logo controversy at UND. MY vote is for the old Chicago Blackhawks style Indian head (home whites were so sharp...brings back fond memories of Gino and the old Englestad).
Minnesota 75 year replicas - The Gophers donned a 75th anniversary uniform in the mid-nineties (Justin McHugh, Jeff Nielsen era) it had horizontal maroon and gold stripes with the old school shoe lace tie on the neck.
Ok guys, your turn to sound off
1. Wisconsin Badgers - Two Colors, never changes from year to year...they are the Penn State of hockey uniforms. Note: the only reason I can stomach giving the hated "94 Easts" this title is that their team is always so beatable, their fans are so uneducated, and their arena doubles as a basketball gym. Enough said.
2. Maine - A brilliant design of color and class. Always fun to see a Black Bears highlight.
3. CC - For years this has always been a favorite: Black and Gold done right. A uinque type treatment for CC combined with a taste of the tiger stripes
4. Michigan - Classic Jersey never changes, great helmets. The whole package, again their fans don't know the difference between a forecheck and and a body check.
5. St. Cloud State (3rd Jersey) - A great jersey could have been much higher but their Home and Away copy of the Montreal Canadiens almost bumped this jersey to the Others Receiving Votes.
Ohters Receiving Votes:
Denver/BC - I love this uniform, the little number in front is always a cool touch. Denver needs to kill the shiny material.
UND (old logo) - an entire book could be written about the logo controversy at UND. MY vote is for the old Chicago Blackhawks style Indian head (home whites were so sharp...brings back fond memories of Gino and the old Englestad).
Minnesota 75 year replicas - The Gophers donned a 75th anniversary uniform in the mid-nineties (Justin McHugh, Jeff Nielsen era) it had horizontal maroon and gold stripes with the old school shoe lace tie on the neck.
Ok guys, your turn to sound off
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Rick Reilly
I'm in the airport the other day and there he was the one and only Rick Reilly. When I was a KID I wanted to be Rod Carew, Chuck Foreman, Neal Broten or John McEnroe....somedays I wanted to be Tom Chorske but thats a whole 'nother story.
When I was an ADULT (I still am by the way), I wanted to be Rick Reilly (see bio: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/writers/rick_reilly/archive/index.html). Rick Reilly is funny (still working on that part), a great writer (still working on that part), and highly respected.
Anyway, back to the airport. So I'm not the kind of person who approaches public figures (see Glen Mason Story below). The urge to meet the guy overcame me like a man from Pittsburgh who goes home every weekend to watch the Pitt Panthers play Big East Football...it was ugly. So for like 20 minutes I rehearsed (yeah like it was a huge sales call or something) what to say and go up and talk to him. Being respectful of his time I talked to him for about 10 minutes. As I figured, we had a lot in common and we hit it off. In fact, he asked me for my business card. My brush with fame has just been elevated from playing golf with Wayne Severud every year to meeting Rick Reilly.
Glen Mason: I sat right next to Glen Mason two weeks ago and pretended I didn't know who he was....talked the whole flight with him. At the end of the flight I introduced myself as Tony he introduced himself as Glen and we went on our merry way!
When I was an ADULT (I still am by the way), I wanted to be Rick Reilly (see bio: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/writers/rick_reilly/archive/index.html). Rick Reilly is funny (still working on that part), a great writer (still working on that part), and highly respected.
Anyway, back to the airport. So I'm not the kind of person who approaches public figures (see Glen Mason Story below). The urge to meet the guy overcame me like a man from Pittsburgh who goes home every weekend to watch the Pitt Panthers play Big East Football...it was ugly. So for like 20 minutes I rehearsed (yeah like it was a huge sales call or something) what to say and go up and talk to him. Being respectful of his time I talked to him for about 10 minutes. As I figured, we had a lot in common and we hit it off. In fact, he asked me for my business card. My brush with fame has just been elevated from playing golf with Wayne Severud every year to meeting Rick Reilly.
Glen Mason: I sat right next to Glen Mason two weeks ago and pretended I didn't know who he was....talked the whole flight with him. At the end of the flight I introduced myself as Tony he introduced himself as Glen and we went on our merry way!
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Great College Uniforms
My first blog since August 29. Hmmmmm, does that mean the sports world hasn't delivered anything worth posting? Not hardly, two days after the post Appalachian State gave me plenty to say. In fact, my high school's football team won several (more than 3) football games this year...that in itself is blog material, trust me we've sucked forever. Finally, Red Sox nation is now so big that I'm moving to Canada.
The real reason for the silence is in my previous blog, I predicted a fruitful season for my beloved Golden Gopher football team. For the record: I was wrong. The sad part is the Big Ten is really bad. Check that really, really, really bad. After watching Michigan this weekend, that team doesn't exactly strike the fear of anything into me.
Onto the fun. As most know, college football is my favorite past-time. Thought I'd share my favorite college uniforms. You'll see a trend, until the last one.
My Criteria: The uniform cannot have changed drastically over time. No such thing as an all one color or special jersey for special games, etc.
1. Alabama - the number on the helmet is so cool, the gray facemask...the tide has this one sewn up every year for me.
2. Michigan - most recognizable helmet in sports
3. Penn State - these guys don't need fancy uniforms....what you see is what you get
4. Texas - great logo on helmet....the burnt orange is very unique...they lose points for the "Texas" on the front of jersey.
5. LSU - probably would've ranked higher, but they've had a special jersey or two over the years. I absolutely love the stripe on the shoulder...they get points for their field (the tiger eye at midfield is by far the coolest/unique field graphic out there).
Honorable mention....Oregon. Okay, they miss out on every criteria on my list. Its just that I respect a team that is so far out there that they deserve a mention. I read somewhere that they have 300+ combinations of uniforms. Admit it everytime you see an Oregon highlight on Saturday, you get a little excited to check out their unis?
Time to sound off.
The real reason for the silence is in my previous blog, I predicted a fruitful season for my beloved Golden Gopher football team. For the record: I was wrong. The sad part is the Big Ten is really bad. Check that really, really, really bad. After watching Michigan this weekend, that team doesn't exactly strike the fear of anything into me.
Onto the fun. As most know, college football is my favorite past-time. Thought I'd share my favorite college uniforms. You'll see a trend, until the last one.
My Criteria: The uniform cannot have changed drastically over time. No such thing as an all one color or special jersey for special games, etc.
1. Alabama - the number on the helmet is so cool, the gray facemask...the tide has this one sewn up every year for me.
2. Michigan - most recognizable helmet in sports
3. Penn State - these guys don't need fancy uniforms....what you see is what you get
4. Texas - great logo on helmet....the burnt orange is very unique...they lose points for the "Texas" on the front of jersey.
5. LSU - probably would've ranked higher, but they've had a special jersey or two over the years. I absolutely love the stripe on the shoulder...they get points for their field (the tiger eye at midfield is by far the coolest/unique field graphic out there).
Honorable mention....Oregon. Okay, they miss out on every criteria on my list. Its just that I respect a team that is so far out there that they deserve a mention. I read somewhere that they have 300+ combinations of uniforms. Admit it everytime you see an Oregon highlight on Saturday, you get a little excited to check out their unis?
Time to sound off.
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