Thursday (wrong arena) edition: Wha’ Happened?
Posted on April 10th, 2008 – 7:59 AMBy Michael Rand
Wednesday night marked the return of the playoffs to the Twin Cities pro sports scene; so naturally, we made our first appearance of the season at Target Center to watch the woeful Wolves. Huh? That was pretty much the reaction, minus a few [redacted] words, from anyone we came in contact with throughout the day. You’re going where? But hey, our guy Stensation had some very nice tickets (shaky picture above taken from our seats, not long before tipoff, good seats available across the way), so basically for the cost of a couple beverages, we had the the ability to watch Chris Paul’s dynamic playmaking and Tyson Chandler’s approximately 37 alley-oop dunks (final score: New Orleans 122, Wolves 90). We even saw Rashad McCants pass. Maybe even twice. It was glorious. It also wasn’t a very tough ticket to get — something we knew going in and had confirmed when 1) a woman offered to sell us two tickets for $10 right outside Target Center 15 minutes before tipoff and 2) the lower bowl wasn’t exactly spilling over with fans. Seeing as how we’re normally a cheap-seat sitter when going to games just for fun, being among the chosen few was entertaining and interesting. Spotted sitting courtside: Benilde-St. Margaret’s standout Jordan Taylor, who is headed to Wisconsin to play hoops. A gentleman, his wife and her friend sat down in front of us just after the game started. He noticed some members of our party surveying their scene, and he turned and said, “It’s good to be me.” He later tried to buy a drink for a man we are 99.9 percent sure is a prominent local car dealer, but said man was getting set to make a mid-game switch from Target to Xcel — what with the 7 p.m. tipoff and 8 p.m. puck drop, why not hit both? He had the right idea. While our crew honestly had a lot of fun at Target Center, we left in time to catch on TV the second, third and cruel overtime of the game that the vast majority of the state really cared about. Which brings us to today’s questions:
1) What’s the lamest reason you ever missed watching a game you really wanted to watch? (We’re pretty sure we already know Stensation’s answer).
2) If you were us, would you have gone to the Wolves game?
P.S.: Text messages received shortly after Jason Kubel’s slam yesterday broke open the Twins/Sox game: “Kubel just hit a grand slam. My new favorite player? … [Jersey] could be worth money someday?” Not sure if that means Mike has purchased the jersey yet, but we’re optimistic.
Fasola-link! Man loves his Swedish Chef.
33 Responses to "Thursday (wrong arena) edition: Wha’ Happened?"
1) I missed game 7 in ‘91 because it was past my bedtime. In hindsight I should have stayed up late. When I have kids, I’m forcing them to stay up to watch any game 7 the hometeam is involved with. That should be some kind of man law.
2) It was only game 1 and you got to see most of the game. Plus you had someone sending you text messages with the updated score of 0-0 after the 1st. So you were covered.
3) A friend insisted last Fri that Kubel will hit 30 HRs. I think I agree.
That Kubel homer was a blast last night. No doubt to center field. He’s got a little bit of power, I think…
Kubel smoooshes pieces of cake like that for breakfast.
The Wild played last night? I guess I shouldn’t have gone to that tupperware party.
Rand
Did CP3 look as ridiculously good in person as he did on T.V. last night? I’m glad the Wolves continue to lose but last night showed how much better the Hornets are. The Wolves get within 7 points so the Hornets put their starters back in and the lead is 21 in about 2 minutes. I was leaning towards LeBron for MVP but Chris Paul is inching closer and closer the more I watch him play.
roughkat
Don’t feel bad about missing game 7. I missed OT last night because it was past my bedtime, and I’m almost a grown-up.
CP3 looks like he can do anything, anytime against the Wolves. That said, he was shut down the other night against Utah, so he’s not invincible.
1. I save my lame reasons for missing Redactulars. Case in point: I managed to keep one eye on the 1999 NCAA Final Four Semis while the other was trained on helping my wife go through labor.
2. Yes. Chris Paul is ridiculous.
The best part of being a hockey agnostic, besides the absence of doom-and-gloom today, is that I was able to watch and enjoy a very entertaining Twins game. There was even a 4-inning save, for pity’s sake.
Stu: That was a good hockey game last night, despite the ending. Besides, watching Twins and Wild games at the same time only requires the “last” or “prev” or (on the fancy remotes) “prev. chan” button…
Stu
I’m with you. There were 3 games on at the same time and the Wild was 3rd on my list. That being said I did watch most of the 3rd period after the Wolves game was over and the Twins had a very large lead.
That being said I did watch most of the 3rd period after the Wolves game was over
So you stopped watching the Wolves game after the opening tip?
David: I see your point, but I’m leery of using that button unnecessarily. What if it craps out on an NFL Sunday, or when I’m trying to switch it from Cinemax After Hours to Letterman before my wife enters the room? I can’t take that chance on hoc-key. I just can’t.
when I’m trying to switch it from to Cinemax After Hours to from Letterman
Fixed.
1) a wedding. What the hell people, they schedule the games in advance!!!
2) you made the right call - personal, close-up appearance outranks TV watching
roughkat - excellent man law, I will institute this in my house when kids are old enough to want to watch
when I’m trying to switch it to Cinemax After Hours from Letterman
Fixed.
The Comely Missus Stu is not a fan of the Letterman.
Dave
Obviously you didn’t watch the Wolves last night. The game was actually close at the half. Then the Hornets scored a measly 41 points IN THE THIRD QUARTER!!!
Whatever Wittman is saying at Halftime of these games he should start saying the exact opposite next year. I can’t tell you how much I am praying the Wolves get a top 2 pick. At least then McHale can’t screw it up too much.
I am praying the Wolves get a top 2 pick
jama: you may disagree, but I think with Kevin Love entering, there are now three sure things in the draft (Love, Beasley, and I’m assuming Rose). I look for the Wolves to pick 4th.
Alum and Fan - I think you miss the point of the man law–it’s not when they are old enough to want to watch. They have no choice in the matter. They don’t even have to be old enough to comprehend what they’re watching.
Although from what I understand, kids can pick up things quickly–my friends almost 2 year old was cheering along with the crowd as the Gophs eliminated St. Cloud State a few weeks back. Good thing they weren’t playing in St. Cloud, or he might have accidentally raised a Mangy Dog fan…or whatever their mascot is.
Obviously you didn’t watch the Wolves last night. The game was actually close at the half. Then the Hornets scored a measly 41 points IN THE THIRD QUARTER!!!
Which is why I don’t bother watching basketball, save for March Madness. It’s one sport where it seems that only the last two minutes are interesting (if the game is going to be interesting at all)*, and the NBA playoffs take forever.
*I understand that this is a glib interpretation of the sport, but it seems to be true more often than not.
Good thing they weren’t playing in St. Cloud, or he might have accidentally raised a Mangy Dog fan…or whatever their mascot is.
My proposal to change the Husky to a man-sized Long Island Iced Tea has fallen on deaf ears. They’ll rue the day when Mankato takes that ball and runs with it.
My proposal to change the Husky to a man-sized Long Island Iced Tea has fallen on deaf ears. They’ll rue the day when Mankato takes that ball and runs with it.
Turd Sandwich?
1) I missed the most recent Gopher’s hockey championship game because my cattle broke out of their pasture. Really. No, I do not live in Stearns County.
2) No.
my cattle broke out of their pasture. Really.
Note: Clarence’s wife hates when he refers to her going out with her girlfriends this way…
Dave:
Shooting fish in a barrel (cattle in a pasture?) since 2007
MR: Well, there were fish…and I had this gun…I mean, they were right there!
Dave-
My wife left me on the same day that the cattle broke out. I wrote a country song about it. It’s called “She put the {redacted} back in Country (and my livestock left too)”.
Clarence: +1
[Redacted].
Rand, dammit, we were never to speak of Favre’s second Super Bowl ever again.
Some people like to make fun of me for having two televisions in the living room, but thanks to dueling remote controls, I saw the entirety of the Wild game, the important half of the Twins game, much of the Wolves game, and significant parts of both non-Wild NHL games.
Some people like to make fun of me for having two televisions in the living room
How did I not know about this until now?
My dad made me go to bed AT THE END OF THE 9TH INNING of Game 7 in 1991. I haven’t forgiven him.
What’s really impressive about that last comment is that scagmajor is 47 years old.
My parent’s got invited to go see the Gophers play for the national title at the X, and I didn’t take one of the ticket because I was WORKING and I didn’t attempt to get anyone to cover my shift. What was I thinking? I did see the end of the game on TV, and then got tackled during the celebration.
