StarTribune.com

Your Schadenfreude cup boileth over

Posted on October 7th, 2008 – 11:05 AM
By Michael Rand

schadenfreude.jpgLet’s do a quick spot check of teams that many of you love to hate:

*Packers: Lost three games in a row. Hey, but the QB is “gutsy” as he celebrates TD passes but holds his arm in pain during interceptions.

*Brewers: Lost in the NLDS. OK, maybe you don’t really hate the Brewers. But they are from Wisconsin.

*White Sox: Dead.

*Badgers football: Gut-wrenching late loss to Ohio State.

*Hawkeyes football: Lost to Michigan State.

*Yankees: Not in the playoffs.

*Bucks: Drilled by Wolves last night in a preseason game.

Go ahead, Minnesota sports fan. Rejoice. This is your time.

38 Responses to "Your Schadenfreude cup boileth over"

fasolamatt says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:07 am

Does anyone truly hate the Bucks? C’mon.

jama says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:13 am

Now if only the AL and NFC East teams could get sucked into the center of the earth all would be well.

The Hootie says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:15 am

Wow. Being a Minnesota sports fan now means deriving your happiness from the failure of other teams rather than the success of your home teams. Awesome.

s1rweeze says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am

Hootie - what do you mean “now”?

Jon says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:17 am

Twins: Blew chance to win division

Vikings: Struggling mightily, sans quarterback or legitimate head coach

Timberwolves: Kept same basic team from horrid year last year

Wild: Refuse to sign solitary star player, haven’t won playoff series in five years

Oh yeah, things are *wonderful* around here…

Merx says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:21 am

Is there anyone else that hate Anaheim teams as much as I do? It seems to me that they have been knocking the Twins/Wild out of the playoffs alot in the last few years. Also, everytime I have went to watch the Twins in Anaheim they have lost.

The Hootie says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:22 am

s1weeze- point. Just kinda harsh when you see it in print.

Michael Rand says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:30 am

Jon: That’s why we need Schadenfreude more than ever. It’s the Minnesota way.

jama says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:33 am

Let me know when Kobe and Tim Duncan both get sidelined for the season because of genital herpes. Then we might have some sort of conspiracy.

Dave MN says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:43 am

I love Minnesota sports for the mere fact that we actually have to derive enjoyment out of the misfortune of other teams/fan bases, because our own provide us with so little success/satisfaction. We’re far beyond the point of self-examination. Now it’s time to tear down others. Woohoo!

Nathan says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:44 am

It feels oh, so good.

lattewarrior says:

October 7th, 2008 at 11:53 am

The Gophers haven’t beaten anyone with an RPI under 138.

The Wolves have new uniforms that aren’t really all that new-looking. But they do have Kevin Love and he can beat your favorite player in H-O-R-S-E.

The Wild are at an impasse with their best player, you know, the one who is often hurt and was a total no-show in last year’s playoffs.

The Twins need a power-hitting 3B, a dominant set-up guy and and some maturity elixer for their OFs.

The Vikings are bordering on impossible to watch.

Scoreboard Wisconsin!

Paul Peter Paulos says:

October 7th, 2008 at 12:01 pm

I’d like to add a new dimension to those inbred Happy Daze Twin Cities newspapers, and name that dimension: Honesty in Sports Headline writing…

Today I’ll start with two but since the game was such a mockery of this fine sport I might just leave it there (w/o going into great detail about the officiating once more by the same lame and tired old white men, a subject easy to see and easier to ignore i.e. where were they when some Purple jerk tried to break Bush’s neck. Proud of that, I’m sure you must be, Purple scum.)

First off, my first slice of titling, far better than any in the Star, would be ….”The Best Team doesn’t always win”..Duh, obvious enough. Just think of events while you were dating..

and Secondly, and more accurately, “In 9 out of 10 games, skill trumps luck. Not Yesterday”

Dave MN says:

October 7th, 2008 at 12:02 pm

See, latte, we know all of those things…and we still derive enjoyment out of watching Wisconsin fail. I know, we should try to get our own house in order before looking outside, but that’s not going to happen. You know it, we know it, that guy over there knows it. We’re not going to stop making fun of when Wisconsin sucks just because we suck.

StraightCashHomey says:

October 7th, 2008 at 12:05 pm

latte: Only the Vikings one seems like a burn. The others sound like compliments.

roughkat says:

October 7th, 2008 at 12:13 pm

In your face, Milwaukee!!!

jama says:

October 7th, 2008 at 12:33 pm

Don’t forget about the Badgers band. I think they are going to be the topic of Chris Hansen’s next undercover operation.

Stu says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:17 pm

Reading P3 So You Don’t Have To

Even in the depths of an ether binge that would bring a stronger man low, I’m able to summon the WAAAAAHMBULANCE.

This has been another edition of Reading P3 So You Don’t Have To, an award-seeking service sponsored by the Cleveland Clinic and Whataburger.

Joker says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:24 pm

P3

After trying to read some of what you just said, I’m kind of glad you didn’t come last night, because I picture you as looking like what would happen if Creed and Dwight Schrute mated. I don’t know, maybe something like this guy in the lower right. Where you on Dateline NBC by chance?

Joker says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:26 pm

Where = Were

fasolamatt says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:31 pm

In this season of change, let us pause, and adjust our attitudes slightly, and instead of our usual venom, heap praise on Wisconsin where it is warranted.

Let’s see.

It’s a good place to go to buy beer on Sunday morning.
The pizza at the place Clarence Swamptown recommended in Siren is pretty good.
I like the waterpark at the hotel we stayed at near Dodgeville.

OK, that’s about it.

newbie says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:38 pm

and Secondly, and more accurately, “In 9 out of 10 games, skill trumps luck. Not Yesterday”

I’m not sure if holding the league’s best passing attack to something like 2 for 8 and 1 TD in the redzone is considered luck. The Saints could have scored in the 50’s which would have negated the Vikings “luck” plays, if it weren’t for a good defensive showing.

newbie says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:41 pm

Wisconsin makes good beer.

See that’s nice (I didn’t even say they drink most of it before it gets shipped.)

jama says:

October 7th, 2008 at 1:54 pm

They also make lots of cheese and jama likes cheese.

newbie

If that was a good defensive performance I hope the Vikings do the same against the Bears. Giving up 320 passing yards and 27 points is not a good defensive showing in my book. You have to admit that the Saints lost this one more than the Vikings won it don’t you?

danonymous says:

October 7th, 2008 at 2:17 pm

One redeeming quality about Wisco is the truck stop jerky I always buy on the way to Chicago.

Wait…that doesn’t sound right. I’m talking about the homemade, cured, dried meats they sell at most interstate gas stations in Wisconsin. Let’s just make sure that’s clear.

Clarence Swamptown says:

October 7th, 2008 at 2:20 pm

The Wisconsin native in the cubicle next to me does not sweat very much, considering how fat he is.

Wow, that wasn’t so hard.

AZGopherGirl says:

October 7th, 2008 at 2:24 pm

Clarence - does the next RandBall event have to be in Cannon Falls for you to show up? We missed you!

StraightCashHomey says:

October 7th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

Wisconsin is one of 50 states and uses funny words.

jama says:

October 7th, 2008 at 2:30 pm

The Saints are still not happy about the no facemask call. (Click on the multimedia tab)

http://www.neworleanssaints.com/Home.aspx

Paul Peter Paulos says:

October 7th, 2008 at 2:58 pm

Usually in most any game, football or whatever, where when one team wins, naturally, the other team loses. Yet, guess what ? The team that lost here won. Go figure. I guess no one counted the refs since they’re so fat, old, white and don’t wear pads that it becomes difficult to see which way they are not looking. Hmm do you think Big Bucks Zygi has enough stash to have paid off this admittedly poor crew ? Nah..Can’t happen. Not in Amerika…

So, Celebrate Vikings. This one was a gift. Enjoy it. You got Detroit coming up, but after that any side bets ? And Don’t say that Frenchie qb is good since sooner or later dbs will figure out he consistently throws short, then…

Mr.Shoes says:

October 7th, 2008 at 3:07 pm

Stu? Little help here?

Clarence Swamptown says:

October 7th, 2008 at 3:09 pm

AZGG-

Someday I need to make it to one of those. It looks like you guys had a nice time.

newbie says:

October 7th, 2008 at 3:15 pm

jama- 2 of those TD’s were off special teams, which absolutely sucked. They gave up a lot of yards, but the defense didn’t break much in the red zone when it counted. You know the Saints are capable of scoring at will. I think the defense deserved a little credit for this win.

Stu says:

October 7th, 2008 at 3:18 pm

Reading P3 So You Don’t Have To

Help me, I am in hell.

This has been another edition of Reading P3 So You Don’t Have To, an award-seeking service sponsored by Swanson Hungry Man Dinners and the Ypsilanti, Michigan Chamber of Commerce–”Say ‘Yep’ to Ypsilanti.”

StraightCashHomey says:

October 7th, 2008 at 3:24 pm

Stu’s 3:18 ftw.

UofM2010 says:

October 7th, 2008 at 4:09 pm

Oh, the quaintness of a Tuesday Morning Quarterback blaming the officiating on a loss. How wonderful.

/blissful ignorance

ramon says:

October 7th, 2008 at 6:32 pm

I took some karmic pleasure in sitting in a Packers bar (Herkimers) watching the Vikings win a game in much the same fashion the Favre-led Packers used to.

Meaning being outplayed the whole game and sneaking out with a win.

Paul Peter Paulos says:

October 7th, 2008 at 7:45 pm

Joker, your line about your hyperlinked pict was indeed funny until I saw the pict posted of you. You look like a fun and happy drinker, perhaps the most enjoyable pedophile of the group. And where are your hands..holding them both left and right ? Great man, bisexuals have more fum !!!