Timberwolves Game Recap #7: Roughkat in the mix, still hungry and thirsty
Posted on December 1st, 2008 – 11:01 AMBy Michael Rand
Programming note: You’ll recall that throughout the season we are requiring anyone who uses tickets from the Timberwolves 41-game season pack purchased by ourselves, Brandon and Roughkat ($3 per ticket!) to write a commentary on the game. Up now: Roughkat, who attended his first game last Wednesday. Good job, Roughkat! Here we go.
I finally got to go to my first game last Wednesday against the Suns since I had to miss the opening night. I was pretty psyched to go, even though my SELF was salivating at the thought of Steve Nash. I might have a strange thing for girls that say ‘aboot’ but she’s got a weirder thing for Canadian guys who like soccer but play basketball, eh.
Since the game is 5 days old I can’t spoil the ending by telling you the Wolves played some serious Whitless basketball once again. I should probably check out who the NBA lotter guys are this year so I know who it is we’re trying to draft. I do have to argue with Zgoda’s take on Shaquille O’Neal, though. Shaq’s performance was very underwhelming, I thought. He may have scored 18 points and had 10 boards but he also was 4 of 9 from the line and missed several seemingly easy shots. I remember when people flocked to see him, but those days are long gone.
What I really want to talk about is the lack of atmosphere at the Target Center. It’s pretty appalling really. The night started with a quick stop at the concessions on the 2nd floor. They were out of both pretzels and nachos. The guy behind the counter explained they had asked for more 30 minutes ago but still were out. They also did not have any beers on tap — only plastic bottles and your choice of Miller Lite, Bud, or Mich Golden Light. It’s been a while since I had to pick what flavor of pee I liked best but I settled on Miller Lite.
Maybe they’ll at least have some beer vendors walking the stands, I thought. False. The only guy I saw was the snow cone guy and he came by about 3 different times in the first half. It was 30 degrees outside but apparently the concessions brain trust determined that what crowds really wanted was sugar-flavored ice. So besides the fact that the team itself isn’t much of a draw, the food and beer choices are terrible (but thankfully they are out, anyways).
One more complaint, while I’m at it. The music was all over the place. And nothing remotely motivating during the final minutes when the Wolves were trying to close the gap. Not that it mattered since most of the crowd had already left. Go Wolves!
A few other notes:
* We noticed Mike Miller rubbing under his jersey too. Our theory is he’s doing a little tweaking to help him focus.
* McCants is like A-Rod. He hits big shots when it doesn’t matter. He had 5 turnovers and 0 assists.
* My SELF things that maybe since she was cheering for Steve Nash and his lovely locks her streak is still intact. Next time she promises to only cheer for the Wolves.
* Robin Lopez really does look like Sideshow Bob
We presume there will be another of these later from Brandon, or his proxy, as he had the ducats for Saturday’s game against Denver.
20 Responses to "Timberwolves Game Recap #7: Roughkat in the mix, still hungry and thirsty"
I might have a strange thing for girls that say ‘aboot’
Those French Canadian girls are hard to resist.
I was lucky enough to get a seat in one of the Barn Lofts at Williams Arena for the Gopher/NDSU game. Awesome place to see the game! And far, far more atmosphere than any Wolves game I’ve attended. Pro sports just don’t rival college for atmosphere (with the exception of baseball).
Dave
John St. Clair, the Bears LT, who was a step slow at least 231 times off the snap because of the noise in the dome disagrees with your take on atmosphere. Gophers football ain’t got [redacted] on the Vikes. I don’t like writing it but it is true.
All the negativity in this post sucks!
RBBH’s complaint: the Timberwolves dance team changed outfits too often.
Roughkat’s complaint: no atmosphere in the Target Center.
Proposed solution: naked dance team.
jama - Fair enough. But we’ll see how it compares next year in the new Gopher digs.
The Dome is a great place for the Vikings. I’m sure a lot of teams are hoping they get a new stadium where the atmosphere will inevitably go down the toilet.
Back when the Gophers were decent, I’m thinking of the Michigan game in 2003 (a.k.a. the Epic Collapse), the Dome was absolutely deafening during those games. My knees were buckling because the unfolded “vampire seats” were shaking so ridiculously from people jumping up and down.
They just need some success and they need to be on campus so the drunks (read “students”) can actually get there for the start of the game. Even though you won’t be able to drink in the stadium, you can drink beers for less than $6 apiece while tailgating.
I just hope TCF Bank Stadium doesn’t make itself so expensive that only the stodgy old fans can afford it and everyone gets pissed if you stand up during the tense moments of the game.
RBBH’s complaint: the Timberwolves dance team changed outfits too often.
Roughkat’s complaint: no atmosphere in the Target Center.
Proposed solution: naked dance team.
Clarence Swamptown for Wolves GM!
Roughkat, what are your feelings for girls who say “aboat”? Depending on how you answer, you may be my new favorite RandBaller.
There were probably 20-30,000 people who thought the Dome was a great atmosphere for college football a week ago.
AZ
Yeah, they’re called Iowans.
and two who thought it was a great atmosphere for other things.
and two who thought it was a great atmosphere for other things.
A stranger is only a stranger until you [redacted] in a stadium bathroom and learn their name from the newspaper.
I’ve heard troughs can be aphrodisiacs for Iowa girls. (And I can’t believe I was in Iowa for days and didn’t hear that story.)
Damn! Rand beat me to it.
AZ - Is that like 2 girls, a boat? I approve. Plus, I thought I was already your favorite Randballer. This sounds just like that Friends episode where Phoebe has marriage deals with both Ross and Joey. Just how many Randballers are your ‘favorite’?
What really bothers me, is the fact those two drunken whores used a handicapped stall. The humanity!
Even our elected officials have the decency to toe tap in regular stalls.
Way off topic:
Corey Brewer tore his ACL. There goes the Wolves playoff chances.
http://blogs2.startribune.com/blogs/wolves/2008/12/01/brewer-out-for-the-season/
Back to the Iowans vs. Bathroom etiquette discussion.
(And I can’t believe I was in Iowa for days and didn’t hear that story.)
I can. In Iowa, stuff like this happens every day.
Corey Brewer tore his ACL.
This brings to mind an existential question: If an NBA player tears a ligament during a game, and no one is there to see it, does it really matter?
Everyone knows that if you are going to make sweet love to a stranger, the best location is the stairwell outside of the Escape Ultra Lounge. Duh.
Dave,
The “stuff” you are referring to in Iowa usually involves at least one farm animal. That’s what makes this story so unusual.
Are the wolfies still giving away tickets for free?
If so, can you have sex in their restrooms?
