It's an Awful Time to Be a Minnesota Sports Fan
By Jason McIntyre
"Among four-team markets, only Phoenix (1-92) has a worse championships-per-season ratio. Only Washington, D.C., has endured the same 20-year title drought as the Twin Cities after the Redskins won Super Bowl XXVI at the Metrodome."
The Timberwolves are locked out, but they stink anyway*. The Twins have been to the postseason two years in a row, but have gone through a dreadful run in 2011. Between injuries (chiefly, Joe Mauer) and pitching struggles (2nd worst ERA in the AL), the Twins are 13 games under .500 and won’t sniff the postseason. There is little optimism surrounding the Vikings**, who struggled last season in year two of the Brett Favre experiment, and now they’re trying their luck with another past-his-prime QB, Donovan McNabb.
I don’t follow the Wild at all – what a silly team name that is – but here’s how the Pioneer Press described their struggles:
"The Wild, challenged by an impatient and eroding fan base, overhauled their roster this summer and hired another young, unproven head coach after missing the playoffs three straight seasons."
The playoff numbers are ghastly: Twins are 1-5 in postseason series; the Wolves had made the playoffs eight times in 22 seasons, but won just two series; the Vikings were 0-4 in the Super Bowl in the 70s, and have lost five straight NFC title games.
At least there’s optimism in Phoenix about … well, the weather’s nice. You’re the worst, Minnesota. [Pioneer Press]
* I actually like what the Timberwolves are doing, and not just because of the recent Kevin Love interview or my fascination with Ricky Rubio. If you could get season tickets on the cheap, they might be worth something in two years when they compete for a playoff berth.
** I’m not quite all-in on the Vikings this year, but I do like them a lot (well, a lot more than anyone else). I already bet them to hit the ‘over’ for wins (7) and I think they’ll finish 2nd in the NFC Central. I wouldn’t be shocked if they made the playoffs.