Miscellaneous Monday

Welcome to the first edition of Miscellaneous Monday, the daily blog on Mondays, where we write about anything involving Minnesota sports. My first item that I'd like to waste your time on, is how being a Minnesota sports fan is a great way to prepare you for life. Let the list begin...

1. We're ALWAYS used to being disappointed
Whether it be the Vikings losing four Superbowls out of four, the Wild losing in the 2003 Western Conference finals or the Timberwolves losing the 2004 Western Conference finals, we know the bitter sting of defeat. The Twins keep us sane, for the most part, occasionally winning a championship just often enough to make sure we have something to clutch onto in hard times (I pity the Cleveland and San Diego fans out there, I really do). This is a great introduction to the real world, because more often than not, even an optimist like me is disappointed on a regular basis. Minnesota sports team makes sure that we are disappointed often enough to be ready for anything the real world can throw at us.

2. We have to be patient
Every Minnesota sports team has two modes, just competitive enough to get hopes up, and rebuilding. And more often than not, the second one is what we deal with. The Timberwolves have been in rebuilding mode for what seems like forever, the Vikings have only been competitive every few years and the Twins just seem to like losing, much more often than they like winning. The lone exception is the Wild, who win more then they lose. Yet, even they always seem to make a promise they cannot live up to year in and year out.

3. We know that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
We have Glen Taylor to thank for this, who seems to love drafting exciting players and trading them.  We also have the Minnesota Vikings to thank for this, especially Adrian Peterson, who both waited until the Vikings were competitive and then did everything they could to make sure they were not anymore.

4. We're used to break ups
Look no further than the long history of successful Minnesota sports teams, who have left to greener pastures, due to lack of support, or a better stadium deal. Notable examples include the Minnesota Muskies, Pipers, North Stars and the Minneapolis Millers. Not much else to say here, but breakups are not anything to a well-versed Minnesota sports fan.

5. We learn to have a good sense of humor
In 70 years of Minnesota sports, we have two championships to show for it. Two. Championships. And if you like jokes, here's one. Glen Taylor, the General Manager of the Timberwolves, trades a star player for a future draft pick and a muffin... then trades the muffin for a piece of lasagna, then lets the lasagna sit out until it rots and then trades it for a piece of gum I found in my couch. Then he drafts 5'11" Center Joseph Imsobad from Saint Cloud State University and expects greatness. I took the high road and avoided a Jonny Flynn joke, but you got the point (because Jonny Flynn sure didn't).