Sports memories

I haven't posted in a while, life has been pretty crazy lately. Today I went to the final regular season baseball game in the Metrodome, and although there will be one on Tuesday, with hopefully subsequent play-off games, it was amazing to be a part of the fare-well ceremony. As I was driving down, I started thinking of the great sports experiences that I have been a part of through the years. I've devised a list of the ones that I have actually attended, not watched on TV. Hopefully there are many more to come. :-). Here are my top 5:

#5. UMD Hockey/Football/Basketball 2004-2007. My gophers/non-band friends will groan at this prospect, but those who joined in it with me can attest that it was a thrill of a life-time to be a part of something like this. The basketball and football carry good memories, but the for those 3 years, life revolved around Hockey. I got to attend games, travel with the band and just be all-out crazy. The UMD team wasn't the greatest through those years, posting some disappointing seasons, and finishing with an overall record in those years of 39-63- 15. The winning wasn't important, it was the feelings of being a part of something bigger. "Don't blame us if we ever doubt ya, you know we couldn't live without ya."

#4, Minnesota Twins vs. Chicago White Sox, September 25, 2008. The American League Central race was becoming tight, the Sox had a division lead for 2 weeks, forcing us into a must win situation. Coming into the three game series, the Sox held a 2.5 game lead with 6 games left, putting the Twins in a virtual must sweep situation in order to have a shot at the post-season. Twins won the first two games: 9-3 and 3-2. Game three started out in a despairing manner, with the Sox jumping out to a 6-1 lead and Twins SP, Kevin Slowey, getting pulled after3 1/3 innings pitched. But the Twins fought back, scoring two runs in the 4th, one in the 6th, and two in the 8th on a Denard Span Triple. Two scoreless innings brought is to the bottom of the 10th. Two walks, a few ground outs and a wild pitch landed Nick Punto at 3rd base, with Alexi Casilla at the plate with 2 outs. Casilla, who batted .243 all year, blooped a single over the second basemen to plate Punto for a 7-6 victory, putting us 0.5 games ahead. The Dome erupted. I've spent years standing in front of trumpets, and that was nothing compared to the roar. The Twins would ultimately tank against the Royals, then lose a 1-game play-off in Chicago, but the one game we gave us hope and filled us with excitement. Plus...we beat the Sox!

#3 Retiring Brett Hull's jersey. Duluth, MN, February 3, 2006. This is the one memory on the list where my team didn't win, ultimately losing to Wisconsin, 7-2. But to be present during the retirement of the jersey of the greatest Bulldog, and one of the greatest Wingers in NHL history was victory enough. In his two seasons with UMD, Hull set schools records that still stand today: Most goals in a season (52), goals by a freshman (32), Hat Tricks in a season (7), Career Hat Tricks (10) and Most PPG in a season (20). It was a definite thrill to see the 29 lifted to the DECC rafters, and a once in a lifetime opportunity for any UMD fan. To watch the ceremony, http://www.sportsoundproductions.com/Hidden.html. "LET'S KICK SOME BADGER BUTT!"

#2 Metrodome Farewell and the last regular season Twins game in the Dome. October 4, 2009. Ok, so I know this just happened today, well yesterday now, but I don't know if I have a Twins memory to top this. It's the same principle as the Brett Hull retirement, to be a part of something this special, with a team that has mean so much to me throughout the years and the only major league stadium I've ever seen a game at. The game was riveting: a 13-4 victory over the Royals which secured a playoff game with Detroit. Sure it would've been incredible to win outright, but it was still something. Jason Kubel and Delmon young each hit two HR, and the place was rocking in a playoff atmosphere. But it was the ceremony after the game that cements it into the #2 spot. Twins greats from the Dome era such as Kent Hrbek, Jack Morris, Gary Gaetti and Frank Viola lined the base-paths with current Twins. Video montage of the 10 greatest Dome moments, a video tribute to Kirby Puckett, and the selection of the all metrodome team. It was capped off by Tony Oliva, Rod Carew and Harmon Killebew raising the flags at Target field, followed by a Kent Hrbek speech in which he promised to come back on Tuesday and "Drink more beer". Go Twins!

#1 2009 WCHA Final Five. Xcel Energy Center, March 19-21, 2009. Of all the sports moments I have experienced, this is stands alone above them all. The Bulldogs, who were 7th in the conference going into the tournament after getting swept by last placed UAA, beat #3 Colorado College in two games to earn a Final Five bid. They went on an unbelievable run, outscoring their opponents (Minnesota-Twin Cities, North Dakota and Denver) by a combined score of 9-1. Alex Stalock, who won the tournament MVP, was a wall, stopping 91 of 92 SOG. This on top of scoring prowess by MacGregor Sharp, who topped off an amazing tournament with a hat trick. Fans of more legacy programs will try to berate the win as it was only the conference championship and not the national title. But for a program like this, who has gone through years of disappointment, to pull out a win like this is truly amazing. And to do it through three of the conferences biggest teams as well. No team has ever won the tournament as the low seat, no team has even come from the play-in game to win. The ability to walk with some swagger, to celebrate my teams victory, after the years of anguish they have put me through, to see all the other teams fans become UMD fans, if just for one night, makes this the greatest sports experience of my life.