Now that ‘The Last Dance‘ is over, there is a new desire for well-done sports documentaries. ESPN recently announced that they are working on a nine-part Tom Brady documentary, which is set to air in 2021. I decided to follow this trend and come up with five Minnesota-themed sports documentaries that we need. 

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We Hate Norm Green

This documentary would look into how Norm Green abruptly took the North Stars away from Minnesota and moved them to Dallas. It would also detail the quest for a new NHL team to take the North Stars’ place in the ‘State of Hockey’. It would be a great way to see everyone’s reaction to the North Stars’ relocation and how people today are still irritated by it. 

The Only Minnesota Professional Sports Dynasty

Across Minnesota professional sports, long term domination has been hard to come by. The only team to really dominate their sport for a span of time in modern history has been the Minnesota Lynx. This documentary would start in 2010, with the hiring of head coach Cheryl Reeve. The series would go on to tell the story of a team that made six finals appearances and won four WNBA championships from 2011 to 2017. 

Mauer Power

There is no doubt that Joe Mauer is one of the greatest Minnesota Twins of all time. The guy went from a three sport athlete at Cretin-Derham Hall (who first committed to play QB at Florida State) to becoming the number one overall pick in the 2001 MLB Draft. A doc about what went into his decision to pursue baseball over football, would be fascinating. That’s before you even touch on his journey to becoming the 2009 American League MVP, winning three gold gloves, and his battle with concussions late in his career. 

Row The Boat

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While this may be a little premature, the direction and potential of the program P.J Fleck has built at the University of Minnesota seems documentary-worthy. In 2019, an 11-2 record and a win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl made for what was one of the most memorable Gopher football seasons in a long time.

To build on that, the recruits the Gophers are now receiving are historic. 247Sports.com currently has the Gophers 2021 recruiting class ranked 8th in the country, up 30 spots from where the 2020 recruiting class finished. It would be incredibly interesting to hear and see more about what it’s like playing for P.J. Fleck. 

Skol: A Cursed Franchise

As Vikings fans, we’re all aware and have experienced the constant heartbreak that comes with cheering for the purple and gold. The 1998 NFC Championship game, forty-one donut, the 2009 NFC Championship, Blair Walsh, and the 2017 NFC Championship game?

How about the four Super Bowl appearances and zero Lombardi Trophies? The championship trophy is named after a coach from our biggest rivals, which can’t help. This documentary would explore the highs and the lows of being a Minnesota Vikings fan. It will also explore if the Vikings will ever win a Super Bowl or if we are just a cursed franchise. 

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Of course, none of these would garner the national attention that ‘The Last Dance’ did, but they sure would be popular across the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Sam Sklar | Minnesota Sports Fan

Being a Minnesota sports fan is tough because the Minnesota sports curse is real. It makes us tough skinned, though, and tests the loyalty we have to our home teams. We cry, we laugh, we cheer and scream more as the years go by, waiting for the day that one of our beloved teams finally brings home a championship. 

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The Lynx, Minnesota’s WNBA team, have been dominant in the last decade, winning four WNBA titles in a span of six years. Their success sparks hope and fantasies of what it would be like if a Minnesota team hoisted the Stanley Cup, raised a Super Bowl banner, added another World Series trophy, or won the NBA Finals. 

The Twin Cities is one of eight metro areas that is home to an MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL team. Out of those eight sports markets, Minnesota has been on the longest championship drought, going back to 1991 when the Twins defeated the Braves in dramatic fashion in Game 7. So needless to say, this fanbase is long overdue to see Minnesota win a major championship. 

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That 1991 Twins team was the last major Minnesota team to, not only win a title, but even appear in a championship. Let that sink in. There are full-grown adults raising kids of their own all around the state, who were not alive for the last major Minnesota sports championship bout…

Whose (finally) got next?

Which team is built to win a championship first? I’ll start with the least likely, and work my way to our best hope.

Minnesota Timberwolves

Sorry basketball fans, it’s going to be a very long time (it might take 84 years) before the Wolves win the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy. My reasoning is purely based on the lack of overall success since the 2003-2004 season when they finished 58-24, but lost to the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. 

Sure, they have a pair of young stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell, but the luck and fortune of the franchise has been as bad as it gets in the NBA. Unless something magical happens, like drafting an elite caliber player (MJ, Kobe or LeBron?), I don’t see the Minnesota Timberwolves winning the NBA championship anytime in the near future. They stink. 

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Minnesota Wild

When people think hockey, they think Minnesota (and Canada). We proudly call ourselves the “State Of Hockey”. This is a perfect description because of the popularity of the sport and the abundance of talent the state produces year after year. 

Minnesota is littered with elite collegiate hockey programs. Not only that, but the high school state tournament sells out the Xcel Energy Center year after year. It’s basically a holiday.

But when it comes to hockey, one thing is missing in Minnesota, a trophy case in Saint Paul with a shining Lord Stanley’s Cup. 

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The turning over of inconsistent coaches doesn’t help the growth of the franchise. Zach Parise and Ryan Suter’s 13 year contracts expire after the 2025 season. Both players are regressing while still taking up an unhealthy chunk of cap space for six more seasons. I don’t see the Wild winning a championship in that time frame.

After Parise and Suter, look for the Wild to possibly reload and rebuild. Luckily, in the NHL, teams can turn around much quicker than in other sports. 

Minnesota Vikings

It’s tough. Every year, and I mean EVERY YEAR, the Vikings find a way to break our hearts. If you asked most Minnesota fans, a Super Bowl win would BY FAR mean the most out of any championship.

Which Minnesota sports Championship would mean the most to you?

— SkolMemes (@SkolMemes) May 22, 2020

The Vikings have been losers of four Super Bowls and six conference championships. Our playoff history has been one to forget. The law of averages heavily favors the side of the Vikings.

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With the current front office, an experienced coaching staff, a new team facility and a talented roster, the Vikings are in a great position to not only compete in the NFC but make a playoff run for the Lombardi Trophy in the near future. All we need is a little hope. 

Minnesota Twins

Yes, I’m saying the Twins are the best built franchise to bring Minnesota it’s next championship! The Twins brought in GM Thad Levine in 2016 to clean up the roster and be more aggressive in free agency. He’s done just that by adding some offensive firepower to an already loaded lineup and acquiring pitchers to bulk up the rotation. Levine has built a Twins roster that can become one of the best in baseball in 2020.

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The Twins also brought in manager Rocco Baldelli prior to the 2019 season. Previous managers had a conservative and old school approach to the game, but the hiring of Baldelli sparked a new style of baseball, which Twins fans were desperately hoping for. 

As long as the Twins don’t run into those damn Yankees in the playoffs, they can be the first to host what would be an epic party and unforgettable championship parade! 

Minnesota shouldn’t be considered a “small market” for professional sports. The loyal fanfare that spreads along Minnesota and surrounding states is hungry to celebrate and gloat over a championship. Once we can break the curse, the floodgates will open and those confetti cannons would be working overtime! 

Tweet me your thoughts @SkolMemes

Gene LaVoy | Minnesota Sports Fan

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