Sunday could have an epic day where Minnesota sports fans were glued to their couches for 10 hours straight, remote controls in hand and eyes glazed over even as a summer-like early fall day beckoned them outside.
RandBall: Minnesota sports will be great Sunday, but it could have made it even better
The Vikings are preparing for a huge showdown with the Packers at Lambeau Field. The Lynx open the WNBA playoff semifinals against Connecticut. But this Sunday should have been an even more robust Minnesota sports feast.
The Minnesota Star Tribune
September 27, 2024 at 3:25PM
At noon the Vikings face the Packers, a rivalry game that always draws attention but feels particularly important because Minnesota has far exceeded initial expectations in starting 3-0.
The Twins and Orioles play at 2:10 p.m. in the final game of the regular season at Target Field, a contest that should begin when the Vikings-Packers game are kicking off the second half.
And the Lynx host Connecticut in Game 1 of their WNBA semifinal series at 7:30 p.m. at Target Center. If you were at home watching it all you might have just enough time to grab some dinner between the Twins and Lynx. If you were downtown taking in both games live, you might do the same.
All three games are going on as scheduled. But the reason it only could have been epic is the hole in the middle caused by the Twins’ collapse.
Watch that game at your own peril. Try not to get too angry about what might have been if the Twins hadn’t collapsed to the point that they almost certainly will enter Sunday eliminated from postseason contention.
It would have taken the bare minimum of credible baseball from mid-August until now for Sunday to be meaningful. But they couldn’t even provide that, as I talked about on Friday’s Daily Delivery podcast.
The Twins were 70-53 on Aug. 17, a near-cinch to grab at least a wild card spot while charging hard at the AL Central-leading Guardians. They are 12-24 since then, leaving the Twins three games back of Detroit and Kansas City in the wild card race with three games to play.
One win by each team or one loss by the Twins would finish off a collapse of historic proportions.
Imagine if they were playing Sunday with a playoff berth or a division title at stake. What a day it would be.
Instead, you should have plenty of chances to soak up some late September sun. The forecasted high is in the low 80s. Assuming the Twins don’t pull a couple miracles the next two days to stay in the race, I recommend you watch the Vikings game and then spend at least a couple hours outside doing whatever it is you love the most.
Don’t waste your time or unspent frustration on Game 162 of the Twins’ season. Channel that energy in a positive direction, regroup and then watch the Lynx.
Now there’s a team that deserves your attention.
The Vikings are preparing for a huge showdown with the Packers at Lambeau Field. The Lynx open the WNBA playoff semifinals against Connecticut. But this Sunday should have been an even more robust Minnesota sports feast.
