How Not To Host A Red Carpet Event Featuring Wild Players at Year Ten Home Opener
1. Have fans show up 4 hours before the puck drops for said red carpet event - leaving work & school early to attend
2. Don't prep the players on how a red carpet event works
3. Have the players show up 30 minutes late to event
4. Have players straggle in anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes in between each arrival
5. Have the players sprint down the red carpet without acknowledging the fans
6. Have FSN, Wild cameramen completely surround players, blocking them from being seen by fans
7. Make Kevin Falness beg each player for a comment before they continue sprinting to locker room
8. Interview players behind archway of balloons and pillars, surrounded by cameramen so fans can't see them
9. Don't have food vendors cook hot dogs/brats during red carpet event that finishes...45 minutes late
10. Don't prep for the coming hordes at giveaway tables during the 1.5 hour red carpet event - just wait to put out pencils and forms when there are 200 hungry and thirsty people screaming at you
Where Has The Time Gone?
I was wearing my age defying glasses yesterday. I saw the same young players sitting before me as were pictured on the 10 year old programs I was giving them to sign. No battle scars from a Cinderella run at the Stanley Cup yet, no career-ending concussion or injuries yet, no Iron Fin title for consecutive games played yet. Just four young players who were looking to make their mark with a brand new team in this place dubbed the State of Hockey.
Cam Stewart - The Small But Impactful. For those of you who weren't really watching the Wild in Year One - think Cal Clutterbuck and you've pegged Cam. Small in size but BIG on finished hits. Sorry Cam, but there's no way you've got an an inch on Wes, as indicated inside the game program you signed. You were standing next to Wes last night and clearly you were not taller, or even the same height. Cam was delightful to chat with and even joked with 'Walzy' about his one and only program cover from March 25, 2001. It appears that this may be the only picture the Wild ever took of Cam in action as 9 years later it's the photo being used on the stack of cards he's now signing for the fans lined up to greet him. All four players got a huge laugh out of it and Cam thanked me for holding on to the program for all these years. Like I wouldn't have it???
Jeff Nielsen - Home Boy Extraordinaire. He honestly doesn't appear to have aged at all. He looks just the same as his picture in the 2000/2001 team yearbook he signed all those years ago. He's quietly charming and in complete awe over the line of fans wrapped around the RiverCenter waiting for their chance to speak to him.
Antti Laaksonen - The Iron Fin. He's the original Antti, the original Fin on the team. Laakso still has piercing blue eyes and is still pretty shy about this whole fan idolizing thing. He was stunned to see the program I brought for him to sign. He read the date (December 17, 2000 vs Dallas Stars) out loud to Wes who was sitting next to him. Antti then asked to see the program I had Wes sign - it was dated February 8, 2002. Antti told Wes he clearly wasn't as important, with a 2002 program after all...Wes looked at me and we both just laughed. Antti didn't quite get it but that's okay - Wes and I did. The truth is, I was completely surprised to find a program (or anything Wild for that matter, that Wes hadn't already signed for me). I came across it while I was digging through my bins of Wild memorabilia in prep for this event. Yes, there are bins - six of them for all of the seasons that have come and gone for the Wild to date.
Wes Walz - Consummate Team Player. Always there, both on the ice and off during his playing career with the Wild. Always on hand for special events afterwards, even while coaching for an opposing Eastern Conference team. Moved his family back to Minnesota after parting ways with Tampa Bay. The Wild keep calling him to do appearances and he always says yes. Lucky for them, lucky for all of us fans who know that he's always been the heart and soul of this team - and likely always will be. There isn't another player, current or past, who gets louder applause and more public affection than he does. Some day, in the not so distant future, Mikko will attain the same status. He's got the same drive and intensity as Wes. But for the first ten years it's Wes who represents what this team was built for. Lemaire may have molded Wes into a defensive forward, but Wes provided the dedication and determination to make himself into whatever it took to successfully play the game he loves. Considering the hard work and effort it took to get the NHL back to Minnesota, it's easy to see why we consider Wes to be the player who best represents the State of Hockey.
My thanks to all four gentlemen for having taken the time out of their personal lives to help celebrate the first ten years of Wild memories.
Wild Home Opener Tradition Still Stands!
There was an undertone of concern going into last night's game. It kind of kept the fans from really getting into the pre-game video and player introductions. The house didn't rock like it has in years past on opening night at the X. There wasn't that physical hum and buzz that you normally feel. Sure it was the Oilers - who've been our bitches for some time now. Sure it was double anthem night. Sure there were cheers for our players as they were announced. But it wasn't thunderous. The concrete didn't vibrate beneath our feet. It just wasn't the same as all the other home openers. There was tension in the air. There was that one nagging question hanging on everyone's mind...would the Wild show up for this game?
Our boys got off on the wrong foot by taking two penalties just minutes apart. For a crowd that was already nervous this didn't give us much to cheer about. The Oilers took their first penalty about six minutes in. Normally this makes Vicki and I both cringe. We're all for the Wild adopting the NFL rule where you can decline a penalty. The Wild's power play hasn't exactly been powerful for a number of seasons now - which, BTW, has nothing to do with who's been coaching - look it up. It seems our guys have figured it out, at least for the time being. On a beautiful sequence of passing, which I have to begrudgingly give sole credit to Cam Barker for starting, the 'new' Antti scored and the Wild were up 1-0. The lead would hold in the first period, despite the Wild taking penalty numbers 3 and 4 - so our penalty kill was looking much better than the previous two games.
The second period seems to be our vexing hour. The Wild always find a way to self-implode during this period. Dustin Penner scored on an Oiler power play thanks to GLat being sooo slow on his skates this year that he has to trip an opponent in order to overtake them. Five minutes later Tom Gilbert (home-boy) scored an even strength goal with a slap shot that Backstrom never even saw. The assist went to Horcoff (boooo, hissssss) and you could visibly see the Wild deflate, slump and start lagging. The Oilers got too full of themselves and started taking consecutive penalties in the last five to six minutes of the period. The Wild did themselves a favor and scored on two of the three power plays Edmonton provided. Captain Koivu gets credit for both goals, one a tip-in and the second one was a beautiful wrist shot. OMG - where did our power play come from? Can we keep it, can we, huh, huh, huh?? I promise to feed it and care for it, pretty please?!!
We go into the third period up 3-2 and former Wild player Kurtis Foster seems determined to give his former team a present. He goes to the box twice within 7 minutes and that second time was a charm for the Wild. Yet another power play goal for the home team - this one from newcomer Matt Cullen (wearing my lucky number, thanks for getting it off of Stoner's back). The arena is loud and proud for sure now with a two goal lead! This is the worst time of the game for Vicki and me - way too much time left in the third period and the Wild's history of sitting back on a lead gives us both acid indigestion. Our guys made a couple of WTF-are-you-doing plays, including Backstrom deciding to wander out of his yard AGAIN. Staubitz, who was determined ALL game to get into a fight, finally settled for a hooking penalty but the Wild held strong on the penalty kill.
After having earned the tie in their inaugural home opener way back on October 11, 2000 the Wild have won each of their consecutive home openers afterwards. The tenth season is truly underway now!!
While we've got this win under our belts there's still that uneasy feeling creeping into our minds. There are far too many questions regarding the Wild's future as a real contender for the cup after ten years of blind puppy love. I've got a post in the wings on that, but for now let's savor the Wild Home Opener 2010 and the this beautiful autumn day.
Notable Game Memories:
I was conversing with Robyn and Vicki earlier in the day and had mentioned how Vicki is always good luck which meant we were bound to win one of the give-away items during the game. Well, neither of us went home with a game worn jersey, or free tickets to a future game but I did receive two wonderful surprises. And being a type A person, surprises aren't something I normally take a liking to.
First, Vicki made homemade Wild scarves for each of us. She used red, green and white fleece which her mother had picked up prior to having passed on. It had been her mom's intent to make something for Vicki to wear while watching the Wilds play. Her mom always referred to the team as the Wilds. It was endearing coming from Vicki's mom so there was never really much effort put into correcting her. I am so honored that Vicki would consider sharing this piece of her mom with me. I wore my scarf proudly and will do so for every game going forward. In fact, it was the scarf that got me my second surprise...
I was taking pictures of the alumni players (translate: intent to stalk Wes, but ended up getting great shots of Cam instead). I was proudly talking up my new scarf to a fellow fan when I was approached by one of the Wild event personnel folks. She asked if I had tickets to the game and my response was "10 years running!" She asked if I wanted to ride the Zamboni after the team was done with the pregame skate. Of course my response was "for 10 years and running!" After 10 years of wanting to drive the Zamboni, at least I was going to ride it, woo-hoo!! I got to watch the pregame skate from the Zamboni tunnel - translate: nice ass, Backstrom ;) I got to meet the Color Guard representatives and the Wild flag bearer. I got to realize my worst fears - heights and moving while being on something high. Holy Wayne Gretzky, those suckers sit high up off the ground! There were portable stairs and an alley oop move involved just to reach my seat and get buckled in. Then the driver (30 years in the business) started up the engine and we were off. Totally different perspective of the arena from my perch and the driver couldn't have been nicer, talking with me the whole time. At least I didn't cry or puke - two very likely outcomes when it's me dealing with heights. There will be pictures coming in the next week or two and I'll share them here.
The best thing about the night was of course, being in the arena for the start of another hockey season. Sharing it with the best hockey partner anybody could ask for made it feel like home. Welcome to Year Ten, Vicki. You're right - it's OUR season, let's make it the most fun one yet!
Robyn - sorry you're missing the games because of the tiff between Dish and FSN. But the bright spot - I LOVE MY CAMERA!! I'll post game pictures very soon. Thanks again to the eBay Queen.
No comments:
Post a Comment