Test
By Mitch Berg
This Timberwolves season is a nail-biter. For my purposes, things like this are the issue:
This, of course, runs afoul of Berg’s Fourth Law:
A Minnesota sports team may be a contender until the moment the local media actually believes they will be contenders. At that moment ā be it spring training, late November in the NFL season, or week 72 of the NHL playoffs ā the season will fall irredeemably apart.
It’s been an amazing run so far for the TWolves. Let’s just say I’d be happy to repeal the law, ifi circumstances allow.
But no mistake about it – this is a test.
May 8th, 2024 at 6:15 am
Millionaires in squeaky shoes, not seeing what the bother is all about.
May 8th, 2024 at 6:37 am
You might be right, Mitch.
I remember back to 1987 and 1991, when the Twins, despite their seasonal records, were first, not given much chance to get past the playoffs. Then, up until they won the World Series, I recall that the only media that even thought they would win it all, were the locals.
The sports world has definitely been divided, despite the T-wolves success. Itās understandable though, because they earned their playoff berths. They didnāt āback into themā. Iāve never been a fan of basketball, but it would be nice to have them win a championship title, if for no other reason than to shut the naysayers up. That said, I aināt holding my breath.
May 8th, 2024 at 6:54 am
I hope they win, and I hope I can retire this law.
It’s fun being in a city that wins a championship.
Well, it was. Not sure if the crowd scene is going to be as fun if we win this time.
May 8th, 2024 at 8:14 am
Mitch alludes to an important point: the NBA corporate benefit is in the revenue from advertising during the game but the national media benefit is in the blazing vehicles from mostly peaceful protests after the game.
My question: where will Democrats gain the most advantage from burning cities and maybe, if they get really lucky, a white cop shooting an innocent black choirboy just about to turn around his life?
I’m thinking Cleveland and Minneapolis have a lot more potential than Dallas or Oklahoma City. Maybe we do have a shot this year?
May 8th, 2024 at 10:01 am
I started yelling at my social media feed late last week over the Twins. The Twins went on one hā¬ll of a winning streak that finally ended over the weekend. Shortly before the streak ended, I saw a post that said the last time the Twins had a winning streak of XX games was 1991, and in 1991 the Twins won the World Series. I really hate those attempts to hype everyone up. I remember Berg’s Fourth Law.
I also remember how the Media tried to hype the entire 2021 season on Opening Day with, “It’s the 30th Anniversary of the Twins winning the World Series. Can they do it again this year?!?!”
May 8th, 2024 at 1:24 pm
Professional basketball is far less interesting than watching paint dry. I can’t even get a smidgeon of care, even if “our” team would win the finals.
If you can care about it, good on you, but I’ll be uncaring about either a championship or loss.
May 8th, 2024 at 3:26 pm
Nerdbert, I’m that way with all the big 4 of Pro team sports and the wannabe little cousin, soccer (in terms of US popularity).
Life is so much easier living in a city with pathetic sports teams, when you don’t care one whit about pro sports.
Now, if only they’d stop spending 9 and 10 figures of public largesse on those palaces. Ahhhh one can only hope…..
I can tolerate watching baseball, because it’s easier for me to understand its rules, and the cause and effect of why things happen the way they happen. The others? I don’t get them and therefore they are boring.
The sports that I enjoy watching are individual sports. Gymnastics, golf, skiing, and auto racing. Especially with gymnastics and golf, the skill and ability required to be at the top of the pyramid are so much more finely tuned than football or basketball. Unless it is a one-in-a-million fluke catch or play, I never come away from watching the big 4 saying “Holy SHIT, how the hell did they do that?” In PGA golf or especially national/Olympic level gymnastics, that’s almost guaranteed at every event. Yeah, Michael Jordan was the GOAT and could out-juke anyone, but he’s not sinking shots from hundreds of feet away like the golfers.
Yes, there are teams in auto racing, but the team is there for support. They’re not out on the track driving the race car, the driver is the only one out there. “But race drivers aren’t athletes like football/hockey/basketball” You try driving 250 laps at 190-200 MPH, sometimes 3 wide, and see how well you fare. Or you try experiencing 3-4G of lateral force over and over for 30-60 minutes (F1). The sweat they are drenched in after the race says otherwise.
May 8th, 2024 at 3:46 pm
Great if the Wolves could pull it off. I had a tangential sports med role with them in the Kevin Garnett years and losing sucked. However, IF they win, be prepared for the usual post victory riots, shootings and general mayhem. Itās America, you know.
May 8th, 2024 at 4:03 pm
DCS,
You misspelled “Minneapolis.”
May 9th, 2024 at 10:01 am
Last time I checked, ESPN and Stephen A. Smith are not “local media.”
But if we’re going to get technical, the Minnesota Lynx are indeed a MN sports team who were touted by local media as contenders in the four seasons they won championships (2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017). As such, Berg’s 4th law has been invalid for over a decade.