Top 10 Minnesota Sports Moments [Videos]

Number 10

January 9, 2005 was the day the Minnesota Vikings walked into Lambeau Field to face the heavily favored Green Bay Packers in a NFC Wild card game. The score was 24-17 Vikings with 10 minutes remaining, when Randy Moss caught his second touchdown in the game; after Moss caught the touchdown he then trotted over to the goal post and pretended to pull down his pants and moon the Packer fans. This is number 10, because the Vikings beat their hatted rivals in the play offs, and Moss made fun of the Packer fans on a nationally televised game.

Number 9

The reason this is number 9 is, because quite frankly know one cares, and if you do care that means you were born before World War 2. At number 9 its the Minneapolis Lakers dynasty from 1947-1959. It has been way over half of a century since the Lakers played here, and the way the T-wolves play basketball, makes us forget that Minnesota actually had a great basketball team here once. During this Dynasty, George Mikan lead the Lakers to 5 NBA championships, and in 1958 Draft the Lakers selected Elgin Baylor, but not even Baylor could have kept the Lakers from leaving.

Number 8

October 1, 2006. The Twins having already clinched at least a playoff berth, had to play the Chicago White Sox on the last game of the regular season. The Twins and Tigers were tied at 95-66 for the Central Division crown. The Twins quite easily beat the White Sox 5-1 that day, yet it was looking like the Twins would settle for the Wild card, because the Tigers held the tiebreaker. I was actually at this game, what most people do not understand is that even when the Twins were playing, all the fans were glued to the scoreboard, watching, and praying that the Royals would come back and beat the Tigers. The fans even started to chant "lets go Royals", that was the first time I have ever heard the Metrodome echo "lets go Royals" while the Twins were playing. After the Twins won the 55,000 plus fans stayed and watched the Royals comeback and beating of  the Tigers on the jumbo tron, which meant the Twins won the Central Division again, and it makes the Twins the first team in MLB history to win the divison on the last day while never having the led for one day the whole season; and that is why this is number 8.

Number 7

What were you doing on August 18, 2009? Maybe you were out on the lake with your family, or outside working on your garden, but most likely if you were in Minnesota then you were glued to your T.V watching news helicopters following Brett Favre from the Airport to Winter park. What this meant was Favre was crossing a dangerous line, he was coming from a Wisconsin legend to becoming a Minnesota Vikings. For better park of a decade we watched in "awe" as Favre led the Packers to the 1996 Super Bowl, and as he demolished the Vikings up until 2009. From 2009 to 2010 Favre made Minnesota Vikings fan actually believe that we could actually win the Super Bowl. This is number 7, because for one summer day two years ago, Favre took the whole state of Minnesota over, and took us on one fun ride.

Number 6

A few months ago the whole country found out about the University of Minnesota-Duluth Men hockey team. With their blonde hair, and unbelievable talent, they went on to beat University of Michigan in overtime to capture their first ever D-1 Men's hockey National Championship. This just shows that Minnesota is not just the Gopher state, but also it is a home to the Bulldogs too. That is why this is number 6.

Number 5

On October 6, 2009 I was at the Humbert H Humphrey Metrodome to maybe witness the last MLB game at the dome, or to see the Twins win their 6 Central Division championship. What I did witness was one of the best baseball games I have ever watched. The Tigers took an early 3-0 lead, but the Twins fought back . I swear the game was over once the Tigers took the lead in the 10th inning, but the next moment still gives me chills when I YouTube it. In between the top and the bottom of the 10th inning, the song "Don't stop Believing" was played, and all 56,000 plus fans sang along. It was so loud, and fun booing when we sang "born in South Detroit". Michael Cuddyer led off the bottom of the 10th with a line drive in the lights that could only of happened at the dome. Don Kelly lost the ball, and Cuddyer got a triple, and later scored to tie the game at 5-5. What happened a few innings later was amazing, Go-Go(Carlos Gomez) at second and Mr Clutch (Alexei Casilla) up at the plate, what happened next almost made the dome explode. Casilla single to right field, and Gomez scored easily to win the game, on a walk-off single. All what happened in this game, from chanting "alcoholic" to Miguel Cabrera, to Bobby Keppel almost hitting Brandon Inge, makes this number 5.

Number 4

On April 22, 2003 I was staying up way past my bed time to watch what would become one of the best hockey games I have ever seen. The Minnesota Wild were in Denver Colorado to face the Avalanche in the Western Conference Quarterfinal game 7. The Wild had been down 3-1 in the series before tying it at 3-3 to force a game 7. My parents told be to go to bed, because I had school in the morning, but I did not listen. I had to sneak out into the living room to watch the game. I was glued to the screen, until Andrew Brunette shot one past the Hall of Fame goalie Patrick Roy(which would be his last goal he would ever let get past him in the NHL) I started to scream, which then woke up my parents9I did not get in trouble). This was the first play off series win by a Minnesota hockey team since the North Stars were here, and on that night the Wild might have finally made Minnesota sports fans forget about the North Stars leaving. and that is why this is number 4.

Number 3

In 1987 Minnesota Witnessed for the for the first time in nearly three decades, a World Championship finally belonging to Minnesota. The 87 Twins were magical, led by Kent Hrbek, the Late great Kirby Puckett, the Hall of Fame Bert Blyleven, and the G-men, and Sweet Music Viola. The Twins took over the baseball world that year, by defeating the Tigers in the ALCS, and then Winning all 4 games at home to beat the St Louis Cardinals to finally bring a World Series to Minnesota, and that is why this is number 3.

Number 2

In 2002 the Twins would later start their magical run to become the Minnesota favorite team, but before that run; the Gopher Men hockey team was at center ice. It had been over a decade since the state of Minnesota had a championship, and on one early spring night the whole country, including me witnessed the Golden Gophers upset Maine 4-3 in overtime to capture the National Championship, and the reason why it is number 2 is, because the Gophers won it again the following year to make it 2 championships in a row, and it would only be fitting to place them at number 2.

Number 1

Drum roll please.....how about a team that over came a last place finish a year before to become world champions. That is right, I am talking about the 1991 Minnesota Twins. In 1990 the Twins placed last in their division. Yet in 1991 with new faces of Chili Davis, and home grown Jack Morris blended in with Kirby Puckett Randy Bush, Kent Hrbek and Scott Erickson, and Rich Aguilera, and Chuck Knoblauch. The Twins would complete a miracle season, going from worst to first, yet standing in there way was a team that also placed last the year before. That team was the Atlanta Braves. ESPN ranks the 1991 Series as the best ever played, with five of its games being decided by one run, and four of its game decided by the final at-bat. As a Minnesota fan you hear stories of Kirby Puckett telling the team before game six I will lead you to victory tonight, and who could ever forget his catch, or his Home Run that was captured by legendary Jack Buck "And we will see you tomorrow night". And Jack Morris will never have to pay for a beer in Minnesota after what he did in game 7. 10 innings of no run allowed, which then set up Gene Larkin to play Kirk Gibson role as the hero. Larkin came up to pinch hit, he then hit a walk off single to left field to capture Minnesota second world Series in 5 years. With this World Series being argued as the best World Series ever played, then there is no reason why this should not be Minnesota number 1 Sports moment.