Lets. Go. Why-Auld!

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Nearly every sport in nearly every league I have chosen a team to support but Ice Hockey I had none. I don’t hate a team, in fact I don’t know much. Looking for excuses to minimise the options the only team I canned was Vancouver after last seasons end. I also wanted a team that was Middle America not the cliché New York team, Boston or a big city Canadian team. I then heard that Minnesota had a team called Wild.



I looked at the map and saw it bordering Canada in the north of the states. I knew a few people living there too so I was going to stay a few days. Plus it gave me the perfect opportunity to support a nonsensical name for a team – Minnesota Wild. I always wondered what it would be like to support a team that didn’t have an animal as its namesake.



After making the bold decision to support a team I had no idea about, it was time to grasp the area of Minnesota. The states two big cities are Minneolapolis and St Paul called the Twin Cities. It is easier to call them by the twin city name than trying to pronounce Mineolapolis or however it goes. But now I support Wild I figured, “Shit if I’m going to start supporting this team I’d better start pronouncing it right. So here goes… Min-ne-apolis.”



To get here I went with the audacious decision to skip Chicago and Wisconsin until later and take on the long drive through to Minnesota. In hindsight I should have gone from my Sault ste Marie beginning around Lake Superior in Canada via Thunder Bay and then Duluth, Minnesota where the Mississippi River begins. Apparently ocean going ships make their way down for trade carrying coal, iron ore and grain.



The River (2350miles long,) which starts in the north of Minnesota at Lake Itasca and makes its way all the way down to the Mexico Sea, in the countries south. On its way early on it goes through the twin cities, which in turn provides a lot of park areas. It seems an outdoors type place minus the harsh winters. The radio announced that it was hunting season starting up and many people kitted out in their orange hats and jackets or camouflage uniforms.



The season begins around October as the Indian Summer finishes around here. Actually I’ve been quite lucky with the weather it has been the best weather in October since the 1800’s. An Indian Summer is when a cold snap comes in followed by a brief two week period of great weather and than winter settles itself in for the rest of the year and beyond.



During this period leaves mostly fall and build up on the ground. Providing easier viewing to spot deer. Water sources are scarce and the radio informs hunters the best places to go. What season it is so the stocks can procreate. Eg. Female whitetail deer this year, next year it’s the males.



They give a description on how to tell the difference, like the antlers to look out for. They also get word from Canada to see if any on the flocks are coming down from the cold up north. I wonder if the males when they survive a tough season party it up in the summer since the males stocks are low? “Hey ladies!”



With the leaves mostly on the ground here I was like a kid again imagining the leaves saying, “Please Drew, hit me! Kick me if you will. Do whatever, just dislodge me from this current position.” So when the time felt appropriate I would kick or just step on top of them or drag my feet through.



I forgot those sounds of fallen leaves in fall (trying to get my American lingo going again) when you step on them and the crunching noise. I don’t think I remember this sight or sound since I was in Primary School. Autumn for some reason (in maybe Australian life) doesn’t get appreciated once you move to young adult life. It’s kind of a forgotten season. Quite possibly it’s the children season, at least for a boy, such harmless destruction is available. Actually maybe that’s what the powers to be with all the nuclear bombs and stuff should invest in instead - A couple of sakes of leaves to play with.



I have set the challenge for myself to at some point go down the back street of some small town USA and when I see a big pile of leaves with some kids playing nearby. I park my car, run over, than run through that pile, grab it with my hands throw in the air yell out “YAY!” than run back to the car and before entering, yell out “AUSTRALIA!” than drive off. The kids go after, “What the hell was that? Did he just say Australia?” A lasting impression of our great country.



In Minneapolis the River provides a nice walk, which informs the history of its twin cities use of the river. Like the flour stations from the western prairies agriculture on the land. As well as the white mans beginnings in the 1840’s sawmills popped up along the river and by 1899 it was the largest sawmill centre in USA but by 1910 the timber and forests had gone.



The most obvious site is evidence of the nations first central hydro-electric centre. The originals burnt down or rebuilt but the area provides a waterfall, which dominates the views on the walk, which includes a few crosses over the river. The Falls of St Anthony is the only major fall on the Mississippi River and has drifted down the river through time. 12000 years ago it was back in St Paul’s but now its 12 miles downstream in Minneapolis where in the 1870’s they stabilised it to protect the waterpower.





I ended up staying with Sandy (the American I helped get pissed in Ios one night a few months back) and her family and 3 cats and 2 dogs. It’s almost a staple that people that I am staying with have a pet of some sort. I appreciated this stay because I was able to see America through a family dynamic instead of the party going or hard studying student lifestyle I’ve observed so far. Although Sandy was in the hard studying thing too which meant during the day only Sunday we had time to do something.



That time was spent mostly at Mall of America, the largest shopping centre in USA. It’s in Bloomington, 10 miles south from Minneapolis. We walk in and a big smile on my face was instant as the sight of multiple rollercoaster’s, Lego land. It was as if I had hit an amusement park. There was no time to look at shops in the first instance. Yet eventually I had to see how much a Wild jersey cost. You know… “Gotta support the team!”



I never thought a hockey jersey was any good, too baggy. But as I put on the green alternative strip I was completely attached and whilst I didn’t buy it. I couldn’t get it out of my mind as I was trying to find alternatives to this expensive item of clothing.



I then started trying to sought out how am I going to fund this? What sacrifices I need to make to be able to purchase a jersey of a team I have never seen before, have not won anything bar a divisional title 7-8 years ago. In a sport I don’t care about. First thing to come to mind was accommodation an easy big sum I can sacrifice consistently. So I figured 3 nights sleeping in the car could do it… Maybe just 2.



What didn’t help was that in my ear was Sandy saying, “Yeah it looks good on you. You should buy it.” And to tell you the truth she was right I looked a bit like Russel Crowe from that Ice Hockey movie, ‘Mystery, Alaska.’ So with that it was bought.



The next day it was off to Xcel Energy Centre for the game. We are in the nosebleed section for like $30 and grab ourselves a $9 beer (not cheap). A rarity it seems for me is that I get to see the national anthem at a sporting event but I didn’t miss it at my beloved Wild game. Because of hunting season a sponsor handed out free Orange hats (bright orange is used so you don’t shot your hunting partner) With that addition I took it off my head and placed it on my heart and sang the first line and stopped.



“Oooo say can you see! mmmm mmm mmm….” Generally on most anthems they have a marines or navy seal singer. It was pretty quite than the big line of the anthem:

“For the land of the Frreeeeeee!” Some guy in crowd “Whhhoooooaaaa!” I was like Yes! Yes! That’s what I wanted.



Prior to that a flag bearer, some young kid, skates out and slams down the pole. It hangs off in the middle of the lake (ice rink) saying basically, “This is our Pond!” Which was a slogan they used throughout. The other one was that Minnesota is the “State of Hockey.” But the state of hockey lost their hockey team in 1993, called the Minnesota North Stars it still has a fond feeling toward the Wild supporter base. Some people still wear the green and gold jersey, which seem newly purchased. If you wear it you show you are a diehard.



Throughout the states I have been asking people about being a Wild supporter (its fan actually, supporter means you are an activist in America.) and people know the story, “Oh the NHL really screwed Minnesota and they go on about the story of the re-location to Dallas.



Prior to faceoff I said to Sandy “My only knowledge of ice hockey is from computer games 15 years ago.” I don’t care what people say about teenagers wasting there teen years on the computer or playstation. Those years spent in my formative years during school holidays and those times I should have been doing homework were not wasted. They were educational!



I knew of the slap shot, icing and power plays. I knew conceding a goal whilst someone is in the penalty box is not good. I just forgot the official terms at times. So the Wild happily demonstrated how to concede shorthand goal to be down 4-1. A conciliation goal late made the score 2-4 and I have chosen a team that is going to be difficult to support which is perfect.



Now I only have to show an interest in hockey once or twice a decade when they come good, which is what I wanted in my hockey team. I support too many teams in sport so when they do make the Stanley Cup I will not only yell out Go Wild but probably Go North Stars. If I pick a nonsensical team name to support I might as well become one of those bandwagon supporters too! It appears though even being a bandwagon supporter of the Wild it’s going to be tough.



There is a lot of Oooohhh’s in being a spectator of ice hockey. Some Ahhh’s too which makes it the closest to watching a sport like Rugby for the hits and soccer for the chance that the goal you just saw could be the last of the match.



I was in the food line in between the 1^st and 2^nd quarter and the game re-commenced I was still in the line when a hooter sounded which indicated a goal. There was a bit of cheering but when a guy yelled out. “Yeah you still suck Pittsburgh!” It confirmed that Wild just conceded.



I got back after being told to wait for a break of play before entering the viewing area. We won’t talk about the 2^nd goal to be scored by Pittsburgh and fast forward to Wild’s first goal in my attendance. It was 2 Wild players up against the goalie and we scored big cheers and High 5’s around the people sitting next to you. High 5’ing is popular in all sports in USA. Because of the conceding of 2 goals the crowd on a Tuesday night of 19000+ took a while to get going and the main chant was “Lets. Go. Wild.” Which was more like Why-Auld when extended.



Officially now a Wild fan, maybe the only Australian, I figured I’d test out the reactions from a local and show off my jersey. First off the rank was a good friend of thedribblemans. Gus the 50 year old Argentine guy from the burnt out bus ride in Mozambique a year earlier. I greeted him with the jersey on and he got a bit of excitement for about 5 seconds.



I had dinner with him and his wife and he noticed the Rhode Island number plates and informed that Rhode Island has a little reputation of being the corrupt state (I could be wrong with that quote but still the plates keep getting the reactions.) This Rhode Island number plate just keeps giving.



After about 4 days it was time to head to South Dakota a place most American’s say, “Why are you going there? There is nothing there?” But I knew that landscapes are what I wanted from my American experience too. It leads you to the Great Plains but mostly are in the middle south or far west of the state.



I tried my best to get to the Badlands before sunset (I’ll get to on the next blog) but the night beat me and driving the plains around sunset is prime time to see the lands. So I stopped the car, turned the motor off and appreciated the landscape I’d immerse myself in over the next few days. It’s about the time the trailers light up like Las Vegas.



I could have just kept driving to the next major town Rapid City and forget about the Badlands but I was potentially giving up on some prime piece of landscape so instead I chose to sleep in the car at a rest stop with a bunch of other trucks.



In my first attempt to recuperate some money from that fantastic Wild green jersey. I laid half prone in my seat watching the windows ice up. If it were the 60’s or 70’s and I were in a drive in with a lady then the stem that had built up half way through the movie would have iced the whole inside. I had to turn the motor on for warmth for half hour. My chest started to hurt; the ice started building up creating formations as a planned assault of coolness to penetrate my layers of clothing. I realised at 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the day is not a night I should sleep in the car. But was it worth it to become a Minnesota Wild supporter. Hell Yeah, they came onto the ice playing music from Wolfmother’s Joker and the Thief. How could I go wrong?

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Fast Food -

Jimmy Johns sandwiches – Better than Subway – rating 8.5/10

I suppose what also should be mentioned is the Cathedral of Saint Paul the national shrine of the Apostle Paul.

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Comments

[Stephanie and Andras]

On behalf of all Americans who never outgrew the appeal of fall/autumn, I wholeheartedly support your decision to run through a suburban yard, tossing handfuls of recently raked leaves into the air in jubilation. In fact I may or may not have photos of myself doing that very thing last year, only replace small-town American with Central Park Manhattan (just because you find yourself in a urban center, doesn\'t mean it has any less appeal). And yes, Jimmy Johns is better than Subway, hands down.