Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is sent to cover the Pitt-Penn State “Keystone Classic” of 1924; in so doing, he discovers a throughline of the football-on-Thanksgiving tradition going back to 1621 (okay, actually, that’s going back to 1869) and reminds us that high-level football games on Thanksgiving are nearly as old as the official Thanksgiving holiday itself.  

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is an audio drama podcast from Number 80 Productions and the Sports History Network.

Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) script & story by Os Davis.

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer stars Doug Fye, Ilona Fye, and Eric Bodwell. Thanksgiving and Football (or maybe Vice Versa) co-stars, in order of appearance, Caedmon Holland, Forrest Hartl and Wayne Brett.

Additional direction by Eric Bodwell. Sound recording and primary editing by Don McIver.

The theme song of Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is “the Dayton Triangles Rag” and was arranged and performed by Bruce Smith. 

Other tracks in this episode include

•  “Jazz Club” by Kriss (available through fair-use agreement via FreeMusicArchive.org);

•  “Litany of the Street” by Silverman Sound Studios;

•  “Bimini Bay” (1921) by the Benson Orchestra of Chicago; and

•  “Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer (Outro)” by David Liso of Dynamo Stairs.

Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer is produced by Os Davis and Darin Hayes. Series concept by Darrin Hayes.

Stay tuned for more episodes of Orville Mulligan: Sports Writer – coming soon!

EPISODE SUMMARY

How's it going, guys? Welcome to the third episode of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, U of M hype man for the Sports History Network.

Today we are talking about the WNBA's all-time games winner and Minnesota sports living legend, Lindsay Whalen.

Her hard work, humility, and ability to razzle-dazzle in clutch moments exemplify Minnesota values. She is a true Minnesota treasure.

As a winner since high school at Hutchinson, she was a 4-time All-Missota Conference pick and won a state title with the Minnesota Jaguars. They would rank 13th nationally that year.

In the year 2000, she would go on to elevate the University of Minnesota’s women’s basketball program and receive national recognition. As a professional, she would win four championship titles and Olympic gold.

I’m going to take a pause on her endless achievements and talk about why she deserves to be mentioned with other Minnesota sports greats like Kevin Garnett, Randy Moss, and Joe Mauer.

She is a hometown hero. When she became eligible for the WNBA draft, she was the talk of local and national sports media.

It was the early 2000s and I was still in high school. Lindsay Whalen had just become a Gopher and took them to new heights, reaching the Final Four for the first time in the program’s history.

Just removed from the U of M men’s basketball scandal, Lindsay Whalen was a homegrown feel-good story and brought positivity to the local scene. It was an exciting time for women’s college sports in the Twin Cities. 

By the time she graduated, she had helped increase Gopher women’s basketball attendance nearly ten-fold. Her impact on interest in the program was unquestionable.

I think Lindsay Whalen is a very important part of Minnesota sports lore. There is no one that is quite like her.

With all her personal and team accolades, she was even able to bring rings to the state and excel at the highest level. It is something that her contemporaries have not been able to achieve. 

I remember the fervor leading up to the WNBA draft prior to her rookie season.

There were debates in the local media about how hard the Minnesota Lynx should try and draft her. Questions about how her game would translate at the pro level, and if it were to be a homer pick.

I remember Lindsay Whalen taking the sports front page of both the Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune. All eyes were on where she would take her career.

At the time, I thought it would have been a great move to ride her popularity and lift the Lynx.

When she was drafted by the Connecticut Sun, I felt that Minnesota had squandered a huge opportunity. She would go on to lead the Connecticut Sun to two finals appearances.

But the story didn’t end there. She would make a triumphant return to Minnesota in a trade and become part of a dynasty.

The Lynx would win four championships in six years with her as the floor general.

I love the narrative of her story. Hometown super talent brings prominence to her high school and college. Gets drafted out of state in the pros, much to the chagrin of the local fanbase. Hometown hero returns to her roots and wins multiple championships.

I can’t think of another parallel for Minnesota in the modern sports era. 

Lindsay Whalen’s career is decorated from high school to the WNBA, and on the international stage. She currently coaches the U of M women’s...]]>The Minnesota Sports History Show is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

How's it going, guys? Welcome to the third episode of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, U of M hype man for the Sports History Network.

Today we are talking about the WNBA's all-time games winner and Minnesota sports living legend, Lindsay Whalen.

Her hard work, humility, and ability to razzle-dazzle in clutch moments exemplify Minnesota values. She is a true Minnesota treasure.

As a winner since high school at Hutchinson, she was a 4-time All-Missota Conference pick and won a state title with the Minnesota Jaguars. They would rank 13th nationally that year.

In the year 2000, she would go on to elevate the University of Minnesota’s women’s basketball program and receive national recognition. As a professional, she would win four championship titles and Olympic gold.

I’m going to take a pause on her endless achievements and talk about why she deserves to be mentioned with other Minnesota sports greats like Kevin Garnett, Randy Moss, and Joe Mauer.

She is a hometown hero. When she became eligible for the WNBA draft, she was the talk of local and national sports media.

It was the early 2000s and I was still in high school. Lindsay Whalen had just become a Gopher and took them to new heights, reaching the Final Four for the first time in the program’s history.

Just removed from the U of M men’s basketball scandal, Lindsay Whalen was a homegrown feel-good story and brought positivity to the local scene. It was an exciting time for women’s college sports in the Twin Cities. 

By the time she graduated, she had helped increase Gopher women’s basketball attendance nearly ten-fold. Her impact on interest in the program was unquestionable.

I think Lindsay Whalen is a very important part of Minnesota sports lore. There is no one that is quite like her.

With all her personal and team accolades, she was even able to bring rings to the state and excel at the highest level. It is something that her contemporaries have not been able to achieve. 

I remember the fervor leading up to the WNBA draft prior to her rookie season.

There were debates in the local media about how hard the Minnesota Lynx should try and draft her. Questions about how her game would translate at the pro level, and if it were to be a homer pick.

I remember Lindsay Whalen taking the sports front page of both the Pioneer Press and the Star Tribune. All eyes were on where she would take her career.

At the time, I thought it would have been a great move to ride her popularity and lift the Lynx.

When she was drafted by the Connecticut Sun, I felt that Minnesota had squandered a huge opportunity. She would go on to lead the Connecticut Sun to two finals appearances.

But the story didn’t end there. She would make a triumphant return to Minnesota in a trade and become part of a dynasty.

The Lynx would win four championships in six years with her as the floor general.

I love the narrative of her story. Hometown super talent brings prominence to her high school and college. Gets drafted out of state in the pros, much to the chagrin of the local fanbase. Hometown hero returns to her roots and wins multiple championships.

I can’t think of another parallel for Minnesota in the modern sports era. 

Lindsay Whalen’s career is decorated from high school to the WNBA, and on the international stage. She currently coaches the U of M women’s basketball team where she continues to build upon her legacy.

Thank you for listening to the Minnesota Sports History Show on the Sports History Network. Join me next week when we talk about one of my favorite Minnesota Twins seasons. Have a blessed day!  

MINNESOTA SPORTS HISTORY SHOW BACKGROUND

Each episode explores the rich history of Minnesota sports and considers its impact on the current cultural zeitgeist. The Minnesota Sports History Show strives to entertain and inform, tickle the sense of nostalgia, and share the joy and hardships of triumph and heartbreak. Episodes will range from musings about the Dome Dog era to interviews with athletes and sports personalities.   

EPISODE SUMMARY

How’s it going, guys? Welcome to Episode 2 of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, Vikings apologist for the Sports History Network.

Today, we will talk about the Miracle at the Met, considered to be one of the Minnesota Vikings’ most triumphant comebacks of all time, and ranked No. 96 in the NFL’s 100 Greatest Games.

Luckily, this game is pretty well documented and I was able to watch the comeback in its entirety. It’s quite easy for me to relate to anxious Vikings fans of the early 80s.

It was December 14, 1980, with the Vikings fighting for the division title and a playoff berth.

They hosted the Cleveland Browns, who were having their best season since 1972. They would go on to finish the season 11-5 and win the AFC Central.

It was a cold day in the open air Metropolitan Stadium, with a game time temperature of a balmy 23º Farenheit.

Vikings’ quarterback Tommy Kramer would go on to set a then franchise record of 456 passing yards in a single game-- Still good enough for the second most passing yards in a single game in franchise history. 

In fact, Tommy Kramer holds three of the top five single game passing records of all time for the Vikings, including the most at 496 yards, a record from the 1986 season that stands to this day.

A notable quarterback of the modern era holds the 4th most single game passing yards of all time at 446 yards in the 2010 season, held by legendary Vikings quarterback Brett Favre.

So, why did the 1980 Minnesota Vikings need a comeback, let alone a miracle?

The 1980 Minnesota Vikings were a few years removed from their last Super Bowl appearance in 1977, and had middling success after their vaunted defensive line, known as The Purple People Eaters retired-- the group that dominated opposing offenses from the late 60s and into the 70s.

The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings jockeyed for 1st place in a relatively weak NFC Central division in the 1980-1981 season. Both the Lions and Vikings would finish 9-7, with the Vikings eking out a division title with the conference record tie-breaker.

Going into the game, any combination of a Vikings win or Lions loss meant a division title for the Vikings, and the pressure was on. Cleveland had a win-and-get-in situation for the playoffs.

With 5:01 left in the 4th quarter, the Cleveland Browns led the Vikings 23-15. After shutting out the Vikings in the first half, the Browns held onto an eight point lead. It seemed like the perfect scenario to grind and run out the clock.

Watching this game gives me goosebumps and makes my stomach hurt. As a lifelong Vikings fan, I fully understand how unlikely these kinds of comebacks are. 

Even though this game happened five years before I was even born, there is some kind of Purple Pride cosmic connection that transcends space and time.

I can picture myself with a mullet and a Jheri curl, sulking on a brown-toned floral printed sofa and threatening to turn off the TV as I simultaneously curse and pray for the Vikings.

But down by eight points, the Tommy Kramer-led Vikings would conduct an improbable comeback against a strong Cleveland team.

After a squib kick, the Browns would begin their drive at their own 26 yard line. The odds seemed in their favor with time running out.

Cleveland running back Mike Pruitt would rush for a couple first downs as the game clock approached three minutes. They kept it on the ground. Victory...]]>The Minnesota Sports History Show is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

How’s it going, guys? Welcome to Episode 2 of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, Vikings apologist for the Sports History Network.

Today, we will talk about the Miracle at the Met, considered to be one of the Minnesota Vikings’ most triumphant comebacks of all time, and ranked No. 96 in the NFL’s 100 Greatest Games.

Luckily, this game is pretty well documented and I was able to watch the comeback in its entirety. It’s quite easy for me to relate to anxious Vikings fans of the early 80s.

It was December 14, 1980, with the Vikings fighting for the division title and a playoff berth.

They hosted the Cleveland Browns, who were having their best season since 1972. They would go on to finish the season 11-5 and win the AFC Central.

It was a cold day in the open air Metropolitan Stadium, with a game time temperature of a balmy 23º Farenheit.

Vikings’ quarterback Tommy Kramer would go on to set a then franchise record of 456 passing yards in a single game-- Still good enough for the second most passing yards in a single game in franchise history. 

In fact, Tommy Kramer holds three of the top five single game passing records of all time for the Vikings, including the most at 496 yards, a record from the 1986 season that stands to this day.

A notable quarterback of the modern era holds the 4th most single game passing yards of all time at 446 yards in the 2010 season, held by legendary Vikings quarterback Brett Favre.

So, why did the 1980 Minnesota Vikings need a comeback, let alone a miracle?

The 1980 Minnesota Vikings were a few years removed from their last Super Bowl appearance in 1977, and had middling success after their vaunted defensive line, known as The Purple People Eaters retired-- the group that dominated opposing offenses from the late 60s and into the 70s.

The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings jockeyed for 1st place in a relatively weak NFC Central division in the 1980-1981 season. Both the Lions and Vikings would finish 9-7, with the Vikings eking out a division title with the conference record tie-breaker.

Going into the game, any combination of a Vikings win or Lions loss meant a division title for the Vikings, and the pressure was on. Cleveland had a win-and-get-in situation for the playoffs.

With 5:01 left in the 4th quarter, the Cleveland Browns led the Vikings 23-15. After shutting out the Vikings in the first half, the Browns held onto an eight point lead. It seemed like the perfect scenario to grind and run out the clock.

Watching this game gives me goosebumps and makes my stomach hurt. As a lifelong Vikings fan, I fully understand how unlikely these kinds of comebacks are. 

Even though this game happened five years before I was even born, there is some kind of Purple Pride cosmic connection that transcends space and time.

I can picture myself with a mullet and a Jheri curl, sulking on a brown-toned floral printed sofa and threatening to turn off the TV as I simultaneously curse and pray for the Vikings.

But down by eight points, the Tommy Kramer-led Vikings would conduct an improbable comeback against a strong Cleveland team.

After a squib kick, the Browns would begin their drive at their own 26 yard line. The odds seemed in their favor with time running out.

Cleveland running back Mike Pruitt would rush for a couple first downs as the game clock approached three minutes. They kept it on the ground. Victory was imminent for the Browns.

At their own 40, they would opt to pass as the game proceeded toward the two minute warning. This was a costly decision. Vikings’ cornerback Bobby Bryant intercepted Cleveland quarterback Brian Sipe, giving the Vikings’ a sliver of hope with great field position. 

It was a monumental error of a throw and a gift from the football gods, as the pass hit Bobby Bryant in the chest to give him his 50th career interception at the time.

Still, the clock was ticking.

Tommy Kramer orchestrated a beautiful drive where he completed four out of five passes, including a touchdown pass to pro-bowl receiver Ahmad Rashad. More importantly, the Vikings took only 37 seconds off the clock on this scoring drive.

After the extra point, the Vikings stared down a one point deficit, in part due to a missed extra point attempt by the Vikings earlier in the game. And time was on Cleveland’s side.

Sidenote, name a more iconic duo than the Minnesota Vikings and missed extra point kicks. You can’t. 

The Vikings failed to convert an onside kick and the Browns took over with about a minute and half left in the game. 

A costly illegal motion penalty against the Browns, and timeouts by the Vikings gave them the ever slightest amount of breathing room. The Browns were able to whittle the clock down to 23 seconds before electing to punt on 4th and short. 

Before the kick, the Browns called a timeout to contemplate the gamble of going for it.

The Vikings took the field at their own 20 after a touchback, and only 14 seconds left in the game.

Bud Grant would call for a hook-and-lateral play that was beautifully executed by Kramer, Senser, and a lateral to Ted Brown to gain 39 yards and get out of bounds with only five seconds left to play.

After the razzle dazzle trick play, NBC broadcaster Len Dawson remarked “They’re gonna throw that ball up in the air and hope for a miracle.” He was right.

On the final play, and what would go down as the Miracle at the Met, Kramer dropped back and heaved a Hail Mary into a crowd. Defensive back Thom Durden tipped it before Ahmad Rashad scooped in a one-handed catch and backed into the endzone with time expiring.

You have to watch the film to see how gracefully Ahmad scored. The tipped ball bounced just the right way so that he could extend his arm, grab it and step backwards into the endzone in one motion. He had to have nerves of steel at that moment.

In Ahmad Rashad’s words “I see the defender jump up and tap it. And as I go by it, I just reach out and grab it. And then just kind of tippin’ in, there’s a touchdown and it was over.”

What was a sure Cleveland win disappeared in a moment. 

As a long-time Vikings fan, I cherish times when they were able to snatch a victory from the jaws of defeat. 

Two-Minute Tommy earned his nickname, with 19 comeback victories. As of this recording, Tommy Kramer has yet to be added to the Viking’s Ring of Honor, a sort of personal Hall of Fame for the franchise. 

In addition to his late game heroics, he also has the 2nd most passing yards of all time among Vikings’ quarterbacks.

Current Vikings’ quarterback, Kirk Cousins, has piloted 13 comeback victories in his five years in Minnesota.

Perhaps he can catch up to Two-Minute Tommy someday.

Thanks for listening to the Minnesota Sports History Show on the Sports History Network. Skol, have a blessed day, and join me next week to talk about Lindsey Whalen’s local heroics, time away from Minnesota, and her triumphant return.

MINNESOTA SPORTS HISTORY SHOW BACKGROUND

Each episode explores the rich history of Minnesota sports and considers its impact on the current cultural zeitgeist. The Minnesota Sports History Show strives to entertain as well as inform, tickle the sense of nostalgia, and share the joy and hardships of triumph and heartbreak. Episodes will range from musings about the Dome Dog era to interviews with athletes and sports personalities.   

EPISODE SUMMARY

The NBA's first dynasty - The Minneapolis Lakers.

How's it going, guys? Welcome to the first-ever episode of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, resident Minnesota sports homer for the Sports History Network.

Today, we are talking about the Minneapolis Lakers, the NBA’s first dynasty.

Their legacy is overlooked, and I want to ask why that is.

When I think about NBA dynasties, I think about the 90s Bulls, Bill Russel’s Celtics, today’s Golden State Warriors, and the LA Lakers’ dominance from Jerry West to Shaq and Kobe.

Those same Lakers teams share history with Minnesota, whose humble beginnings are tied to Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota. 

If you ever wondered how the LA Lakers got their name, it’s because the franchise was named to honor Minnesota’s bountiful and beautiful lakes.

I’m a big NBA fan, love the timberwolves, and I grew up when KG was one of the best power forwards in the league. 

With that said, the terms Minnesota and NBA Championship have been completely unrelated for the entirety of my life.  

But for a time, in the late 1940s and 1950s, Minnesota was home to the most dominant basketball team in the world. At their peak, they would sell out the 10,000-seat capacity Minneapolis Auditorium, drawing fans from all over Minnesota and the upper Midwest.

The Minneapolis Lakers’ franchise began in 1947 when the Detroit Gems of the NBL, or National Basketball League, were relocated to Minneapolis by Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen. 

Most of the NBL would be absorbed by the BAA, or basketball association of America and rebranded as the NBA, the National Basketball Association that we recognize today.

Relocation would remain a specter for the Minneapolis franchise. 

Anchored by George Mikan, aka Mr. Basketball, the NBA’s original bigman, the franchise would win Championship titles in 1949 and 1950, then three-peat in 1952, 1953, and 1954.

Three-peats are rare in the NBA, the last one being the Kobe Shaq-led Lakers from the 2000-2002 seasons.

George Mikan was the NBA’s first superstar. He stood at 6-feet 10inches and provided the framework for superstar centers that would follow him.

He was a proficient and prolific rebounder, shot blocker, and had three scoring titles.

For some trivia, he was even a teammate of Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings hall of fame coach, who played with the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1950-51 season.

This passage from Wikipdia sums George Mikan’s impact pretty well: Mikan was so dominant that he prompted several significant rule changes in the NBA, including the introduction of the goaltending rule, the widening of the foul lane — known as the "Mikan Rule" — and the creation of the shot clock.[3]    

After his retirement in 1956, the Minneapolis Lakers would wane in popularity and never reach previous levels of success in Minneapolis. 

This was in the 50s when baseball and boxing were king, and just a few years later, the franchise would relocate to Los Angeles prior to the 1960-1961 season.

Before moving to the West coast, however,  the Lakers would draft Elgin Baylor, rookie of the year in 1959. He would go on to reach  the NBA Finals 8x, and is recognized as one of the 50 greatest players in...]]>The Minnesota Sports History Show is part of the Sports History Network - The Headquarters For Sports Yesteryear.

EPISODE SUMMARY

The NBA's first dynasty - The Minneapolis Lakers.

How's it going, guys? Welcome to the first-ever episode of the Minnesota Sports History Show. I’m your host, Ryan Limbag, resident Minnesota sports homer for the Sports History Network.

Today, we are talking about the Minneapolis Lakers, the NBA’s first dynasty.

Their legacy is overlooked, and I want to ask why that is.

When I think about NBA dynasties, I think about the 90s Bulls, Bill Russel’s Celtics, today’s Golden State Warriors, and the LA Lakers’ dominance from Jerry West to Shaq and Kobe.

Those same Lakers teams share history with Minnesota, whose humble beginnings are tied to Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota. 

If you ever wondered how the LA Lakers got their name, it’s because the franchise was named to honor Minnesota’s bountiful and beautiful lakes.

I’m a big NBA fan, love the timberwolves, and I grew up when KG was one of the best power forwards in the league. 

With that said, the terms Minnesota and NBA Championship have been completely unrelated for the entirety of my life.  

But for a time, in the late 1940s and 1950s, Minnesota was home to the most dominant basketball team in the world. At their peak, they would sell out the 10,000-seat capacity Minneapolis Auditorium, drawing fans from all over Minnesota and the upper Midwest.

The Minneapolis Lakers’ franchise began in 1947 when the Detroit Gems of the NBL, or National Basketball League, were relocated to Minneapolis by Ben Berger and Morris Chalfen. 

Most of the NBL would be absorbed by the BAA, or basketball association of America and rebranded as the NBA, the National Basketball Association that we recognize today.

Relocation would remain a specter for the Minneapolis franchise. 

Anchored by George Mikan, aka Mr. Basketball, the NBA’s original bigman, the franchise would win Championship titles in 1949 and 1950, then three-peat in 1952, 1953, and 1954.

Three-peats are rare in the NBA, the last one being the Kobe Shaq-led Lakers from the 2000-2002 seasons.

George Mikan was the NBA’s first superstar. He stood at 6-feet 10inches and provided the framework for superstar centers that would follow him.

He was a proficient and prolific rebounder, shot blocker, and had three scoring titles.

For some trivia, he was even a teammate of Bud Grant, Minnesota Vikings hall of fame coach, who played with the Minneapolis Lakers in the 1950-51 season.

This passage from Wikipdia sums George Mikan’s impact pretty well: Mikan was so dominant that he prompted several significant rule changes in the NBA, including the introduction of the goaltending rule, the widening of the foul lane — known as the "Mikan Rule" — and the creation of the shot clock.[3]    

After his retirement in 1956, the Minneapolis Lakers would wane in popularity and never reach previous levels of success in Minneapolis. 

This was in the 50s when baseball and boxing were king, and just a few years later, the franchise would relocate to Los Angeles prior to the 1960-1961 season.

Before moving to the West coast, however,  the Lakers would draft Elgin Baylor, rookie of the year in 1959. He would go on to reach  the NBA Finals 8x, and is recognized as one of the 50 greatest players in history. He didn’t win any of them, however, and that way he’s kind of the original Charles Barkley. 

Despite these accolades and decorated history, the story of the Minneapolis Lakers is largely a footnote in modern NBA discourse.

I want to explore some key factors on why that is.

First, the Minneapolis Lakers get lost in Lakers lore.

LA is an economic and cultural hub. It’s Hollywood. It's showbiz, and sunny and warm all year round. Minnesota is none of those things.

Although George Mikan was a pioneer, he isn’t considered the Lakers’ greatest center of all time. This is not a hot take, and I don’t think this is an unfair assessment either. When Kareem Abdul Jabbar and Shaq are on your all-time rosters, it’s hard to compete with them.

Kareem or Shaq would be the best player of many team’s histories, but LA’s legacy boasts the logo himself, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, the late Kobe Bryant, and now Lebron James and Anthony Davis.

It seems almost cartoonish that a single franchise could claim so many all-time greats.

The Lakers have been the NBA franchise for decades, so I can understand that their modest beginnings as a small market midwest team get glossed over.

LA’s success through the modern era and ability to never fall out of relevancy is a feat in itself.

As a fixture of the national spotlight, LA continues to add to its legacy year after year. The Lakers franchise is forever cemented in Los Angeles lore, which brings me to my next point.

The Lakers franchise is so removed from its roots in Minneapolis. No championship banners hang from the rafters of the Target Center. When the Lakers moved, their stats and records went with them.

Minnesota would remain without an NBA franchise from 1960 to 1989, when the Minnesota Timberwolves were added as an expansion team. Former Minneapolis great, George Mikan, would be instrumental to the NBA’s return to Minnesota.

There is nothing inherently wrong or particularly unusual about the Lakers keeping the stats and championships that were won in Minnesota, but it does contrast with how the Charlotte Hornets were able to keep their name and records despite their team being relocated.

After all, franchise relocations are ultimately business moves, but I do think the modern NBA is more careful and conscious about franchise legacies, and what they mean to their regions and fanbases.

The Charlotte Hornets are an exception, but I could see the NBA handling any future moves in a similar fashion. 

Another slightly analogous example to me would be the Cleveland Browns. Although their move to Baltimore was controversial, I’m glad there was a way to keep the Cleveland Browns name in Cleveland. It just feels wrong to think of some bizarro world team called the Baltimore Browns. 

The Lakers are synonymous with LA. Their roots in Minneapolis are nearly 2000miles away. And perhaps more importantly, the Minneapolis Lakers' place in time plays the biggest factor in why it isn’t talked about so much.

The Minneapolis Lakers straight-up existed over half a century ago. We are nearing 70 years since a professional basketball team in Minneapolis won a championship.

Footage from the late 1940s and 1950s of professional basketball is few and far between. I was able to find a good story about the Minneapolis Lakers on youtube, but any film from that time is grainy, and oftentimes black and white.

We feel so far removed from the media of that time-- And it’s not as if we have highlight reels of George Mikan doing what he did best.

And aside from the quality of video from that era, many fans would question, fairly, the level of talent when the Minneapolis Lakers reigned supreme. In the 1950s, the NBA would contract down to 8 teams.

Even Bill Rusell, who I think could have a steelman argument made for the greatest player of all time, has his legacy questioned sometimes for playing against supposed milkmen and part-time plumbers. NBA fans have a recency bias. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make it difficult to compare great teams and players across eras.

The first time I was really invested in an NBA Finals was the Bulls/Suns Finals in 1993. Seeing Michael Jordan play was something else. I would’ve sworn I never saw him miss.

It makes me think that people who place Lebron James as the greatest of all time never saw Jordan play. 

A lot of us never saw the Minneapolis Lakers play. They’re a distant memory to the NBA. 

I think it’s important to recognize the Minneapolis Lakers as pioneers. Their dominance was a first in NBA history, and George Mikan was a harbinger for building teams around elite big men-- a trend that would continue through the modern era.

Today, Minneapolis and LA have their own franchises, and with the Timberwolves making a blockbuster trade for All-Defensive Center Rudy Gobert in the 2022 offseason, maybe it’s time for the big man to make a comeback. 

Thank you for listening to the Minnesota Sports History Show on the Sports History Network. It’s been a pleasure, have a blessed day, and join me next week when we talk about the Miracle at the Met, and how Tommy Kramer still manages to hold the single-game passing record for the Minnesota Vikings. 

MINNESOTA SPORTS HISTORY SHOW BACKGROUND

Each episode explores the rich history of Minnesota sports and considers its impact on the current cultural zeitgeist. The Minnesota Sports History Show strives to entertain as well as inform, tickle the sense of nostalgia, and share the joy and hardships of triumph and heartbreak. Episodes will range from musings about the Dome Dog era to interviews with athletes and sports personalities.   

EPISODE SUMMARY

Welcome to the Minnesota Sports History Show. Every week, we’ll explore Minnesota sports’ rich past.

Cue Bud Grant, and Randy Moss. The collapsing of the Metrodome. Lindsey Whalen. Dreams of championship baseball and a hockey team that used to be.

Triumphs. Heartbreak. It’s all here.

We’ll cover stories and personalities that put Minnesota on the map, and unearth hidden gems obscured by time and location. I’m compelled to root for the underdog and ask you to humor me in my obsession with Minnesota-centric sports history.

I’m your host, Ryan Limbag. Born and raised on the East Side of St. Paul, I wear purple pride on my sleeve and advocate for pronto pup excellence. I know how much your hometown can mean for your interests, worldview, and identity. I want to make connections with our past and consider how it impacts us today. From the NBA’s first dynasty to the love boat, our beloved rivalries and quest for relevancy. If it has to do with Minnesota sports, it’s fair game.

MINNESOTA SPORTS HISTORY SHOW BACKGROUND

Each episode explores the rich history of Minnesota sports and considers its impact on the current cultural zeitgeist. The Minnesota Sports History Show strives to entertain as well as inform, tickle the sense of nostalgia, and share the joy and hardships of triumph and heartbreak. Episodes will range from musings about the Dome Dog era to interviews with athletes and sports personalities.