A Sporting Conundrum

I've been a bad Twins fan this year. After going to 50 games last season, I have only been in the stands for 3 games this year. Working at 4:15 in the morning has ruined my ability to stay awake past 9:30 unless Lost is on. The only positive about Lost not returning until 2009 is an earlier bed time on Thursday. Working early mornings has not only prevented me from attending Twins games but also from watching more than six innings. Well I say to hell with sleep tonight! Laura and I are going to the Metrodome to watch Glen Perkins shut down the Baltimore Orioles. Between college ID night with 4 dollar tickets and Dollar Dog night, there is no option but to go. And yet, I am torn, for tonight television is offering two great sporting events. Rarely do I expect more than a Top Chef marathon or Anthony Bourdain reruns from television to mildly entertain me. But not tonight! Lets go over the options.

Option 1: Game 6 of the Stanley Cup finals. If I had not been asleep by 9pm, I would have been sitting through three overtimes on Monday night, waiting for the Penguins to beat the hated Dead Wings. With the series moving back to the Igloo, I'm hoping Sid the Kid and the rest of the young Penguins can wear down the gray hairs from Detroit. Normally I would feel for fans who saw their team come within 30 seconds of the Cup only to lose the game in triple OT, but not Detroit fans. I feel for them because they have to live in Detroit. While I would love to watch this game, it is not a game 7. I expect a Penguin victory so I can sit back on Saturday night and watch one of the greatest sporting events, a Stanley Cup game 7.

Option 2: U.S. National Soccer Team vs. Spain. Since the Champions League final of 2005 when Liverpool shocked A.C. Milan, I've been an avid watcher of all soccer, especially the English Premier League. I'm going through withdrawals on Saturday mornings when I can't wake up and turn on a live soccer match. Only two months till the new season! With the European leagues on break, the summer is filled with international games, none bigger than the European Championships beginning this Saturday. As a tune up, Spain decided to play the U.S. and its roster of players suffering from rigor mortis. I was excited to watch the U.S. take on England last week until the game began and it reinforced any negative comments one has of soccer. England won 2-0, and they are rubbish compared to Spain. Watch a malaised U.S. team get romped by Spain? I'll have another Dollar Dog please.

It's fairly simple when it comes down to it. Which team do I support most in all of sports? The Twins. How cheap is a ticket to the game? 4 dollars. How many hot dogs can I eat? 12. How much would that cost? 12 DOLLARS! Will Laura have 911 punched into her cell phone during the game in case of a meat induced coma? I hope so. It's a no brainer. Go Twins.