Can't We All Just Get Along?

Welcome back to The Sports Ace, where opposing managers and coaches always can't seem to get enough of our squad.

In case you've been hiding under a rock, Twins fans were rather unruly in the 7th inning of last night's victory over the Pale Hose. Gardy was ejected for arguing a terrible call, and then punted his cap on his way off the field. Of course, being the followers that Minnesota sports fans are, a few donkeys threw their caps and baseballs on the field after Gardy left, causing a five-minute delay in the game and an evacuation of the field by the visiting team.

I was reminded immediately of the Chuck Knoblauch fiasco, and the national black eye that Twins fans took in the hours and days afterward. I was there...the brunt of the action happened just a couple of rows in front of me in the lower deck left field area. I promise you that what happened that night was much worse than the events of last night. There were more people throwing more dangerous items - I even feared for my own safety. This is not to say, however, that last night's festivities were somehow all right. They were absolutely not.

I'm not exactly sure what it is about the Minnesota sporting public that makes us snap like this. I'm sure the booze has something to do with it - well, maybe a lot to do with it. But maybe it's the fact that Twins fans want so badly for the team to win - because Minnesota fans haven't had a lot of other good teams to cheer for lately - that they almost have an edge about it. It's kind of like the Cubs/Bartman syndrome...the ultimate example of fans having an edge. The Cubbies were 5 outs from a pennant, and Bartman got in the way of Alou catching that foul ball, and now he's in hiding because of the threats he's faced ever since. Maybe it's the fact that Twins fans are nostalgic and can't ever seem to move on when things happen, as evidenced by the fact that A.J. Pierzynski still gets booed in every plate appearance in the Dome (come on people...he was a great Twin, and his departure was the best thing that he ever did for the team because it brought in Nathan, Liriano and - ahem - Bonser). Whatever it is...again, today, one of ESPN.com's top headlines calls out Twins fans for their idiocy.

I hate being embarrassed to be a die-hard Twins fan, and I hate donkeys that can't control themselves and cause us to take it on the chin. To the people out there who are guilty of last night's events: shame on you, and I hope you pay the appropriate price. There's nothing wrong with being a passionate fan. But there is a line we just can't cross, and because this has happened more than once now, I fear this isn't just a blip anymore...it's a trend. And the thing about trends...there's bound to be a next time.

On a brighter note, I got my first look this morning at the still-being-built TCF Bank Stadium. I have seen the future of Gopher football, and my oh my, it is going to be good.

I'm out like Jared Allen from last night's scrimmage.