By: Toby Martin-Kohls

There has been a long history of disappointment in Minnesota sports since our last win in a major sports championship. From terrible decisions to highly improbable events, this article will (painfully) give you a refresher on Minnesota sports history. This article will go in chronological order, so younger readers might only be familiar with events further down the list. If you manage to make it to the end, kudos to you! Buckle up.

1996: Wolves draft Ray Allen, and immediately trade him for Stephon Marbury

In a move that still haunts Minnesota fans, the Timberwolves drafted future Hall of Famer Ray Allen in 1996 but immediately traded him for Stephon Marbury. Marbury’s tenure with the team was brief and fraught with controversy; a disappointment compared to Allen’s outstanding career.

1998: 15-1 Vikings lose NFC Championship Game on Gary Anderson’s first missed FG

Despite an impressive 15-1 regular season record, the 1998 Vikings lost the NFC Championship Game when reliable kicker Gary Anderson missed his first field goal of the year, in true disappointing fashion.

2000: Vikings lose 41-0 to Giants in the NFC Championship game

Two years later, the New York Giants humiliated the Vikings 41-0 in the NFC Championship game, destroying them once more. The defeat adds yet another episode of postseason heartbreak for the Vikings.

2002: Twins win division, losing to Los Angeles in ALCS

Despite winning the division, the 2002 Twins lost to the Angels in the American League Championship Series. The loss put the Twins’ hopes of winning the World Series on hold once more.

2002: Wild swept by Anaheim in Western Conference Finals

The Anaheim Ducks defeated the Minnesota Wild in four games on their first-ever trip to the Western Conference Finals. This marked the sudden end to what had been a thrilling playoff journey, after coming back from two 3-1 series deficits.

1997-2003: Wolves lose in the first round of playoffs for seven consecutive seasons

Between 1997 and 2003, the Timberwolves had seven consecutive first-round playoff exits, which highlighted the team’s lack of postseason success throughout that time span.

2003: David Ortiz leaves Twins for Red Sox

Losing David Ortiz to the Red Sox in 2003 was a painful blow to the Twins. Ortiz continued to rise to fame in Boston and serves as a daily reminder of what might have been. One of the most beloved players to play the game.

2003: Twins win division, lose to Yankees in ALDS

The Twins lost in the postseason following yet another division victory, this time to the Yankees in the American League Division Series. The Twins’ reputation as a team that struggled to make the playoffs was further solidified with this defeat.

2004: Sam Cassell hurts his hip doing big-balls dance, Wolves lose to Lakers in WCF

Sam Cassell hurt his hip in the 2004 Western Conference Finals during a celebratory dance, which was a particularly upsetting event for Wolves fans. The Wolves hopes were hampered by the injury, and they fell to the Lakers.

2005: Vikings lose NFC Divisional playoff game to Eagles

The Vikings continued their trend of postseason disappointment in 2005, losing the NFC Divisional playoff game to the Eagles.

2005: Randy Moss traded to Oakland, Vikings get No. 7 overall pick, which they use to take Troy Williamson

The Vikings dealt superstar Randy Moss to Oakland in 2005 in exchange for the top pick, which they then used to choose Troy Williamson. Williamson fell short of supporters’ expectations, further disappointing them.

2006: Twins win the division with AL Cy Young, MVP, and batting champ; swept by A’s in the first round

Despite winning the division and receiving individual recognition, the 2006 Twins’ playoff struggles continued when they were swept by the Athletics in the first round.

2007: KG forces trade to Celtics

The Timberwolves suffered a great deal as a result of Kevin Garnett’s demand for a trade in 2007, losing their franchise player and finding it difficult to fill the void.

2008: Wild win a first division title, lose to Avs in the first round

After securing their first division title, the Wild lost to the Avalanche in the first round of playoffs, once again failing to capitalize on regular-season success.

2009: Vikings lose NFC Wild Card game to the Eagles

The Vikings’ loss to the Eagles in the 2009 NFC Wild Card game added to the ongoing narrative of postseason underachievement.

2009: Wolves draft Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn over Steph Curry and DeMar DeRozan

Fans have often pondered what might have been when the Timberwolves selected Ricky Rubio and Jonny Flynn over Steph Curry and DeMar DeRozan in the 2009 NBA Draft.

2009: Twins win the division in game 163, swept by Yankees in ALDS (Ump Phil Cuzzi blows easy foul ball call in Game 2)

The Twins were defeated by the Yankees in the 2009 ALDS despite winning the division in an exciting Game 163 of the series. During Game 2 of the series, umpire Phil Cuzzi made a terrible foul ball call.

2010: Vikings choke against Bountygate Saints in NFC Championship game

The infamous “Bountygate” controversy tainted the Vikings’ loss to the Saints in the 2010 NFC Championship game. They were doomed by notable errors like Adrian Peterson’s fumble, the 12-men-on-field penalty, and Brett Favre’s late-game interception.

2010: Wolves draft Wesley Johnson with 4th overall pick over Cousins, Hayward, and George

The Timberwolves chose Wesley Johnson with the fourth overall pick in the draft, passing over future All-Stars DeMarcus Cousins, Gordon Hayward, and Paul George in another dismal decision.

2010: Twins win division, swept by Yankees in ALDS

Despite having won their division, the Twins’ postseason troubles continued in 2010 when they were swept by the Yankees in the ALDS.

2011: Wolves, (worst team in the NBA ) lose lottery (and Kyrie), pick Derrick Williams at No. 2

By losing the NBA draft lottery in 2011 and missing out on Kyrie Irving, the Timberwolves lost a significant opportunity. Derrick Williams, who was chosen with the second selection, performed poorly.

2013: AP misses single-season rushing record by 9 yards; Vikings lose to Packers in the first round

Adrian Peterson came just 9 yards short of breaking the single-season rushing record in 2013, which was a disappointing moment in a campaign that ended with a first-round playoff loss to the Packers.

2015: Wild lose to Blackhawks in the second round

The Wild were defeated by the Blackhawks in the second round of the 2015 postseason, adding to Minnesota’s ongoing playoff woes. This was the last time the Wild have progressed past the first round.

2016: Blair Walsh shanks 27-yard FG and Vikings lose to Seahawks in the first round

Blair Walsh missed a 27-yard field goal against the Seahawks in the first round of the 2016 playoffs, creating a scary déjà vu similar to Gary Anderson’s miss.

2017: Wild set a franchise record in points, lose to Blues in the first round

The Wild lost to the Blues in the opening round of the playoffs despite setting a team record for points during the regular season, failing to translate their regular-season success into postseason advancement.

2017: Twins blow 3-0 lead to Yankees in AL Wild Card game

In the 2017 AL Wild Card game against the Yankees, the Twins blew a 3-0 lead, leading to yet another sad postseason defeat.

2018: Vikings blown out in NFC Championship game one week after Minneapolis Miracle

After the legendary “Minneapolis Miracle” a week prior, the Vikings’ hopes of hosting a Super Bowl were dashed as they were routed in the NFC Championship game.

2019: MN United gives up two goals in the closing minutes and loses 3-2 in the semifinals to the Seattle Sounders

MN United fell to the Seattle Sounders 3-2 in a heartbreaking 2019 playoff after allowing two goals in the closing minutes.

2020: Vikings lose in NFC Divisional playoff game to the 49ers

Despite beating the Saints in the Wild Card round, the Vikings’ playoff problems continued as they were defeated by the 49ers in the 2020 NFC Divisional playoff game.

2021: All five men’s hockey teams in the state make the NCAA tournament, three reach the Frozen Four, and UMass wins it all

All five of Minnesota’s men’s hockey teams qualified for the NCAA tournament in 2021, with three of them making it to the Frozen Four. However, UMass went on to win the title.

2021: Wild lose in 7 games to Golden Knights in the first round

The Wild’s postseason ended in disappointment once again in 2021, losing in seven games to the Golden Knights in the first round of playoffs.

2022: Wild lose in 6 games to Blues in the first round, blowing 2-1 series lead

The Wild continued the trend of losing in the first round for the 6th straight time, despite setting another franchise record for points with 113.

2022: Timberwolves lose in the first round to the Grizzlies in 6 games, with only their second playoff appearance in the previous 18 years

At least they made the playoffs and even won the play-in games! Alas, it was not enough to advance in the first round over the Ja Morant-led Grizzlies.

2023: Minnesota Golden Gophers Men’s hockey suffers late collapse vs Quinnipiac in NCAA Championship game

Minnesota blew a 2-0 lead starting with 13 min to play in the second period. Collin Graf managed the game-tying goal with an extra attacker 17:13 into the 3rd period to force OT. Jacob Quillan scored the game-winner just 10 seconds in the OT period, gave Quinnipiac their first title, and left Minnesota searching for another since their last win in 2003.

2023: Wild lose to Stars in 6 games

In a revenge series against the team that was originally the North Stars and relocated to Dallas (screw you Norm Green), the Wild again blow a 2-1 series lead. This marks the 7th consecutive first-round exit.

Congratulations if you made it this far! I’m sure this list will only grow in future years. Perhaps the Twins will finally win a playoff game for the first time since 2003. Of course, cautiously optimistic, you can’t expect much.