As the Wild fly into town to take on the Jackets, the Columbus Crew will also be playing in a playoff match this afternoon against the Colorado Rapids today in Crew Stadium. (In fact, FSN worked with the Blue Jackets and the Crew to sell a “doubleheader” package to both games so fans could attend each match.)
I’m not the biggest soccer guy in the world, but I’ve been to a few Crew games, and they’ve always been entertaining, especially with the guys in the Nordecke doing their best to make the opposing team’s life hell.
Plus, as one of my friends likes to say when he confronts local fans wearing another team’s jersey, “This is where I’m FROM!” (Insert proud fist-pounding against Blue Jackets logo here.) I’ll always root for a Columbus team when they’re playing.
But, let’s say that while we’ve done a better job of pleasing Jobu than some fans, you found out only one team can win today? Which way do you go? Who do you back? My personal instinct is the Jackets, but I can see the justification that the Crew need a win, or they’re done. The Jackets have 70 more games to keep putting up Ws.
It’s a tough choice, but I know which way I’m going.
There’s also something to be considered about this being the second night of a back to back for the Wild. The Jackets are getting a bit lucky with the schedule in that regard – here’s hoping the team will jump on the advantage.
Game Day Tidbits:
- Andrew Murray has been activated off IR, but will not play tonight. He skated for the full practice yesterday and today’s game day skate, and said he felt very good after yesterday’s practice. He’s been working on going to the front of the net in practice, hoping to play a role cleaning up rebounds and scoring in that 6 foot zone right around the crease. He’s clearly not afraid about paying a physical price when he makes it back onto the ice. I wouldn’t be shocked if he and Commodore saw time against St. Louis or Colorado later this week.
- Derek Dorsett is back in the lineup tonight after his maintenance day yesterday and ready to go tonight.
- Minnesota is 1-3 when trailing after the first period this year.
- Tonight is the first of three home games before the Jackets take off for their first West Coast swing of the season. If they can take 4 (or more!) of those possible six points, and then pick up three or four points on the Left Coast, it would be a huge step for this team. Don’t forget that last year some of the early trouble signs came after a West Coast trip…it’s worth keeping an eye on how the team performs in the next two weeks.
- Tonight is the Giant Eagle turkey shoot after the game, where you can try to earn gift cards towards your Thanksgiving turkey. My only quibble is that the gift cards are $10. If you’re a family on a budget? $10 does not buy that much turkey. I cooked a fairly smallish one for my family last year and I still spent $20 on the bird.
- If you’re unable to go to the game and/or not interested in soccer, check out the Pizza Grand Prix tonight at Wild Goose Creative? I may or may not have an entry in the best homemade pizza competition…