5 Minnesota Sports Documentaries We Need After Watching ‘The Last Dance’

Now that ‘The Last Dance‘ is over, there is a new desire for well-done sports documentaries. ESPN recently announced that they are working on a nine-part Tom Brady documentary, which is set to air in 2021. I decided to follow this trend and come up with five Minnesota-themed sports documentaries that we need. 

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We Hate Norm Green

This documentary would look into how Norm Green abruptly took the North Stars away from Minnesota and moved them to Dallas. It would also detail the quest for a new NHL team to take the North Stars’ place in the ‘State of Hockey’. It would be a great way to see everyone’s reaction to the North Stars’ relocation and how people today are still irritated by it. 

The Only Minnesota Professional Sports Dynasty

Across Minnesota professional sports, long term domination has been hard to come by. The only team to really dominate their sport for a span of time in modern history has been the Minnesota Lynx. This documentary would start in 2010, with the hiring of head coach Cheryl Reeve. The series would go on to tell the story of a team that made six finals appearances and won four WNBA championships from 2011 to 2017. 

Mauer Power

There is no doubt that Joe Mauer is one of the greatest Minnesota Twins of all time. The guy went from a three sport athlete at Cretin-Derham Hall (who first committed to play QB at Florida State) to becoming the number one overall pick in the 2001 MLB Draft. A doc about what went into his decision to pursue baseball over football, would be fascinating. That’s before you even touch on his journey to becoming the 2009 American League MVP, winning three gold gloves, and his battle with concussions late in his career. 

Row The Boat

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While this may be a little premature, the direction and potential of the program P.J Fleck has built at the University of Minnesota seems documentary-worthy. In 2019, an 11-2 record and a win over Auburn in the Outback Bowl made for what was one of the most memorable Gopher football seasons in a long time.

To build on that, the recruits the Gophers are now receiving are historic. 247Sports.com currently has the Gophers 2021 recruiting class ranked 8th in the country, up 30 spots from where the 2020 recruiting class finished. It would be incredibly interesting to hear and see more about what it’s like playing for P.J. Fleck. 

Skol: A Cursed Franchise

As Vikings fans, we’re all aware and have experienced the constant heartbreak that comes with cheering for the purple and gold. The 1998 NFC Championship game, forty-one donut, the 2009 NFC Championship, Blair Walsh, and the 2017 NFC Championship game?

How about the four Super Bowl appearances and zero Lombardi Trophies? The championship trophy is named after a coach from our biggest rivals, which can’t help. This documentary would explore the highs and the lows of being a Minnesota Vikings fan. It will also explore if the Vikings will ever win a Super Bowl or if we are just a cursed franchise. 

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Of course, none of these would garner the national attention that ‘The Last Dance’ did, but they sure would be popular across the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

Sam Sklar | Minnesota Sports Fan