MINNEAPOLIS – It was one other loopy 12 months in Minnesota sports activities in 2022, with playoff heartbreak, teaching and entrance workplace adjustments and lengthy overdue corridor of fame nominations for a few of the finest at their craft.

In no specific order, right here on the prime Minnesota sports activities tales of the 12 months.

GLUE GIRL PROTEST GOES VIRAL AT TIMBERWOLVES PLAYOFF GAME

It was early April, and the Minnesota Timberwolves had been internet hosting the L.A. Clippers to find out the No. 7 seed within the Western Conference Playoffs. It was through the second quarter of the sport that we met “Glue Girl.” Alicia Santurio, in protest of the mass killing of chickens at an Iowa manufacturing unit egg farm owned by Glen Taylor, glued her hand to the courtroom. The second went viral on social media, and it was considered one of Fox 9’s most learn tales of 2022.

There had been at the least two extra protests after “Glue Girl” through the Timberwolves/Grizzlies playoff collection, which Memphis went onto win.

VIKINGS FIRE ZIMMER, SPIELMAN, HIRE KWESI ADOFO-MENSHA, KEVIN O’CONNELL

A day after beating the Chicago Bears to complete the 2021 season 8-9 and miss the NFC Playoffs for the third time in 4 seasons, it was time for the Vikings possession group to shake issues up. Zygi and Mark Wilf fired Mike Zimmer after eight seasons, and Rick Spielman, who had been with the Vikings since 2006.

The possession employed Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to run the entrance workplace in January. A month later, Kevin O’Connell was employed as the subsequent head coach. The Vikings had been 6-8 in one-score video games in 2021. This 12 months, they’re 11-0, winners of the NFC North at 12-3 and nonetheless preventing for the No. 1 seed with two video games to play.

MINNESOTA TWINS SIGN CARLOS CORREA

It’s not hyperbole to name Carlos Correa the largest free agent signing in Minnesota Twins franchise historical past. During Spring Training, the Twins signed Correa to a three-year, $105 million take care of opt-outs after every season. Unfortunately for the Twins, it didn’t translate into making the playoffs. The Twins couldn’t keep wholesome all 12 months, misplaced the AL Central Division lead in August and by no means bought it again. They completed 78-84 and missed the playoffs for the second straight 12 months.

Correa entered free company, and is on the verge of signing with the New York Mets regardless of considerations a couple of leg harm. 

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES TRADE FOR RUDY GOBERT

The Timberwolves tried to make their offseason splash after hiring Tim Connelly to interchange Gersson Rosas because the president of basketball operations. His first massive transfer? Trading 5 gamers and 4 future first spherical draft picks to the Utah Jazz for Rudy Gobert. One of one of the best defensive facilities within the sport, the plan was to deliver the star to Minnesota to construct off a 46-win season and playoff look.

So far, it’s nonetheless very a lot a piece in progress. The Timberwolves are 16-18 and eleventh within the Western Conference.

SYLVIA FOWLES BIDS MINNESOTA LYNX FAREWELL

Sylvia Fowles entered the 2022 season with the Minnesota Lynx figuring out it could be right here final as knowledgeable athlete, and the plan was to ship her out with a WNBA title. Instead, the Lynx didn’t make the playoffs for the primary time in 11 years. Fowles retires after changing into the primary participant to document 4,000 profession rebounds. She gained two titles with the Lynx, was the WNBA Finals MVP for each of these and gained league MVP in 2017.

She’ll depart the sport as some of the embellished gamers in WNBA historical past.

TONY OLIVA, JIM KAAT ENTER BASEBALL HALL OF FAME

A bit of over a 12 months in the past, Jim Kaat and Tony Oliva bought the final word honor from their baseball friends. Through the Golden Days Era Committee, each former Twins’ legends had been named to the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. It turned official at a July occasion in Cooperstown, New York.

Kaat additionally had his No. 36 Twins’ jersey retired at Target Field in 2022. He spent 15 of his 25 seasons with the Twins, whereas Oliva spent all 15 of his seasons in Minnesota.

LINDSAY WHALEN HEADS TO NAISMITH HALL OF FAME

Lindsay Whalen is likely one of the finest basketball gamers ever to come back out of Minnesota. In September, Whalen was named to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in her first time on the poll. She led the Gophers to their solely NCAA Women’s Final Four look in 2004. She led the Minnesota Lynx to 4 WNBA titles, and has two Olympic gold medals. Her No. 13 Gophers jersey now hangs within the rafters at Williams Arena, and her Lynx jersey can be hanging at Target Center.

MINNESOTA AURORA MAKES USL-W TITLE GAME IN FIRST SEASON

Andrea Yoch and different stakeholders had no concept how the inaugural season for Minnesota Aurora FC would unfold. They introduced pre-professional ladies’s soccer to the Twin Cities, and almost took house a championship. Playing in entrance of recurrently offered out crowds at TCO Stadium, Minnesota Aurora completed its common season undefeated at 11-0-1 and gained 13 straight video games earlier than internet hosting South Georgia Tormenta FC within the USL-W title sport, a 2-1 loss in further time. It was a historic first season for Minnesota Aurora, and now they’re chasing aspirations of changing into knowledgeable crew by 2024.

The Minnesota sports activities fan hopes 2023 brings a Vikings’ playoff run, the Timberwolves figuring issues out and the Twins being aggressive once more.