Game #25: Minnesota Wild vs Calgary Flames, Friday December 3, 2010 at 7:00pm CST, Xcel Energy Center [GAME PREVIEW]

Being a native Minnesotan, we are well aware of some of the famous native sons and daughters from the North Star State.  Some names that come to mind are F. Scott Fitzgerald, Judy Garland, and former United States Vice-President, the late Hubert Humphrey.  Thinking of the current state of the Minnesota Wild, I immediately think of one of the great peace rally songs of the Vietnam War era, by none other than another of Minnesota’s native sons, Bob Dylan.

                                                              Come gather ’round people
                                                             Wherever you roam
                                                             And admit that the waters
                                                             Around you have grown
                                                             And accept it that soon
                                                             You’ll be drenched to the bone.
                                                             If your time to you
                                                             Is worth savin’
                                                             Then you better start swimmin’
                                                             Or you’ll sink like a stone
                                                             For the times they are a-changin’.

                                                             Come writers and critics
                                                             Who prophesize with your pen
                                                             And keep your eyes wide
                                                             The chance won’t come again
                                                             And don’t speak too soon
                                                             For the wheel’s still in spin
                                                             And there’s no tellin’ who
                                                             That it’s namin’.
                                                             For the loser now
                                                             Will be later to win
                                                             For the times they are a-changin’. 

Now I don’t want you to get the impression that I’m trying to compare what are essentially trifling problems faced by a professional sports team to the violence of war and the chaotic strife here on the homefront during the 1960’s.  It would be an insult to everyone who either fought in Vietnam or fought for peace and civil rights here at home.   However when you look at what is being said in the press and felt by the fans can expressed in those iconic words of Dylan.

According to an article in yesterday’s Minneapolis Star Tribune, according to Wild General Manager, Chuck Fletcher, things need to change on the ice.  If they don’t, he has publicly stated that he will make changes for the team.  One doesn’t need to work hard to read between the lines.  If people don’t step up to the plate, and do so soon, people could either find themselves with a new team or no job at all.  Yes, even head coach Todd Richards is in the same boat as the players, however Fletcher has stated that the players are the most responsible and will look for changes there first before firing the coach.  One could suppose that Fletcher is feeling pressure from his boss, team owner, Craig Leipold.  Compared to most owners who sit in the press box or a suite during games, Leipold can be seen sitting with the masses or walking through the concourses talking to the fans.  If there was ever an owner who was in touch with the fans, it would be Leipold.

It’s hard to say what kind of change we’ll see.  And it’s even harder to say how quickly it will come.  Of course, changes can come, but whether or not they actually work is another thing.  The only thing we do know for sure about change, is that there will always be supporters and critics of those changes.  When it comes to professional sports, both the mainstream media and those of us on the blogosphere, as well as the countless fans on message boards, will have our opinions on the changes, whether enough change was made, or whether the team made the wrong charges.

Yes, the times they are a-changin’.

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