| Let the rivalries begin |
By: IAN STAUFFER
istauffer@owatonna.com
On the Ball
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Posted: Thursday, October 9, 2008 10:00 am
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Ian Stauffer
Sports reporter
istauffer@owatonna.com
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Rivalries take a long time, years sometimes, to develop. They require close games, general dislike between teams, and usually some consistency in the player department.
A few notable exceptions to these rules can be witnessed this weekend when the Owatonna Express take on the North Iowa Outlaws and Albert Lea Thunder.
While the Express and Thunder are both expansion teams in the North American Hockey League, the two cities are borderline North vs. South, circa 1863. Owatonna and Albert Lea have been hating each other on the football field since 1907, and who knows how far back the wrestling animosity goes. On a side note, I’m not much for wrestling, but I made sure to stop by the Owatonna-Albert Lea match last February at OHS — totally worth it.
Anyway, I’m sure Owatonna and Albert Lea fans will take advantage of another chance to cheer against each other, even if it is the first time the teams have ever played.
And North Iowa has always been a rival of the Express, be it Owatonna or Southern Minnesota. When the Southern Minnesota Express first came into the league three years ago, North Iowa was the closest team geographically and an obvious rival. Plus, the Outlaws gave Minnesotans another reason to hate Iowans — as if they needed any more. (Sorry Iowa, but I’m from Wisconsin. We don’t like you either.)
On the ice, it’s a different story. Only Nick Carson has ever worn an Express jersey before, but he didn’t play for the team long enough to build a rivalry with North Iowa, and Albert Lea didn’t exist before this season.
“I don’t think these kids see those teams as rivalries because they’re all new,” Express coach Pat Cullen said. “Sure, the cities are rivals, but none of these guys played here last year. Teams need to play a few times, and rivalries are usually created by closely-contested games.”
That might not be a problem. Owatonna, North Iowa and Albert Lea are all at the bottom of the Central Division after four games at the NAHL Showcase last weekend in Blaine. The Express and Outlaws are both 1-3-0, while the Thunder are 0-3-1.
So fans, it’s up to you to show the players how big these games are. If I know Express fans — and I’ve met a few — the cost of gas isn’t going to deter them from a two-day road trip to Iowa and Albert Lea to cheer on the Express. Some of the biggest games and best atmospheres last year came during games against the Outlaws, largely because fans from both sides were willing to cross state lines to cause a ruckus.
There’s no reason we need to wait another three years to make these games rivalries. Make it happen right away and make this season fun.
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