A New Home

My favorite local sportswriter is Patrick Reusse. We used to have two terrific scribes, but Dan Barriero became sick of the Star Tribune's internal political petulance and took his act to the radio waves for good.

It appears as though our state legislature will soon pass a funding mechanism for a new outdoor ballpark for the Minnesota Twins. Reusse, who has refrained from commenting on this issue for years, finally broke his silence and summed up my feelings on the matter better than I ever could. Yesterday, he wrote:

"...The Twins and their backers have said this new structure is needed to make the franchise financially viable in Minnesota. They have said this will bring in the dollars to allow the Twins to be consistently competitive.

What has not been a significant part of their pitch has been this: If you're a person who wants to be proud of Minneapolis, this area's major city, you will be joyful when you see this gem appear in that vacant area on the edge of downtown.

This will be a place where you can feel a ballgame -- nine innings passing at their own pace, with their own cheers and hoots and distractions, with their small early dramas, building perhaps to a big finish. On some spring or autumn nights, a spectator will be required to show up in a parka.

On enough nights, the fans will be able to watch in shirtsleeves as the center fielder races across the emerald expanse, and makes a diving grab, and a roar explodes and someone nearby says: 'That Denard Span is almost as good out there as Torii Hunter.' ..."

Some of my libertarian-leaning friends will disagree vehemently with this post, but let me say this. I am fired up at the prospect of attending outdoor games with BENRY and my friends. And it is about freakin' time that my tax dollars will contribute to something that a regular guy like me will actually enjoy.

I'm absolutely aware that this could and probably will open the floodgates for even more profligate spending on social programs that don't work, schools that don't teach, trains that make no economic sense and other artsy toys for the pampered, screeching class.

However, allow me to sit back for just this moment, take a deep breath and envision myself right here on a warm summer afternoon. It may soon become a reality.