Sporting Sota
Fansided

Minnesota’s Cornucopia of the Year revealed – the other side of Turkey of the Year

By Collin Kottke

facebooktwitterreddit

The companion piece to Patrick Ruesse’s Turkey of the Year in the Star Tribune, it’s the Cornucopia of the Year which goes to the Minnesota sports figure that has given us the most nourishment and kept us happy and satisfied.

The holiday season is again upon us. Christmas is less than a month away which means we are in the thick of banquet season. Throngs of people will gather around tables and discuss what they are thankful for or maybe their political ideology, nonetheless, there will be banquets. The Star Tribune covers the most important banquet: Patrick Ruesse’s Turkey of the Year banquet.

While no one other than Ruesse has access to the Turkey of the Year banquet, which I’d assume is held at J.D. Hoty’s, I hold a banquet myself: the Cornucopia of the Year banquet. The Cornucopia goes to the exact opposite of the Turkey winner, this is someone we are totally thankful for in the realm of the Minnesota sporting scene.

This is the third annual Cornucopia and it should be the best one yet with most of the teams in Minnesota being competitive. The previous winners are over at Puckett’s Pond, from when I was editor there, with 2013 winner Glen Perkins and 2014 winner Danny Santana. So let’s head to this year’s scrumptious table.

Mike Zimmer – The Vikings might have finally landed on a coach that could last for a good long while. Zimmer seems to have his team heading in the right direction and playoff bound a season early.

Paul Molitor – Speaking of coaches getting their team in playoff contention, first year manager Paul Molitor did that for a Twins team that had lost 90 games four straight seasons before.

Stephen Curry – I don’t think we’ve completely congratulated the Golden State Warriors stud on somehow avoiding being drafted by the Timberwolves and going on to have a heck of a career. Steph is welcomed to join in on the festivities.

Andrew Wiggins – The former Kansas Jayhawk started to give us hope that season as the NBA Rookie of the Year and has looked even better in year two. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Wiggins have the cornucopia bestowed upon him in the coming years.

Karl-Anthony Towns – Just a little ways into his NBA career, it looks like Towns will be a big man to be reckoned with. He’s at the table, but needs to be in the state for longer than a month to be at the head of the table. Someday, KAT.

The University of Minnesota volleyball team – they’ve had a hell of a good season and that’s all any of us really know.

The first halves of Brian Dozier and Glen Perkins – The fan favorites had remarkable first halves in making the All-Star Game and making the Twins look like one of the best teams in the American League. Their second halves belong on Reusse’s list.

Miguel Sano – Sano is the main reason I want Twins baseball back right now. Not because I’m bored with the Vikings and Timberwolves and the like, but just because he is just that much fun to watch.

Second runner up – The Detroit Lions – Who cares the Vikings lost to the Green Bay Packers, because the Packers lost to the Lions at home at that kind of a memory lasts forever.

First runner up – The Minnesota Lynx – They did it again this season. They won the WNBA Finals with an aging Lindsay Whalen and a suddenly streaky Maya Moore in the Finals. A sweep would’ve got ‘em the cornucopia, but they’ve been too success for too long to just hand it on over.

Now a Christmas Vacation-like drumroll, please…

The winner of the Third Annual Cornucopia of the Year goes to Devan Dubnyk.

More from Sporting Sota

The Minnesota Wild looked like they were going to miss the playoffs last season, but then Devan Dubnyk, aka Superman, came along and saved the season. Dubnyk has continued the success into the new season and has the Wild in playoff contention once again.

Congratulations, Dubnyk on the win! It’s a big honor and we hope that you take the title with great pride.

Before you go and devour your Thanksgiving feast, we would like to thank Kevin Garnett and Torii Hunter. They didn’t do anything in the selection of the Cornucopia, but their moral support and leadership really helped me make this decision.

Next: Vikings need to run to win!

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Sporting Sota!

Home/Minnesota Sports