Adversity strikes Minnesota sports, but hope may be on the horizon

(FOX 9) - It’s been another tough sports week in Minnesota.

From watching the Patriots win another Super Bowl to the Lynx losing Maya Moore for the next season, Minnesotans are searching for a light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, finding that light is like a game of whack-a-mole.

This week was a microcosm of what it means to love sports in Minnesota. After the Super Bowl, all eyes are on high school hockey tournaments, the NCAA tournaments and the Final Four.

Like usual, Minnesotans are hoping that its women’s teams can bring home championships.

While the Gopher Women’s Hockey program is currently ranked second in the country, even that faith in women's sports may be in jeopardy.

Yesterday, Maya Moore announced she would sit out the upcoming Lynx season and Lindsay Whalen is gone trying to rebuild the Gopher Women’s Basketball program.

Meanwhile, there was tough news Tuesday for the other Lindsay, Lindsay Vonn, who wiped out in her final Super G race.

But that’s not all that contributed to a tough week.

Vikings fans watched yet another Super Bowl ring go to a different franchise, the Wild lost captain Mikko Koivu to injury in a shootout loss to Buffalo and the Wolves lost by a bucket to the Grizzlies on two free throws at the buzzer.

The one thing about Minnesota sports is that there’s always hope.

The Wolves have youthful hope with Ryan Saunders at the helm and even Kevin Garnett came back and had them on his Area 21 TV show Tuesday.

The Gopher men play Wisconsin looking for the season sweep at the Barn, which would be their first in a decade.

The Twins have a new manager in Rocco Baldelli, who will soon open Spring Training where hope springs eternal.

With 29 games to go, the Wild and their 57 points are still in control of the second wild card spot in the Western Conference, keeping their hope alive.

So, like the bad weather and bad roads, Minnesotans have no other choice but to be strong. They wake up the next day sore from shoveling or hurt from a loss and believe in another day.

More championships are on the horizon. They just have to be. The state of Minnesota is due.