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The best part of the 2020 Winter Classic were the piglet races . . . yes, we said piglet races
If you missed the 2020 Winter Classic because you were too busy nursing a hangover or whatever the hell else it is people do on New Year's Day, then you missed a one for the history books. There was the second-largest attendance in NHL history, with 85,630 hockey-loving maniacs packed into the Cotton Bowl. There were Stetsons on every head, Stars goalie Anton Khudobin sliding into the team picture like a kid on Christmas morning, and a late Dallas rally from 2-0 down to 4-2 up capped by one of loudest recorded hockey roars ever. It was really, really awesome and we pity the fool who was watching Outback Bowl instead.
And yet the best part of the best Winter Classic since the Big House had nothing to do with any of that. It wasn't even Pierre suggestively sampling a 15" corndog on live TV. Instead, the best part of the 2020 Winter Classic were LITERAL, ACTUAL PIGLET RACES held during stoppages of play to keep fans glued to their seats and/or couches. Short of Matthew McConaughey riding Bevo shirtless while drinking a Lone Star, this is the most Texas thing ever, full stop.
Yes, sports in this country are extremely weird. Also yes, Eddie Olcyzk just lost some serious dough on this.
Don't expect the same sort fireworks at the next year's Winter Classic, however. On Wednesday, the NHL officially announced the venue for the 2021 Winter Classic: Target Field in balmy Minneapolis, Minnesota. That's right. An outdoor hockey game in Minnesota in January. Forget piglets, folks. We're going to need wooly mammoths for the intermission entertainment . . . which, now that we mention it, could be a lot of fun.