Sevens are Wild literally, as the Badger State is doing much more with the start of pro hockey than its neighbors to the immediate west. So if you have had wanton wanderlust for the Wild during the offseason, or the Wisconsin Badgers for that matter, this is your chance to once again wig out:
– Bar manager Jess at Guv’s Place in North Hudson is notorious for being a Wild fan, and has had jersey wearing specials in the past, although there is no definitive word if that will be going on this week. What is known is that in back of the bar rail there are three big TV screens side-by-side-by-side, much like you have seen at Buffalo Wild Wings on the other end of town. But across the river the Wild were mostly AWOL as far as specials, but taking their place at Woody’s in Bayport are three different New Belgian beers, part of a 25th anniversary celebration.
– Dick’s Bar and Grill has free shots when goals are scored during Wild Games, including Thursday’s 7 p.m. opener. You do have to be present to win, but you’d think you’d want to be anyway, especially at the times those goals are being scored in the first place. When one of the bartenders was reminded of the frequency at which such tallies are being recorded in the NHL these days, he noted that a restaurant in a neighboring state was offering the point differential in Michigan football wins as the percentage discount off steak dinners. Well the plan became more murky when Michigan beat Rutgers 79-0 or so, meaning your steak was virtually free. It seems the place capped it at fifty, which means you’d better not score much more than seven touchdowns.
– That could be the primo goal when No. 8 Wisconsin takes on No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, also at 7 p.m., in yet another outdoor party at Kozy Korner in North Hudson — this time college not pro football — a facet that made an Ohio transplant in my family perk up her ears. That follows the Wednesday party when the top-ranked volleyball team from Wisconsin took on those pesky Gophers, yet again at 7 p.m.
– Now that the windows to Ellie’s on Main are shuttered, although the lighted sign is still on at the recently closed place, you can find longtime stalwart Jonesy back at work at Dick’s for the first time in years. Up until now his most recent siting there was during a concert where he, uncharacteristically, was seen swaying to a cover of Four Non-Blondes.