The terrific remodeling of the Minneapolis Armory was unveiled for boxing fans on April 13, 2018, a Friday night. A historic April snowstorm had cranked up and was sweeping through the Twin Cities that weekend.
The Premier Boxing Champions series returned to the Armory on Aug. 24, a Saturday night. A quarter-mile away, the 2018 Vikings were playing a first home exhibition, the third overall, and featuring the home-dome debut of quarterback Kirk Cousins.
PBC and the Armory announced in early January that they would team for four nationally televised cards in 2019. The first of those was held on Feb. 23, a Saturday night, and featured a win for Jamal James, a Minneapolis world welterweight contender.
A winter "bomb'' snowstorm was sweeping through southern Minnesota in a northeasterly direction. It stayed south and east of Minneapolis, although not before cautions were issued.
So, through three PBC cards, the Armory was up against either record snow, the threat of record snow, or a major distraction on the local sports scene -- all taking away the chance for significant mention in the Twin Cities media.
And now comes the fourth Premier champions card at the Armory on Saturday night and they have hit the exacta: a ridiculous mid-April snowstorm and a major distraction on the local sports scene,
The current three-shoveler storm is supposed to move out on Friday. Getting to the Amory might not be an ordeal, but seven miles to the east, the Minnesota United soccer team will be unveiling its spectacular Allianz Field with the home opener at 4 p.m.
The Twin Cities media is in a lather over this, and when you see the place, it's understandable. Of course, if you've seen the Armory since Ned Abdul bought what had become a local blight and pumped millions of his money into it, you know that it also has become a spectacular smaller venue.
