Sports + rec: What's the buzz on the Swarm?

The announced crowd of 8,239 (capacity is around 18,000) was mostly made up of families and high schoolers. A high percentage of fans were sporting Swarm memorabilia and toting commemorative cowbells, ones that jangle in unison with every Swarm goal. The wave, a dicey ritual with a high failure rate, surged around the stands with gusto. Dancing was spirited, widespread.

There's a definite party vibe at Swarm games. A radio-rock soundtrack blares throughout the contest, with an overzealous announcer shouting slogans such as "Yeah, baby!" and "Let's do this!" over the music. The mascot, Buzz, is just a human in a human suit; he looks stoned and unnerving. There's also a sexy dance squad, the Minnesota Swarm Performance Team, with an under-thought name.

For someone with next to zero knowledge about lacrosse, the experience was fairly entertaining. Several of the Swarm's 14 goals could safely be deemed "sick"; the game's fast pace warded off boredom. The best part, however, is the cavalier attitude toward fistfighting. The playing field cleared for a solid two minutes as Swarm transition player Andrew Suitor and Stealth defenseman Matt Beers traded bare-fisted blows. Turns out last Saturday's victory was an important one, with the Swarm's 14-9 win securing a playoff spot and star forward Ryan Benesch scoring his 100th career goal as a member of the Swarm. In a nutshell, the sport smacks of upside-down hockey with higher scoring.

I half-expected the place to be desolate and depressing, and it was anything but. So, worth goin'? For a lacrosse fan, absolutely. And for the rest of us? Sure, as long as a lax-fanatic buddy is footing the bill.