Those were the three words heard around the “Land of 10,000 Lakes.” During a post-game interview with Anthony Edwards, when Charles Barkley muttered that it had been 20 years since he last visited Minnesota, the 22-year-old shooting guard had three words for him:
“Get your ass,” Edwards said.
That was a Sunday, and in the three days since then, the three-word, two-syllable phrase has stuck, as marketing departments across Minnesota are scrambling to follow in Edwards’ footsteps. (Some are too embarrassed to spell out the last three letters of the phrase.)
Below are some of the best ones.
Public and government organizations
Governor Tim Walz officially named May 22, 2024 as “Wolves Back Day.” Keen observers noticed that there was a hidden message in the official declaration – the first letters of each sentence spelled out Edwards’ three-word irony. Three days ago, Walz winked at Wolves fans urging him to adopt it as the state’s official travel slogan.
Friends of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness took advantage of the opportunity to hand out free stickers. The sign-up form also leads to a site where visitors can donate to the organization’s conservation efforts.
The state tourism board and Visit Minneapolis endorsed the slogan in their own social posts.
And the Minnesota State Fair used the hype to promote its “Kickoff of Summer” event, which runs Thursday through Saturday.
St. Paul Public Schools took a slightly healthier approach. Students used the Wolves craze as an opportunity to promote literacy by encouraging their favorite Nazareth “readings.”
capitalists
Many people jumped at the chance to sell products with this slogan. Here are some of the most notable examples.
Public Service Award
Sheletta Brundidge is mortally hilarious on her worst days, but the local radio personality outdid herself on Wednesday by releasing a PSA that included a video explaining the correct pronunciation of the state’s new travel slogan. Pro tip: Think about the last time you felt the urge to say “Yass Queen.”
The Wolves will now face the Dallas Mavericks in a best-of-seven series to decide the Western Conference championship, with Games 1 and 2 at Target Center in Minneapolis before traveling to Texas for the next two games of the series.
