800 miles away and this Grizzlies fan is still getting a taste of home

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. (WMC) - Whether it’s the regular season or playoffs, for the last two seasons Tim Whalen has been cheering for the Grizzlies from Minneapolis.

“It’s too stressful watching these games up here as the only Grizzlies fan,” Whalen said with a laugh.

Whalen, who moved to Memphis in the 90s, has been through the ups and downs of the franchise, going to games since the pyramid days while collecting pictures and memorabilia along the way.

He and his wife moved to Minneapolis just before the COVID-19 pandemic to be closer to their son but never missing a beat on following the development of NextGenGrizz.

“It’s been a lot of fun,” Whalen said. “I’ve missed being there in the arena because I know what it’s like when they’re playing that well.”

With the start of the playoffs, Whalen admitted he was nervous about the matchup.

He’s seen Memphis fall several times in the regular season at the Target Center, and decided to watch Game 3 from home.

“Coming off Game 2, I thought we had figured something out,” Whalen said. “Maybe we’ve got something going here, and we’ll come up to Minnesota and play differently. Well then all of a sudden the game starts and... ‘Oh my gosh! Here we go again.’”

To his shock, and many others, the Grizzlies pulled out the victory.

Now it’s on to Game 4, one that could easily inch the Grizzlies closer to the next round of the playoffs, with a friend close by shouting Grit n Grind.

“There’s a chance after last night, obviously, that if we take tomorrow, then I think it’s over. We go home and end it in five,” said Whalen.

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