mnsportsfan

Favre

2009-08-18T19:43:00.000-07:00

Well, I hope the special treatment doesn't fracture team chemistry, it's obvious now a deal was in place a month ago, so Brett could avoid training camp.

And remember, even with all the impressive talent they have amassed, you still have the same blockhead Head Coach running the whole thing.

It's the same reasoning I used when they drafted Harvin, will Chili open up the offense & use him right?

Chili is an insecure, small man, so he tries to control everyone in his organization, we all have had a taste of these little Napoleon's.

Since he was never a player, and never even really an offensive coordinator (Andy Reid called the plays in Philly), he has tried to present himself as this cool, calm, intellectual.

As a big fan of the English language, I catch him all the time misusing "big" words, or blathering nearly incoherently.

To wit, here's his latest gem on his D-line: "Consequently, you have a wave and you only have a wave, if you feel good about the people you can wave in there."

A direct quote from Brett Favre's new coach, sounds like Denny Green!

Then again, if Favre beats the Pack in Lambeau, it's all worth it!

Chili's making my heart burn.

2008-10-18T14:58:00.000-07:00

Now, I understand that after the most painful win in my lifetime by the Vikings (heck, I was there, the 12 year old kids playing at half-time had a more imaginative offense than the Vikes- they even ran a reverse!) emotions are riding high with calls to fire Brad Childress; so I’ve come up with 10 good reasons not to fire him.

Here goes…

10. What us rube fans call a predictable, unimaginative offense, he correctly identifies as “consistent”.

9. He’s never been a head coach before, so he deserves time to “develop”.

8. He always provides a good laugh when he tries to sound articulate & erudite at press conferences, it’s not his fault he "misunderestimates" the intelligence on Viking fans.

7. His “kick ass” offense believes in field goals.

6. He only has 6 Pro Bowl linemen to work with.

5. Remember when Zygi hired him, he said he picked us, we didn’t pick him. Well, we must reward that kind of magnanimous generosity with our undying loyalty.

4. He wisely refuses to resign Matt Birk, obviously not out of any petty jealousy, but because of Birk’s sub-par play and all of his many off-field incidents.

3. He has promised to stop fining players for attending family funerals.

2. This coaching gig gives him an excuse to duck Madonna’s calls.

1. Think of all the money he’s saving MN taxpayers by killing any public support of a new stadium.

Keep on keeping on Chili.

Chili's Last Stand

2008-10-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

Well, our Vikings are 1-3, the question now is: What will Zygmunt Wilf do?

How long will it take until he admits to himself, that hiring Brad Childress was a fatal mistake?

As I see it, Zygi has an open checkbook, and he spends whatever it takes to bring quality players here.

The underlying problem is, the players aren't coming in to an established, solid, formidable franchise that just needs a few pieces of the puzzle; they are coming in to a circus led by a clueless ringleader: Childress, head coaching for the first time in his life.

They are now one loss away from a wasted season, and London style blackouts circa 1942.

I have no idea who recommended Childress to Mr. Wilf, but if I was Zigy I would reconsider that relationship.

Some of the worst advice I ever got, was from people I thought were friends, but now I see their advice was only self-promoting, and did not benefit me in any way.

Can you believe when Childress was hired, he said we didn't choose him, he chose us?

Well, with his pedigree, and all his coaching wins, that bravado was warranted.

Oh wait, he had none of either, so I guess it was just delusional arrogance on a grand scale.

Childress has never been a head coach before, but he has been an offensive coach for many years at the college & pro levels, so why has he never heard of clock management?

He always harped on T-Jack, to just “manage the game.”

How can a quarterback manage the game when his coach can’t?

Zygi has done his part, this team is loaded with talent, far more than a 1-3 record reflects.

The Vikings have many great traditions, unfortunately, a recent one has been keeping a deficient head coach around, and losing a defensive coordinator who should have replaced him.

Is there any fan in the Viking Nation who didn’t want Tony Dungy to replace Denny “No Room for Crybabies” Green?

I’d take Mike Tomlin over Chili, he made the playoffs in his first year as head coach.

Chili took a 9-7 team, a good team, and promptly drove it in to a 6-10 ditch. (I can use that line because even though it’s been copied many times now in the Twin Cities, I said it first on the Sid & Dave Sunday morning radio show).

The point is, Chili has taken a winning football team, and in spite of all the money and talent Zygi keeps adding, he’s molded it in his image: Mediocre.

You don’t get to a level of success that Mr. Wilf has by making bad decisions, and that’s what’s got to be so frustrating for him, but sometimes even the best make mistakes.

That’s what separates the elite from the great, they have to realize they are human, and maybe they were misled from the start, but it’s time to cut your losses Zygi.

Mr. Wilf, I appreciate your investment in our team, and it must drive you as nuts as it does me, to watch our team, which is brimming with talent, lose again this week.

Last week Chili said he was quoting George Orwell in his pregame speech, it turns out he wasn’t even close.

How can someone inspire others to greatness when he doesn’t even know who he’s quoting?

Childress is brutally overmatched in his job in every way, he needs to go.

Les Frazier wears a Super Bowl ring; he has “cred”, to borrow from Obama: “It’s time for change we can believe in.”

Wolves Draft 08

2008-06-29T19:31:00.000-07:00

This is a tough call, OJ Mayo may be the real deal.

But at the same time, we know Marco Jaric is the lame deal.

Jaric is the most overpaid athlete in history of pro sports.

This supposed point guard couldn't get by a blindfolded wheelchair player.

It's a miracle McFailure got rid of his useless Serbian ass.

I'm Slovainian so I'm approved to say that.

All I know, is last year I had no hope, this year I see some possibilities.

Twins Trust Busted

2008-03-02T15:12:00.000-08:00

I read Jim Souhan's column today (Mpls Star Trib) as usual, and, as usual, was not disappointed.

I too hope to get to a Twins spring training game one day.

I love baseball: I say if you can't get fired up about a base runner "rounding third & heading for home," it's time to call the coroner and see how long you've been dead.

Unfortunately, this year, I have a problem with the Twins.

Now, I love how they keep tradition alive by bringing in heroes of old, Tony-O, Moli, The Stein, Carew, & T.K., but I despise how they destroyed the foundation of a new legendary era by letting Torii go for nothing, and trading Santana for four men with a pulse.

What’s funny is they didn't somehow get Keith Van Horn in the deal too, by accident.

That trade was so poor, it'll one day make the Hershal Walker deal look respectable.

I thought the deal with the Pohlads' was, as a Hennipen County taxpayer & fan, we build a new ball park, and they use the increased revenue stream to keep our good players here.

Well, I held up my end of the deal. I supported a new stadium based on that theory; I even wrote the lead editorial in this paper May 7th, 2005, supporting a new stadium.

In another move to increase revenue, they changed radio stations from one we all get, to one we get, well...when the barometric pressure, wind, clouds, tide, and the God of Marconi, all align just right.

Believe me, I understand, sports today is a business, and that's what baffles me most!

The Twins organization keeps making bad business decisions, all to ostensibly make extra money in the short term.

I don't get it, Carl's not 24 years old, building for a long term future, he's 124 years old, and if I were him, I'd be trying to win now.

I've been going to Twins games since I was 12 years old. Proctor Jr. High had a bus take us to the old Met in 1976, we had seats in the upper deck of left field, where we looked down on the broad shoulders of Lymon Bostock.

I for one, am sick and tired of rebuilding, it seems like we’ve been doing it since 1991.

We all know Carl controls the purse strings, but let's face it, after Johann & Torii, if Bill Smith loses Joe Nathan too; I'm going to start referring to him as "Katrina."

Which unfortunately caused less damage.

And believe me, I realize calling the Hunter trade a big mistake, puts me in the same camp as Mr. Sid Hartman, who singled me out as lunatic on his radio show last year. I guess those are the chances we take writing letters to this paper.

When a sports franchise refuses to spend money on its most popular players, it engages in a dangerous game of chicken with its fans.

It bets the fans will come back and buy tickets, etc, just because they are the only game in town.

Well, let's look at the T-Wolves, they tried it and look where they are.

With K.G., they drew 18,000 a night, now they draw 14,000, and half of those tickets are given away so the crowd looks bigger than a Swarm game (no offense to the Swarm).

When Brad Childress traded Brad Johnson, I said we lost the wrong Brad, and when Kevin McFailure trade Kevin Garnett, I said we lost the wrong Kevin.

Call me stubborn, but this is the first year in 11 years that I will have not paid to see a Wolves game, and, quite frankly, I wish they would sign up with the Big Ten Network so I wouldn't have to watch them on TV either.

In the last year my sports world has been turned upside down.

In '05 & '06 Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire was an abject, clueless bungler, squandering the massive talent at his disposal, and then last year, replete with injuries, he does a masterful job of holding things together. Who saw that coming?

Will I buy a Twins ticket this year? I guess the jury is still out.

Don't get me wrong, I desperately want to, but I also don't want to reward management for their stingy, wrong headed ways.

They’ve been given everything they’ve ever asked for, and yet they still stick it to the fans.

My tolerance has reached its limit.

The clueless dolts at Winter Park went 8-8, and now raised ticket prices! As long as Col. Klink (a.k.a. Brad Childress) is in command, you won’t se me at the Dome.

I ask Twins management: Why should I invest in your product with heart and cash, when you may pull this talent fire sale again in 4 years with the likes of Mourneau & Mauer?

I guess we'll see what happens to Joe Nathan.

Santana Trade

2008-02-03T12:42:00.000-08:00

Under normal circumstances I have great respect and admiration for people who graduate from trade schools, not anymore.

This last week we’ve learned Twins GM Bill Smith is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of the Kevin McHale Trade School.

This Santana trade is the worst trade in MN sports history, and that’s saying something!

The Vikes gave us the Hershal Walker trade, you’re welcome Dallas.

McHale gave us the Cassell for Marco “I’m the slowest man on the planet” Jaric & a number one draft pick.

Then he traded KG so we could make a run at being the worst team in NBA history, but at least he got Al Jefferson.

Now look at Smith, he traded the best pitcher in baseball for four pieces of lint.

McHale must be proud, his trade school protégé has made himself the worst GM in town.

Calm Emerges as Childress is out of Action

2007-10-07T18:41:00.000-07:00

Sunday night and there is peace.

It’s been 5 weeks since I’ve had this type serenity.

I asked myself why?

And then the answer hit me, there was no sign of the DCD.

Oh, you aren’t familiar with the DCD? Well, that’s to be expected, we haven’t seen one in about 15 years.

DCD is short for: Defensive Coordinators Dream, a.k.a. Brad Childress, who routinely simplifies a “D” Coordinators job at the critical stage of the game by removing his most dangerous weapon (Adrian Peterson).

The NFC Norris division hasn’t seen this kind of moronic behavior since Wayne Fontes used to do it to Barry Sanders.

Thanks Wayne, and keep a bunk warm at the Old Coaches Asylum for Mr. Childress, he’ll be there in about 4 weeks.

Character Counts...Sometimes

2007-04-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

Well, I’m confused.

I thought the new deal with the Vikings was, ok, we’ll suffer through a 6-10 battering in ’06, but in turn, we will bring a new direction to the team as far as conduct off the field.

Well, so much for Childress’ regime regarding personal integrity last weekend, as his 2^nd round draft pick in ’06 was arrested for disorderly conduct in a downtown Mpls nightclub.

Apparently starting cornerback Cedric Griffin was removed from a club for violating the dress code, as he refused to heighten his pants to what I call the “Forrest Gump Threshold,” they must cover your buttocks.

Griffin does come from Texas, where they do have a saying I believe covers his actions: “Dumb as dirt.”

That aside, the real question is: What the heck is Childress doing here?

He took a 9-7 team, added 2 All-Pros, and led us to 6-10 record. Now we see he’s added 3- 2^nd team types in the off-season, and his 2^nd round draft pick from last year is a clueless reprobate.

If his track record stays on course, and we fall back another 3 games this year, 3-13 is Steckel country.

Chili, we hardly knew ye.

To The Faithful

2007-04-29T14:12:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry I haven't posted lately, but so many of my rants have ended up published in the MPLS Star Tribune in the last 6 months, that I haven't posted anything here.

See my latest in the Strib 4-28.

Bye Chili...

2006-12-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

Oh Lord, please end the pain.

Mr. Zigi Wilf, who fired Tice about 2 hours after a 9-7 season, please, oh please, end the Childress reign of terror.

I mean, come on!

Having your lackey fire your arguably most effective receiver season, who was already bought and paid for (Marcus Robinson), on Christmas Eve, come on!

I thought the Sheriff had a deep bunker, wow! Childress has cored into the inner earth with his.

No criticism is allowed, not even the constructive type.

Veteran Brad Johnson was hailed with boos from some completely moronic (oops, drunk) fans a couple of weeks ago, when he was pulled as QB.

Well, in the next 2 weeks, rookie Tarvarus Jackson (he of strong arm, and fleet foot) utterly failed in this "Childress’ System" too.

I think, if Mr. Wilf wants to fill the stands again, it's not the competent, quiet, professional Brad that he needs to remove; it's the incompetent, aloof, in way over his head, arrogant, Brad, who's never called plays before, as in the head coach, that needs to be dropped like a hot rock.

His offense scored 11 touchdowns in 16 weeks, and yet he blames it on "execution" of the players.

I stink at karaoke, but I don’t blame the microphone.

Come on Zigi, admit your mistake now, end the Childress disaster, and give us fans some hope for next year.

Vike's Worn out by genius Childress

2006-10-26T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ok, I called this in a letter to Sid Hartman about a month ago (we can check the archives), Childress' brutal training camp has killed the players and their season start.

I lamented this 2 months ago, a brutal training camp cripples a team.

Think about this, former NFL players turned coaches like Bud Grant & Mike Tice, had light physical camps to preserve players strength during the season.

Now, on the opposite side, which coaches have punishing training camps?

Yes, former non NFL players Les Steckle and Brad Childress.

Only someone who hasn't gone through the NFL Pre-season grind, would batter his players in training camp.

I thought it most interesting, that last weekend Strib columnist Pat Reusse interviewed wide out Troy Williamson, who said he drops balls because he loses focus when he gets tired.

Week 6, people are tired?

Only if their misguided coach worked them to near death in training camp.

Tell me it wasn't a coincidence that after their bye week, and some rest- finally, that they blow out the Seahawks.

Who wants to stand-up now and support Childress' boot camp training camp?

The mentally weak will never ever understand what makes the mentally strong become physically strong.

Childress is lucky though, he has 2x the talent Steckel had in '94.

The Ulger Rebellion in Full Swing

2006-09-25T17:47:00.000-07:00

The outright Scott Ulger rebellion has begun! Finally!

Castillo just ignored an Ulger stop sign and scored.

He completely ignored him!!

It's about time! These veterans know there's far too much at stake to listen to that dunce now.

We all know what a complete failure he was as a hitting instructor.

Last year we were the worst in the league, now we get an unknown minor league guy (Joe Vavra) and we've recently become the hottest hitting team in baseball.

We may have multiple 30 hr guys, and maybe even a few w 100+ RBI guys.

Coincidence? I think not.

The other night I saw him hold up Lewwwwwwwww Ford rounding 3rd on a hit down the RF line, he was half way to the plate, Ulger holds him as the opponents had basically conceded the run and had thrown to second.

Everybody in the ballpark knew the run was conceded, everybody who knows baseball, which explains why Ulger couldn't figure it out!

Now the other night, he sent "Wheels" Mourneau into a sure out at home. I mean Little Leaguers know you never make the first out at home.

Add to that it was a line shot from Rondell to the left fielder, add to that has was running in to catch it, and Ulger thinks "it's time to get aggressive and send someone."

Out.

And that's exactly where Ulger should be.

Now tonight it's out in the open, it's open rebellion against Ulger.

When a guy's coming around third, it's every man for himself the rest of the way.

The Stakes are too high to listen to Scott Ulger.

Even a Billionaire Can't Silence the Internet

2006-08-27T15:52:00.000-07:00

I was published again today in the primary newspaper in this country's 14th largest media market.

On one hand, that seems to be an accomplishment to be proud of; on the other hand, comparing the fortitude of a billionaire to an 8th grade girls soccer player may not have been that wise.

So I post here, irrevocably, that should I die, or disappear under myterious circumstances; start the invertigation in the office of of Mr. Zygmunt Wilf, Winter Park, MN.

ps. Go Vikes!

Vike's Chaos continues...

2006-08-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

This year's the Vikings are more tenebrous than any year in recent memory.

I loved Mr. Wilf at first, his financial commitment made me feel that he was going to be a solid Viking owner.

But after the ham-handed way he fired Coach Tice about an hour after the final game last year, he showed the grit and fortitude of an 8th grade girls soccer player.

Now, with coach Childress, the book is wide open.

All I can say so far, is that he’s had the most physical training camp since the
Steckel debacle in’94, we’ve had the 3rd hottest July on record , and Coach has been pounding away at 2-a-days.

Even someone like me, who knows nothing about football, can tell the “O” line is just a little sluggish so far in the preseason. Again, knowing nothing about football, it would seem to reason that those monsters would be the first to slow down.

I just hope come week 13 of the NFL grind, Steve Hutchison can still out run you Sid.

Rob Godfrey
St. Louis Park
952 377 -1644

Twins tailspin...

2006-04-30T18:52:00.000-07:00

Well, I don't even know what to say…

The Twins are in a complete free fall, and I can’t even blame it on Gardy.

I used to be able to pin nearly %50 of our losses on him, whether it be a bad call because of his constant umpire badgering, or his misuse of personnel, or his misuse of the pitching staff.

I always thought we were one dunce manager away from going to the next level.

And I want to point out one thing: I ask all real baseball fans if they think Gardy is a good manager, I see nobody stepping to the plate (as it were) in his defense.

I don’t ever remember any conversation with anyone, who said: “boy, Gardy made some good moves tonight that won us the game.”

Is there anyone besides Terry Ryan who thinks Gardy is up to the task?

In my circles, I don’t hear from anyone, repeat anyone, who thinks he’s a top flight skipper.

And this is what pains me the most, because it’s easy to blame “The Blockhead” (hey, anyone who names his son Toby is admitting mental deficiency right there), but right now I can’t.

We were just swept in 3 games by the Tigers by a score of 33-1.

This can not be laid on the Mgr’s doorstep because he made a bad move, this has to go higher.

The most specious stat in today’s Mpls Star Tribune was this: the Twins lead the American League in fewest errors, 7 at the moment.

Ha! You don’t have an opportunity for an error when the ball leaves the park!

Terry Ryan was quite stoic on his radio show today, even though we’re 8 games back after only one month of play.

Hello?

This franchise is in a free fall! I know cadet teams that could beat them.

Mr. Ryan, unmoved continues on course, unfazed by the devastation surrounding him.

The only thing that keeps me from unloading on him, is that I attribute much of our pitching woes to the immortal & eternal enemy of baseball: Dr. Evil- Commissioner Bud Selig and his perfidious World Classic side show.

After watching the NFL draft this weekend, and watching the classy & dignified Paul Tagliabue, and then comparing him to the twitchy, insecure used car dealer Bud Selig; is it any surprise the NFL is the most popular pro sport in the land?

Twins after 2 weeks...

2006-04-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, well, well…who could have possibly guessed this start?

If you would have said the Twins would be 1-5 and Johann would be 0-2, I would have said “you’re crazy.”

If you would have said, after that start, that they would sweep the A’s and take the 1st 2 games from my beloved (stop, puke here, I’m kidding) Yankees, I would have said “shut down the meth lab.”

After that atrocious start, which seemingly resembled last year when they had the leagues’ lowest run production, I was just about to lead the rebellion to remove the blockhead (Gardy, actually this year he’s demonstrated a little more self control, which only gains him more respect with umpires, but that’s for another day), and “Mr. Ryan”, who it looked like he saddled us with 2005 all over again.

Well, well, well… all of the sudden we’re back to .500 ball, which is all we ever asked for when we started this brutal stretch of games.

Before the season started, if you asked me who the better pickup was: Rondell White, or Batista; White flags would have been flying, and they would have been flying as a sign of victory.

Ooops! Now, White may come through later this year- when he stops swinging at throat level fastballs like he did Sat. night (unless he buys my video, and learns the tomahawk swing), but for now, it’s been Batista & Luis Castillo who have proven to be of value.

The good news is this team is slowly lurching forward; now if Rondell could get in gear, we’d have full-fledged machine moving forward like we did in ’91.

It's Twins Time!

2006-04-02T13:29:00.000-07:00

I feel like that stupid little brat in the Disney commercial, "I'm tew excited tew sweep."

That poor kid is destined to become the next Danny Bonaduce (see The Partridge Family), Lord save his soul.

Anyway, my heart is pumped with emotion, and ready to go on the start of a successful new season; my head, unfortunately feels otherwise.

For 3 years in a row, the Twins won the AL Central (2002-04), last year they fell apart.

They were right on the doorstep of the Series, just knocking to get in, but always bested by the big money teams.

The pitching has been stalwart throughout, but the defense and the bats have become liabilities.

Tom Kelly prized defense, Gardy wants bats, so he accepts an inferior defense to get it.

The problem is, WE HAVE NO BATS!!!!!!!!!!!

Jason Bartlett can't field, nor can he hit anymore.

Justin Morneau can’t field, nor can he hit anymore, once teams realized he can't hit a curveball, that's all he sees. I hope he's grown this year.

Batista can’t field, and can’t hit anymore, but he can still eat. That’s a welcome comfort.

Everyday every way Jacque Jones is gone, but oh, wait Rueben Sierra is here. I can’t explain how shocked I am that he’s injured…again.

That said, I take Luis Castillo over Luis Rivas any day. A Proven veteran over a proven head case is a no-brainer.

Right field, who knows?

Most of us think Kubel is the Cadillac of the group, but my friend Hawk is a Ford man. So we’ll see…

The one thing I will never understand about Carl Pohlad is this: His beloved wife and Twins fan Eloise is gone, and he’s got more money than most Countries in this world, what is he waiting for?

Buy a Team ala Steinbrenner.

Win today, you may be gone tomorrow.

Carl saved this team once, please do it again.

Goodbye Kirby, Goodbye John Gordon- I Wish

2006-03-13T20:15:00.000-08:00

I started to watch the Kirby Puckett farewell deal at the Dome Sunday night, but after a couple minutes of John Gordon making this the "John Gordon" show; I had to turn it off for at least a few minutes.

Who in the hell does he think he is telling us what Kirby would have wanted?

How the hell does he know?

I can hardly fathom the arrogance.

I honestly thought there was no way John Gordon could possibly annoy me more than he has previously done, but he did.

His self aggrandizement is truly delusional.

He is the Anti-Bremer (Dick Bremer), and I mean that in the most contemptible sense possible.

Bremer is the consummate, knowledgeable broadcaster; Gordon is the consummate wind bag.

I remember driving back to the Cities a few years ago when the Twins were making a playoff run. Well, Mr. Gordon was discussing with Mr. Gladden (who has improved immensely since) all of the playoff possibilities facing the Twins.

Now that’s fine, especially if you are on TV, but Gordon is on the radio.

The discussion was extended, but then, out of the blue Gordon pops back to the game and announces so & so steals second.

I was stunned, how did a guy get to 2nd, much less 1st?!

Attn: Mr. Gordon, this is radio, if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT’S GOING ON!

THIS IS RADIO, BLOCKHEAD!

Long live Bremer, Byleven, and Gladden, and may we soon hear of the retirement of Mr. Narcissist: John Gordon.

Goodbye Mr. Tice

2006-01-15T14:55:00.000-08:00

Goodbye Mr. Tice, we hardly knew yee.

It’s kind of hard to believe, but big Mike is no longer the Vikings head coach.

Even though his tenure was a wild rollercoaster ride right to the end, I feel like I’ve been punched in the gut.

The birds aren’t singing, the bells aren’t ringing, and even beer doesn’t taste too good right now.

It’s more than he’s just gone; it’s the completely classless way in which the Wilfs’ dispatched him.

Just one hour after an NFL victory over the Bears, Zygi drops the guillotine on his neck. The media has the story before the players, coaches, and even Tice’s family.

Shame on you Mr. Wilf!

This tacky behavior could be expected from your predecessor, but not from someone asking for $750 million from MN taxpayers.

That lack of dignity may play well in New York, but I assure you sir, it does not sit well in Minnesota, even to the most casual fans.

Now, I say this as someone who had up until last week wanted Tice fired for other reasons, most notably, his Super Bowl ticket scalping fiasco. My thought is; if a guy who’s making $1M per year risks everything to pick up an extra few thousand, what kind of judgment does he possess?

And what sort of culture does that instill in his team?

Well, I guess we found out on Lake Minnetonka.

So I had gone from an early supporter, to wanting him fired before this season…until last week.

I was traveling over the Christmas holiday, and I heard on the radio a very revealing comment by Tice, that sort of balanced out all of his weakness’ (clock management skills #1, although this year he finally showed signs of improvement) and I thought let’s give him one more year.

He was asked about why he took a chance bringing in a troubled Koren Robinson (who had an All-Pro year), and he said he’d talked to many athletes over his career who refused to take responsibility for their actions; they always blamed others for their problems.

Not Koren. He said Koren told him he’d hit rock bottom and only wanted a chance, and the rest is indeed history.

I think that says as much about Tice, as it does about Robinson.

Were there legitimate reasons to let Tice go? Of course.

Was there any reason to let him go in the unceremonious manner Mr. Wilf chose? Of course not.

Mr. Wilf, up until Sunday, you had impressed me as a new owner. So as Mr. Tice had redeemed himself in my eyes, will you be able to as well?

It’s not so much what you did, as much has how you did it.

You should have taken a course on “Minnesota Nice,” before you fired Mr. Tice.

Then again, maybe you thought you did, by monitoring the U of MN’s adroit handling of Glen Mason’s contract (that was a joke- literally).

Maybe “Minnesota Nice” has been replaced by “Minnesota Incompetence,” and I just missed it.

Jim Haslett caused Hurricane Katrina!

2006-01-03T10:44:00.000-08:00

Regarding Mike Tice losing his Vikings head coaching job, see my 10-31-05 post, and check this site in the very near future.

We all know Tice was handicapped by not being allowed by ol' Red to hire a real offensive coordinator, but think about poor Saints coach Jim Haslett.

He was handicapped by not having a home.

After New Orleans was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, he had no home field advantage and no hometown crowd. For most of their "home" games, they played in Texas, so they didn't even have a home state crowd.

They set a new NFL record by playing 16 strait road games!

So owner Tom Benson fired Haslett. Why?

Because he obviously knows that Jim Haslett caused Hurricane Katrina!

Vikes mid-season analysis 05

2005-11-16T20:28:00.000-08:00

Let’s face it, Daunte has the biggest heart on the team, but he also has the smallest brain (now that Kelly Campbell is gone for being caught w/drugs and, oh yeah, a stolen pistol) & the smallest hands on the team.

As long as Tice is here, Daunte is no longer the answer.

You know, I used to love Campbell, but you're making six figures and you have drugs & a stolen gun in your SUV?

Good bye.

And I lost all support for Tice when, again, making $1M he needs to pick up an extra couple grand, illegal as hell, on Super Bowl tickets to feed his family.

The Latrine Sprewell factor lives on with NFL head dunce Mike Tice.

The most bitter irony is that an organization’s two biggest bodies, and yet 2 smallest brains, were both taken out by devastating knee injuries.

Keep thinking…

The frustration has been: we have so many proven players at the skill positions, why are we so feeble?

Daunte looks for the big play, and is used to just heavy it up for Randy.

Attn: big guys, Randy is gone: you now have precise route runners, you need to adapt.

But, oh yeah, you’re gone.

The offense, by default, is built for Brad Johnson, high % passes, and few mistakes.

America’s Team (the Vikes) is still in the hunt!

Good-Bye Mr. Tice

2005-10-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

An open letter to Vikings Coach Mike Tice…

Good-bye Mike…but don’t go too far.

When you announced at your press conference today that Dante is out for the year, you looked like a man who just lost his job.

Well, you have, and everybody knows it.

Please have some grace and resign now, let’s start rebuilding for next year today.

That said, don’t go too far. You were a fantastic O-line coach, and we need you back there.

Do you recognize the irony here?

Your offensive line has become the Achilles heel of the entire team!

When you were running it, you were turning throw-away draft picks into All-Pros (see Matt Birk.)

Now they draw more flags than they throw blocks, so it was only a matter of time before your starting QB was knocked out.

Granted he should have slid after getting the 1st down, but that’s, well, that’s today’s news.

Maybe my own pride has blinded me to your abject failure this year, and that’s because I was 100% behind Red’s decision to make you head coach in the first place.

The “Sheriff” was being exposed as the phony he was, and they picked you to step into the breech.

I said “great!” The one coach with a little fire and some discipline on the staff is now the top dog; he’ll whip these guys into shape in no time.

Well, how wrong I was, you didn’t whip them into shape in anytime.

The Big Cheese turned into cream cheese.

And you know Mike; I always stood behind you, as I thought you were the answer, until your ticket scalping scandal.

I mean, if you’re making a measly $300K as an Assistant Coach (see Latrell Sprewell), maybe I can understand scalping your Super Bowl tickets for a couple grand to buy a round or two at Bunny’s.

But it was then I lost all respect for, certainly any of your “so called” intelligence, yet more so, for you as a leader.

Attn: Mr. Tice, you’re making a million dollars a year now, you don’t need to scalp your used pencils in the street corner anymore.

I mean, if the coach is scamming the system, what message does that send the players?

Well, we found that one out after the carnal cruise.

Mike, you are a big guy, but it is PAINFULLY OBVIOUS that you’ve taken on a job even bigger than you can handle.

So here’s my exit strategy for you: elevate Loney to Offensive Coordinator, and relieve him of his O-line duties (which in the NFL was too much for any man- even me!) and then you apply for the O-line job.

Feel free to use me as a reference.

Twins recap, ignored by the Strib

2005-10-11T18:53:00.000-07:00

My compliments on your Sports section today, 10-2-05, it was superb.

I especially liked page C15, with the duel points of view from Patrick Reusse and Jim Souhan.

Both wrote about the Twins failures this year; I’ll start with Mr. Reusse.

I used to be in near lock step with his opinion columns, but the last couple years, not nearly as much.

I’m not sure if he’s changed, or if I have, but his take on the Twins was dead on.

Now, all through the month of April, I hammered Ron Gardenhire (hereafter referred to as: The Dunce) for his bringing up 4 catchers for opening day.

I railed about keeping Corky Miller constantly on my blog: mnsportsfan.blogspot.com.

I thought maybe I was the only one who noticed the stupidity of that decision, but today I see Mr. Ruesse was all over it too.

After all, they won 2 World Series with 2 catchers each time, this year “The Dunce” is so concerned about Joe Mauer's knee, that he needs 3 backups.

Like Ruesse said in paraphrasing the Twins mentality: “We’re so good, we can beat the rest of the AL Central with 24 players.”

And he hit’s on losing Restovich, and getting nothing in return! See my website, I was livid about all this as it was happening!

Next…

Possibly the best trade in sports history was ridding us of Dan Barreiro, in favor of Jim Souhan. He’s the William Tell of sportswriters, on target every time.

Barrero was amazing in the fact that he was a sportswriter in the 14th largest media market in the country, yet knew nothing about sports.

Back to Souhan…

His idea of signing Paul Konerko from the White Sox is brilliant. Get the power hitter we need, and simultaneously deplete the Sox of yet another big bat.

His other salient point is that the time is now for the Twins. They’ve got a fantastic pitching staff, but they also have a weak defense, and a pathetic offense.

They need a big bat from the outside, we can’t wait until hockey puck Mourneau figures out what pitchers are doing to him. Throw him three curve balls and his bat is back in the rack.

Yes, this is one of the best sports sections I’ve seen in a long time. Mr. Hartman says
this is the “best Sports section in the country” quite often.

If that were true, you would have reported to us that Bob Schnelker had been hired as Offensive coordinator of the Gophers football team.

Vike's Quik Preview

2005-09-08T19:38:00.000-07:00

This year I’m going with the Vike’s to win the NFC “Norris” division.

I’m guessing 11-5, but if the “D” gels, we could do a little better.

However, the real key this year is going be Dante Culpepper.

Now, a couple years back, I was supremely frustrated with Dante.

He was an enigma: he was obviously a gifted athelete with the heart of a lion (see the 41-0 whipping we took from the Giants in the playoffs four years ago, he was the only player who fought his heart out the entire game), but he also had 18 turnovers the next year.

Now, that’s more than most teams have.

I admit, I was one of the many who leveled harsh criticism of Dante for that, I mean, many of those were not caused by blindside hits, but the ball would just fall out of his hand.

And I will add this, Mr. Patrick Reusse stated for the record, that anybody who had the temerity to question Dante’s performance had to be a racist.

Well, needless to say, I took great umbrage with that comment, and that’s why I read your paper now.

But after last year, he is “The Man.”

The loss of Moss was huge, but now it’s Dante’s show; our success rides on his shoulders…and arm, and legs, ankles, etc…

Boone Era ends, Praying Era begins...

2005-08-01T17:45:00.000-07:00

Well, over the weekend the Twins dropped Bret Boone- good, but failed to make a deal for a major league hitter- bad.

The Boone move was hardly unexpected, as he wasn’t hitting for power, wasn’t hitting for average, wasn’t fielding well, wasn’t throwing well, and wasn’t a team player.

But the real deal breaker was that he was purportedly very “gaseous” in the dugout.

Of far more serious consequence was the inability of GM Terry Ryan to pull off a deal, and bring a legitimate RBI guy to the club.

My personal feeling is that he has contracted a classic case of LP, or as it’s also known: Low Payrollitis.

LP develops slowly over years and years of a low payroll, which doesn’t allow a GM to keep productive veterans around because they become too expensive.

With a low payroll, valuable veterans aren’t affordable anymore, so you need to keep an overflowing stock of AAA players ready to move up to the big leagues.

I think LP has handcuffed Mr. Ryan.

He now (and has for a while) regards his unproven prospects as more valuable than proven MLB players. There will always be room for conjecture between the two, but when you have a legitimate chance for the wild card slot, you have to make your team the best it can be now, not look to the future.

If you’re out of the running now, you look to the future; if you’re in it, you look to today.

By hording his prospects, Mr. Ryan signals to me he’s given up on this season, and looks to next year.

And what signal does this send his starting pitching? Basically, that you need a complete game shut-out to get a win. What’s happened to Radke & Silva and all of their quality starts is criminal.

You know, in life there are people who complain about everything all the time, and there are people who rarely complain about anything. So when a guy in the latter category like Brad Radke complains, as he did yesterday, there is no doubt Ryan has failed the team for this year's run.

So why would I pay for a ticket to see a team abandoned by management for a playoff run this year?

If they want to wait until next year to improve the team, I’ll wait until next year to buy a ticket to see the team.

If you think that’s just hyperbole, I will mention that last year was the first time in 10 years I did not attend a T-wolves game.

When management pays to put a team on the field I can stand to watch, I’ll pay to come see it.

And I know I’m not alone as a discerning sports fan in MN, and I’ll bet all the local teams marketing dept’s hate people like me. To them I say: get a job with the Packers, their fans would even buy tickets to watch monkeys play in the cherished green & gold.

Brett Boone is here, so what?

2005-07-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

I reserve judgment on the signing.

My point is this: it's taken awhile to figure things out, but our best middle infield is Punto at 2nd base and Castro at short.

They don't need another middle infielder. Heck, they’ve got Luis Rodriguez, yet another middle infielder playing third.

What's killing them is the fact that they need a big RBI man at third, and I'm not even saying a big home run guy, just someone to drive in runs.

Look at all the bases loaded situations they've come up empty in, we need runs!

Boone had one great year, possibly…well, near conclusively due to the “roids.”

He is now a plain old (and I due mean old in the sports sense, he’s 36) human again.

Now, there is double irony here: one, that the Cuddyer experiment which has apparently failed, is yet another middle infielder miscast as a third baseman.

The other, which touches on my pet peeve, is the continued degradation & destruction of pro sports by the jackals, also known as “agents.”

From what I know, erstwhile third baseman Cory Koskie had said he would agree to the Twins offer of a 2 year deal for $8 million, if the Twins would accede to his addition of a no-trade clause, he would sign.

Well, well well…

Later I heard Terry Ryan say he agreed to the no-trade clause, but, apparently, Koskie’s agent never mentioned it to him.

Koskie wanted to stay here, but his agent got a three year $12 million deal from Toronto, so the agent makes an extra couple hundred $K, we loose our rock at third.

Great.

Next thing you know, the All-Star game will dictate home field advantage for the World Series!

That makes as much sense as a bungling used car salesman running the prestigious Major League Baseball operation.

This is just a bad dream, right?

I Thought We Had the Stupidity Problem Solved...

2005-06-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

Just when we thought we had the “stupidity problem” solved, we now realize we’ve only dealt with the tip of the iceberg.

Drat!

Now, I had thought that after we had corralled the most stupid, greedy, and intellectually vacant people on the planet into a single group that we could keep an eye on (which we called the NHL); we now realize we’ve possibly missed a significant group even dumber, called the “NBA.”

Now, as we all know now, the NHL players had managed to get themselves locked out for the entire 2004-2005 season, a first in all of pro sports, because they refuse to accept a salary cap.

Now, on its face if you think about it, we all work under a salary cap. Can you possibly imagine going to your employer and telling them that you aren’t making enough, and you refuse to ever limit what said employer should pay you?

You and I would be locked out too!

These morons were making $3M, or $300k/year to play a game, they say that’s not enough, then wonder why they have zero support among the public, most of who dream of making that kind of money (hopefully for doing something actually important.)

Now these idiots end up playing in Europe over the Winter for $30k, and I think it’s finally started to dawn on some of them that, you know, playing the same game in the U.S. seems to pay just a little better.

Ok dunces, it’s time for Economics 101: every business (and yes the NHL is a business) exists for one reason, and one reason only- to make money.

If employees salaries enlarge to the point the business cannot make money, the business will cease to exist.

NHL players obviously couldn’t grasp this concept, so they forced a lock-out. Ask any NHL player now if they thought they made the right decision, and I think you’ll find they are asking their agents some pointed questions, as they have lost millions.

That brings us to the NBA, which is having a spirited championship series right now.

These gentlemen have a Golden Goose of a financial deal that expires June 30th.

If they can just look at the financial debacle NHL players have brought upon themselves, and then still stand stridently against a new deal, they will easily supplant the "Hockey Pucks" as the most intellectually challenged morons in the country.

Vikes’ “S.O.D.” Plans to Fake His Own Pee.

2005-05-11T19:06:00.000-07:00

You just can’t make this stuff up!

The Viking’s Onterrio Smith (S.O.D.- self proclaimed “steal of the draft" last year) has now been caught with a kit he could use to fake a clean urine sample.

Smith is a 2 time offender of the NFL drug policy, so I’m sure he considers this a little insurance.

I never knew such a thing even existed, so I went to their website www.whizzinator.com to check it out.

It’s basically a strap on prosthetic, ahem, unit, that you load right before test time with water and dried urine to produce a clean sample.

Here’s what a testimonial on their site says:

“Hey, you guys messed up and sent me the big black whizzinator and got me kicked out of the KKK. But Earlene shore did scream when I did her last night! Yee Haw! Thanks whizzinator”

That's a direct quote, you just can’t make this stuff up!

Mr. Smith has now catapulted himself into a select group as one of the top three biggest idiots in the NFL.

Today, his main competition is Ricky Williams of Miami, another clear thinking pothead, who signed a big deal with a $7M signing bonus, then got caught smoking pot again, so he decided as long as he was so rich he would just retire and travel around the South Pacific.

Earth to Ricky: if you don’t fulfill your contract, you have to pay back the bonus, much of which you have no-doubt spent. I guess it’s back to work for you.

Our next member of the Einstein Battalion is Browns tight end Kellen (Evil Kneviel) Winslow Jr.

With about a $4M contract under his belt, he decides to by himself a motorcycle, and then eschews riding lessons, figuring he can pick up riding on the fly.

Well, fly he did, over the handlebars.

Now this moron’s contract is in jeopardy as well.

Cast your vote here folks…

ps. I just heard Green Bay RB Ahman Green was picked up at the Milwaukee Airport with a Cheez Wizzonator!

Twins stadium ?

2005-05-01T12:25:00.000-07:00

Allow me to weigh into the Twins stadium debate.

It seems to me, the overriding question is: can we afford to lose the Twins?

I mean that literally, can we afford it?

The fact is, that the Twins add millions to the MN economy.

Not only do the Twins pay income taxes, opposing teams that play here pay taxes too.

Like my close personal friend says” “when Alex Rodriguez (of the Yankees) comes here each year, he adds $30,000 to MN tax coffers- and that’s just one player!

Not only that, we draw a lot of people from the Dakota’s, Iowa, and even Wisconsin.

Wisconsin especially, because we not only get Twins fans, who by unfortunate circumstance live in WI, we get Brewers fans as well.

And when the Twins play in Milwaukee, 25 of my friends and I go there for a weekend and spend money like drunken sailors (well, actually, one of them is one.)

So let’s envision a scenario of no Twins baseball.

Nobody from Milner, ND; or Sioux Falls, SD; or Milwaukee is coming here.

People from out-state MN are not coming, and yet people like myself are going to go to Milwaukee & Chicago to see Major League Baseball games.

Someone explain to me, as a Hennepin County resident & taxpayer, how Hennepin County makes that revenue back?

These dunces that make the argument that people will just spend more on movies and restaurants, can put the cap on and sit in the corner until they wake up in the real world.

The other key point is that Hennepin Co. will own the stadium, not Carl Pohlad.

So when you think about it, Pohlad is making a $125 million dollar donation to a Hennepin Co. building project.

What’s not to like?

Put a $.50 ticket tax on, and build a roof.

Twin's Jones walks...

2005-05-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

14 times in April to be exact.

Jacque Jones has 14 walks in the month of April, 2005.

WHAT!

He's walked 14 times in his whole career!

So here we are, after the 1st month of baseball this season, Mr. Jones leads the A.L. in on base percentage with .482, built on his amazing 14 walks, but also his impressive .359 batting avg.

And if that weren't enough, Torii Hunter leads the lead with 10 stolen bases.

Now if someone had come to me in March, and offered to bet me $1 against $1 million from me, that on April 30 Hunter would be leading the league in steals, and Jones in walks, not only would they own my home, I'd still be making the payments on it for about 300 years.

Fortunately for me, I'm not a betting man, I'm a baseball fan. :)

Twins Quick Hitter (pun intended)

2005-04-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

Agents will be the death of all sports.

With this closer business, now you even can't use your best reliever off the bench to seal a game off, if it's not a "save situation."

What crap, it's all agent driven, the proof is it makes no logical sense.

That said: Jaque Jones has 10 walks in April! He's lucky to walk 10 times a year!

This bodes very, very well for the Twins.

We closed to 3 games today against the W-Sox, so now it's only a matter of time before their annual collapse.

And who can now dispute my 4-10 post regarding Matt LeCroy?

Good bye Corky Miller, hello Terry Tiffe: it's only a matter of time.

Torii is Sneaking up on People...

2005-04-25T18:26:00.000-07:00

Well, more to the point, the Twins Torii Hunter has been unexpectedly sneaking around the backs of pitchers on the basepaths this year, and stealing bases seemingly at will.

He's an unbelievable 10 steals in 10 tries!

And the jumps he's getting are so big, I don't know why catchers even risk a throw.

In only 3 weeks, he's nearly half way to his season best of 23.

I think stealing bases is one of the most exciting things about baseball, and don't think as that as his reputation grows, he starts really playing on pitchers minds when he gets on.

They end up worrying more about him after he's on, than the batter they're facing.

So keep it T.H.

Now, if we could just teach Rivas to bunt for a single every game...

Viking Draft '05, Grade = A

2005-04-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I never expected it, but I have to give the Vikes '05 draft a grade of A.

After years of epic bungling, they finally got it right.

At #7, they added a rocket powered wide out, who with Burleson & Robinson, all combine to give you what Moss did.

Granted, it's 3 roster spots as opposed to 1, but it's also without the poisoned attitude.

Then they had to go "d," and they did it with a pass rushing end.

They filled all needs, and even managed to get their picks in on time!

I'm liking it, and my optimism is starting to build for next season.

Viking Draft '05

2005-04-22T19:28:00.000-07:00

Just some quick thoughts on the draft...

As mentioned previously, if the brain trust does not take a wide-out on their 1st pick (most likely Mike Williams, USC) they will feel the sting of my wrath.

This time last year receiver was our deepest position, this year it's running back.

We have 3 very good running backs, any one of which is potentially great, but Tice (I'm starting to not be a Tice guy, which is ironic, because as the team keeps improving, he keeps looking dumber) misuses them like Gardy does with his charges.

Tice & Studwell (who was once my favorite player) have the savy sophistication of a sledgehammer. They just make me nervous. I mean, the Sheriff could be an idiot, but at least not 24/7. He picked nutjob Demetrius Underwood in the first round, but he had already picked Dante, so I say, even a blind squirrel finds a nut every once in a while.

Word is that Dred McCombs really likes RB Cedric Benson from Texas.

Great.

Yeah, that's just what we need, 4 running backs (and this doesn't even count all-everything Moe Williams.)

That makes about as much sense as the Twins keeping 4 catchers, which happens to be insane.

What next?

Have the Wild carry 4 goalies & the Wolves carry 4 centers?

Where will the insanity end?

And to think, it was all started by the sanest of our pro sports franchises- the Twins.

Thanks Gardy, for really getting some mileage out of that Oklahoma dust-bowl brain of yours.

Drat! Sometimes I just hate being right.

2005-04-11T18:52:00.000-07:00

Granted, those times are rare, but this is one time I actually wish I was wrong.

If you've read my post on Twins Mgr. Ron Gardenhire keeping an unbelieveable 4 catchers on the roster, you know my big fear is that what if there's a problem at another postition?

Gardy has somehow contracted total myopia when it comes to Joe Mauer and the catcher position, to the detriment of all others.

So 3 days into the season, 1st baseman Justin Mourneau is beaned in the head, and is out indefinetly with headaches.

So who is the backup 1st baseman?

Well, it's now one of our backup catchers, Matty LeCroy.

So maybe, it just might have been a good idea to have switch hitting corner infielder Terry Tiffee up here, instead of #4 catcher Corky Miller.

So 3 days into the season, and we're already behind the 8 ball, all because Gardy had to have 4 catchers.

Don't be sad Gardy, you got what you wanted.

My post @ twinsterritory.com Re: Matt LeCroy

2005-04-10T13:08:00.000-07:00

The question posted was "do we keep LeCroy up here?"

I have no problem at all keeping Matt up here, to see my thoughts on the 4 catcher situation, scroll further down.

Matty is versatile, can play catcher or first, and obviously DH.

Plus, he fits the chemistry of this team, no ego, team first, flawlessly.

He's been a very effective DH, he stays on my roster, Corky goes down, and Tiffee moves up.

That said, I'm going to the game tonight (4-10-05), so I'm sure Corky will go 3-4, 2 HR's, 5 RBI's, and I'll be dining on crow.

Gardy avoids broadside...

2005-04-10T10:51:00.000-07:00

And I'm not talking about old Napoleons, oh no, I'm talking about "Shock & Awe."

I'm talking "The Nuclear Option" here.

To what am I possibly refering to, in the context of Twins Mgr. Ron Gardenhire?

The decision he faced April 8th, as to whether or not to play Justin Mourneau (1B), who had been drilled in the head by a fastball Wed. night.

It was a scary scene as he lay on the ground, and later staggered off the field, and it reminded this writer of the ball Kirby Puckett took to his eye socket a few years back that essentially ended his career.

Mourneau had a good MRI, and the Fri. papers made it sound like Gardy was seriously thinking of playing him.

I commented to friends during the workday, that I thought that that could be a catastrophic decision; and in light of the way he rushed Joe Mauer back from a knee injury too early last year (which ended his season) anything was possible.

What if... I mean just what if he got hit in the head again? I shudder to think of possible consequences.

Well now we know they're going to hold him out until at least next Tuesday.

Maybe you can teach an Ol' Dog new tricks.

No Vikes for You Reggie!

2005-04-06T20:21:00.000-07:00

I just want to go on record as saying, I just don't think Reggie Fowler has the personal wealth to buy the Vikings.

Furthermore, it would not surprise me in the least, if he was a co-conspiritor in a Red McCombs scheme to drive the price of the team up so he can eventually sell to Glen Taylor at an inflated price.

A couple things pop up on my radar, one being when I learned that Red & Reg have known each other for many years, and two, nobody in Arizona had ever heard of this "so-called" multi-millionaire- Fowler .

It's well known Reggie does not have the personal capital to be the majority owner of the Vikes, so now the story is he's going to sell 25% of his aviation simulator company for $300 million.

Not bad for a company who's total value may be far below that figure.

Smell any Red yet?

There was a very fine story today in the Strib by Jay Weiner & Randy Furst checking into the company that is supposedly going to overpay by 10's of millions for a share of Fowler's company.

They basically found out this company, supposedly ready to pay $300 million for a 1/4 interest in Fowler's company that isn't worth that in it's totality, is a ghost.

They are gentle in their commentary, I'm not: It's a complete fraud!

Fowler doesn't have the cash, and I suspect, Ol' Red is behind this whole scheme.

Stay strong Glen Taylor.

WCC..."NO"

2005-04-04T20:04:00.000-07:00

I didn't have a problem working until 7pm today, because I knew the WCCO website connection would allow me to keep up with Twins opening day ballgame which started at 4pm.

Little did I know, "Minnesota's 830, WCCO" has yet to activate it; just try WCCOradio.com, it says disconnected for the offseason. Hummm.

One would think someone over at WCCO might have picked up on this , oh say, maybe sometime during the 6 weeks of pre-season action.

You'd think after they lost the Vikings broadcasts, that they'd maybe keep a closer eye on the Twins.

It won't be long before their flagship sports team will be the Swarm.

The problem with the Twin Cities sports scene...

2005-04-02T15:54:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, the #1 problem with the local sports media in this area, is quite simply, the lack of divergent voices in its coverage.

There is a near monoply of the TV, radio, and newsprint slots for sports opinion.

You'd think in a metro area of 2.5 million people, we'd have more than a handful of sports analysts sharing their opinions with us.

You'd think you would have dominant TV people, and independent radio personalities, and cantankerous newspapermen (and women); but here, it's all the same people.

Think about it: Sid Hartman, newsprint, radio, TV show; Pat Reusse, newsprint, radio, TV; Bob Sansevere, newsprint, radio, TV; etc., etc.

I think you get the point.

The way to get a radio sports commentary job, is to have a sportswriters job. The way to get a TV gig, is to have a newspaper column and a radio career.

It is monolithic nepotism...kind of (I didn't even say Chad Hartman.)

It seems like the only people to penetrate this closed court has been P.A. and Dubay. But when did they break in, ten years ago?

I do like the latest bright light at the Strib: Jim Souhan, he's a knowledgeable & easy read, unlike his predecessor, the "nattering nabob of negativity:" Dan Barriero.

This is the biggest mystery of all to me.

Now, of all the sports media condridictions that we have, KFAN's Barriero drive-time show has got to be the biggest. It just baffles me.

They claim to be a sports station, but the Barriero show is anything but.

It's one of their flagship programs, and yet, they never seem to be talking about sports.

If they were a true "all sports show" on my commute home, I'd be a captive listener, but unfortunately, this is not the case.

So, I listen to a political show instead, and when they go to a commercial, I'll pop over to KFAN and check it out (sometimes they do have a good guest.)

But what do I get? Barriero pontificating on politics. It's bad enough that he barely knows anything sports, outside of basketball, but he's completely clueless about politics.

I remember one conversation he had, where he, a newly appointed political "expert," didn't even know who the Speaker of the House was.

That was an instant channel changer.

So to all the sports editors, program directors, and station managers, I am available; and if not me, somebody new.

Anybody new.

Terry Ryan to Emergency: STAT!

2005-04-02T14:47:00.000-08:00

Gardy's OD'd on Idiot pills again!

Apparently, with the emergence of Jason Bartlett at short, Gardy put his Tums bottle back in the medicine cabinet; but when he started thinking hard about Loius Rivas, he ran to get the Tums, but actually grabbed his idiot pills and downed a 1/2 bottle.

The next thing we knew, he had brought up 4 (YES 4!!) catchers from Spring Training. That brilliant move also forced top prospect and switch-hitting Terry Tiffee back to AAA, and the complete loss of Mike Restovich through waivers, for which we got absolutely nothing in return.

Please step in and take control of the situation- PLEASE!

Many American league teams do fine with 2 catchers, we used to.

We're all waiting to see if Mauer's "golden knee" holds up, so that would mitigate the decision to carry 3 catchers.

But 4?

Come on!

Is Gardy so rediculously paranoid about the catching situation that he may also send someone else down, and then bring up Rob Bowen?

Mr. Ryan, please give Gardy the antidote to the idiot pills he's taken: a call from you.

Could the Vikes have a new "Sheriff?"

2005-03-26T18:05:00.000-08:00

First, let me just state that if you were to have asked me two months ago: "Do you think it could be possible that if the Vikes were to lose Moss, that there would be any fathomable senario that would make me optimistic, much less jubilant, about the coming season's success..." Answer:no"

I wouldn't have even be able to speak, as would have been mixing up a batch of grape kool aid (for those Hermantown readers, see the Jim Jones mass suicide) for immediate consumtion.

I can not tell you how excited I am about this season, and I'm calling it right now, 11-5, with a visit to the NFC championship game.

This is exactly the kind of team I would build if I ran things.

It all starts with defense, 2 top corners and 2 studs at DT. Pressure up the middle is far more disruptive than from the outside, where a QB can just step forward to evade it.

And with this rebuilt secondary, they'll only help the D-line get more sacks with tight coverage.

There is just one more imperative, they have to take a WR with their first draft pick!

If I hear any more of this moronic talk about "we will take the best player on the board," I'm gonna start mixing up the kool aid again!

You have to draft for need, and there should be a blue chip receiver available.

Now, could Coach Tice be evolving into the new "Sheriff?"

Check this out...

Tice explaing his philosophy: "when a guy steps up and emerges as the guy, he is the guy. When he wants to play, he'll play...The second guy will spell the guy. The third guy? He won't be happy."

HUH?

This is right up there with the Denny Green classic: "Nobody plays, like we play, when we're playing."

I've been a Tice supporter all along, even in the face of criticism from those who claim he looks like an 8th grade math teacher with that dopey little pencil behind his ear.

I mean, come on Mike, with all that ticket scalping money you're pulling down, can't you at least afford a nice Cross pen?

So Mike, step out of Denny's (albeit immense) shadow, be a man, and pick a WR #1.

Could Sid Hartman be wrong?

2005-03-15T19:02:00.000-08:00

What?

It sounds impossible, I know, but it may actually be true.

Now, Sid gets accused of being a "homer" all the time, but I have no problem with that.

After all, if MN sportwriters can't support MN teams & MN atheletes who will?

Does anyone think Green Bay beat writers are going to start lavishing praise on the Vikes? Put down the crack pipe, please.

So I agree with Sid most of the time, but one thing I've disagreed with him for years has been his stance on team chemistry.

He always says that team chemistry don't mean much, and that superior talent will always prevail.

Well, where does he derive that opinion? He always seems to have a close, personal relationship with the most talented, yet troubled atheletes. Take Randy Moss for instance.

It's the supremely talented reprobates who tell him chemistry doesn't count, it's a Moss, not a David Dixon, where he gets that idea.

I've played lots of different sports in my life, and I've always been of the opinion that good chemistry trumps superior talent nearly every time.

Let's check out the NFL, Dan Synder spends the big money on Redskin free agents, and they're terrible; while the lunch bucket Patriots dominate.

That's my segue to the Gopher Men's Basketball team, and their fantastic NCAA season.

Wow!

I admit, I sure didn't see this breakout season coming, but how deserving it is for this team.

We've gone through the superstar phase, with Rick Rickert & Kris Humpheries and little team success.

Now we're going through the TEAM phase, and an amazing season culminating with an NCAA tournament bid.

Brent Lawson even stated: "Chemistry was the biggest factor" in their success.

I couldn't be prouder of these kids, maybe they can even teach Sid a little bit about team chemistry.

Viking's "D" receives massive upgrade!

2005-03-14T19:30:00.000-08:00

All I can say is wow!

The Vike's have catapulted their defense from bottom 5, to top 10- maybe even top 5.

Wow!

They've signed Pat Williams DT, Fred Smoot, and Darren Sharper in the past week, wow!

Do you realize that with Antoine Winfield, Cory Chavous, Sharper, and now Smoot, we have 4 All-Pros on the field in our secondary?

This may be the best off-season the Vikes have ever had, and they may not be done yet.

They now have 2 #1 draft picks, which they may make a trade for.

We need a linebacker and a wide receiver, but they may yet sign Plaxico Burress because he and his greedy agent turned down a huge contract, the likes of which he will not see again, from the Giants. He fired that agent today.

He's got talent, but it appears his ego is twice as large as his brain, so maybe we don't really need him after all.

We did get Napoleon Harris (LB) from the Moss Trade, so basically he replaces the erstwhile Chris Claiborne.

My thinking is this, if they don't sign a receiver, draft the kid from USC at receicer, then trade the 2nd #1 for another linebacker so you avoid the huge bonus a #1 pick demands.

If they do sign a receiver, then draft a linebacker.

So, on paper anyway, the Vikes have put together a very formidable squad.

The question now is, who's gonna coach it?

We've upgraded from a Yugo to a Caddy, but do we trust the state's biggest ticket scalper with the keys?

I've been defending Mike Tice for years, I don't know that I can do it anymore. I have no respect for a guy making over $500k per year who risks it all to make a couple grand on a ticket scapling scheme.

It shows terrible judgement.

If he needed cash to make ends meet, he should have borrowed the money from Latrine Sprewell.

The Twins, "The Dunce" has been located

2005-03-14T18:57:00.000-08:00

There's been a lot of things going right with the Twins recently (now granted, we have 3 divisions now,not 2), but there's also some things going wrong, and not being "inside" the organization, I've had to use my powers of observation to determine who "The Dunce" is.

At first, I thought it had to be G.M. Terry Ryan, particularly when he threw that massive contract at Joe Mays after only 1 good season, and he wasn't even asking for it. It must feel god-like to throw manna from heaven un the undeserving.

But he's been doing some good things with a limited payroll lately, especially this past off-season by signing Santana & Radke.

So, Hmmm...well, Terry seems to be in the clear.

So let's think about this for a minute...

Let's just say u have a can't miss catching prospect who is the future
of the franchise, and let's even say he's a hometown guy; and let's say
he is coming off a serious knee injury, what do you do with him?

You have three choices:

1. Ease him back slowly as a d.h.

2. Play him every 2 or 3 days behind the plate, as his knee continues to
gain strength.

3. Play him every day until his knee breaks down and his season ends
with another surgery, so he will now have life-long trouble with his
knee.

If you're manager Ron Gardendunce, you pick 3, and then you get rewarded with a
multi-year contract extension.

Mystery solved.

It's been a big year...

2005-03-12T17:56:00.000-08:00

Hopefully mnsportsfan will become your home for cogent analysis of the Minnesota sports scene.

The Twin Cities is an unusual place regarding sports opinion.

For some unknown reason, when you look around, there are only 10, or maybe 12 voices in the media (radio, tv, newprint) commenting on sports.

And there is so much duplication of opinion: for example, Pat Reusse has a Star Tribune column, is on a tv show, and is the main sports guest on multiple radio shows.

In a metro area of maybe 2.5 million people, can't we have a few more divergent opinions?

Join me back here soon, the posts are going to increase at a furious pace.