Posted Tuesday January 18, 2011, About: Pavano, Twins in holding pattern

Are you kidding me? Rauch was great last year, and would have been great for us this year (especially when 3 other great relievers are leaving). Fuentes was solid as well (a zero ERA in his time with the Twins)., especially considering we only have one other leftie reliever now...Sadly, this bullpen is awful looking right now, even if Nathan and Capps are as good as they can be.

Posted Friday December 10, 2010, About: Bronco Stadium to edge near 40,000

Well, if Boise State, a school without really great academics/research, in a city that can hardly be considered major, can have a hospital that can treat his son...I can name at at least 75 schools D-1 football schools that probably have that ability (if not BETTER medical facilities). That includes pretty much every BCS conference school, too, not just Florida. Just saying, the medical thing has nothing to do with him not moving up, or being wary of it.

Posted Monday December 06, 2010, About: Boise State coach linked to Gophers job

Well, he's only been at Northern Illinois for 3 years first of all, and was only great this last year...Still, I like the guy's resume. If nothing else, he seems much more prepared for the job than Brewster was, and inherits a team with a decent core (and a bunch of good players who redshirted last year). He knows midwest recruiting, which is a plus as well. His style of run-heavy offenses works with the Big Ten atmosphere.

Sure, he's no big-name guy, but I like what he brings. My first reaction was "who the hell is this guy?!" but upon further review, he seems like a solid coach in all respects. Not a Tubby Smith, but he certainly seems capable of bringing success to Minnesota. Plus, his contract isn't outrageously rich...something the student body and regents are sure to like.

Posted Thursday November 04, 2010, About: Fulmer going from orange to golden?

So, remind me again how he won over 100 more games than he lost in the SEC? That doesn't happen by accident...And frankly, talent can only take you so far. Obviously he did quite a few things right as a coach.

Posted Wednesday November 03, 2010, About: Fulmer going from orange to golden?

Why not? Tubby is working out about as well as anybody cold have imagined, maybe even better. He took over a Minnesota basketball team that was in as deep of a hole (if not deeper) than the football team is in now, and he's turned the Gophers into a team that should be ranked by the end of this year.

And, oddly enough, his resume was pretty much the same as Fulmer's is. The youthful direction (Brewster) didn't even work a little bit. If Tubby smith showed us anything, it's that success does matter, in both recruiting and getting players to buy into your system.

Posted Friday October 29, 2010, About: Twins announce good news on Mauer

Well, not many guys could play Gold Glove defense at the catcher position and bat .327 over a full season when under a video game curse...Guess this Mauer guy must be pretty good...

Posted Monday October 18, 2010, About: Maturi on Gophers hire: You're not following Lombardi

I'll admit the program isn'tin a good place right now, but that said you could argue the Gophers basketball team was in even worse shape before Tubby Smith decided to come to Minnesota.

The football team has a state-of-the-art stadium, a decent core of players brought in by Brewster the last two years who have yet to play much, and deep pockets thanks to the boosters. I'm sure there are plenty of successful mid-major school coaches who would jump on the opportunity to coach a Big Ten team (and get a pay increase), especially when there are almost zero expectations going in.

Posted Monday October 18, 2010, About: Report: Brewster out if Gophers lose to Purdue

Excuse me? If I recall, the Gophers won 10 games in 2004...That is a great season, no question. I'm not saying this team has been great lately, but rather that they haven't been awful like you seem to think. Yes, Brewster's reign has been awful, but they were honestly a solid Big Ten team prior to that...Just because they weren't winning championships like in the early days doesn't mean they haven't been good.

Frankly I think they need to hire a big-name coach with head coaching success in college...Something like a Tubby Smith, who has quickly turned a terrible Gophers basketball team into a potential Big Ten title contender. They have the stadium, they have the local talent, now they just need a coach who can attract and develop players to their potential.

Posted Sunday October 17, 2010, About: Report: Brewster out if Gophers lose to Purdue

Define a quality team...Those teams with Barber and Marony were great, breaking NCAA rushing records and everything...Also, while South Dakota isn't a quality opponent, USC is and in the upcoming years they have some other good nonconference series. And I don't hear anyone complaining when SEC teams constantly schedule crap FCS teams late in the year to pad their BCS standings while everyone else is playing BCS teams.

Posted Tuesday October 12, 2010, About: Moss curses at a reporter after Vikes loss

I don't see what the big deal is here...I mean, I bet frustrated players curse at reporters all the time after losses. It's not like he really did anything bad.

Posted Monday October 11, 2010, About: Twins will reward Gardenhire

Their pitching was the team's biggest weakness this year...Yes, the bullpen was great, but when Blackburn, Baker, and Slowey (three of the team's starters going into the season) were all awful this year and your only potentially dominant pitcher is as inexperienced as Liriano is...

Yes, this team had the talent to win it all, but they still aren't the Yankees. Sometimes you really can outspend a team, even a mid-market one.

Posted Monday October 11, 2010, About: Twins will reward Gardenhire

First of all, the NL Central is far worse than the AL version...And I suppose you would bash the Twins for NOT signing Mauer too, the best catcher in the game and best offensive catcher in years (possibly all-time). And let's face it, he would have signed for 30 million+ if he had hit free agency...so if you look at it, the Twins got a discount!

Posted Thursday September 30, 2010, About: Morneau to return after all?

Wow...I don't totally understand were this is coming from...Catchers get beat up all the time, buddy. Hell, compared to previous years, Mauer has actually been more healthy than usual this year. His current situation is that his knee was sore and the team (having already secured a playoff berth) are playing it safe and letting him rest and fully heal.

And where are you getting the "weak in the head" bit from?

Posted Wednesday August 25, 2010, About: Rubio the next Chris Paul?

That's kinda what I think...Mauer, Morneau, Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Jared Allen, and even KG when he played in Minnesota all have a ton of marketing money based in Minnesota and nationally...

Posted Wednesday August 25, 2010, About: Rubio the next Chris Paul?

I find it really funny how everyone seems to think it's all about playing in Minnesota that is keeping him away...I mean really, no one has any problems playing for the Twins or Vikings, in fact it's been an awfully long time since anyone has really disliked playing in Minnesota. Let's be honest, the team is keeping him and others away...

And that asterisk thing really applies to all bad teams right? Not just the Timberwolves....You could say the same for great players on the Raiders, Lions, Pirates and Knicks too.

Posted Friday July 23, 2010, About: Leddy the next Keith?

So are Badgers....But the Badgers don't boast arguably the greatest college hockey program all-time. Too bad.

Posted Friday July 16, 2010, About: Nathan: I want to stay with Twins

When healthy, he was as lights-out as anybody. Statistically, he was the best closer in the game since he joined the Twins. I'd still take Rivera over him, but he would be a very close #2. Personally the only thing he lacks is the postseason success...

Posted Tuesday July 13, 2010, About: Don't expect better second half from Mauer

The Twins would probably look at 3rd base...No way Morneau gets moved off first, and they've got a logjam at outfield positions (currently and in the farm system). Mauer is athletic enough to play 3rd, ad the Twins have no player that appears ready to be their full-time 3rd baseman, so why not?

Posted Sunday July 11, 2010, About: Kentucky, Baylor on White's short list

He wasn't academically ineligible (though it's harder to get into MN than the other schools anyway). He had legal problems including stealing and trespassing and so on. And yes, he will need to sit out a year if/when he picks a new school.

Posted Saturday July 10, 2010, About: More teams pursuing Modano

It's not an old pic at all....The Stars came to Minnesota to close out last season, and the Wild put on a celebration for him after the game to surprise him. When he was called to come out of the locker room, he had put on his old North Stars sweater to show his appreciation.

Posted Sunday July 04, 2010, About: Zook: SEC is better than Big Ten

Yea...Just for the record, I'm not ripping the SEC itself or claiming the Big Ten rules in football...I'm not that dense. I'm just defending the second-best academic conference in the country (behind the Ivy League of course). I'm sorry, it's just not reasonable to argue that the SEC schools are better academically.