New Year’s day in 2012 was nice weather-wise. Not so nice, as far as Minnesota sports were concerned, with the exception of basketball.
The Lynx, Gophers and Timberwolves were playing well. But, only the Lynx would continue their winning ways. The other two teams were struck by the same malady as their point guards and other starters went down with injuries.
After the Gophers got off to a fine start, (ranked 14th in the nation) Al Nolan, the team’s playmaking guard, was injured and out for the season. Devon Joseph, the backup guard, had transferred after Tubby Smith refused to start him, despite Joseph carrying the Gophers to the finals of the Big Ten Tournament the previous season. Trevor Mbakwe had injured his knee and the Gophers were through for the year.
The Timberwolves were in the hunt for a playoff spot with the play of Kevin Love and rookie Ricky Rubio until Rubio tore up his knee. The reserves failed to help the team and the Wolves fell to their former obscurity. Tubby Smith was strongly criticized for the first time since his arrival in Minnesota and Timberwolves’ coach Rick Adelman would have to wait for next year.
At the beginning of 2012, our Minnesota Vikings were coming off a 3-13 record and their rookie quarterback and coach Leslie Frazier were under fire. Not only that, their star running back had injured his knee severely. The Vikings were slipping in the public’s esteem and the only thing that enabled them to hold their place as the number one team in Minnesota was the abysmal play of the Minnesota Twins.
The Twins had a disastrous 2011 season that saw them finish last in their division with the worst record in the American league after being expected to contend for the Central Division title. Their pitching folded, as did All-Stars Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau.
A great deal of the dismal showing in 2011 was chalked up to injuries. Hometown hero Joe Mauer was accused of being a slacker and General Manager Bill Smith was demoted. At the beginning of 2012, things were not well with the Twins.
As the year wore on, we sat through another disappointing baseball season as returning General Manager Terry Ryan watched the Twins finish last with the worst pitching in the Major Leagues. Pieces of good news were Mauer being the Mauer of old, Morneau staging a mini- comeback and new acquiree Josh Willingham enjoying a career year.
But the Twins had very little effective pitching and at the end of the year, Ryan was striving to bring the pitching staff up to its pre-2011 level. Ryan traded and signed free agents and we are waiting the outcome.
Our Minnesota Gopher football team was also coming off a dismal non-bowl-game season in 2011 and new coach Jerry Kill was faced with long-standing problems. The Gophers have not had a dominant team for more than 50 years and Kill had this huge rebuilding effort in front of him.
The Gophers appeared to be joining the Indiana Hoosiers as a permanent resident at the bottom of the Big Ten. However, at the very end of the 2012, Gopher fans were encouraged and saw hope for the future as the year ended with a well-played bowl game.
As 2012 comes to a close, there is a feel-good atmosphere surrounding the Timberwolves, basketball Gophers and Vikings. And no matter what happens in 2013, the Vikings have turned things around and once again, purple covers the land.
Next week: more about the Wolves, Gophers and Vikings.
