Our Minnesota big time sports scene is unsettled. The Minnesota football Gophers are embarking on their second rebuilding effort in recent years under new coach Jerry Kill. I never thought the Gophers would be trying to get back to the glory years of Glen Mason. Not exactly glory years, but the Gophers under Mason were a representative Big Ten team. They went to bowl games and usually put up an exciting effort before losing.
New Gopher coach Jerry Kill has been impressive during his short tenure. He has kept a low profile and the little news that has come out of the Gopher Nation has been good. Recently a prize recruit from Blue Earth, 6-foot, 9-inch, close to 300-pounds Jonah Pirsig, declared for Minnesota over Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and Ohio State among others of the who’s who of college football. It was a big boost for the team when the best prep lineman in Minnesota decided for the Gophers. It bodes well for coach Jerry Kill and the Gopher future.
Staying with football, the Minnesota Vikings decided not to lay in the weeds this season and traded for quarterback Donovan McNabb. It looks like the Vikings will again try to contend with an aging, previously successful quarterback. Kind of a Brett Favre ll. McNabb has good credentials. In fact, I was quite surprised to learn that McNabb has led the Philadelphia Eagles to five NFC championship games and one Super Bowl. He hasn’t been very successful in winning the big one, but still you have to play well to get to the big game.
McNabb appears to be the poor man’s Brett Favre. But he is seven years younger and if he can regain his previous form he will be an exciting player for this year’s version of the Vikings. Evidently the Vikings are not going to be content to just finish above the Detroit lions this year. It’s possible they can contend if the veterans can come together for one last gasp.
Also in a state of flux are our Minnesota Timberwolves. There is no doubt about their status. They are rebuilding and have been doing so since Kevin Garnett left. When you lose as many games as the Timberwolves, the best you can say about your team is that they are rebuilding.
I hope the team hires an experienced hard-nosed coach that can point operations head David Kahn and the team players in a definite direction. Give him the reins and turn him loose.
Our Minnesota Twins continue to hang in there. Almost out of contention, but not quite. Considering the starting pitching they have been receiving, it’s remarkable they are only seven games back. Starting pitching brought them back from the brink and is threatening to return them. The Twins need a dominating pitcher and may have to let one or two of their outfielders go in the future. Right now they are carrying six outfielders with a couple of their best prospects in the minors, also outfielders. I would think there is an obvious move for general manager Bill Smith. Trade an outfielder or two for a pitcher. Sounds like a plan to me.
Smith’s lack of movement before the trade deadline reflects the team. The Twins are kind of stuck in limbo — neither a buyer or seller of players. Not really in contention to buy and not completely out of contention in order to justify trading established players for prospects.
We may soon find what this year holds for the Twins. If they continue to play .500 ball, it won’t take very long until we start talking about next year.
