Some Thoughts For The New Year

Well, it's the end of another year. I can't say 2009 will be my all-time favorite year when I look back. The reason I say that is the overall state of the economy and the unknowns in that loom in 2010. I had some friends at THE CHECK, as well as some family members, lose their jobs in 2009 and that is a bummer. Also, I will remember 2009 as the year of The (pointed) Eyes. I really had a lot of eye issues in 2009 which I will not go into here. I believe the issues are nearly corrected, however. One of my New Years resolutions for 2010 is to look on the bright side of things more often (except with the Vikings because that would be unrealistic and just plain stupid). I think I tend to be a tad cynical from time to time (which I know comes as a total shock to the readers of this blog). I truly believe that as long as you have a great family and great friends, everything is cool. I am a lucky guy in both of those areas. So Happy New Year everyone - I hope 2010 is a good one! Here are a few topics I was thinking about at the grocery store today:

1. Tim Brewster Gets A Contract Extension. The only explanation that I have for this is that Tim Brewster has illicit photographs of AD Joel Maturi or Bob Bruininks. Never before has abject failure been rewarded to this degree. The trophy case is empty, the Gophers play in (and lose) meaningless bowl games and Brewster gets a contract extension. What is the U going to do if Brewster ever beats Wisconsin or Iowa - erect a statue of him? This is mind-boggling.

2. Yemen. There is a saying that "nothing good ever happens after 1:00 AM." Well, I have been noticing in the news that "nothing good ever happens in Yemen." Have you noticed this? It seems like every evil terrorist plan hatched has a Yemen angle. The latest dim-witted, duped terrorist youth to try an blow up a plane was Nigerian, but was tutored by the Bad Guys in - Yemen. The whole place must be like Mos Eisley Spaceport in Star Wars. "Yemen - You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy." That could be their tourism slogan.

3. Vikings Playoffs. There is ONE scenario this weekend that will lead to the Vikings playing the Packers in the first week of the playoffs. The Vikings must lose to the Giants. The Packers must lose to the Cardinals. The Cowboys must lose to the Eagles. You know, I kind of see all of this cosmically coming together to commence The Nightmare Scenario. I think it's going to happen.

4. Paul Westerberg Turns 50. I had a hard time typing that. Paul Westerberg was born on 12/31/59 which makes today his 50th birthday. I didn't realize this until I read this in the Startribune. How is it that the lead singer of my all-time favorite band, The Replacements, is 50 years old? There was a time when people questioned if any of the band members would live to see 50, but it appears Westerberg is doing quite well, and still putting out good music. And that is a good thing.

Happy New Year everyone!

Jeff

Every Time.

Another chapter for the book "Snatching Defeat From The Jaws of Victory." The book is getting long. The Vikings had a chance to secure the #1 seed in the NFC playoffs. First, they had to defeat the rotten, beat up Chicago Bears to have any hope.

They, of course, lost.

You see, the Minnesota Vikings cannot stand success. After possibly the worst, most uninspired half of football that I have seen since.......last week......I was ready to go to bed in peace with the Bears leading 16-0 knowing that the Vikings got killed.

But no.

Brett Favre rallied the Vikings over and over again to force overtime, tied 30-30. This, of course, sucked fans like me back in (and kept me up). They had their chances to win, but an Adrian Peterson fumble (which have become as common as snowflakes in winter) lost the game for the Vikings. I believe in my heart that the Vikings will find a way to lose to the Giants next week, fall to the fourth seed in the NFC, and lose at the Metrodome to the Green Bay Packers the first week of the playoffs. The Nightmare Scenario will be complete.

Folks, the day I made the decision to follow the Minnesota Vikings was the worst health-related choice that I have ever made. Smoking three packs of cigarettes a day would not compare to the "ringer" that this football squad has put me through in my lifetime.

I marvel at the Vikings ability to lose games like this. It is utterly and amazingly horrible and stupefying. And, yet, it is somewhat fascinating.

Like a train wreck.

Jeff

Merry Christmas!

December 23rd weather update - The forecast for the Twin Cities calls for a Christmas snow storm that, according to the National Weather Service, could "rival the Halloween storm of 1991." Wcco.com is calling it "Snowmageddon." I guess we could get more than a foot of the stuff. I am actually looking forward to being holed-up with the family with nowhere to go. We've got egg nog, beer, etc. It should be a good time! Anyway, on to my original post:

First of all, I'd like to thank all of you who have sent us a Christmas card this year. We've received some wonderful cards from people once again this year. After sending out a card last year with a picture of the kids at a Twins game, we took this year off from sending a card. I apologize for the laziness. We'll start up again with a card next year. There is even a venue opening in April of 2010 where a guy could take a nice family photo.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to all of you out there! I hope 2009 was a great year and 2010 will be even better!

Jeff

Vikings Play Like Crap. Vikings Win Division.

People have accused me of being a cynic when it comes to the Minnesota Vikings. I always expect the worst. Why?

Because I have watched them for 40 years. They drive me bat-shit crazy.

In those 40 years, I have rarely witnessed as gutless a performance as I saw tonight against an injured, nothing-to-play-for Panthers team. Something called Matt Moore passed for 300 yards against the Vikes and looked like Johnny Unitas. Pathetic.

On a side note, the Vikings won the division because the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Packers on the last play of the game. Good for them.

I do know this - the Vikings better not play like they did against the Cardinals and Panthers when they get to the playoffs. If they do, they will not beat anybody.

They drive me absolutely crazy.

Wild Gear Burned. Sabotage????

The Minnesota Wild have been hot lately (pardon the pun). After a slow start, they have won 10 of their last 13 games, many of those on the road. So after beating hated Montreal on Thursday they made the trip to play hated Ottawa tonight. That is where the mystery begins.

While practicing in Ottawa on Friday, there was a "truck fire" in which the Wild lost much of their equipment. Some players lost all of their equipment - pads, skates, etc. Here is a list of "who lost what" from Michael Russo's Startribune blog. So now, the Wild have to play the Senators tonight will all new, non-broken-in equipment, probably purchased at a local second-hand shop like Play It Again Sports.

Here is more from Russo's blog on the bizarre incident:

The Wild practiced at the Kanata Rec Center this afternoon in suburban Ottawa. After a short drive back to the Scotiabank place, trainers apparently got out in the parking lot and noticed the back smoky. When they opened up the back of the truck, much of the equipment was on fire.

Firefighters were called to put out the blaze, but much was destroyed. Police are investigating the cause of the fire, but equipment trainers have no clue.

"It was a five-minute drive," said bewildered head equipment trainer Tony DaCosta.

Something is fishy here. You'd expect something like this to happen to the Vikings (right before the NFC Championship game), not the Wild. Very strange. I hope the Ottawa police continue to look into this.

I did take a moment to check the NHL schedule and I noticed that Vancouver played Washington last night so I can't blame them. I wouldn't put this sabotage past anyone on that team. I noticed, however, that Calgary was off on Friday. I think the Ottawa police should check into the whereabouts of some of their players during the day on Friday. You know, corroborate stories - Sherlock Holmes stuff. I also wouldn't put this sabotage past any of those Calgary players.

Assholes.

Jeff

Can Minnesota Support 4 Pro Teams?

The media outfit known as Portfolio.com, part of the company that includes the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal, just did a study of communities with professional sports teams. They wanted to find how many teams certain communties could support based on the communities "total personal income." Here is a MSP Business Journal story about the study.

The findings were not surprising. It was determined that many cities, including Minneapolis-St. Paul, are overextended in their ability to support 4 professional teams (and throw in Gopher sports) based on the total personal income in the area. Using their methodology, the authors of report determined that the total personal income of the MSP-St. Paul area was $154.59 billion in 2008, $43.13 billion short of what would be need to adequately support 4 teams (i.e. buying tickets, suites, etc.). If you want to view the chart for all cities here it is. And we are not alone in this assessment. Cleveland, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Tampa, Detroit and Denver are in over their heads with their ability to support their teams (not necessarily 4 teams - it could even be 1).

The reason this is relevant is, of course, the Vikings campaign for a new stadium. Being a fan of the team, I'd like them to stay even if it means skyrocketing blood-pressure levels for me. What happens, however, if a brand new shiny stadium is built for the Vikings, complete with 60-75 luxury suites. If so, the Twin Cities population would have the opportunity (and need) to support the new Vikes stadium, Target Field, Target Center, Xcel Energy Center, TCF Bank Stadium, Williams Arena & Mariucci Arena. I have to admit that I don't believe this can be accomplished, even in good economic times, let alone the shit-storm that we are experiencing now. What does all of this mean?

It means we have to give somebody the Timberwolves - and quick.

Anyone - who wants them? Seattle just lost the Sonics. How would they like to take the Wolves?? Losing the Vikings and retaining the Timberwolves is akin to keeping the moldy mayonnaise in the refrigerator but throwing out the sirloin steak. I don't think anybody would even notice that the Wolves were gone. The Vikings and Twins are state institutions, and the Wild has a rabid following in the State of Hockey. The Gophers can't leave.

If that study is correct, we are going to lose a team eventually. Folks, it simply has to be the Wolves. Who wants them?

Jeff

Sasquatch Update - Bemidji, U.S.A.

I was at THE CHECK today when I was alerted by both Freealonzo and CD about the latest Sasquatch sighting - this time in nearby Bemidji, Minnesota. I, of course, had already heard about the sighting because I have an alarm on my computer that goes off when Bigfoot is in the news.

Let's see what this is all about. According to startribune.com article, Tim Kedrowski, a salesman from Rice, Minnesota, set up a motion sensor camera on his hunting ground near Leech Lake back in October and caught this image. Here is what Kedrowski had to say:

"I can't sit here and tell you I'm a 100 percent believer, but I'm a little less skeptical than I was before. You don't go deer hunting looking for this kind of thing."

Who knows - maybe you do. Kedrowski remained skeptical of the photograph until he contacted members of the Northern Minnesota Bigfoot Research Team (NMBRT) who compared the image to one of an alleged Bigfoot photo taken years ago in California and found that the features were "identical."

Folks, all this tells me is that they sell the same ape suit at Spencer Gift in Bemidji, Minnesota AND California.

While I appreciate keeping the Sasquatch lore alive and well in the news, these people have got to get better costumes if they are going to try and fake this stuff for their "15 minutes of fame." This is a guy in a bad ape suit, for Cliff's sake. Or a drunk in dark clothing stumbling through the woods from his way home from the Bemidji bars. Unless Sasquatch wears grey gloves. I'd take the Jack Links version over this hoax.

Remember those wing-nuts down in Georgia (redundant) who had the "frozen" body of a Bigfoot in a freezer? That was an ape suit with a Cornelius mask from the Planet of the Apes. I called that, by the way, because I am not a Sasquatch novice. I know when to tell a fake when I see one. I am surprised the guys from NMBRT would even waste their time with this one.

Lest we forget, here is the real thing. I had to throw that in because of all of the ridiculous fakes lately. Oh, well. One of these days........

Jeff

Nightmare Scenario - #2. NFL To End Revenue Sharing

I have written about the Vikings stadium issues many times. The Vikings continue to ask for $750 million in public funds towards a new $1 billion dollar stadium. There seems to be a "perfect storm" brewing on this front that is working against the Vikings stadium cause. Here are some things to consider:

1. Los Angeles still seems to be on pace to build a privately-financed NFL stadium. Somehow, someway, a billionaire named Ed Roski Jr. is going to fund a $1 billion dollar stadium with private funds.

2. The state of Minnesota has a 1.2 billion dollar deficit. Hospitals and schools are in need of funding. Unemployment is at it's highest level in decades. How does a state raise money for a football stadium in this economic environment?

3. The Vikings stadium lease ends after the 2011 season.

4. The state already has already contributed nearly $600 million towards the new Twins and Gophers stadiums over the past 3 years.

5. And now, in their infinite wisdom, the NFL owners want to end the $100 million revenue sharing plan after this season.

Number 5 is especially horrible news for the Minnesota Vikings. The Vikings have some of the lowest revenue totals in the league due to their stadium situation, so they are the recipient of millions of dollars from many of the other teams in the NFL. Without this money or a new stadium, it's unlikely that the Vikings could exist in Minnesota.

Personally, I don't see any way the Legislature will even bring this topic up in the next session. And, is it even "moral" to use public money (nearly a billion dollars of it) to pay for a sports stadium in this economy? Then again, there is no question that the Vikings are part of the fabric on Minnesota, and the #1 sports entity in the state. To lose them now is to lose them forever.

I hate to say it, but gambling funds may be the only way to keep this team in Minnesota. Gambling funds are an cynical way of funding a stadium. Gambling, however, is "everywhere" in Minnesota and those that argue that "we can't expand gambling" are about 10 years too late. It would be interesting to see what the outcome would be if this funding source was put to a public vote. Unfortunately, it may be the only thing that saves this team.

22 home games and counting......

Jeff

Nightmare Scenario

**Quick note - today is the official 3rd Anniversary of What Jeff Thinks. I wasn't sure it would last 3 weeks, but we made it through 3 years! Thank you, that is all.

So the Vikings are 10-1. Everyone is feeling good. Brett Favre is an MVP candidate. Jerod Allen is the funniest guy in football and making people forget about the Purple People Eaters. Adrian Peterson fumbles but who cares because the Vikings are so far in the lead it doesn't matter. Percy Harvin is the Steal Of the Draft (SOD) and could be rookie of the year. Sidney is new Jerry Rice. Everything is peachy, right? The only question left to answer is whether the Vikings will wear home purple or road white in the Super Bowl.

Well, I wouldn't be doing my job on What Jeff Thinks if I didn't throw a little water on this fire. I have a Nightmare Scenario that I conjured up. I also had a phone conversation with tony8489 and he had the same nightmare scenario. You see, tony and I have been watching the Vikings since the 1970's, and have witnessed first-hand The Hammer drop at some time every year. You know, the proverbial Other Shoe. Every year. If you are a true Vikings fan, the Hammer (i.e. Other Shoe) is always in the back of your mind.

I am not going recount all of the Other Shoes that have occurred over the years because I have to be to church on Sunday. The one that really did it for me, however, was Gary Anderson "Wide Left" in 1998. You know what I'm talking about. Enough said. After that, I felt that if the 1998 Vikings did not win the Super Bowl, it ain't going to happen.

And then came 2009.

I have to admit that I have drank the purple kool-aid. I bought a Jared Allen shirt. I now arrange my Sunday's around the game again. Good thing church is in the morning. Could this be the year? Things seem "different." The Vikings seem "competent" on both sides of the ball and on special teams. They have good guys on the team instead of criminals. They have Brett frickin' Favre at Quarterback which suggests that we are squarely placed in a parallel universe right now (which is exactly what it might take for the Vikes to win in all!).

This brings up the aforementioned "Nightmare Scenario." It does not involve Brett Favre getting injured - too easy. We'd have an excuse, then. It does not even involve losing the New Orleans Saints - too easy. The Saints may go undefeated and losing to them wouldn't even be embarrassing. This "Nightmare Scenario" involves the Green Bay Packers.

Right now, the NFL is divided between a few great teams (Saints, Colts, Vikings) and too many horrible teams to even mention. There are, however, a few "good" teams that will qualify as Wild-Cards in the playoffs. I believe Green Bay is one of these teams. Folks, I believe in my heart that the Minnesota Vikings and Green Bay Packers will meet, once again, at the Metrodome in the playoffs. These teams have played twice this year, and the Vikes have won both games. We all know the old adage that it's nearly impossible to beat a team three times in one year. My nightmare scenario involves the Wild-Card Packers ending the Vikings and Brett Favre's season in the playoffs at the Metrodome. This would even be revenge for the Randy Moss "Moon Game" in the playoffs at Lambeau a few years back.

Now, a big reason that I am putting this out there in print is that my sports predictions and "visions" usually do not come true (i.e. the Cleveland Indians winning the AL Central in '09). Nobody is talking about this, however. Everybody is talking about a Minnesota-New Orleans NFC Championship game and whether or not it would be at the Metrodome or Superdome. That is the cart before the horse.

A Vikings loss, with Favre at QB, to the Packers would be the perfect blend of humiliation, horror and disbelief for Viking fans. It would fit perfectly into Viking "lore." It could possibly be even worse than "Gary Anderson Wide Left." I hope this doesn't happen, but I just had to put it out there. Kind of makes you think, doesn't it?

The question left to be answered is this: What is stronger - the crush of Viking "lore" or Brett Favre's "parallel universe?" We'll see.

Jeff

Best Music of the Decade

Once again, reading Freealonzo's blog has given me an idea for a blog post. Free recently mentioned that the end of the first decade of the 21st century is nearing, which means it is time for the inevitable "Best Of" lists. This got me thinking about the music that has been released since 2000, and what albums have had the most influence on me. So I decided to sit down and peruse iTunes and pick out my favorite albums that have been released over the past 10 years.

I happened (by chance) to pick out 20 albums. I am not going to claim that I am some sort of expert and these are necessarily the best albums for everyone. They are simply my favorites since the year 2000. So I present to you "Jeff's Top 20 Albums of the 21st Century So Far." They are listed in reverse order to build tension (no question about that). By the way, I think you'll be able to tell who my favorite band is:

#20. Paul Westerberg - "Folker" (2004): Recorded in his basement, Westerberg played all the instruments and sang all the parts on this album. The ode to his father "My Dad" chokes me up every time.

#19. The Honeydogs - "10,000 Years" (2004): Very strong concept album from the Minneapolis band. The album tells the somewhat bleak story of a test-tube baby growing up during an apocalyptic war. Not exactly happy stuff (but great music)!

#18. Arcade Fire - "Funeral" (2004): Outstanding band with about 1000 members. This album made many "Top 5 of the decade" lists and might be higher on my list if I actually listed to it more often. Judging by how good this album is, I might have to revise this choice.

#17. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - "Howl" (2005): The band that is known for being a Jesus and Mary Chain clone released this Dylanesque, folk-tinged rock album in 2005. It is, by far, their best.

#16. Mark Olson & Gary Louris - "Ready For The Flood" (2009): The former Jayhawks front men release an album that is more "Simon and Garfunkel" than Jayhawks.

#15. Band of Horses - "Everything All The Time" (2006): I'm not a fan of all of this band's music, but this album has some classics. Soaring in parts, very quiet in others. All in all, a very good album.

#14. Bon Iver - "For Emma, Forever Ago" (2007): A stark, yet melodic, first offering from the Eau Claire, WI native Justin Vernon. This album was recorded in a northern Wisconsin cabin while recovering from mono after breaking up with his girlfriend. I guess that is why it is stark.

#13. Bob Dylan - "Love And Theft" (2001): Released on September 11th, 2001 while something else was (unfortunately) happening. I may in the minority, but I prefer Dylan's last 4 albums to his 1960's classics.

#12. Drive By Truckers - "Decoration Day" (2003): This album is the Truckers at their best - part Lynard Skynard, part Replacements. Jason Isbell was still with the band and contributed the classics "Outfit" and title track "Decoration Day."

#11. The Hold Steady - "Boys And Girls in America" (2006): Possibly the best live band you'll ever see, the Hold Steady combines "alternative" with Springsteen-influenced classic rock. They also mention Har-Mar in one of their songs which guarantees them a spot in the top-20.

#10. Ryan Adams - "Gold" (2001): As I've mentioned before, Adams is a prick, but he can certainly write good songs. This offering brings the listener back to the mid-1970's with laid-back California rock 'n roll.

#9. The Jayhawks - "Rainy Day Music" (2003): The last album from The Jayhawks. The album features mellow, pop-country with surprising great songs from the drummer, Tim O'Reagan. I truly believe "Save It For A Rainy Day" is one of the finest pop songs ever written.

#8. Arctic Monkeys - "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not" (2006): Oddly enough, this is the only non-American band in my top 20. Part "Clash," probably more "Jam." Those are two good bands to be compared to.

#7. The National - "Boxer" (2007): This is on my current "heavy rotation" play list. Fantastic album that gets better with each listen. The 50th listen is literally better than the 49th. I say this from experience.

#6. Flaming Lips - "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" (2002): Another great live band. Despite the odd title, this is the band's most pop-oriented and accessible album.

#5. Wilco - "A Ghost Is Born" (2004): A great follow up to "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot." Probably Wilco's most underrated album.

#4. Ryan Adams - "Heartbreaker" (2000): The solo debut from the former Whiskeytown lead singer. Part Paul Westerberg, part Hank Williams.

#3. Wilco - "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" (2002): This album was so "non-radio friendly" that the band was dropped by it's label. Brittney Spears, it ain't. Upon 2nd, 3rd, and 75th listen, however, you'll realize that you are experiencing a classic. This album is the antithesis of brainless American Idol, and we're all better for having it around.

#2. Paul Westerberg - "Stereo/Mono" (2002): After some relatively weak solo efforts, Paul Westerberg released "Stereo/Mono," a double CD that brought him back to his roots. The songs on these albums could have fit it with the Replacements circa 1984-1987. It also set off a string of excellent Westerberg solo efforts. Welcome back, Paul.

and......

#1. Wilco - "Sky Blue Sky" (2007): Most professional critics would put this album behind "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" and "A Ghost Is Born." In my opinion, however, this is Wilco's finest effort. They return to their "alt-country with a touch of Beatles" roots and add a couple of stellar musicians including guitar-master Nils Cline. The album also features what might be my favorite song of all-time - "Impossible Germany." A great album from the best band in the world.

So there you go. My top 20 albums of the 21st Century, so far. Let me know what you think. What is missing? What do you agree with? What are your favorites?

Jeff

Joe Mauer - Master of the Universe

Congratulations to Minnesota Twins Catcher Joe Mauer, as he was just named the American League's Most Valuable Player for 2009. There is something that I have wondered about Joe Mauer for a long, long time. I have wondered what hell his soul must have endured in a former life to come back as Joe Mauer. Let's mull over a few things about Joe so far at age twenty-six:

1. 2009 American League Most Valuable Player
2. Three-time American League All-Star
3. Two-time Gold Glove Winner
4. Three-time American League batting champion
5. Three-time Silver Slugger award winner
6. USA Today High School Football Player of the Year as a Quarterback in 2001
7. Offered full-ride to Florida State University to play Quarterback.
8. High School Basketball All-Star at Cretin-Derham as a Junior and Senior.
9. Will soon sign a contract for $20-25 million per year.
10. Good looking. Great Sideburns.
11. Used to go out with a former Miss USA Chelsea Cooley.
12. Despite #1-11, he's allegedly as humble a person as you'll ever meet.

What gives??!?? In all seriousness, the guy is talented. I have a poster hanging up in my domicile at THE CHECK that reads: "Some day you will tell your grandchildren that you saw him play." That poster ain't talking about Jesse Crain.

A guy like Mauer, for the Twins, comes around once in a generation. Harmon Killebrew. Rod Carew. Kirby Puckett. And now Joe Mauer. He is not merely a run-of-the-mill All-Star, he is a "difference maker." He's a St.Paul kid playing for the home-town team that he grew up rooting for. He's their best player on the field and their most marketable player off the field. Geez, how many teen-age girls have Joe Mauer shirts? Let's put it this way - how many teen -age girls DON'T have Joe Mauer shirts? He is the face of the Twins franchise.

Now, I trust that the franchise understands this. Amidst all of this giddiness, storm clouds are gathering on the horizon as Mauer has one lone year left on his contract. Rumors persist that the evil east-coast teams such as the Red Sox and Yankees already have their sights set on the Twins catcher. And who can blame them - they certainly have more money to spend. I have to admit that seeing Mauer in Yankees pinstripes might cause me to stop watching sports all together. It would be like Packer fans having to to watch Brett Favre in Viking..........oh wait.

Mauer contends, however, that money will not be the final piece of the puzzle. According to Mauer, her simply wants to win. The Twins are also taking steps to make Joe happy. First, they kept one version of their hat for next year with an "M" rather than "TC" because Joe grew up with the "M" hats. Good move. Second, they brought in J.J. Hardy, one of Mauer's good buddies, to play on the team. Good move. Third (and most important) it was just announced that statues of retired Twins players Harmon Killebrew and Kirby Puckett will be built in downtown Minneapolis, along with a statue of Joe Mauer. Yes, that is correct - 26-year-old Joe Mauer will have a statue downtown not too far from Mary Tyler Moore. You cannot beat that. How can Joe possibly leave the team when he already has a statue?

I guess we'll see in the upcoming months. I really believe the Twins will be a pretty good team as they move into Target Field in 2010. I hope they will be good enough to convince Joe Mauer to stay with the Twins.

Otherwise, give him all the money he wants.

Jeff

Blast From the Past - Raising Arizona

In my opinion, the 1987 film Raising Arizona is the second-finest Coen Brothers movie behind The Big Lebowski. The outstanding quotes that are applicable to every day life in this movie are endless. The following 1-minute scene contains the quote that I use from a movie more often than any other,. If I had a dollar for every time that I used the John Goodman phrase - "So many social engagements.........so little time," I could retire.

Check out the look on Hi's face (Nicholas Cage) after he asks his wife (Holly Hunter) if he can skip the upcoming "get together" and go knock back "a couple of Coca-Cola's" with the boys." Priceless.

What a movie.

Jared Allen. Why I Love Him.

Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is a hillbilly. But I love him. Why? Because in this day and age of egotistical pro atheletes that whine about being "disrespected," Jared Allen is a guy who can laugh at himself. He gets it.

And he has a fantastic mullet.

Jeff

The Non-Vikings Sports Update

The Vikes had a bye week, so here are a few updates from the non-Viking world of sports:

1. Twins Trade Gomez to Milwaukee for J.J. Hardy. You know, I always liked Carlos Gomez. There is no question that he drove me absolutely insane, but he seemed like a good, enthusiastic kid. He is a great defensive outfielder with a flair for the dramatic and has great speed once he gets on base. Therein lies the problem, however. He really never gets on base. He may be the worst fundamental hitter that I have ever seen at the Major League Level. Tom Powers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press summed up Carlos Gomez perfectly with the following statement:

"The Twins have traded a toolbox without a key for a mystery. Carlos Gomez has talent, the greatest of which is raw speed. He also has the baseball instincts of an Icelandic grade-schooler. "

Perfect. The guy constantly threw to the wrong base. Missed the cutoff man. Got picked off base. He smelled his bat. The coaches couldn't get to him. I never thought I'd see a bigger space cadet on the Twins in my lifetime than Lew Ford. But along came Carlos Gomez just a few short years after Ford. Amazing. In return for Go-Go, the Twins receive shortstop J.J. Hardy who is two years removed from appearing in the All-Star game. Hardy has the ability to hit some home runs and is a pretty good shortstop. Plus. I don't think he's goofy. There is the matter of Hardy being demoted to the minors last year after a major slump at the plate. I'm hoping that he is one of those guys that simply needs a change of scenery. Gomez, on the other hand, might be in the wrong hemisphere.

2. Target Field 360-Interactive View. Speaking of the Twins, check out this interactive view of Target Field:

http://www.twincities.com/ci_13730070

3. Gopher Football. The Golden Gopher football team is on my mind these days with the hated South Dakota State Jack Rabbits coming to town. I will admit that I may have been wrong about Glen Mason when I called for his firing. I challenged him to schedule Cretin-Derham High School and called him the Single Biggest Fraud in Minnesota coaching history. Well, I hereby apologize to Glen Mason, because he may have been Vince Lombardi compared to Coach Tim Brewster. At least there were a few Alamo Bowls in the mix when Mason was around. Not anymore. Here is a question for Gopher fans out there: When is the last time a Gopher football team actually got better as the year progressed? Can't think of it? That is because it was probably during the Johnson administration.

Now, I'm really not an advocate of changing coaching staffs every year because it screws up the kids on the team (see: Adam Weber). But I just don't see how things are going to improve with Coach Brew at the helm. As I have stated before, the guy can talk a good game. Whether or not he can coach has not yet been determined. On the bright side, at least they are now losing in a beautiful stadium.

4. Timberwolves season is underway. Rumor has it that tickets are still available for most home games. Seriously, what do you think the attendance will be at some of the Wolves home games this year? How about the Wednesday, February 10th tilt against the Charlotte (Hornets?) Bobcats? Maybe 4,000? Even the free beer promotion didn't work.

5. Wild season is underway. I still love hockey but it's no shock to me that the Wild are struggling this year with a new GM, coaching staff, offensive system and many new players. They look a little lost on the ice. Marian Gaborik, of course, has been the second coming of Wayne Gretzky after leaving the team and signing with the New York Rangers. What did ex-GM Doug Risebrough get in return for Gaborik? Nothing. What organization does Risebrough work for now? The Rangers. Funny how these things work out. Unfortunately, many of the trades that Risebrough made over the years has left the Wild depleted of draft picks and young players at the minor league level. I hate to say it, but perhaps the best thing that could happen to the Wild is to miss the playoffs for a few years and draft some talented young players. Time to rebuild, I think.

That's all for now.

The National - Another Band I Am Three Years Late On

Jerry from THE CHECK burned a CD for me months ago called "Boxer" from a band called The National. I put it on my iPod and waited until just a few weeks ago to start listening to it (sorry, Jerry). I had noticed that every time I listened to Wilco on Pandora, The National would be featured as a similar band. That is all I need to know. Also, the bands last two albums have been critically praised, so I thought it might be time to give these guys a chance..

I began listening to The National and I must say that I haven't had a band grow on me like this in a long time. Admittedly, the disc took some getting used to. It's a so-called "creeper." The lead singer, Matt Berninger, has a somewhat mumbly, baritone voice that comes across as part Nick Cave and part Ian Curtiss. The music is fairly mellow and atmospheric (a good word) and has lyrics that make you think. I wouldn't say I'd put it on at a party, but it's fantastic music that really grows on a person.

Troubled? Awkward??

Upon returning from a short business trip to Massachusetts, this tidbit happened to be the first thing I read on the St. Paul Pioneer Press web site:

"The quarterback who led the Minnesota Vikings to six NFC Central Division titles and three Super Bowl appearances says it was awkward to see Brett Favre in purple Sunday at Lambeau Field in Green Bay.

Fran Tarkenton says Favre is playing as well as he ever has and is helping young Vikings receivers Sidney Rice and Percy Harvin become better players.

The former Vikings quarterback says he had a hard time watching the game against the Green Bay Packers in light of the emotional toll it took on some fans and on Favre, who he says looked troubled."

If Favre (17 for 28 passing, 244 yards, 4 touchdowns, 0 interceptions) was troubled, I hope he is troubled the rest of the year. Speaking of troubled, Mr. Tarkenton has been very outspoken from the beginning on Favre joining the Vikings. He is firmly against it, and has been speaking out in the news quite often on this subject. By the way, do you know what is awkward and troubling to me? This:

Brad Johnson
Brooks Bollinger
Kelly Holcomb
Tarvaris Jackson
Gus Frerotte

Those are the Vikings starting QB's since 2004. Lots of losses. Very awkward. The Vikings have their first quarterback perhaps since Warren Moon (outside of Daunte Culpepper for a couple of years) that gives them a chance to score every time they have the ball. They are 7-1 going into the bye week. Favre has Pro Bowl numbers. (By the way, I'm not going to say anything more than that or make any bold predictions because, if you're a Viking fan, you are waiting for the proverbial Other Shoe to drop any time now).

Here is what ex-Vikings running back Chuck Foreman had to say in response to Tarkenton's criticism of Farve:

"Loyalty in this game is not what it used to be. If you’re not playing well, they drop you like a hot iron....but as far as being selfish goes, I think some people need to look in the mirror. In this game, there’s some selfishness in all of us. So to say that Brett is selfish or that the Packers gave him . . . he gave the Packers just as much as they gave him."

There is no question that Fran Tarkenton was the best quarterback to ever play for the Vikings. But, along with Chuck Foreman, other past Viking great have weighed in the issue of Tarkenton being "selfish" and not necessarily a "team player" when he was with the Vikings. Hall of Fame tackle Ron Yary had this to say on the issue:

"If the Vikings would have had Brett Favre during the time of my career, we would have been 7-0 in Super Bowls. Absolutely," Yary said.

That is a bit of a rip on Tarkenton if you ask me. Why, really, is Sir Francis so bothered by Favre playing for the Vikings? Does he suddenly have concerns for the "emotional toll" on Packer fans? Is he troubled that Favre could be troubled? Or is it something else? Could it be that he is concerned that his legacy could be eclipsed if Favre should win a Super Bowl with the Vikings (although we all know that is cosmically impossible)? I think this goes beyond the "awkward" sight of Brett Favre in purple.

Jeff

I Don't Know Who Will Win, But I Do Know This...

You may have heard that the Vikings play the Packers on Sunday. Yes, Brett Favre is returning to Lambeau for the first time since leaving (or being asked to leave) the Packers. It would be a huge game even if Favre wasn't the main story line, as the NFC North title will most likely come down to one of these two teams.

I have to admit, however, that I really don't enjoy watching Viking-Packer games. Never have. I normally look forward to them like a root canal. Hey, they are great games and generally have vast importance in the NFC North. Fans of both sides love their teams, etc. I have always thought, however, that these games bring out the worst in people, including myself. If you don't think so, just check out the Comments section on virtually any online Viking/Packer story on a Minneapolis/St. Paul or Green Bay/Milwaukee website. Rubes screaming in ALL CAPS, misspelled words, threats, grown men calling the Vikings "Viqueens" and the Packers "Packqueers." Absolutely frightening. Downright scary.

Look, I was born in Eau Claire and lived in Wisconsin for the first 26 years of my life. And I have lived in Minnesota for the last 17 years of my life. I totally understand the rivalry when it comes to football, sports, etc. And, of course, I get the "Favre thing." I may be in the minority with this next statement, but I have never really understood the Minnesota/Wisconsin rivalry. Here is what I have noticed about Minnesota and Wisconsin in my 43 years on this earth:

Minnesota and Wisconsin are both Midwestern states with largely Catholic or Protestant religious backgrounds. Both states are made up mainly of people with Scandinavian/German/Western European heritage. Both states depend largely on agriculture. Both are filled with lakes and forests, and we generally like to spend our free time with the same pastimes - golfing, boating, hunting, fishing, etc. Many people live in Wisconsin and work in Minnesota or vise-verse. Many people have friends and family on both sides of the border. The two states are very similar politically and have very similar tax climates. The four seasons are virtually the same. I could go on and on with this, but I am basically saying: Minnesota and Wisconsin have virtually the same type of people and background.

The reason I bring this up, is that we've all be bombarded with the Vikings vs. Packers, Minnesota vs. Wisconsin border battle stuff. Us vs. Them. You'd think it was the civil war all over again, except instead of the North vs. the South, it's the Olsons vs. the Johnsons. It's kind of ridiculous.

So, I am sure the hatred will continue over the weekend and during the big game. I don't know who will win, but somebody will go away happy and somebody will go away disappointed. Insults will continue to be hurled. And then we'll go back to living and working with each other, side by side.

Hey, it's not like we're talking about Iowa or Illinois here. THAT is a whole different story....

Jeff

Perfect No More

The most disappointing aspect of the Vikings loss to the Steelers, in my opinion, was that the deciding play took place after the commentators announced "we'd like to welcome our visitors from the Green Bay-Cleveland game." Sure enough, after that kiss of death, with the Vikings driving, Brett Favre threw a pass that hit running back Chester Taylor in a bad spot (the hands) and was intercepted and returned for the winning touchdown.

Now, I am not going to get negative on Chester Taylor. Taylor could start for quite a few teams in the league and has been great as a backup to Adrian Peterson. He's won more games for the Vikings than he has lost. These things are going to happen.

In addition, I am not going to get negative on the Vikings in general. They showed today that they can play with anybody. If anything, the Vikings killed themselves today with 11 penalties for 78 yards, including one that negated a touchdown that would have put them ahead late in the 4th Quarter.

How the team responds to this loss will say a lot about the 2009 Minnesota Vikings. They face another tough challenge at Green Bay next Sunday afternoon. Something tells me that, for some reason, the Packers fans at the game will be quite fired up. And now, it's going to be even tougher with the news that Antoine Winfield has a broken foot and will miss 4-6 weeks. These are the things, however, that good teams overcome.

Let's hope the Vikings go into Green Bay and "play angry" after losing a game at Pittsburgh that they could have easily won.

Jeff

Blame The Ump. And Keep It That Way.

I was over at Tito Jackson's house watching the Twins-Yankees playoff game when the umpire pictured above, Phil Cuzzi, blew this call. Joe Mauer hit a ball that not only glanced off the Yankees left fielder in fair territory, it bounced in fair territory and left an indentation before bouncing into the stands. Cuzzi, amazingly, called the ball foul. Now look, even I have to admit that the way the Twins were driving in runners that night (they weren't), they probably would have found a way NOT to drive in Mauer even if he was correctly awarded a double. Even though this call nearly killed me, I am over it.

The incompetence in umpiring that I have witnessed in subsequent Major League Baseball baseball games, however, has bordered on criminal. Two mind-blowingly horrible calls occurred in the same inning of the Yankees-Angels game the other night, and both involved the Yankees smug right-fielder Nick Swisher.

The first blown called occurred with Swisher on second. The pitcher tried to pick him off and, as can be seen from the image above, had him out by a foot. The call by umpire Dale Scott? SAFE! Check out how close Scott is on this call - he's three feet away! Now, Swisher eventually made it to third, and tried to tag up and score on a fly to center fielder Torii Hunter. After Hunter caught the ball, Swisher scored easily but was then ruled out by the third base umpire Tim McClelland for "leaving third base too early." Replays not only showed that Swisher DID NOT leave early (before Hunter caught the ball), they showed that McClelland was clearly watching Hunter only. He did not have his eyes on Swisher at all. Basically, a bogus make-up call. There have been other instances that I won't go into here, but there is a good Deadspin piece on the issue if you care to read it.

All of this incompetence has led to calls for instant replay in Major League Baseball. Today, MLB only uses replay to determine if home runs were fair or foul or truly cleared the fence. As I sure you know, football and hockey use instant replay to certain degrees today. With all of this umpire incompetence in baseball today, wouldn't it make sense to implement instant replay to solve these problems?

No. And here are a few reasons why:

1. Can you imagine how long baseball games would be today if there was a delay every time one of these clowns made a bad call, and they had to contact some guy up in the booth to watch the replay? Six hours long. It would be unbearable.

2. Baseball, more than any other sport, contains the "human element" of calling balls and strikes and runners "safe or out." The outcome of the game is determined by human thought, not video proof. There is something "robotic" of turning to the replay booth every time a call is disputed. I enjoy baseball largely because of this "human element" which I find charming. Sometimes charmingly good, sometimes charmingly bad. These calls, however, give fans something to discuss, debate and bitch about. This is the essence of baseball and sports in general. There are going to be some bad calls that go your team's way and some that don't. Live with it, and find a way to overcome.

3. Sometimes, even the replay booth doesn't get it right. See: NFL.

I do feel that baseball umpires should be held accountable for their performance, just like players, managers and general managers. When their performance is this bad, there must be repercussions, not just the post-game admittance that "Geez, I blew that call. Again." No umpire is going to be perfect, but the bad calls are becoming a trend. If the long-term umpires cannot handle the speed of the game, find someone who can - just like they do with players.

Instant replay in baseball would not solve the umpire issue, and would detract from the game.

Jeff

Lindsay Lohan

Now, I'd don't get too caught up in the happenings of Hollywood. Most Hollywood actors and actresses are self-centered, egotistical individuals that live in a different mental stratosphere. However, I was perusing startribune.com today when I came across a story about actress Lindsay Lohan. Apparently, a judge in Los Angeles (of course) has granted Lohan permission to extend her three year probation stemming from a 2007 DUI for the proverbial One-More-Year. Lohan's lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, asked the judge for the probation extension because she said Lohan has been busy with work and unable complete her substance abuse treatment program. Hey, work comes first, right? Lohan might want to rethink delaying rehab. Why?

Check out the picture.

Look, I am not claiming to be the most photogenic person to walk the earth. In fact, I am willing to say the only good picture taken of me is the one in the cowboy suit on the homepage of this blog. But Lindsey - come on. I had to Google Lindsay Lohan when I saw this picture to find out how old she is. People, she was born in........................1986.

1986. That makes her 23 years old.

Are you sure that is not 1946?????? And that is not a knock against people born in 1946. But a person born in 1986 should not look like this. This is sad. I guess is what cocaine will do. I made sure to show this picture to my kids as a "cautionary tale."

1986.

Jeff.

NFL Back to Los Angeles? The Vikings??

Thursday update: tony8489 sent me this link from a startribune.com article that was posted in the middle of the night. It appears that a California Senate vote yesterday has further cleared the way for the LA stadium to move ahead. This could get very interesting.

Twenty-six games and counting. That is how many scheduled home football games the Minnesota Vikings have left at the Metrodome until their lease runs out after the 2011 season. The Dome's other main tenants, Gopher football and the Twins, have officially vacated the premises. The Vikings are the last team left in the Metrodome.

This is significant on several fronts. The Vikings have been unsuccessful in their bid for a new stadium for several years while they have watched the Twins and Gophers obtain approval for new homes from the Minnesota Legislature. The Vikings, however, still lack a financial partner (i.e the State, a county or 7-county area) in their quest for a new stadium. Zygi Wilf is calling for a billion-dollar (yes - billion) retractable roof stadium in which he is willing to cough up roughly $250 million of his own money. My Eau Claire public school math tells me that this leaves $750 million that would need to come from a public trough somewhere. This, of course, is troublesome. Where do we find $750 million dollars in This Economy and what politician is going to stick his or her neck (and career) out to ask for it?

I don't know.

Word is that a 1/10th of a 1-cent State tax would raise the money needed for the stadium. Good luck getting that approved in This Economy, however, and in this anti-tax atmosphere in Minnesota. There is always the gambling angle. Minnesota Representative Tom Hackbarth has called for funds from slot machines in already-existing horse tracks to go towards funding the stadium. People, I will be elected Pope before gambling funds are ever used to pay for a stadium in Minnesota. This will simply never happen. It is way too controversial for both the conservative anti-gambling folks and the liberal "can't go against the Native American casino" folks.

People are starting to raise their voices, however, on this subject. And here is why:

(From an AP story) - SoCal city vote clears NFL stadium hurdle
By JACOB ADELMAN (AP) – Sep 24, 2009

LOS ANGELES — The city of Industry approved a settlement Thursday with a neighboring city that had opposed plans for an $800 million NFL stadium, clearing a hurdle in efforts to bring a pro football team to the Los Angeles area.

The deal approved unanimously by the Industry City Council grants the city of Walnut $9 million, an annual cash payment of up to $500,000 and other concessions, Industry City Manager Kevin Radecki said.

"We are extremely pleased that the city of Walnut, the city of Industry and the developer have been able to reach an agreement for this project that will create jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars of economic benefits for this region," Industry Mayor David Perez said in a joint statement with Walnut officials.

This vote was considered by many to be the final hurdle for billionaire Ed Roski's plan to build a PRIVATELY funded $900 million dollar stadium just outside of Los Angeles in order to attract an existing NFL team. That is privately - with his own money. It's hard to compete with private money. The list of NFL teams that are up for relocation, by the way, is a short one. Oakland, San Diego, Jacksonville, Buffalo and.......the Vikings. These are all teams with bad stadium deals.

Predictably, the anti-stadium folks are already out. They always are. Here is what Star Tribune columnist Racheal Blount had to say in today's paper:

It takes a special brand of hubris to demand stadium financing now. This year's legislative session was one of the most painful in memory, as spending was slashed on basics such as education and health care. Next year is likely to be tougher.

...the Vikings need to face the reality that scarce public funds must be spent on bread before circuses - no matter how much the clowns protest.

I'm not even sure that I disagree with her. This is an very tough time to be asking for $750 million in public funds. I'm not sure, however, when the time is "good" to ask the Legislature for stadium funding.

One thing is for sure - nobody wants to see the Minnesota Vikings leave the state. Even Governor Pawlenty recognized that fact last week. Pawlenty, who has been known as an opponent of public stadium funding in the past, had this to say (from a WCCO story):

"I think it's fair to say the Metrodome has served us well, but its time is fading. And so we've got to figure out a way to keep the Vikings here," said Pawlenty. "We value the Vikings. They're an incredibly important asset to Minnesota."

"The philosophical question is, is this the appropriate time or the appropriate way to spend public dollars," Pawlenty said. "But we need to find a way -- setting that aside, we need to find a way to keep our Minnesota Vikings. They're exciting. They bring a lot of joy to a lot of people in our state."

Now, I will admit that "joy" and "Vikings" are two words that I have never used in the same sentence. I have admitted before that the Vikings leaving would have wondrous effects on my blood pressure. However, there is no question the Minnesota Vikings are, hands down, the #1 sports attraction in the state. (Oddly enough, for me it's the Twins). The Vikings are a source of year-round conversation. They virtually never fall "under" the radar like the other three professional franchises do if they are not winning. For better or worse, this state identifies with the Vikings.

That is why this is such a tough issue. I said before in this post that I don't know what politician would stick his or her neck out to support a stadium financing bill. On the flip side, I would not want to be a Minnesota politician who holds office when this team leaves. People were bummed out about the North Stars leaving. That was nothing compared the public outcry that would take place if the Vikings left.

I think Pawlenty understands this, and is why he changed his tune last week. I think the politicians of Minnesota know this, deep down. It is real easy to talk tough now (Let them leave! I'll help them move!), but 2011 is not that far away. Can you imagine Minnesota without the Vikings? Some tough decisions lie ahead.

But not too far ahead.

Jeff

The Yankees.

I cannot overstate my absolute hatred for the New York Yankees. I actually believe that cheering for the New York Yankees is an indication of a mental illness or a mental deficiency. Even for a New York resident. A New York resident, at the very least, should cheer for the Mets. The Yankees are a symbol for all that is wrong in our society. If you don't believe it, read this.

I've been doing some soul searching after that latest heartbreaking Twins defeat to the Yankees, and I have only been able to come up with three evil entities that are on par with the Yankees. Cheering for the Yankees is like cheering for:

1. Goliath

2. The Nazis

3. The Devil. (a.k.a. Satan)

I nearly threw up watching A-Fraud and Mark Texaria congratulate each other after the latest come from behind victory. That's $50 million dollars worth of smugness hugging each other. I'm really happy for you guys, and I am sure you are great friends.

Hey - just an aside to the umpire who made the "foul" call on Joe Mauer's hit in the 11th inning. Nice call. The ball hits the outfielders glove and then lands three feet INSIDE the foul line and he calls the ball "foul" while standing no more than 10 feet away. Look - I have Kerataconus - pointed corneas - and I could not have possibly missed that call. Either the ump is high on mushrooms or incompetent, and I think we know the answer to that question. (By the way, there is absolutely no excuse for the Twins not scoring with the bases loaded and no outs in that inning. None. It's almost criminal.)

So now we are down to the last game. One more loss to the Yankees and the series is over. I am trying to visualize what ass-hole on the Yankees (in a very long list of ass-holes) will drive in the winning run in extra innings to end this series. The choices are many.

Sorry for the hatred tonight. I've had a few High Lifes.

Peace.

Jeff

And Some Other Stuff.....

Here are a few other "non-Twins" things that have been going on lately:

1. Wilco Concert. I took my oldest son to his first concert ever - Wilco at St. Paul's Roy Wilkins Auditorium. I wanted him to be able to say his first concert ever was a cool one compared to my first-ever concert at the Met Center in Bloomington in 1978 - The Village People. Yes, that is correct. When I was in 5th grade, I forced my father (then Captain of the Eau Claire Police) to take me to see the Village People. Can you imagine what must have been going through his mind during that show?

But I digress. My son, along with CR and Tito Jackson and their daughters got to see a fantastic show. As I have stated before, if you have never seen Wilco in concert, you owe it to yourself to experience them live. They were on stage for two hours and forty-five minutes and played a nice mix of new and old material. Here is a nice review from the Star Tribune and another from Freealonzo. I'm proud that my son got a chance to see a great show for his first-ever concert. It was even better than the Village People!

2. Vikes Beat Pack. Possibly the most hyped Monday Night Football game ever, this match-up was billed as Brett Favre vs. Aaron Rodgers. However, I predicted before the game that the outcome would be determined by the play of the Vikings defensive line vs. the Packers offensive line and by how the Vikings running game performs. I was right about one of those things. The Vikings defensive line dominated the patchwork offensive line of the Packers and sacked Aaron Rodgers 8 times, including 4 1/2 by Jared Allen alone. The Vikings running game, however, was another story. The Packers held Adrian Peterson in check with only 55 yards on 25 carries. If you would have told me that stat before the game, I would have said the Packers win by 14.

I didn't think the Vikings would win if Adrian Peterson was taken out of the game and had to rely on Brett Favre's passing. This isn't 1997, for Cliff's sake. But I'll tell you what - Favre was in 1997 form. He was incredible. The 39-year-old QB completed 24 of 31 passes for 271 yards and 3 touchdowns. And most importantly he had no turnovers and was never sacked. Favre basically had all the time in the world, compliments of his offensive line. He responded to the immense pressure of playing his former team before the most-viewed cable telecast in history (21.8 million viewers) better than I could have ever imagined.

Aaron Rodgers also showed that he is a legitimate NFL Quarterback with a nice future ahead of him. The Packers did not lose this game because of Aaron Rodgers - they lost because of their offensive line. Packer fans should not be mad at Ted Thompson about how he handled their quarterback situation, they should be mad at him for consistently being way under the salary cap and not surrounding Rodgers with better offensive line protection.

So there.

Jeff

Incredible!

Down 7 games in the standings as late as September 7th, the Twins rally to beat the Tigers 6-5 in 12 innings in game 163 to take the 2009 American League Central crown.

I guess I'll never write these guys off again.

Bring on the (hated) Yankees!

Jeff

New Stadium. Same Result.

I give Gophers head coach Tim Brewster credit for his recruiting, and his willingness to schedule legitimate opponents in their non-conference schedule. Whether or not he can coach, however, is a question that remains to be answered. It certainly would be nice if his team could beat somebody in the Big Ten who is not Northwestern or Indiana. The most telling moment in today's broadcast was the shot of all of the empty shelves in the Gopher trophy case.

It's hard to get to the Rose Bowl, coach, when your team can't even win Paul Bunyan's axe or Floyd of Rosedale.

An Ode To The Dome. Sort Of.

I will be in attendance at the last baseball game at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on Sunday. I almost feel that I have to be there. I figure that I've seen well over 100 games in the place since 1982. I remember watching the first official game against Seattle on TV as a 9th-grader, thinking that the Dome was the absolute coolest place I had ever seen. It took about two years of watching balls get lost in the roof and bounce around like ping pong balls on fake turf to realize that the Dome may NOT be the coolest place I had ever seen.

The game of baseball never seemed quite real in the Dome. I remember a game against Chicago in 1984 in which the Twins won because a ball bounced OVER Harold Baines' head for inside the park 3-run home run. Dave Kingman, of course, hit a ball through one of the holes in the roof that never came down - ground rule double. David Ortiz hit what would have been a 500-foot home run but it hit a speaker and bounced down for a single. Just last week, Jase and I attended a Twins-Tigers game at the Dome and the Twins won only because a Detroit outfielder lost a ball in the roof in the 8th inning. I was conflicted over that. I actually lived in fear in 1987 and 1991 that a World Series game, or the Series itself, would be decided by a ball getting lost in the Dome roof. Thankfully, it never happened.

And then there is the baggy. The right field fence actually looks like a huge lawn or leaf bag. I hate that. I guess they couldn't put up a real fence because of the vampire-seats that needed to be pulled down for football every so often. When a ball hit off of that wall, it didn't seem real. Near that fake baggy was a sort of tunnel that was used to house crap. Batting cage nets, four wheelers that TC the Bear rides on the field, etc. They used to have a giant blow-up Land O' Lakes milk bottle in there. I hated that. But nothing was as bad as the sign they used to post that proclaimed - "The Metrodome. We Like It Here."

No we don't.

That would be like me putting a sign on top of my old '79 Chevy Chevette that read - "My Chevette - I like this shitty car."


With that said, I had some fun times in that place. After all, the Twins won two World Championships in the Dome. I never attended any of those games, but I will cherish the experience of those championship runs in 1987 and 1991 my whole life. I will never forget the spontaneous gathering at the Dome when the Twins returned to town after beating Detroit to win the American League crown in 1987. The Twins were brought into the Dome and were expecting about 10,000 fans to show up. Instead, 50,000 people showed up to cheer the Twins. Gary Gaetti and his wife cried (see picture - nice hair). My roommates and I watched this unfold on TV at our house in Eau Claire because we were attending the University of Leinenkugels at the time. I think I may have shed a tear on that night (beer-influenced, no doubt).

All three of my kids attended their first MLB baseball game at the Metrodome. I saw Cal Ripkin's 3000th hit with my oldest son (then 5 years old) at the Dome. I attended Kent Hrbek and Kirby Puckett's retirement shin-digs at the Dome. And, sadly, I attended Kirby Puckett's public funeral at the Dome. I must say that have had some great times with countless friends and my family in that place. I attended a game once in the 80's with Pedo, Jim and Cubby at the Dome and almost got interviewed on WCCO radio while sitting in the crowd. Unfortunately, the reporter spent too much time with Cubby while he explained that he was attending the game while in town from "Anchorage, Alaska."

That is why I feel I need to be there on Sunday. With my kids. Even though the Metrodome was a big, puffy piece of crap, what took place in there was a big part of my life. Fortunately, it is time to open up a new chapter of my baseball viewing life next year at Target Field - an actual "ballpark." It will be the third "home" stadium in which I've been lucky enough to attend Twins games (The Met, Dome and Target Field). I have to admit that I'll kind of miss the Metrodome, though.

Kind of like I sort of miss that old piece of shit Chevy Chevette.

Jeff

A Highlight From The Parallel Universe

Just over a minute left. No timeouts. Eighty yards to go. Down by four points.

For nearly 20 years, I've been watching Favre do this to other teams. Teams like the Vikings. Now, he does it FOR the Vikings.

Crazy.

Sort of Conflicted

I have to admit that I am sort of conflicted about this late Twins run. As of today, they are 2 1/2 games out of first place behind the Detroit Tigers. Normally, the Twins in a pennant-chase is a wonderful thing. Why, this year, am I conflicted? Here is why:

1. The division is horrible, and whoever wins the thing will get to play the (hated) New York Yankees, which has the makings of a first-round sweep. The Twins went 0-7 against the Yankees this year, although they played them pretty tough. I just don't think the Twins pitching can hold up against the Yankees store-bought superstars.

2. The Twins just aren't a real good team. I officially wrote them off on August 13th. It would be one thing if they were sitting with 90 wins and competing in a good division, but they are 78-73 and basically feasting on bad teams. But they can't beat anyone from the AL East to save their lives.

3. Winning the division would send GM Bill Smith into the delusional state of thinking that their talent level is "good enough," and that he doesn't need to add more talent next year - their first at Target Field. That would be devastating for the long-term health of this team.

4. Some of their best players are out for the rest of the year with injuries. Jason Morneau, Kevin Slowey and Joe Crede are all out. Can they really beat the Yankees with Matt Tolbert, Jeff Manship and Brian Duensing?

5. Lastly, I have tickets to the "last game ever at the Metrodome." Hey - if they make the playoffs, that won't be the "last game ever at the Metrodome." I kind of wanted to experience that with my kids.

It's not like I am cheering against the Twins, mind you. That is not in my blood. I can't help but root them on against the (hated) White Sox. And, hey, anything can happen once a team makes the playoffs - remember 1987?

S0, what the hell - Go Twins! You never know what might just happen.....

The Usual Bad Vibes

I get negative vibes before virtually every Viking game, but there is something about playing the Lions that makes me extra paranoid. Maybe it's because the Lions virtually never win and went 0-16 last year, so a loss to them would be international news. It would be very "Vikingesque" to lose to the Lions in a year in which the Vikes are considered Super Bowl contenders. Hey, the Vikes beat the Lions twice last year, but had to rely on T-Jack leading a 4th Quarter comeback at Detroit (that just sounds weird) and a horrible call to win at the Metrodome.

Once again this year, the Lions can pull out all of the stops - fake punts, statue of liberty plays, quadruple reverses. What the hell?? The Vikes tend to freeze up and play very conservatively in these types of games. They've been doing that for about, oh, forty years.

So we'll see what happens. The bad vibes are there again. Hopefully the Vikings will not make international news this weekend.

Jeff

Frightening

With all the talk of Brett Favre joining the Vikings, Adrian Peterson sometimes tends to get a little lost in the shuffle. But this run against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday reminds us that Peterson, not Favre, is the heart and soul of this team. And if he remains healthy, I believe Adrian Peterson has a chance to be the top running back of all-time.

Personally, the most talented running back that I have witnessed in my lifetime was Walter Payton, followed closely by Barry Sanders. Admittedly, I never got a chance to see Gale Sayers or Jim Brown play in the 1960's. Many true football historians consider either Brown or Sayers to be the best in history. If Peterson keeps playing at the level he has since joining the Vikings from Oklahoma, he has a chance to be mentioned in the same breath as these Hall of Famers.

It should be fun to watch.

Guest Blogger Tony8489's Take On "You Lie"

Our local conservative contributor, tony8489, has asked me to post his views on the recent "You Lie!" controversy. As you may have heard, South Carolina Republican Joe Wilson screamed "You Lie" during President Obama's speech on health care. That statement has set off a firestorm of criticism and, also, support. Here is tony 8489's take, and he wanted me to let you all know that he offers equal time for other reader's rebuttles:

It all began when S.C. Republican Rep. Joe Wilson unexpectedly shouted"You lie!" during President Barack Obama's Wednesday night address to Congress. The outburst was prompted when Mr. Obama asserted during his speech that illegal immigrants would not be covered under the president's health plan. The moment the speech ended, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emmunuel charged over to the Republicans-Reps. Ryan, Roy Blunt of Missouri, and Kevin McCarthy of California-demanding in a profanity-laced tirade that they force Mr.Wilson to apologize. The Congressman called the White House, andasked Mr. Emmanuel to convey his apology to the president. OnThursday, Mr. Obama accepted it.

The amount of hate, anger, and angst over this comment in the mainstreet media and the loony left has been nothing short of astonishing. Each party is in charge of policing its fringe elements. Let's compare the Huffington Post, arguably the Internet mouthpiece for the left, and littlegreenfootballs.com, the Internet mouthpiece for the right. Spend a little time on both, and you will quickly discover little or no policing exists on either the Huffington Post, or Moveon.org. The postings that were on HuffPo and Moveon about Dick Cheny's health problems were so shameful and disgusting they cannot be repeated here. When Ted Kennedy died, the postings on lgf.com were respectful. The ones that were not were removed by the moderator, Charles Johnson. Why is this? Why is a certain level of hate tolerated, or even encouraged in the MSM, and the political left, towards people who embrace conservatism as their expression of political belief?

*Anderson Cooper, the greatly respected CNN anchorman, called the "tea party" participants "tea baggers". He was alluding to an exotic sexual practice. Just the other day, Democratic Congresswomen, Carol Shea-Porter referred to Anti-Obama Care protesters as "tea baggers." Pretty funny, right? We are reading a lot lately about "right wing rage." Funny how you never hear about "left wing rage." Could be that"left wing rage" is not alliterative as "right wing rage" is. Or it could be that dominant commentators think of left wing rage as mere righteous indignation.

*We are also hearing about "the angry white male"-the return of the angry white males". Funny how people get all race-and gender minded on you. There are many non-whites and non-males among the conservative protesters. And what about that terrible word"males"? Have the anti-conservatives ever heard of "men"? *They say "hate" is rearing it's head, and that President Obama and the Democrats are the victims of it.

Let's make a couple of predictions: I predict that the chairman of the Republican National Committee will never say, "I hate the Democrats and everything they stand for. This is a struggle of good and evil. And we are the "good". Howard Dean said that about the GOP. "I hate the Republicans and everything they stand for....." I predict that an editor of a conservative magazine will never write a piece called "The Case for Obama Hatred," beginning, "I hate President Obama". A New Republic editor did this, about Bush. And there is increasing worry about assassination - that someone will take a shot, not just at the president, but at the first black president, which would be extra-catastrophic for the country. A few protesters have carried signs urging violence against Obama, or smacking of violence.

Let me make some more predictions: *I predict that a network talk-show will not show a video of President Obama giving a speech and put the following words on the screen: "SNIPERS WANTED." Craig Kilborn did that to George W. Bush. *I predict that US senators will not joke about killing Obama. In 2006 Bill Maher had a conversation with John Kerry. He asked Kerry what he'd gotten his wife for her birthday. Kerry said that he had treated her to a vacation in Vermont. Maher said, "You could have went to New Hampshire and killed two birds with one stone." Kerry replied, "Or I could have gone to 1600 Pennsylvania and killed the real bird with one stone." This is the same Kerry who, in 1988, said, "Somebody told me the other day that the Secret Service has orders that if George Bush is shot, they're to shoot Quayle". Then he said, "There isn't any press here, is there?

*I predict that a New York official will not tell a graduating class about assassinating President Obama. In 2006 comptroller Alan Hevesisaid to students at Queens College that Sen. Charles Schumer, his fellow Democrat, would"put a bullet between the presidents eyes if he could get away with it". *I predict that no columnist for a leading European newspaper, and leading world newspaper, will write,"John Wilkes Booth, Lee Harvey Oswald, John Hinckley Jr-where are you now that we need you?" Charlie Brooker of the Guardian did that to George W. Bush.

*I predict that no major write will write a novel debating the morality of killing President Obama. Nicholson Baker did that to Bush, with "Checkpoint". *I predict that no filmmaker will make a "fictional documentary" that fantasizes-and I'm afraid that is the word-about murdering President Obama. Some Brits did that with "Death of a President" I have made very, very, safe predictions. If a CBS talk-show host pictured President Obama and said, SNIPERS WANTED, he would lose his job, of course. He would never work in the media again. I wonder what else would happen to him. I could go on, but hopefully you have heard enough. Here is my point. The type of thinking I have presented to you is in the mainstream of democratic thinking. All the way from the head of the DNC down. We all know that each side has its share of kooks. But in this case, the inmates are running the asylum.

As a Republican, I am ashamed sometimes at the political sniping and remarks that are made to the opposition. Have a little class, and show some humility. But the examples I have offered are so outrageous, all they do is make me sad. There is a website called "zombietime". and it's materials make for pretty rough, discomforting viewing. Here, the site had gathered many pictures taken at anti-Bush and anti-war rallies-and Obama rallies. They show signs and such screaming for the murder of Bush. They show pictures of Bush with a bullet through his head. They show depictions of Bush being guillotined. They show Bush being burned in effigy.Etc. etc.

"You lie", indeed.