Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

While 2008 has been a tough year on many fronts in this country, Thanksgiving reminds us that we have much to be thankful for in our lives. Family and friends, of course, top that list for me. If you have family and friends by your side, everything else is rather moot.

I plan on celebrating Thanksgiving with family and friends by eating enough for three people, and watching some football. That is a slice of Americana, right there.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Jeff

Another Confusing Weekend of Football

One team done with the Metrodome, two to go. The Minnesota Gophers bid farewell to the Metrodome Saturday night in a most appropriate manner - losing 55-0 to the hated Iowa Hawkeyes. By the way, traffic on 35 South after the game was backed up for miles as tractor after tractor full of Iowa fans merged on the highway for the long journey back to Iowa. Fifty-five to nothing. You can't make it up. As I said, I think it is a totally appropriate and fitting way for the Gophers to end 26 years of abject misery in the Dome. If you want a synopsis of some of the most mind-blowing losses the Gophers endured in the Dome, check out Dan Barreiro's "10 Top Villans in Metrodome history". It's utterly fascinating, and even comes with You Tube clips of the carnage. Here's hoping that the Gophers fare better in TCF stadium starting in 2009 - I really do want them to do well. Tim Brewster appears to be a solid recruiter, but I am not sold on his coaching ability. And, I am still not convinced he isn't crazy. We'll see. On the positive side - losing outside will sure be more fun than losing in the Dome. The glass is always half-full with me, no question about that.

I was a little paranoid to even turn the Vikings game on today after the Gophers shellacking. After all, the game was on the road, on hated REAL GRASS, in Jacksonville, so all of the pieces were in place for a letdown. So what happens? The Vikings beat Jacksonville 30-12. I don't pretend to understand this game of football, so I am just going to roll with the punches and bask in the thrill of victory.

One thing I missed - where was former-Viking WR Troy (Stone Hands) Williamson? The last I heard, Williamson wanted to meet Vikings coach Brad Childress at the 50-yard line before today's game and - get this - fight him. (I have news for Troy - over half of the state of Minnesota feels the same way you do.). Well, he must have been waiting on the sidelines for most of the game because I checked the final statistics and he had zero catches for zero yards. In his defense, he also had zero balls bounce off his helmet like back in his Viking days (glass half full - once again).

I also caught a glimpse of former Viking Head Coach Mike Tice roaming the Jacksonville sidelines. If you remember, Tice was fired by the Vikings a few years back and replaced by current coach Brad Childress. In honor of today's game, the St. Paul Pioneer Press had multiple articles on Tice, and even had a poll asking fans who they would rather have as the Viking head coach - Tice or Childress. Not surprisingly, Tice won 85% to 15%.

Now people, come on. I am no fan of Brad Childress, and Mike Tice was great for humorous quotes, but let's put down the crack pipe, here. Do you remember the Love Boat? Do you remember Tice selling Super Bowl tickets? Do you remember how he lost control of the players and half the team (instead of only 25%) had a criminal record? Remember how a pouting Randy Moss totally controlled the team? I do have to admit that Tice will always have a soft-spot in my heart for beating the Packers at Lambeau in the playoffs, however.

Viking fans have always had short memories when it comes to stuff like this. The back-up quarterback is historically the most popular player on the team (except for T-Jack). The most popular Viking Quarterback to this date, according to fan polls, is still Gino Torretta.

Anyway, the Vikes are tied for 1st place at 6-5 in the NFC Norris. The HATED Bears are up next at the Dome. The mere sight of that red "C" on the black helmet gets by blood boiling. There is a "bad moon rising" on the horizon, however, if the Williams Wall gets suspended for the use of that banned diuretic. If Pat and Kevin Williams get suspended for 4 games, all bets are off. That is not "the hammer," that would be "the guillotine." That could be the end of the Vikings season.

We should find out this week. Until then, my mind will be on a possible late-December bowl in Detroit or Nashville or Rice Lake for the Gophers.

Peace,

Jeff

Last Gopher Game at Metrodome

Saturday's game against Iowa is the last Minnesota Gopher football game in the Metrodome, where they have been playing since 1982 . The Star Tribune has an article in today's edition about the tenure of the Gophs in the Dome.

Therefore, I thought it would be a good time to list my favorite Minnesota Gopher football memories during their stay in the Dome. Here they are:





Thanks,

Jeff

A Couple of Notes....

1. I am not even going to comment on Nick Coleman's latest asinine, short-sighted, ridiculous, can't-see-the-forest-for-the-trees, B.S., doesn't get it, class-warfare, bitter anti-stadium article. I've got nothing to say.

2. How irrelevant have the Minnesota Timberwolves become? The Wolves have started the season at 1-8, and are in grave danger of starting 1-10 for the second season in a row. The team announced just over 12,000 at the Target Center last Saturday night, which means there were really around 7,000 or 8,000 in the building. On a Saturday night. I am literally to the point where I don't think I would accept free tickets to a Wolves game unless they are courtside or in a suite. Only one thing might entice me to a game - free beer. (Glen Taylor - are you listening? It's an idea!)

Meanwhile, on the east side of town, there is a hockey team that has never had a game in their existence that DIDN'T sell out and has a 7,500 season ticket waiting list. You also have a college football team and a professional baseball team opening up new stadiums within the next two years. The Vikings are the Vikings, and will sell tickets even though they generally enrage their fans. How bad is this going to get for the Wolves?? Talk about the "odd-franchise out." As Patrick Ruesse points out today, it may be time for a drastic change.

3. Speaking of "odd franchises out," check out this little ditty from the Detroit Free Press:

"It's not a birthright that Detroit has professional sports teams in each of the four major sports. It's the result of strong corporate support and a loyal fan base willing to pay high prices for tickets. But those days are over. The automotive industry as we once knew it is dead. It will reinvent itself with a leaner identity and a more responsible spending philosophy. And that will likely translate into a more conservative approach as it pertains to cutting checks for luxury suites and unlimited entertainment expenses. It wouldn't be a surprise if Detroit loses at least one of its four professional sports teams within the next 10 years because ownership sells to an outside interest and the franchise moves to an area with a stronger economic base. If you don't think that's possible, then you're not looking at the current local economic situation with a realistic eye. Detroit and Phoenix are the only two cities that support four professional sports teams in four separate facilities. That requires four teams capable of finding enough corporate backing for those all-important luxury suites in four different stadiums/arenas to keep the coffers filled without sharing the facility operational costs with another tenant. That task becomes much tougher for teams in the aftermath of this economic crisis -- especially in Detroit."

Interesting. (What do you think Dools?) How the current economic crisis will affect professional sports has not really been talked about at length. (Perhaps how the crisis will affect families, cities and businesses is a little more pressing!) I personally don't think the Twin Cities can support four professional teams and a major college in separate stadiums. We are, however, on the verge of that reality if the Vikings get their own stadium or play in a refurbished Dome. Who, of the four franchises, would I want to leave town if one absolutely had to go? See #2 above.

Peace.

Jeff

First Avenue - Hold Steady/Drive By Truckers

Old Man Thompson doesn't make it to many concerts these days, particularly at venues like First Avenue. Sure, back in THE DAY, I made it a point to go to as many shows as possible at First Avenue because it was guaranteed to be a big party. Now that I am on the other side of 40, however, I find it to be a hassle to continually make my way through the massive crowds to go to the bathroom. Hey, those Newcastle Brown Ales that they serve are huge, and when you have a bladder like mine, the bathroom has to be nearby at all times. But I digress.

When I heard The Drive By Truckers would be playing a double bill with The Hold Steady at First Avenue, I knew I couldn't miss it. I have never seen either band play live, but I have been told that both put on quite a show. So I headed downtown with CR and Dave M. to see what the fuss was about. And let me tell you, it was a hell of a show.

I'll save the set lists and song reviews for the Strib and Pioneer Press and just say that I have never witnessed two bands that were having so much fun playing music. When The Hold Steady took the stage, there was genuine affection for the venue and the audience from the band. Granted, it was a "homecoming" of sorts for many of the band members. (Craig Finn's guitar was even adorned with a "TC" Twins logo). The show became basically a "sing along" more than a concert. There were ongoing "toasts" between the band and the audience, including a giant one when Craig Finn sang the following lyrics from "Constructive Summer:"

"...me and my friends are like
double whiskey, coke no ice
we drink along in double time
might drink too much but we feel fine

we're gonna build something this summer
summer grant us all the power to drink on top of the water towers
with love and trust and shows all summer
let this be my annual reminder
that we can all be something bigger"

Of course, the following lyrics from "Party Pit" held added meaning during last night's show:

"I came back to start a band, of course
I saw her walking through the Crystal Court
she made a scene by the revolving doors
she's gonna walk around and drink some more

So I walked across that Grain Belt bridge
in a brand new Minneapolis
she said "I think of all those things I did
with just momentum from the party pit"

It was refreshing to witness a band having as much fun as The Hold Steady. We live in an age where music, movies and art tend to reflect angst and anxiety. Not the Hold Steady, though. They were there to have a good time at First Avenue, just like back in THE DAY.

The Drive By Truckers followed with a strong set. I must say that I was a little disappointed with the song selection, but that is just my personal opinion. They relied heavily on their older, "moodier" songs, (such as "Hell, no, I ain't Happy) which kind of changed the atmosphere after The Hold Steady's set. Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley took turns on lead vocals, and they also featured bassist Shonna Tucker on lead for a couple of newer tunes. The band was having a great time, but their set seemed to drone on a little bit.

That is, until the encore. As band took the stage, the first chords of "Zip City," my personal favorite DBT tune, rang out. That got the crowd back into the show. The night ended with both the DBT and The Hold Steady on stage for a rousing rendition of Neil Young's "Rockin' In The Free World." Once again, the sing-along was on.

Overall, a fantastic show, featuring nearly 4 hours of music. And, I only had to go to the bathroom a couple of times.

Jeff

Vikes Pull It Out

These Vikings-Packers games are killing me. As I mentioned in my last post, they are always bizarre. And close. Today's game was no exception, as it featured:

**Two safeties by the Vikings.
**The Packers having 98 yards of offense late in the third quarter and they were winning.
**The best defensive player on the field for the Vikings, Jared Allen, having a severely-separated shoulder.
**Three Packer interceptions, one returned for a touchdown.
**A punt return by the Packers for a touchdown (Vikings special teams = not so good).
**A missed field goal by Ryan Longwell.
**Gus.Frerotte.Looking.Terrible.
**A missed field goal by Mason Crosby that would have won the game.
**Donald driver not catching a slant and taking it 80 yards for a touchdown.
**A Viking victory.

Adrian Peterson basically WAS the Viking offense today. He rushed for 192 yards and had 33 yards receiving. Some of his more amazing runs were turning what should have been losses into short gains. The kid's a pretty good player.

Defensively, I've got to hand it to Jared Allen. I have heard a lot of comparisons between Allen and Jim Marshall for Allen's ability to play hurt. Jim Marshall, so the stories go, was known for once being hospitalized the morning of a game, and still making it to the stadium and playing the game of his life. Marian Gaborik should take note of this performance.

Anyway, it's always pleasing to get a win against The Pack. It's been awhile (2005, to be exact). We'll see what bizarre events take place the next time they play.

Jeff

Some Advice For Tim Brewster

If Tim Brewster intends to obtain commitments from his recruits to eventually PLAY for the Gopher football team, it may not be the best plan to actually have them on hand to witness live games.

If I was Brewster, I'd have the recruits tour the new stadium, and nothing else.

That's my advice.

Jeff