Update (7/19/07) Coach Brewster has done the right thing
and dismissed the four players suspected in this rape case. Despite the
blow to the team's roster, he has taken a stand for decency on his team.
I hope this is an encouragement to other college coaches.
====================================
I waited a day before posting about this crime. Yes,
it's all just accusations so far, and guilt has not been established.
I'm not even going to write the name of the man who is accused of this
crime here or those of his buddies, who may also be charged. It's not my
job to assign guilt or innocence.
I will do this, though: Click
Here to see a PDF file of the Hennepin County Attorney's report on
the crime. If you have a strong stomach, read it for yourself, and
you'll understand the whole situation better.
College sports have become a mirror-image of
professional sports. Too much testosterone. Too much privilege. Too
little common sense. When, as is apparently the case here, college
athletes get a young woman so drunk she passed out, then having sex with
here, book-throwing time has arrived.
We've seen the same story, with only the details
changed, from colleges all across the country. Now, we have a case right
here in proper old Minnesota.
I call for zero tolerance on this kind of stuff. If
you're charged for a crime and you're a college athlete, you're off the
team unless you're acquitted. Period. No excuses. No explanations from
the Athletic Director or the Coach. Simplicity works just fine. Screw
up, and you're cut. Make it clear to these young men who have dreams of
the NFL or NBA that their success is going to depend on their behavior
on and off the field.
Our Gophers are going to have another dismal season,
anyhow, what with a new coach on hand. What difference does it make if
one or another player is off the roster? It'll still be a dismal season.
As for the people accused of this particular crime, I
have nothing to say. They'll have their day in court. If it happened as
described in that report, then a nice stay at the state prison will be
just fine with me.
However, if I hear excuses from the University on this
one, the Gophers are going to be on my crap list, and I'll follow the
season with a different point of view.
So, go read the report. Please. Decide for yourself.
7/17/07
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Me!
Well, the 2007 season is about half over, and I think
it's time to rewrite the old Twins Song. Here are my new lyrics. Try
singing it to the same old tune...see how it sounds:
Minnesota Twins Fight Song
7/8/07
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Me!
Since I don't consider professional wrestling to be a
sport, I hesitated to put this story in this section of my blog, but
it's here, because so many folks do consider it to be some kind of
sport.
Chris Benoit, a prominent star in the WWE, apparently
smothered his wife, waited a day, smothered his son, then took his own
life by hanging himself. A tragedy, of course, and one that should have
never happened.
A worse tragedy, for me, though, was the fact that the
day the news came out, the WWE lauded Benoit in a memorial show on the
air and a major memorial on it's website. The website memorial is gone,
now, since the truth has been discovered, but the program celebrating
Benoit's life was aired.
I don't follow professional wrestling. It's not a sport.
It has become a violent form of entertainment for millions of younger
men, and is heavily laden with foul language, sexual content, and is
just of no interest to me.
So, I wasn't surprised when I visited several internet
forums right after hearing about the tragedy, but before the news came
out about how it had occurred. Almost universally, people were mourning
the loss of this "fine athlete" and speculating about how
someone had come in and murdered him and his family. Even after the news
appeared regarding the actual events, many of the people on these forums
refused to believe the real story.
And what is the real story? Well, a violent man, working
in a violent entertainment medium, acted violently, murdering his wife
and son. If he were a plumber or an auto mechanic, the reaction from
those folks would have been completely different. He was not. He was a
highly-paid entertainer...paid to be violent on television. Pumped up
with steroid drugs, he satisfied his audience's appetite for viewing
violent men doing violent things.
So, when his violence turned on his wife and child, it
set up a disconnect in those fans. They don't understand. He was their
star. He was their role model. What happened? Is there a lesson to be
learned by those fans?
We live in a society that is plagued by rage of one sort
or another on almost a daily basis. We've all been victims of it,
whether it's some guy giving the finger to you for not doing exactly
what he thought you should have been doing on the highway, or a neighbor
who has a mean pit bull, but screams at you if you bring up the danger
to the neighborhood.
We see it in the newspaper. Some angry guy threatens his
kid's Little League coach. A young teen girl dies in a road rage
incident. We bemoan these stories. Then, around 10 PM, the WWE is on,
teaching folks just how to behave with anger and violence. It's no
wonder it spills out into society as a whole.
I'm not at all interested in banning any sort of
entertainment. I'm interested, though, in asking those who put such
programming on the air to take a close look at the audience for their
programming. Let's have the head of the WWE go visit a local bar
following one of these exhibitions of rage and watch the posturing that
goes on there.
I'll continue to find other things to watch on my
television. The WWE doesn't exist, as far as I'm concerned. But I'll
wonder if the angry guy riding my tailgate and giving me the finger in
the left lane of I-94, as I slow down just before the left exit for Hwy
52, was watching the WWE the night before. How angry is he? Should I be
worried?
6/27/07
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Me!
The papers are covering the story of a local man who is
accused of making death threats against the coach of his son's Little
League team. Apparently, he felt that his son wasn't getting enough
playing time. I don't know if he's guilty or not, but that's sorta
beside the point I want to make.
Every year, Twin Citians read such stories. It could be
Little League, soccer, hockey, or any other sport in which kids
participate. For some reason, a small subset of parents who come to the
games just can't contain their anger. They get angry at coaches,
officials, players on the other team...whoever. In the worst cases, the
anger turns physical and someone ends up in the local slammer.
It's just plain unacceptable. These are kids playing
games. Yes, there's competition. Yes, there's a winner and a loser.
Those things don't matter all that much, though, in the overall scheme
of things. It's not a life or death situation out there.
The usual response is to eject the raging parent from
playing field, or even to ban them from attending any games at all. That
doesn't seem to be working, since we continue to see incidents all the
time. I have a better solution. Ban the parent and kick the parent's
child off the team as well.
It's harsh, I know. The kid did nothing wrong. But,
there it is. Perhaps the shame of having to face your kid after he or
she has been tossed off the team because of your behavior would be a
lesson for others of those who might feel that rage.
It's a game, folks. Your kid is on the team. Go cheer
your kid's team. Root for them to win. You don't like the coach's
decisions? Become a coach and make some of your own. Behave yourself in
a civilized matter. Think how your kid will feel if you embarrass him in
front of his or her teammates. Is that really what you want?
It's just a game.
6/27/06
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Me!
Ah, the Rangers. I figured things were about to get
better for our wayward Twinks. Surely they'd handle the Rangers OK?
Right....14-4. That's Fourteen to Four, folks. Yuk!
Some new injuries, too, and not only to the pride of the
Twins, either. Reyes and Perkins are on the DA, now, Crain's about to
end his season under the surgeon's knife, and this DePaula guy
they brought up didn't do all that well in the single inning he pitched
out of the bullpen. Seven runs in that inning? Uffda!
In the understatement of the season, Gardenhire said,
"We're going to have to find some pitching...." Yeah,
duh.
All I can say is that I had to turn the game off last
night. It was just too much.
5/22/07
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Me!
The Twins? Could it get any worse? Just hold your
horses...it could. The dismal performance our local team has been
putting out may well get worse before it gets better. Oh, I'm still a
fan, but the showing they've made lately has me shutting off AM1500
before the game is over recently.
No pitching. No hitting. Lousy defensive play. Is
everyone on the team asleep?
Sheesh!
5/18/07
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Me!
It's been a couple of sad days in Twinsville. With the
Twins losing both games against the Indians in a home stand, the good
news seems to have gone from the Sports sections.
Now, with Sidney Ponson opening against Kansas City
tonight, I'm feeling a little uneasy. I'm guessing that if Ponson blows
this game, he goes down for a little stint at one of the farm
teams.
C'mon Twins...it's too early to start losing now.
4/25/07
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Me!
Well, the season's still early yet, but our Twins seem
to be in a bit of a slump at the moment, losing two out of three games
in a series against the Royals. Twins' pitching was dismal, at best, and
the batting arsenal was not its usual self.
We'll see how things go, but I do suggest that Sidney
Ponson get a little vacation at one of the Twins' farm teams for a bit.
4/23/07
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Hey, the Twins are doing all right this season. So far,
at least. Good job, guys! There's just one thing that really bothers me,
and that's this new stadium. We're seeing games cancelled all around the
midwest due to cold weather. And we're still planning an open-air
stadium for the Twins, despite the Twin Cities often being cold in the
Spring. I'm not so sure it's such a good idea, frankly.
Now, the players could go out there and play, cold or no
cold, but that's not the issue. It's the fans. Not many fans, especially
Twins fans, are going to go out in 20 degree weather to watch a baseball
game. It just isn't in the cards. And fans are what the game is about.
Maybe, just maybe, it's time to look at that stadium
design again.
4/9/07
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Me!
All the facts aren't in yet, of course, but having three
Gopher football players in jail, suspected of a sexual assault, isn't a
good thing for the Gophers. We'll have to wait to find out if the
charges are correct or not, but it's become all to common for athletes,
from High School age to the Pros, to find themselves in jail over some
incident or another.
I hope these three young men aren't guilty of this
charge they are accused of, but I'm not sanguine about their
chances.
If they are found guilty, then shame on them, and shame
on the Gophers' program for not working with their athletes to prevent
such incidents.
4/9/07
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Me!
Update (3/29/07) Well it's official. They're keeping
Silva and sending Garza down. Wierd stuff. Let's see: ERA 11 compared to
ERA 1.5...ah, what the heck, let the guy with the higher ERA pitch and
send the hot kid down. I just don't get pro sports, sometimes.
The Twins have a lot of money wrapped up in Carlos
Silva. But, at decision time for the pitching roster, Silva's miserable
performance in Spring Training is telling on him. I mean, really, an ERA
over 11? With Garza's 1.50 ERA and Sidney Ponson pitching like a champ,
wouldn't it just make sense to dump Silva, $4.35 million contract or
not?
That's what I'd do, but, hey, I'm not the manager for
the Twins. One thing's certain, though...we'll know very shortly.
3/28/07
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Me!
I tried to get excited about the Super Bowl this year. I
really did. But...the Bears vs. The Colts? Never mind. I know, Tony
Dungy was a Gopher. OK. I guess I rooted for the Colts. But I'm a big
Packers fan (sorry) and they were out of it a long time ago. I'm also a
big Huskers fan, and I didn't see a single ex-Husker on either team, at
least not on the field.
So, my wife and I fired up the regular-sized, non-HD TV
and started the game. I cooked up some Johnsonville Beer Brats and
some sauerkraut and we enjoyed a football dinner as we watched....the
commercials. The game? Oh, we watched that too, but sorta
half-heartedly. Nice kickoff runback. Nice long pass for a touchdown.
Halftime was nice. It's always great to see Prince
(thanks for reassuming the name) perform. Now, there's a local touch,
but one that had nothing to do with football. Prince has still got all
his guitar chops, though.
The commercials were fun, as always, but it sure looked
like CBS had a tough time selling those expensive halftime commercials.
Lots of commercials for CBS programming, though. For those of you who
are unaware of the vagaries of television advertising, Promo ads for
network programming are run when there aren't enough paying ads to fill
the schedule. Lots of promos last night.
After halftime, I yawned. My wife yawned. So, I turned
off the TV and turned on KSTP AM-1500 to listen to Bear Facts and Fish
Tales, with Mark and Larry. I listen to that show each Sunday. My wife
naps during the show, I'm afraid. The AM-1500 transmitter was down,
though, so I turned to a book, leaving the radio on. Eventually, Mark
and Larry showed up, chatting about the weather, ice-fishing, and other
interesting topics. After a while, I went to bed and continued listening
there.
After their show, at 9 PM, the network news came on and
I learned that the Colts had won. So, I shut of the radio and pulled the
down comforter up and went to sleep. That's how excited I was.
2/5/07
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Me!
First it was the basketball coach. Then it was the
football coach. Both canned, and both getting a hefty payoff from the
University of Minnesota. A pity, eh?
Well, the pity is that we're all paying for it. These
aren't employees of some NFL or NBA team, paid through ticket sales.
Buying out these college coaches' contracts comes right out of our own
pockets...every one of us who pays taxes to the State of Minnesota.
You say you don't follow college sports? Never mind. You
pay, anyhow, and you pay big-time.
So, how does this work, then? U of M Athletic Director
Joel Maturi cans head coach Glen Mason, after 10 years of coaching. No
big surprise, really, since the team has way underperformed for a couple
of years. But...just last year, Maturi worked out a four-year contract
renewal with Mason, paying him $1.65 million a year. Now that Mason has
gotten the pink slip, it will cost the University $2.2 million to buy
out his contract, plus $1.3 million in deferred compensation. That adds
up to $3.5 million to get rid of the guy.
Now, the search is on to find a new coach. It will be a
long and painful search, and we'll probably still end up with a losing
team for a couple of years. The new coach is going to demand at least $2
million a year...all paid at the same time we've already paid a coach
who isn't there.
I won't even get into the basketball situation, but you
get the idea.
That money comes right out of your pocket, though...and
that's the fact, Jack! Oh, you'll hear about it being paid out of some
budget or another, but it's all coming from the back pockets of the
citizens of Minnesota.
Here's an idea: Let's can Maturi. He's the one who
extended Mason's contract and cost us the extra $3.5 million. He
fouled up the basketball program, too, and then there was the women's
basketball program, but I don't even want to get into that.
Let's treat college football like the business it
actually is. It's a training school for the NFL, after all. Rah, Rah,
Sis Boom Bah, and all that, but it's a business. And what sort of
business hangs on to a senior executive who costs the company that kind
of dough? Can Maturi, for Pete's sake. Go recruit the A.D. from Boise
State, along with their head coach. They've done a pretty good job, and
the U of M could probably pay them more than they're getting there.
After all, we're building a nice, new stadium over there
at the U, and who wouldn't want to come into a program with a nice, new
stadium. Oh...yeah...that stadium? You're paying for that, too, along
with an out-of-work couple of coaches, their replacements, and who knows
what else.
Sorry, but I root for my old alma mater , not the
U of M. I'm not interested in paying millions for old coaches and new
coaches and Athletic Directors who don't know when it's time for the old
coach to go. Phooey on 'em all!
1/3/07
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Me!
Normally, games between the Vikings and Packers bring
out the fans in droves. This year...not so much, especially near the end
of this miserable season. Oh, there'll be people in the stands at the
Metrodome tonight, but don't expect them to be in a good mood.
The Vikings suck this season, and Green Bay isn't all
that exciting, either. It's certainly not a game that will entice me to
brave the Metrodome traffic tonight. Instead, it being my anniversary of
15 years married to my wonderful wife, I believe I'll take her to
Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter and buy her a nice German meal. In fact, I so
much don't want to go to a Vikings game that I'll even take her mother
and aunt along to the restaurant.
But, you watch. During the off season, we'll be back to
arguments about public funding for a new stadium for the Vikings. I'm
not interested. Let the Vikes show some moxie on the field, and then
come asking me for tax dollars to build a stadium. Until then...well, I
hear that Los Angeles is looking for a team...any team.
12/21/06
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Me!
When Brad Radke announced his retirement yesterday, it
was a signal that we're about to enter a new, but old, phase in Twins
history. Now that the Twins are assured of getting their new ball park,
it's time to retract and get back to the business of having no pitching
staff to speak of.
That new stadium's gonna cost a few bucks, you know, so
it's time to scale back on those salaries and bring in the rookies. Call
it "rebuilding" if you like, but it's the same ol' same ol'
once again. Just as the team builds a decent pitching staff, they lose
it, then don't rebuild it again for a while.
Enjoy the games next year...did you hear? They'll be on
KSTP, AM-1500.
12/20/06
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Me!
According to This
Story in the DownTown Journal, the Minneapolis PD is sending
undercover cops to issue citations to folks scalping tickets to sporting
and other events. Selling tickets for more than the face value is
against the law here in MN, but scalping goes on apace, as it does
anywhere there are sporting events.
By planning ahead, a guy can easily get tickets for sold
out games from ticket brokers, like Ticket King, based in Wisconsin, and
avoid the hassle of dealing with street scalpers.
Disclaimer: Ticket King is a sponsor of this blog.
Links to their ticket sales departments can be found in the Sponsor's
Links on this page.
12/11/06
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Me!
In the first fatal incident that I know of this year, a
man riding a snowmobile on the ice of Burntside Lake, near Ely, broke
through the ice over 27 feet of water. His body was recovered after
being located with an underwater camera.
This death should be another sign to Minnesotans that
the ice on many of our lakes is not yet safe for traffic. We have far
too many of these deaths early in the Winter season, and all of them are
avoidable.
Please, readers, stay off the ice until it's truly thick
enough for traffic!
12/07/06
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Me!
The last few days of frigid weather have coated many
Metro lakes and ponds with ice. That has led quite a few folks to
venture out on the hard water...and to a couple of folks getting an
unexpected cold bath.
Metro officials say that the ice is not yet thick enough
for safety. It will be soon enough, but right now is not the time to
venture out to skate, fish, or any other activities. If temperatures
remain cold, safe ice could be just a week or so away.
For now, stay off the ice. Tell your kids to stay off
the ice. Young teens and tweens are especially prone to unsafe
activities, but adults, too, tend to want to be the first out on their
local pond or lake.
Play it safe. Wait.
For ice safety tips, check This
Minnesota DNR Page. It could save your life.
For ice conditions on various specific lakes, check This
Online Forum.
12/04/06
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Me!
Dan Monson "resigned" as the men's basketball
coach at the U of M. The only question most fans are asking is why he
wasn't canned at the end of last season. He's being replaced by
Assistant Coach Jim Molinari, at least for this season.
Is A.D. Joel Maturi next? Perhaps that's what's needed,
given the miserable performance of the U's teams. Sometimes, a complete
sweep is what is needed to reboot an athletic department. Sure, it
causes a lot of turmoil for a while, but it might be the best solution
in the long run.
12/01/06
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Me!
It's no surprise to anyone following the story, but the
big Vikings stadium complex in Anoka County is no more. County officials
made it official, taking the long-awaited, and much-vaunted plan for the
ambitions project off the table altogether.
It's been clear that it wasn't going to happen since the
Vikes started talking with Minneapolis leaders about the possibility of
relocating the new stadium to the City.
Personally, I'd like to see the Vikings show some
winning ability before we start spending hundreds of millions of dollars
on a new facility. This season's distinctly lackluster record has me
wondering whether the Vikings really should be rewarded with taxpayer
dollars spent on new digs for the team.
No doubt it's nice having an NFL team in the Twin
Cities. I guess. It would be even nicer if it was a team a guy could
cheer for all the time. This year, they aren't that team. As I wrote
yesterday, the season's already over, as far as I'm concerned. I'm not
watching any more Vikings games this year, and I'm betting that a lot of
folks are doing the same.
If that ticks off the Vikes, so be it. I hear Los
Angeles is looking for a team...
11/21/06
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Me!
The death of a 14-year-old boy this weekend in a hunting
mishap is probably the saddest story I've heard in a long time. The boy,
Brandon Lainie, of Buffalo, was shot in the head by a member of his
hunting party.
He was wearing proper blaze orange hunting gear, but the
stories in the news indicate that he was "mistaken for a
deer." Nonsense! Deer don't wear blaze orange. They just don't. If
you see blaze orange while in the woods, it's not a deer.
The shooter will probably face manslaughter charges.
Details surrounding the incident are very sketchy, but for someone to
shoot another hunter, properly dressed in blaze orange gear is not just
an accident. It's pure negligence.
Incidents like this are why I no longer hunt deer. There
are just too many folks out there who are missing the common sense and
good hunting practices required for a safe hunt. When I first went deer
hunting with my father, as a boy of 12, he spent enormous amounts of
time with me, teaching me the essentials of hunting safety.
Topping the list was making sure of your target. Any
deer that was a potential shot was examined closely with binoculars and
the rifle scope. As my father taught me, "If you can't see its
head, there's no shot." Deer aren't blaze orange. That much I know
for a fact. To shoot a hunter wearing orange, the shooter must have shot
at a sound, rather than a deer. A rustle in the bushes is not a
deer.
So, I don't hunt deer any more. I really don't hunt
anything any more. I will not be around amateurs with firearms. It's
just not worth the risk. The guy in the tree stand 100 yards away from
you may well have just bought his shotgun or rifle last week, along with
his hunting license. He may never have hunted before. He may not know
that deer are not orange in color. He may be an utter idiot. I'll take a
pass.
My heart goes out to the family of this boy, and to the
members of the hunting party. This is a terrible tragedy, and one that
should never have happened.
11/20/06
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Me!
OK, that's it. I'm simply giving up on the Vikes
altogether this season. It's over, as far as I'm concerned. There are
always some interesting games on Sunday. I won't be watching the Vikings
the rest of this season. Feh!
10/20/06
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Me!
With yesterday's humbling 23-17 loss, the Vikings move
even lower in the estimation of their fans than before. I'm writing off
this season, and hoping for better next year.
11/13/06
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Me!
What can I say?
10/30/06
No Comments, Please!
It was too good to last, it seems. Three games, and our
Twins are out of the playoffs, much to the disappointment of fans.
Still, it was a great season, and I'm looking forward to next year.
Way to go, guys! You scored the Division title. Next
year....the Series!
10/7/06
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Me!
Let the playoffs begin!
10/2/06
Well, it's not exactly a road trip, but our Saint Paul
Saints are on their way to Japan to play a series of exhibition games.
It may well be the first time a minor league team has traveled to Japan
to play.
The team is taking a roster of 19 players, along with
Mudonna, the team's mascot, and several other team luminaries. They'll
play several games, in cities that include Kobayashi City, Nagasaki, and
Tokushima. In the last game, they'll play an all-star team from the
Shikoku Island League.
George Tsamis, the team's manager, is elated about the
trip. “It’s very exciting – and the type of trip most people dream
of,” Tsamis said. “We want to do the city of
St. Paul proud and show the high level of play in the American
Association. We’re going over there to win but we’re also going to
enjoy ourselves.”
9/26/06
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Me!
It's time for Minnesotans to celebrate. Last night's
impressive win has locked up the Twins' playoff berth. Now, if they can
eliminated the 1 game lead currently held by Detroit, they'll have the
home field advantage.
I'm always pessimistic about the Twins...it saves a lot
of heartache later in the season, but this season has been a pleasant
surprise. I've brought my pillow made of Homer Hankies up from the rec
room into the living room, and will be keeping my fingers crossed.
9/26/06
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Me!
Well, the Twins dropped the third game in a three-game
series with Boston yesterday. Santana's pitching just wasn't up to the
task, apparently, an the Twins offense just wasn't clicking. But, never
mind. They're still just half a game back of Detroit and 5 1/2 games
ahead of the White Sox. Every team has a bad day now and then, and the
Twins are no exception.
Barring really weird events, the Twins are headed for
the playoffs, one way or another. Tickets for home games are going to be
really tough to get, so start thinking about it right now. Check out our
sponsor's page to the right if you have trouble getting tickets. You'll
find some there, for sure.
9/22/06
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Me!
Francisco Liriano, the Twins' rookie pitching star,
ended his season yesterday by re-injuring his elbow. Called back up, in
the hope that he could add some heat to the starting lineup for the
Twins, it was not to be. During the third inning, he doubled over in
pain after a pitch, and left the game, which the Twins subsequently
lost.
What a pity! Yet, the Twins have managed to get along
without Liriano in their amazing streak to the playoffs. I'm betting
that they continue to get along and that they'll make those playoffs and
get their chance at the Series.
I'm hopeful that Liriano can recuperate before next
season, with some medical help and a lot of rest and physical therapy.
He's a good pitcher, and the Twins need him. But the season's over for
him this year, and the Twins will have to muddle along without him. Go,
Twins!
9/14/06
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Me!
I wasn't paying a lot of attention last night when the
local news played the Vikings new theme song. I heard the hip-hop style
song, then heard this: "Bring in the whores." What? I asked
myself. Bring in the whats? That got my attention, so I started actually
listening to the WCCO news folks. Horns! Horns! Bring in the Horns! I
noticed that the news readers were very careful to pronounce the
"n" in the word. It wasn't so clear in the music.
Then I started thinking about other things. Yes, the
Vikes definitely need a replacement for their old tired-out theme song.
Nobody knew the words to that one, either. But hip-hop? While that
choice might bring in a few new fans, the Vikings ticket prices are
pretty much guaranteed to keep a lot of the young set out of the
stadium, anyhow.
On the other hand, given last year's Boat fiasco, and
this year's player's dalliance in a stairwell, maybe I did hear
it right the first time. It's so confusing.
In any case, you be the judge. Listen for yourself. Click
Here, then click the link on the Viking.com page for a sample. I
don't hear any "n" sound there. You let me know what you
think.
9/12/06
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With Sunday's spectacular showing against the Tigers,
the Twins move closer and closer to a playoff berth. The Tigers, in a
major slump, are at risk of losing their lead in the division, and the
Twins seem to be on a roll, with momentum increasing with every game. Go
Twins!
Of course, they have to face Oakland this week, but
Liriano is supposed to be back for the game on Wednesday. I'm starting
to be optimistic, but I'm holding back just a little. You just never
know.
9/11/06
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I hope you'll all excuse this little side-trip outside
of Minnesota, but I'm a Husker fan by marriage, and this season is
particularly poignant for me. My father-in-law recently passed away at
age 86. He played one year for the University of Nebraska Cornhusker
football program, back in 1942. He was a tackle. If you asked him,
"Offense or Defense," he'd just say, "Both!" His
football career as a Husker was cut short by World War II, and he never
got back to it, even though he returned to NU after the war.
So, when I married his youngest daughter almost 15 years
ago, I became a Husker fan. How could I do otherwise? Over those years,
I've become a rabid Husker fan, in his honor. I graduated from
Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, California, way back in 1972, and my wife
and I lived near there until we moved out here to help take care of her
dad a couple of years ago.
About five years ago, the wrestling team from the
University of Nebraska came to Cal Poly for a match. Cal Poly's a
Division 1-AA school, but a heavyweight in the wresting world. Actually,
their football team is ranked #5 right now. Anyhow, when I heard that, I
knew I had to attend the match, even though I do not follow wrestling.
But, what to do? Cal Poly's my alma mater.
Well, what I decided to do was to wear one of the many
Nebraska T-shirts I have been given since becoming a Husker fan.
Further, I decided to wear the foam corn head that was another gift. I
figured I'd be the only Nebraska fan in the stands for the match, and
thought the Nebraska team could use a boost. I never really followed
sports at Cal Poly, anyhow.
Well, to my enormous surprise, when I got to the field
house for the match, corn head on, and walked in, I found an entire
section of the stands in red. That was when I discovered that there are
Nebraska fans everywhere, even in Podunk, California. I was the only fan
there with a corn head, though. When the team came onto the floor, the
Captain of the wrestling team looked over at the little sea of red
there, then just smiled and shook his head. I guess he was used to it.
He probably didn't actually know where he was, exactly, but there were
the Husker fans, as always.
So, my father-in-law's beloved Huskers are heading for
USC next Saturday. They'll be facing off in the Rose Bowl. USC is ranked
#2, and the Huskers are ranked #19. There will be a sea of Husker red in
the stands, I can guarantee, and I'll be watching the game, start to
finish. I imagine that my father-in-law will be watching it too,
wherever he might be. Will the Huskers win? Of course! How could it be
otherwise?
By the way, I'm really hoping that the Huskers pick Cal
Poly one of these years for a tune-up game. They already play that
school in wrestling and baseball, and with my old alma mater
ranking right up there in Division 1-AA, it's a possibility. If they do,
I'll make my way to Lincoln to see the game. That time, though, I think
I'll wear the colors of my old school, but with a corn head on. That'll
confuse everyone.
Go Big Red!
9/10/06
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The next four days could be critically important to our
Twins, as they face the faltering Tigers in a four game series. Just
four games back as the series begins, the Twins have a golden
opportunity to move up strongly in the division.
Can they do the job? I think they can. But we'll just
have to wait and see.
9/7/06
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Twins Announcer Bert Blyleven learned something the hard
way recently. He dropped the F-bomb on air during a pre-game show. His
excuse was that he didn't know that what he was saying was going out
live.
As anyone who makes a career of speaking into a
microphone knows, probably from the school of experience, the microphone
is always on. You are always live. It should the first rule taught in
any school of broadcast journalism.
It doesn't just hold true, there, of course. It's a good
slogan for pastors, motivational speakers, and anyone else who ever
stands in front of, or wears, a microphone. The Mic Is Always On!
You Are Always Live!
I learned this valuable lesson myself a number of years
ago. I was the president of a computer user's group, and presided over
meetings of about 120 people once a month. It was my task to do a 1-hour
presentation on some computer-related topic at these meetings. Well, I'm
a floor walker when I speak, so I used a wireless microphone. It worked
very well. A little box clipped to my belt transmitted signals from the
microphone back to the P.A. system.
It worked too well one time. My portion of the meeting
ended, and I took the opportunity to visit the mens' room just down the
hall from the auditorium where we held our meetings. Sadly, I did not
take the opportunity to flick the switch on my microphone to the Off
position. The results are easily imagined.
The Mic Is Always On. You Are Always Live!
9/5/06
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No, Kent State isn't a powerhouse team, but this tune-up
game for our own University of Minnesota Golden Gophers football squad
demonstrated that the Gophers have the potential to do some Big 10
damage this season.
The highlight of the game was Alex Daniels, line-backer
now turned running back. He demolished the Kent State defenses, powering
his way to three touchdowns.
Poor Kent State didn't know what happened to it. Rah Rah
Rah for Ski-U-Ma!
9/1/06
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Me!
This
story in today's Pioneer Press seems to cast considerable doubt on
the future of the Viking news stadium in Blaine. Apparently, Zygi Wilf
is letting purchase options on the land for the stadium lapse, putting
the whole deal at considerable risk.
Since the Minnesota legislature failed to back the
Vikings stadium this year, everything's in a cocked hat, it seems, and
Zygi isn't so sure where things will go. Does this mean the Blaine deal
is off altogether? I wouldn't make that call just yet.
Still, there's thinking on the part of Minneapolis pols
that maybe the Vikings stadium should be in Minneapolis after all.
Somewhere near the new Twins ballpark, you know. Minneapolis Mayor
Archie Zwieback (RT Rybak) thinks it might be a good idea, too. They
could tear down the Metrodome, you see, and whip up a nice football
stadium there, doncha know.
Well, I'm thinking that Zygi, in his wisdom, is starting
the process of pressuring someone to help pay for his park. Anyone.
Blaine? Minneapolis? Who cares, really? Not Zygi, I'm sure. But there's
a catch, it seems to me. It could just be that the fine taxpayers in the
Metro may be getting a little hinky about all this stadium building. The
Twins stadium, and the U of M's stadium made it through the morass of
political maneuvering, but I'm not so sure that's going to work
again.
It's going to take a really, really good season for the
Vikes this year if they think Metro residents are going to go for this
ultra-expensive, ultra-cool stadium next year. It's going to take
Vikings players staying on their best behavior, too. We're more than a
little disappointed in our Vikings these days, it seems.
Still, if Zygi can't get his stadium when he wants it, I
hear Los Angeles could use a football team.
8/31/06
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Hennepin County Board members will vote today on the
funding for the Twins Stadium, deciding whether to impose a .15% sales
tax increase on already strapped residents and visitors. The decision is
really a foregone conclusion. They're going to vote YES on this, so
don't bother checking in to see how they voted.
The Twins will pay about $130 million for the stadium.
Hennepin County taxpayers will front $392 million. That seems fair, huh?
Right. Don't get me wrong. I love the Twins. I like sports, generally.
Still...perhaps professional sports teams could pay their own way? It's
something to think about.
Still, the Board will vote for this, and life will go
on. At least there will be no more balls lost in the Metrodome's white
roof once this stadium is built. That's gotta be worth something.
8/29/06
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If you were planning to watch the U play Kent State
Thursday, you're flat outa luck, I'm afraid. It won't be televised. This
comes as a big surprise to many folks, but there won't be any TV
coverage of the game.
For Kent State, it's the first game against a Big 10
opponent, and I'll bet Kent State fans wish it were televised as well.
They're unlikely to win this game, even against what appears to be a
weak Gophers team, but at least they'd get to see a game on TV. It seems
that most Kent State folks stay at home for the games, even at
home.
8/29/06
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What was Dwight Smith thinking when he got sexually
involved in a public place with a 24-year-old woman. The sexual antics,
which occurred near a Minneapolis nightspot, are unspecified, but our
imaginations are fertile, so we can just imagine.
Coach Childress promises that Smith will be
"punished" for his late night dalliance, but didn't get
specific. What is the appropriate punishment for such things, I wonder.
Perhaps he can play while wearing a dunce cap. Or, maybe, we could put a
big letter "A" on his jersey for the rest of the season.
On the other hand, what he did was pretty much a minor
misdemeanor, I'd guess, and half the fun of following the Vikings is
keeping track of the shenanigans of its overpaid players. Heck, most of
us can't afford tickets to the games anyhow, so we have to do something
to be entertained by our boys in purple, right?
It's going to be difficult for this year's Vikes to
match last year's boat trip fiasco, but we can hope that they'll try.
Smith's little peccadillo hardly rises to even being noted, but we have
had the Koren Robinson drunken driving incident, with a subsequent
release.
Whatever happens, you can count on O So Minnesota! to
help you keep track of the bad boys in purple.
8/28/06
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Last night's game against the Chicago White Sox was a
real squeaker, but the Twins pulled it off. They didn't choke, and the
bullpen, once again, saved the day for the Twins. Of course Twins
hitters played their own role. Homers by Torii Hunter and Nick Punto
really helped, and the relief pitching of Jesse Crain, among others kept
the Sox from doing their worst. Joe Nathan got another save for his
records, his 27th..
The win moves the Twins into a half game advantage over
the White Sox in the race for the wildcard playoff position. If they can
hold that or increase their edge by winning the next two games in
Chicago, we can all begin to really think about playoff games.
8/26/06
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With Santana's good arm at the forefront, our Twins
opened a can of whupass on Chicago Sunday, and are now holding just 1
game back in their wildcard quest. Johan also put 20 straight wins in
the Metrodome in his records, an excellent tally by any standards.
So, what's next? Well, the White Sox are going to have
to keep winning, and winning, and winning, if they're going to make the
playoffs. So are the Twins. I expect this race to go back and forth a
few more times, but am afraid to make any prediction. As far as I'm
concerned, though, the Twins have the momentum at the moment.
Even more ominous for both teams, the Twins and White
Sox meet again this coming weekend...this time in the Windy City. In the
meantime, the Sox have to take on the Tigers, and the Twins face
Baltimore.
What a season, eh? A guy could get an ulcer.
8/21/06
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Friday night's first game of a three-game series set a
winning pace for the Twins in this crucial series against their rival
for the wildcard spot in the playoffs. Despite Boof Bonser's mediocre
showing in his 5 1/3 innings on the mound, the Twins pulled off a 7-3
win on the strength of the bullpen and the big bats.
Hunter and Morneau did their usual yeoman's job at the
plate, and Pat Neshek stepped in after Boof left the mound, followed by
three other relief pitchers, proving the power of the Twins bullpen..
Things are looking up for the rest of the series. Tonight's (Saturday)
game pits probable Twins starter, Radke (12-8), against Garland (13-4),
on the mound for Chicago. It should be interesting.
I'll be listening on WCCO, AM-830. Next year, I'll have
to tune to KSTP, AM-1500, though to pick up the games.
8/19/06
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Uffda! Tonight's Twins game against the Chicago White
Sox is the first of a three-game weekend series that could be the
deciding factor in the wildcard slot the Twins are praying for. Praying
won't help, though...it's Playing that's needed.
So, it looks like Boof Bonser is the starter tonight,
and that's a risky choice, but there it is. He's going to have to outdo
himself, given his two recent home losses. On the Chicago side, it's
Freddy Garcia starting. His 4.78 ERA is a limitation.
In any case, the Twins must win in this series. Can they
repeat their last series with Chicago? Well, Chicago sure as heck
doesn't want that to happen, but it's no battle of the pitchers tonight.
There's so much at stake. If the Twins can sweep
Chicago, they'll move to the front in the race for the wildcard. If the
White Sox sweep, then the Twins will have a very, very tough row to hoe
for the rest of the season.
If you're a Twins fan, I don't see how you could miss
this series. It's fingernail-biting season in the Twin Cities. My
prediction? Not on your life...I'm not predicting anything.
8/18/06
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Brad Childress has "excused" Koren Robinson
from all Vikings activities. Odd choice of words, it seems to me. I'd
prefer to hear Childress say he has "suspended" Robinson, or
"released" Robinson. "Excused" is such a
"nice" word, and "nice" is not my feeling about
anything to do with Robinson.
In fact, given last year's experience with "bad
boy" players, I was more than a little shocked that the Vikes had
signed Robinson to a 3-year, $5.5 million contract in the first place,
given his history.
Ah, well....boys will be boys, and all that bovine
excrement. What's going to happen with Robinson? Will the NFL give him
the one-year suspension he deserves? Will the Vikings dump him? Do the
terms of his contract allow them to get out of it? Time will tell, and
when it does, so will I.
8/18/06
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Me!
Popular country singer, Troy Lee Gentry, is on trial in
federal court in Duluth. His crime? Well, he, along with the owner of a
Minnesota wildlife refuge, is charged with "hunting" a caged
bear and shooting it with a bow and arrow while it was in its enclosure.
He had paid several thousand bucks to the owner of the bear, one Lee
Marvin Greenly, according to the charges. Greenly owns a wildlife refuge
in Sandstone, MN.
According to the charges, Gentry tagged the bear with a
DNR bear tag, then shipped the skin to a taxidermist. The
"hunt" was videotaped, as well, and Gentry bragged about his
successful "Hunt" in a newspaper in Missouri.
As always, both men are innocent until proven guilty in
court, but, if they did this deed, the singer's a serious wuss, and the
refuge owner is, well....I can't print that word here. If convicted,
fines could be large, and prison time isn't out of the question. I vote
for the maximum sentence for both of these cretins if they're convicted.
With hunting under attack from many sides, stories like
this simply fuel the fires of those who would end hunting altogether.
All real sportsmen find stories like this nauseating. "Fair
chase" is the rule of the sport of hunting. Shooting a captive bear
in an enclosure simply doesn't rise to the level of "fair
chase."
Ishda!
8/16/06
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Uffda! The NFL season hasn't even started yet, and we
already have one Vikings player busted by the cops. Koren Robinson, the
second-year wide receiver, was busted for drunken driving Tuesday night
in St. Peter.
Innocent until proven guilty, of course, but the guy has
a history of boozing it up. The $5.5 million contract player came to the
Vikes via the Seahawks, who cut him for his alcohol problems. The
Vikings hired him right out of rehab.
And so it begins. What other Vikings hijinks will we
hear about during the actual season? I'm guessing it's not going
to be from boat parties this year, but I'm sure we'll be hearing about
these millionaire players getting into all sorts of trouble.
What's the solution? Well, we could build the team a
huge new stadium. That would probably solve the problem, eh?
8/16/06
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Me!
Can Radke save the Twins' wildcard hopes? Coming from a
five game home losing streak, the Twins are in "choke"
territory. Today's game with the Blue Jays will say something about the
wildcard chances. Right now, the Twins are back again in the
"behind" column, running 2 ½ games behind the White Sox.
We can hope. We can always hope.
8/13/06
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Update (8/1/06) Well it's official. I called it
right. So, check out your radio before next season.
Next baseball season, you'd better see if your old
garage radio's tuning dial is still working. You'll be moving it from
830 to 1500. It's pretty much a done deal that the Twin's are going to
be moving their radio coverage to KSTP. This is causing some
consternation amongst Twin's fans, who have been listening to the games
on WCCO just about forever.
Is that consternation justified? I don't think so. KSTP
is a locally-owned 50,000 watt powerhouse. It reaches out just as far as
WCCO does, and has a strong network of affiliate stations outstate, so
you're not going to lose your contact with the game.
Notice that I mentioned "locally-owned."
That's important. WCCO is owned by CBS, a national network. KSTP is
owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, right here in the Twin Cities. It's
mostly a conservative talk station, but with a difference...it's all
local, except for some late-night out of town hosts. Love 'em or hate 'em,
KSTP's talk hosts live here. They know the Metro. They're talking about
issues important to all of us.
So, what better place for Twins' broadcasts than the
only locally-owned clear channel radio station in the United States? You
decide for yourself, but it looks pretty clear that the move will be
announced on August 1.
So, check your radio. Make sure it will receive KSTP. If
not, then it's time to buy a new one. That old radio may be stuck on
830. By the way, in case you think I'm a huge fan of everything over at
KSTP, Read This!
7/22/06
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After losing two consecutive games to the Kansas City
Royals, it's beginning to look like the Twins' streak has come to an
end. It's doubly sad, since the streak ended up being meaningless, in
terms of the Twins' standings in their division.
Everyone in the cities was celebrating the Twins long
winning streak, but everyone was also pretty annoyed that win after win
didn't advance the Twins from their dismal ranking. Commentators like
Joe Soucheray were beside themselves with incomprehension over the
fruitless series of wins.
In any just world, the Twins would have advanced, moving
closer to a chance at a spot in the playoffs. I guess their chance just
flew over the Twin Cities...just like most of America does on a daily
basis. Oh, well...we're used to it.
7/6/06
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We in the Twin Cities are blessed (more or less) with
two professional baseball organizations. One, the Minnesota
Twins, plays in a domed stadium, where affordable seats require a
pair of binoculars. The other, the Saint
Paul Saints, plays in a great outdoor stadium, where every seat is
affordable. No binoculars needed.
They both play baseball, but there the resemblance ends.
The Saints are a distinctly minor-league team, and that's the best part
of it. Yesterday, my wife and I took in a Saints game over at Midway
Stadium, just off Snelling on Energy Park Drive in Saint Paul. For
ten bucks each, we had aisle seats on the third base line, three rows
back from the dugout. The last time I went to a Twins game, I couldn't
even see the players. At the Saints game, I could not only see them, I
could hear every slap of a ball hitting a glove.
I shared the stadium with about 5600 other fans, every
one of whom had a good seat...well, except for those sitting in the
party boxes out in left field, but they didn't care. In reality, not
many people seemed to care all that much, although there were some
dedicated fans in the stand who were actually paying attention to the
game (Saints lost to the Sioux Falls Canaries, 5-2). The game was the
reason folks came, but it's the ball park that is the star here.
This is family baseball. Kids are running around
everywhere...eating hot dogs...spilling their cokes...getting their
faces painted for a buck. Mom and Dad, Gramps and Gram, are there,
keeping an eye on the kids, more or less. All to the tune of the crack
of the bat, cheers, and groans.
The game announcer, sitting on top of the dugout, or
wandering around the third base line stands, manages to say the name of
a batter once in a while. Otherwise, he's making jokes with the fans,
coordinating the between-innings contests, and letting you know that a
train is going by on the Soo Line
tracks just past the left field fence.
Down the way, there's a guy giving haircuts in front of
section C. The money is donated to a charity. The vendors are passing
through the stands, peddling their beers, nuts, and other
comestibles...even hot mochas. Over at the end of Section A, Sister
"Roz," a Benedictine nun, is giving massages to fans for $8.
The Saints mascot, a portly pink piggie in a tutu, is wandering the
walkways, dancing to the P.A. music and posing for photos with all the
loose kiddies. Her name is "Muddonna." A real pig, seemingly
trained to some degree, shows up on the field at every inning break,
escorting the contestants in the races and other hilarity. Oh,
yeah...there's also a guy hanging in a harness from a sign on the right
field fence. He won some contest, and if he hangs there for a full seven
innings, he's going to get a free night at a casino.
But, there's something missing here. Nobody's drunk. The
guy behind you isn't spraying beer down your back every time there's a
hit. I haven't heard a curse word all day. Most of the fans don't even
know the names of the Saints' players, so there's not a lot of the
animosity towards them you'll find in most ballparks.
Yup, this is baseball...old style. The next time I get
the urge to take in a game, I won't be thinking about the Twins or the
Metrodome. I'll just log onto the Saints'
web site, pick out a nice seat, print my ticket out on my own printer,
and head for Midway. Play Ball!
6/12/06
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Me!
Well, the hottest story right now in the Twin Cities is
the Stadium issue. What's it gonna be, then, anyways? The Vikings want a
big stadium complex, complete with a retractable roof, shopping, a
hotel, and more. The Twins (remember them?) want an open-air ball park,
but they'll end up wanting some sort of roof, too. The Gophers, bless
their hearts, need a stadium too...one right on campus so the football
players don't have to walk so far, I suppose.
Well, what the heck? They all oughta get what they want.
I mean, who's opposed to nice shiny, new stadiums (stadia?) for our
teams? The Vikings and the Twins have lots of money to spend, so I say
let them build their new venues just as fancy as they want. The Gophers?
Well, that's our University, so I suppose we'll have to pay for that
one, although you'd think admission fees and alumni ought to be able to
cover most of that, right?
Well...wrong! We've all gotta pay, it seems. On the
heels of Gov. Pawlenty's tobacco "fee," now we're gonna get
hit for a new addition to our sales taxes. In two cases, it's to help
the poor, rich owners of the Twins and Vikings build their dream venues.
You say you don't follow baseball or football? Never mind about all
that. It won't hurt a bit. You probably won't even notice that you're
paying another half percent on everything you buy. Pay no attention to
the man behind the curtain.
You say you're going to vote against this darned stadium
thing? Yah, not so fast, there. That law that said you had to vote
before you were taxed? Seems there's a loophole in that law that lets
the legislature bypass your vote if they think the voters won't approve
of their open pocket policy.
But, never you mind. You won't feel a thing. It'll be
good for the Twin Cities, you see. It will benefit everyone.
Yah...sure...that's the ticket!
5/17/06
Update 5/26/06
Well, it's down to the Gophers and the Twins. Looks like
just two stadiums for now, but watch out next year. The Vikings will
have their stadium, I guaran-darn-tee. And you and I are going to pay
for it.
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