Jason Collins: The Decision.

"I'm a 34-year old NBA center.  I'm black.  And I'm gay"--Jason Collins.

So began the article Collins wrote for this week's issue of Sports Illustrated, declaring himself the first openly gay athlete actively participating in one of the big four American pro sports leagues.

Until now, most of us had never heard of Collins.  He's played for six NBA teams in 12 seasons, which includes a stint with the Minnesota Timberwolves (2008-09).  He ended this past season with the Washington Wizards, after having been traded midway by the Boston Celtics.

Everyone from Collins' fellow teammates past and present to President Barack Obama have congratulated him on making such an important personal decision.  And he has every right to do that if that's the way he truly feels about himself.

We're not questioning the sincerity of Collins' announcing his sexual preference.  Every gay rights activist and pundit had predicted such a thing would happen to an active male pro athlete sooner or later, and it just happened to be an NBA journeyman nearing the end of his career.  It would have been a lot more earth-shattering if that someone had been a younger, better known (i.e. more marketable) athlete.

There are those who are comparing Collins to Jackie Robinson, the man who broke the color barrier in Major League Baseball.  Please don't.  Collins kept his sexual orientation to himself and a few close friends for years.  Robinson could not hide his black skin.  Similarly, gays and lesbians didn't come to America on slave ships, or were forced to use separate, inferior facilities.

Collins is by no means the first athlete to "out" himself.  There have been others in professional sports, but they only made their preference public after retiring.  You do see some lesbians actively participate in women's sports, and no one bats an eye. 

So what does the future hold for Collins and any other gay professional athlete who chooses to come out?  Since this is still a homophobic nation, in spite of all the poll numbers that tell us how tolerant we've allegedly become of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters, they have a tough road ahead.  They could expect to be treated differently in the locker room and on the field of play by some of their teammates.  They could be the target of harassment by some fans.  The sports leagues, fearing bad publicity, would find a way to put them to pasture.  Or they could be accepted with open arms, creating a whole new fan base.

When Jason Collins made his decision, he might have felt comfortable in the knowledge that, in the twilight of his career, he had everything to gain and nothing to lose.  He had the rest of his life to think about, whether it involves basketball or not.  We can agree or disagree that Collins made the right choice.  Ultimately, it was his choice that mattered..

The NFL Draft: Vikings Go 3-For-3

National Football League Draft (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Minnesota Vikings made a big splash in Round One of the NFL Draft Thursday night, picking three players they hope will bolster their chances for next season.

Even with their low draft standing, having made the playoffs last season, the Vikings got players that their brain trust would claim were shocked that they would still be available.  Those three players are:

• Sherrif Floyd, defensive tackle from Florida.
• Xavier Rhodes, cornerback from Florida State.
• Carderelle Patterson, wide receiver from Tennessee.  Acquired from the New England Patriots in exchange for lower round picks.

Amid the bright lights of New York's Radio City Music Hall, where the draft was held, there wasn't a lot of glamour in the players that were chosen as most teams opted for help in the offensive and defensive trenches.  The tone was set by the Kansas City Chiefs, who used their number one pick on offensive tackle Eric Fisher of Central Michigan.

Meanwhile some of the players you might have heard about, whether it came through Mel Kiper Jr. and other folks who make their living as TV draft experts or through unflattering media coverage, were either claimed late in the round or not picked at all.  That included Manti Te'o of Notre Dame, whose stock cratered after the "imaginary girlfriend" fiasco.  Everybody thought the Vikings or Chicago Bears would choose Te'o in the first round.  Everybody was wrong.

As NFL commissioner Roger Goodell strolled out to the podium to announce which team picked what player, he was sometimes accompanied by special guests.  Goodell brought out retired New York quarterbacks Phil Simms and Joe Namath to promote the fact that the next Super Bowl will be played in the great outdoors, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in February.  Barry Sanders, who graces the cover of the new "Madden" video game (thus ensuring that no current player will get injured this season), was brought out to announce the Detroit Lions' first round pick.  And there were the time-consuming salutes to The Troops and survivors of the Boston Marathon bombing, in which the standing ovations were as phony as those so-called "optional" workouts.

When the draft ends, the hard part begins for the Vikings.  First, they have to sign Floyd, Rhodes, Patterson and whoever else they end up choosing.  Second, put them through mini-camps, summer training camps and pre-season games.  Third--and most important, because this is going to be a long process--see if any of these picks pan out in the crucible that is the NFL.

Wolves 2012-13: The Future Isn't What It Used to Be

Second alternate logo (2008-present) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Minnesota Timberwolves ended their NBA season with a 31-51 record, defeating the San Antonio Spurs 108-95 for the first time at their arena since 2004.  That's the best record they've had in years for such a pitiful franchise, but it still doesn't get them to the playoffs.

The injuries this team has suffered throughout the season have been well documented.  Even if every player were healthy, the Wolves still would not have had the horses to compete in the highly-competitive Western Conference with the likes of the Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder and Los Angeles Lakers.  Or should that be the Clippers?

So it's time to look to the future, and that future is looking cloudy.  Let's start with Kevin Love, who was lost for most of the season with a hand injury.  He's also made news for mouthing off about his unhappiness with Wolves management and making noises about going someplace else.  Gee, if he really feels that way . . . Maybe the Wolves should give Love what he seems to want, even though he doesn't become a free agent until 2015.

Other Wolves you may or may not see in uniform in November:  Nikola Pekovic, Andrei Kirelenko, Derrick Williams, Brandon Roy.  They will either be traded or allowed to leave via free agency.

Who will be around to make the decisions?  David Kahn's time appears to be up as the Wolves' general manager, as Flip Saunders--who once coached this team, and recently turned down the chance to coach the Gophers--waits in the wings.

Will Rick Adelman return to coach the Wolves next season?  He now has more than 1,000 coaching victories in his NBA career.  But his wife's medical problems caused him to miss several games, and has thrown into doubt how much longer he can continue.  If Adelman can't, enter Saunders.  Unless, as general manager, he wants to pick his own coach.

How long will Glen Taylor continue to own the Wolves?  He ended up with the team after the NBA shot down an attempt by the previous owners to sell to a group that would have moved the Wolves to New Orleans.  Now Taylor is looking for a minority partner who will commit to keeping the team in Minnesota once he decides to step down.  But he hasn't found that person yet.  No one seems to want a franchise that depreciates in value every season. 

So many questions.  The Wolves need a Magic 8 Ball more than they need a healthy Ricky Rubio.

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Of the teams that are actually competing in the NBA playoffs,  here's who we think will be in the finals:
Miami Heat vs. San Antonio Spurs.

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UPDATE:  One of those questions has been answered.  It's been reported that the Timberwolves have bid adios to David Kahn, and Flip Saunders is their new general manager.  Now all he has to do is find better players and convince Rick Adelman to stay as coach.  Or maybe he'll take the job himself.

Louisville, Connecticut Rule College Basketball

Louisville Cardinals athletic logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Louisville Cardinals won the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship, and the Connecticut Huskies won the women's tournament.  What's news here is that the two schools' head basketball coaches reached important milestones with their victories.  Thus, this:

Louisville 82, Michigan 76

At the Georgia Dome in Atlanta Monday night, Rick Pitino became the first man to coach two different college programs to national titles (the other being Kentucky in 1996).  It was relatively close for most of the game before Louisville pulled away for the school's third championship, the last being in 1986.  Luke Hancock was the high scorer for the Cardinals with 22 points, while teammate Peyton Siva scored most of his 18 points in the second half.

Kevin Ware shares something in common with Minnesota high school hockey player Jack Jablonski.  Both became overexposed media celebrities because of horrific injuries suffered on the court or on the ice.  Both were reduced to sideline mascots cheering on their teams.  Both their teams went on to win championships.  Coincidence?

Unlike Jablonski's injury, Ware's was nationally televised as a bone protruded outside his leg.  Judging from the reaction, you'd have thought someone just died on the basketball court.  CBS showed the replay a couple of times, but then never again.  And neither did any other network or website.  You might argue that such a gruesome injury need not be endlessly shown.  But you should have the right to decide that, not some TV network who thinks its viewers are babies who can't handle the truth.

Rick Pitino, in addition to winning another college basketball championship, was just named to the sport's Hall of Fame.  His son, Richard, is the new University of Minnesota men's basketball coach.  He has a horse that's going to the Kentucky Derby.  And he has promised to get a tattoo.  So yeah, it's been a good week.

Connecticut 93, Louisville 60

The Cardinals had a chance to do what one other school had done before, and that is be title holder to both the men's and women's basketball crowns.  That other school was Connecticut in 2004.

Instead, the Huskies' blowout win at New Orleans Tuesday night gave coach Geno Auriemma his eighth national title, tying him with Pat Summitt and Tennessee.

Freshman Breanna Stewart led the Huskies with 23 points.  Unlike the great Huskies players of the past--Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird, Rebecca Lobo, Maya Moore--Stewart kind of snuck up on us.  All we've been hearing about were Brittney Griner of Baylor and Skylar Diggins of Notre Dame, but neither of them made the championship game.

Both of these schools were members of the Big East Conference, until everybody started going their separate ways.  Next season, the Big East becomes strictly a basketball conference dominated by Catholic colleges.  The remainder (including Connecticut) will go into the American Athletic Conference.  Louisville will be in the AAC for one season before heading for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Leagues may come and players may go, but there is one constant in college sports.  It's all about the coaches, as Pitino and Auriemma have just demonstrated.

KTWN: Can Music and Baseball Mix?

In the months since KTWN (96.3 FM) made headlines by taking over the Minnesota Twins' radio broadcasts, much has been made of the station's having a poor signal, the lack of a consistent format, and the fact that both the team and the station are owned by the Pohlad family.  They've never made a bad investment, have they?

Having changed from hip hop (as B96) to pop hits (as 96.3 Now) to its current Hot Adult Contemporary in only a couple of years, people have a right to be skeptical.  KTWN's tagline is "Radio For Us.  Community, Sports and Music", which makes them sound like a small town radio station, or recalling the glory days of WCCO-AM in the 1960s and 70s.

Instead of Boone & Erickson, Howard Viken and Steve Cannon, you're getting "Cain and Company" .  That's a DJ named Cain bantering with Rena Sargianopolous and Eric Perkins of KARE (Channel 11) in morning drive.  The other high-profile hire KTWN made is getting Brian (B.T.) Turner to move over from KTCZ (Cities 97).

To hedge their bets, KTWN has added former Twin Ron Coomer and former KSTP (Channel 5) sports guy Rod Simons to its baseball coverage before and after the games, and in-between the music.

With the addition of baseball, KTWN is swimming against the tide by being one of the few flagship stations in Major League Baseball not to have a news, talk or sports format.  By sticking to music, KTWN risks alienating the few listeners they already have.  Music and sports audiences have been known to be mutually exclusive.

Granted, the sound quality on Twins games have improved greatly with the move to FM, after all the complaints about not being able to hear games on previous flagship KSTP (1500 AM).  Having said that, there's still parts of the Twin Cities that aren't able to pick up 96.3.

(If you go on twinsbaseball.com, you can see a map of radio affiliates for the Twins baseball network that covers the Upper Midwest.  What you won't get are the call letters to those stations, just the frequencies.  Someone on the Twins staff must have been too lazy to do the research.)

Most radio observers see KTWN, a station with a low-rated music format broadcasting games of a last-place baseball team, as a disaster waiting to happen.  It's not too late to change to a format that's more compatible with baseball.  The NBC Sports Radio network, which just started on the air, is still available now that CBS Sports Radio has been taken by the three stations at 105 FM.  Or the Pohlads can make some sort of deal to let Hubbard Broadcasting simulcast 1500 ESPN on FM.  It couldn't be any worse than what they've got now.

It'll be an interesting experiment, to say the least.  KTWN is gambling that the same folks who like Pink, Mumford and Sons, and the rest of the artists they play are also baseball fans, and vice versa.  If they don't, they'll have as much trouble as the Twins in getting out of the ratings cellar.

Sports Conquers "Love" On FM

Corporate logo of Cumulus (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Cumulus Media chose the start of the baseball season--which also happened to be April Fool's Day--to convert the Love 105 stations (WGVY 105.1, WRXP 105.3 and WGVZ 105.7) to Sports Radio 105 FM The Ticket.  Some listeners and radio observers are probably wishing this was a joke.

The Ticket, the third sports talk station in the Twin Cities and the second on FM, replaces Love 105's adult contemporary sound that had been in place for about a year since WLTE (now KMNB 102.9) went country and forced its listeners to go elsewhere.  Now the only time you'll hear the word "love" on this station is in reference to tennis.

Programming for The Ticket consists of talk shows from the CBS Sports Radio network, a joint venture of Cumulus and CBS Radio that's a few months old.  Its top draws are John Feinstein and Jim Rome, who's hosted shows before on various networks and syndicators.  If this were any other sports radio station, most of this stuff would be running overnights and on weekends.

The Ticket starts out from behind the eight-ball.  There are no local hosts (yet), no local rights to major pro sports teams (if there were, Cumulus would have given them to KQRS 92.5), and they need three low-powered FM signals just to cover the Twin Cities area.  That has been a problem since the Rev 105 days of the 1990s.

The Ticket sounds like it's intended for "jock around the clock"--no politics or pop culture, just sports.  But politics and pop culture are what's working for Dan "Common Man" Cole and Dan Barreiro on KFXN (100.3), and Joe Soucheray and Patrick Reusse on KSTP (1500 ESPN AM).  The Twin Cities aren't a heavy-duty sports area like New York or Philadelphia, unless you count the Vikings.

Atlanta-based Cumulus, who's in business to wring as much profit as they can from an increasing amount of stations they own to attract a decreasing amount of listeners, is typical of what passes for today's radio.  They have little sense of localism, having sent many personnel to the unemployment line in favor of DJs broadcasting from the (insert sponsor's name here) studios somewhere else, while making life miserable for those that remain.  They're into "branding", such as the deal with CBS for sports stations, "Nash FM" for country formats, and filling the rest with nothing but syndicated product.

So let's recap.  A radio behemoth changes one of its Twin Cities stations from Light Rock to Jock Talk, fires its local staff in favor of a national lineup, then expects to compete with well-established sports stations with a weak signal.  Yeah, that's The Ticket, all right.