Wild 2014-15: Sick, Sad Season

Alternate logo since 2003. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

First the good news.  The National Hockey League announced that there will be three outdoor games in 2016.  The Winter Classic, to be held on New Year's Day in Foxborough, Mass., would pit the Boston Bruins against the Montreal Canadiens.  The Stadium Series will have the Minnesota Wild hosting the Chicago Blackhawks at the University of Minnesota's football stadium on February 21, to be followed by the Detroit Red Wings taking on the Colorado Avalanche at Denver's Coors Field February 27.

A Stadium Series game, which is one rung below the Winter Classic in terms of prestige, wasn't what the Wild had wanted.  But since they have neither the history nor the star power that the Blackhawks, Bruins and Red Wings do to host a Winter Classic, the Wild are just happy they got anything at all.

Meanwhile back on the ice, the Wild are on the brink of disaster after so many expected them to improve on their playoff performance of last season.  They are dead last in the NHL's Central Division with a 20-20-6 mark at the All Star break.  That adds up to 46 points, meaning they're at least ten away from the last playoff spot in the decidedly tough Western Conference.

Much has been made of the goaltending situation, in which Niklas Backstrom and Darcy Kuemper somehow lost their ability to keep the puck out of their net, and to keep Minnesota in the game.  But there have been other factors:  A lineup depleted due to injuries, illness (one of several NHL teams with players having the mumps) and death (the fathers of Ryan Suter and Zach Parise, who were both hockey legends in their own right, passing away within months of each other).  Uninspired play, resulting in coach Mike Yeo going nuclear on his players during a practice session, causing rumors of a coaching change if things didn't improve.

Wild owner Craig Leipold has spent the equivalent of a small country's GNP to sign free agents with local connections such as Suter, Parise and Thomas Vanek.  Look where it's gotten Leipold so far.  The Wild still struggle to make the playoffs year after year, and they might not get that far this year..

They did get some goaltending help in the person of Devan Dubnyk, who they acquired from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a draft pick.  He won his first two games in a Wild uniform before reverting back to the form we've become accustomed to.  Granted, Dubnyk is a nice short term solution.  But they need a real goaltender, and that won't become available until the off-season.

So maybe the NHL had the right idea in scheduling the Minnesota Wild for a Stadium Series game.  It would be hard for NBC (or NBCSN) to justify showing off a team that's made so many headline-making moves off the ice, only to see them fizzle on it.  In the State of Hockey, they expect better than that.

Ohio State: THE National Champion

''Ohio State Buckeyes men's soccer athletic logo'' (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ohio State University has won or shared college football's national championship five times (the last in 2002), whether it was done on the field or in the polls.  Monday the Buckeyes won their sixth, plucking the University of Oregon's duck feathers 42-20 at the inaugural College Football Playoff championship game in Arlington, Texas.

For Buckeyes coach Urban Meyer, this is his third title.  The first two came at the University of Florida, and the stress that went along with it nearly killed him.  So Meyer took a break and became an ESPN commentator before going back on the sidelines in his native Ohio.

The fact that OSU got this far is amazing considering that they struggled through the Big Ten conference schedule with two quarterbacks, both of whom ended up injured.  Then along came third-string quarterback Cardale Jones, and things seemed to fall into place. 

The Buckeyes rolled over Wisconsin in the Big Ten championship game.  Then they upset Alabama in the Sugar Bowl, which served as one of the CFP's semifinals.

Oregon, the Pac-12 champion, won the other semifinal at the Rose Bowl over Florida State.  Thus ended the controversial college career of Seminole QB Jameis Winston.

The Ducks, other than being known for their prolific offense led by Heisman Trophy-winning QB Marcus Mariota, are also known for making fashion statements with its (paid for by Nike) uniforms.  On this night, they wore gray over white.  But they made a different statement on the field by giving up four touchdowns and 246 yards to OSU running back Ezekiel Elliot, as well as committing a number of penalties and turnovers.

The generically-named College Football Playoff, which was designed to settle arguments rather than create new ones, was rather prescient in its inclusion of Ohio State, as it turned out.  The folks at Baylor and Texas Christian might not agree, but their Big 12 conference currently doesn't have a playoff.  So look for more teams to participate in the CFP in future years.

Just because the Buckeyes happened to be the team that won the national championship, this does not change the perception that the Big Ten is a considerably weaker conference than the SEC, which has been dominating college football for the last decade.  Call it a fluke, if you must.

So the good folks of Columbus, Ohio get to celebrate another national championship college football team.  Then come September, that team will be asked to do it again.  If they don't, then let the arguments begin once more.

Minnesota Football '14: Promise of a New Day

Florida Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As the calendar changes to 2015, the Minnesota Vikings and University of Minnesota Golden Gophers have ended their seasons on a more-or-less positive note after being in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

Gophers:  Sour Citrus Mars Season

The Gophers lost to Missouri in the Citrus Bowl at Orlando 33-17.  It wasn't a surprise that they lost another post-season game (they haven't won one since the 2004 Music City Bowl, and have dropped seven since), or that coach Jerry Kill has yet to win one (he's 0-5, and that includes his previous stop at Northern Illinois).  Bad decisions by Kill, five fumbles and the second-half domination by SEC-tested Missouri made sure of that.  It's just that it happened on New Year's Day, when it seemed the entire state of Minnesota (and a few other souls) were tuned in to ABC to witness something that hasn't happened in over 50 years.  It's kind of like watching the Vikings on Super Bowl Sunday, expecting a different result.

The Gophers finish at 8-5 (5-3 in the Big Ten Conference), with a much tougher schedule on tap in 2015.  With the usual comings and goings of players (Sophomore Maxx Williams, who scored a "Sportscenter"-worthy touchdown in the Citrus Bowl, is headed for the NFL), it's always a question of how Kill will mold what talent he's got to compete.  If the Gophers ever expect to be invited back to another of those big-deal bowl games, they'd have to play a lot better than they did in Orlando.  Or Nashville.  Or Houston.  Or Tempe.  Or . . .

Vikings:  No More Drama?

The Vikings completed their first full season at the college stadium that's named for a bank with a 7-9 record, good for third in the NFC North.  They defeated the last-place Chicago Bears 13-9 for their only division win of the year.  There would have been more victories had the Vikings held on to the lead late in some games.

They come away from the experience with Teddy Bridgewater as the undisputed Number One quarterback, leaving Matt Cassel (whose season-ending injury ushered in the Bridgewater Era much sooner than anyone anticipated) and Christian Ponder in the background and wondering about their futures.  The defense has improved to the point where no one misses Jared Allen (now with the Bears) any more.  But the offensive line left a lot to be desired.

Coach Mike Zimmer did well in his first season, considering all the challenges he faced.  Injuries.  No Adrian Peterson.  Cordarrelle Patterson seemingly checked out.  Mistakes made in play-calling, which cost the Vikings some games.  You know, the usual.

The major question going into next season, besides improvements on the offensive line, is what to do about Peterson.  He's due to come off his NFL suspension in April, and all signs point to him leaving the Vikings (and possibly football) because he's suddenly become a major PR liability.  But Zimmer and most of his players want Peterson back, if only to goose their record beyond seven wins.  With or without Adrian Peterson, the Vikings aren't ready for a playoff spot yet.  But they'll be a lot better off than they were before this season.

A Couple Other Things . . . 

• Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton recently let it be known that he's tired of having to get up early just to watch the Gopher football games, some of which started at 11 a.m. this past season.  So he wants a law that bans kickoffs before noon.  Doesn't the Governor know that the University of Minnesota doesn't control the start times for games, but ESPN and the Big Ten Network do?  Besides, in spite of their success this season, the Gophers aren't considered "elite" enough to warrant a better time slot against the likes of Ohio State or Wisconsin.  So forget the law, Governor, and start setting your alarm on Saturday mornings.
• Is anyone else as surprised as we are to see Ohio State and Oregon in the national college football championship game?  It means that, for a change, the Midwest and Pacific Northwest are the epicenters of the sport.  Not the Southeast.
• Our preliminary Super Bowl matchup:  New England vs. Seattle.

2014: Harder to Breathe

English: Baltimore Ravens Training Camp August 20, 2009 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Athletes who get paid millions in team salaries and endorsement contracts, then go out in public and protest police brutality should know one thing:  They are not LeBron James, whose influence and celebrity status transcend the basketball court.

Athletes who abuse the women and children in their lives, and otherwise break the law, should expect their employers to come down hard on them in fines and suspensions.  Well, sometimes, depending on how valuable you are to the team and how competent the investigation was.

Whatever happened to Michael Sam?

Just because the World Cup was a huge hit on TV, that doesn't mean soccer has arrived in America yet.

NBC will be televising the Olympic games through 2032.  In other words, FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES!!!  BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Bird enthusiasts want the Minnesota Vikings to put a special film on the glass in their new football stadium, so our flighty friends won't suffer as many concussions outside as the players do inside.  Why does this sound like a Windex TV commercial?

Donald Sterling no longer owns the Los Angeles Clippers, thanks to his unrepentant bigotry being caught on tape by his mistress.  Who's to say there aren't other Sterlings out there, only they're smart enough to keep their racism to themselves?

Bud Selig is retiring as Major League Baseball commissioner.  Time for a checklist of his accomplishments.  Labor peace?  Records forever altered by steroid use?  Rich teams getting richer through lengthy TV contracts?  More playoffs?  Making the All Star Game a grudge match for a World Series advantage?  Interleague play?  Being more beloved by owners than players and fans?  Check and double check.

Stephen A. Smith, Bill Simmons and other sports media hosts who make a living out of saying stupid things on the air sometimes goes too far and get suspended.  Is it too much to ask to think before you speak?

Mo'ne Davis made a big splash as a 13-year old girl who pitched in the Little League World Series.  Let's hope her newfound celebrity status doesn't affect her future college eligibility.

Becky Hammon is now an assistant coach for the NBA San Antonio Spurs, following a long career in the WNBA.  This shouldn't be a big deal, but it is.

Rory McElroy is the number one golfer in the world, and is getting better.  Tiger Woods, because of injuries and related things, is sinking slowly into the sunset.

Maybe someday, Johnny Manziel will become the stellar NFL quarterback everyone thought he'd be.  They said the same thing about Tim Tebow, and look where he is now--on ESPN as a football analyst.

The Federal Communication Commission ruled that "Redskins" is not obscene enough to ban it from TV, and have also refused to take away the license of one of Washington NFL owner Dan Snyder's radio stations.  By any other name, the Redskins will continue to be a dysfunctional franchise as long as Snyder owns it.

We say goodbye to . . .  Tony Gwynn, Jean Beliveau, Ralph Kiner, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Gilles Tremblay, Pat Quinn, Alvin Dark, Orlando Thomas.

The 2014 Owljock Bowl Guide

English: The Rose Bowl stadium before the 2009 Rose Bowl game. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Once more, what has become an annual tradition (just like, say, fruitcake), we bring you our list of college football bowl games you can watch or ignore at your peril this holiday season.

Nearly 40 games will be played between December 20 and January 12, 2015, spanning the North American continent from Hawaii to the Bahamas (both of which are on islands).  Four of them are new this year, and there are several that have added, changed or dropped sponsors.

This is the first season of the College Football Playoff, which replaces the late and unlamented Bowl Championship Series.  The format for the playoff is for a committee to choose four schools with winning football records, shoehorn them into two existing bowls on New Year's Day, then have the winners duke it out in a new championship game a week later at a neutral site.

The four CFP schools, by order of ranking, are:  Alabama, Oregon, Florida State and Ohio State.  But even this system isn't perfect.  Institutions of higher learning such as Baylor, Texas Christian and Mississippi State started hollering about being left out of the CFP.  So naturally college football pundits are wondering how long it will be before the playoff resembles the NCAA Men's basketball tournament.

With that, here's this year's Bowl Guide.  It contains the name of the bowl, where it is, matchups, who televises them, and a brief description of what the title sponsor sells or represents.  Good luck to all the teams, and good luck to you for figuring all this out.

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl:  Nevada vs. Louisiana-Lafayette (New Orleans, LA 12/20)  ESPN  
Shipping firm.

Gildan New Mexico Bowl:  Utah State vs. Texas-El Paso  (Albuquerque, NM  12/20)  ESPN
Active wear.

Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl:  Utah vs. Colorado State  (Las Vegas, NV  12/20)  ABC
Auto products.

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl:  Western Michigan vs. Air Force  (Boise, ID  12/20)  ESPN

Raycom Media Camellia Bowl:  South Alabama vs. Bowling Green (Montgomery, AL  12/20)  ESPN
Broadcasting company.  First season.

Miami Beach Bowl:  BYU vs. Memphis  (Miami, FL  12/22)  ESPN
First season.  Played at Marlins Park, home of baseball's Miami Marlins.

Boca Raton Bowl:  Marshall vs. Northern Illinois  (Boca Raton, FL  12/23)  ESPN
First season.

San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl:  Navy vs. San Diego State  (San Diego, CA  12/23)  ESPN
Financial services.

Popeyes Bahamas Bowl:  Central Michigan vs. Western Kentucky  (Nassau, Bahamas  12/24)
ESPN
Chicken restaurant chain.  First season.

Hawaii Bowl:  Fresno State vs. Rice  (Honolulu, HW  12/24)  ESPN

Zaxby's Heart of Dallas Bowl:  Illinois vs. Louisiana Tech  (Dallas, TX  12/26)  ESPN
Chicken restaurant chain.  Played at Cotton Bowl Stadium.

Quick Lane Bowl:  Rutgers vs. North Carolina  (Detroit, MI  12/26)  ESPN
Auto care shops.  Formerly Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl.

Bitcoin St. Petersburg Bowl:  North Carolina State vs. Central Florida  (St. Petersburg, FL  12/26)  ESPN
Digital currency.

Military Bowl Presented by Northrop Grumman:  Cincinnati vs. Virginia Tech  (Annapolis, MD  12/27)  ESPN
Defense contractor.

Hyundai Sun Bowl:  Arizona State vs. Duke  (El Paso, TX  12/27)  CBS
Automobile manufacturer.

Duck Commander Independence Bowl:  Miami vs. South Carolina  (Shreveport, LA  12/27)  ABC
Duck call manufacturer, owned by the guys from TV's "Duck Dynasty".

New Era Pinstripe Bowl:  Boston College vs. Penn State  (Bronx, NY  12/27)  ESPN
Sports apparel.  Played at Yankee Stadium.

National University Holiday Bowl:  Nebraska vs. USC  (San Diego, CA  12/27)  ESPN
Private, online college.

Auto Zone Liberty Bowl:  Texas A&M vs. West Virginia  (Memphis, TN  12/29)  ESPN
Auto parts stores.

Russell Athletic Bowl:  Oklahoma vs. Clemson  (Orlando, FL  12/29)  ESPN
Active wear.

AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl:  Arkansas vs. Texas  (Houston, TX  12/29)  ESPN
Nutritional supplements.

Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl:  Notre Dame vs. Louisiana State  (Nashville, TN  12/30)  ESPN
Financial services.

Belk Bowl:  Georgia vs. Louisville  (Charlotte, NC  12/30)  ESPN
Department stores based in the South.

Foster Farms Bowl:  Maryland vs. Stanford  (Santa Clara, CA  12/30)  ESPN
West Coast-based poultry firm.  Formerly Fight Hunger Bowl.

Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl:  Mississippi vs. Texas Christian  (Atlanta, GA  12/31)  ESPN
Chicken restaurant chain.

Vizio Fiesta Bowl:  Boise State vs. Arizona  (Glendale, AZ  12/31)  ESPN
Consumer electronics.

Capital One Orange Bowl:  Mississippi State vs. Georgia Tech  (Miami Gardens, FL  12/31)  ESPN
Financial services.

Outback Bowl:  Auburn vs. Wisconsin  (Tampa, FL  1/1/15)  ESPN2
Steak restaurant chain.

Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic:  Michigan State vs. Baylor  (Arlington, TX  1/1/15)  ESPN
Tires and blimps.

Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl:  Missouri vs. Minnesota  (Orlando, FL  1/1/15)  ABC
Chicken wing restaurant chain.  Formerly Capital One Bowl.

Rose Bowl Game Presented by Northwestern Mutual (CFP Semifinal):  Oregon vs. Florida State  (Pasadena, CA  1/1/15)  ESPN
Financial services.

Allstate Sugar Bowl (CFP Semifinal):  Alabama vs. Ohio State  (New Orleans, LA  1/1/15)  ESPN
Insurance and financial services.

Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl:  Houston vs. Pittsburgh  (Fort Worth, TX  1/2)  ESPN
Defense contractor.

Taxslayer Bowl:  Iowa vs. Tennessee  (Jacksonville, FL  1/2)  ESPN
Online tax preparation.  Formerly Gator Bowl.

Valero Alamo Bowl:  Kansas State vs. UCLA  (San Antonio, TX  1/2)  ESPN
Energy company.

TicketCity Cactus Bowl:  Washington vs. Oklahoma State  (Tempe, AZ  1/2)  ESPN
Ticket reseller.  Formerly Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl.

Birmingham Bowl:  East Carolina vs. Florida  (Birmingham, AL  1/3)  ESPN or ESPN2
Formerly BBVA Compass Bowl.

GoDaddy Bowl:  Toledo vs. Arkansas State  (Mobile, AL  1/4)  ESPN
Domain names.

College Football Playoff National Championship Presented by AT&T.  (Arlington, TX  1/12)
ESPN
Communications giant.  Teams to be determined.

Gopher Football '14: Almost Golden

Goldy Gopher, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities mascot. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The University of Minnesota football program has been mediocre for so long that its remaining fans are the ones who know where to find the games on TV on Saturdays.  It's where the cartoons used to be.

Well, thanks to the kind of season the team has had, an 8-4 record that included five BIG Conference (our name for the ever-expanding Big Ten conference, which just added two schools this year), a lot more folks are waking up to the fact that coach Jerry Kill in his fourth year has finally fielded a competitive team.

The gophers finished 5-3 in the BIG's West division, tied for second with Nebraska.  They would have won the division outright had they beaten Wisconsin, but too little passing and too much Melvin Gordon (a Heisman Trophy candidate who ran for 151 yards) gave the Badgers a 34-24 win at Madison in the season-ender.

Signature road wins at Michigan and Nebraska (who were admittedly having down years) and competitive losses--meaning they didn't lay down and die--versus Ohio State and Wisconsin, plus bad losses at Texas Christian and Illinois typified the Gophers' progress on the field.  Kill's defense was the key to many of their victories, but the offense led by quarterback Mitch Leidner and backs David Cobb and Maxx Williams helped themselves out a lot.

Realistically, it's going to be tough to convince anyone outside of Minnesota that the Gophers really have turned the corner.  It's been since 1962 that they've played in a New Year's Day bowl game, something they have a better-than-average chance of doing this year.  But when the Gophers are suddenly contenders and Ohio State is the BIG's only hope of getting into the new College Football Playoff, you know the conference is having a bad year.

Another byproduct of decades of mediocre football is the effect on recruiting.  The University of Minnesota is not considered a destination school like Notre Dame, USC, Alabama or Ohio State.  That's why they don't get the blue-chip athletes to play for Goldy Gopher, even if they're from Minnesota.  And they don't have the massive practice facilities that other schools do.  The U's board of regents must have figured:  We gave you a new stadium.  What more do you want from us?  We have enough problems getting funding from the state.

Then there's Jerry Kill, whose success has led to the inevitable rumors of him taking off for a better job somewhere else.  Though he keeps denying it, Kill could very well be the next Lou Holtz, who hightailed it for Notre Dame after bringing the Gophers a little success in the mid-1980s.  Kill could take his entire staff, most of whom have been with him for decades, to his new school.  And the Gophers would have to start all over again.

So enjoy this respite from mediocrity, Gophers fans.  Sooner or later, there won't be a reason to set the alarm for Saturdays at 11 a.m.   You can watch videos of cartoons with your kids.

Vikings '14: Waiting for Adrian Peterson

Peterson splitting defenders in the 2008 Pro Bowl. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Minnesota Vikings are struggling to move forward under new coach Mike Zimmer, with a rookie quarterback and the enforced absence of their greatest offensive threat.  They are 4-5, which is good enough for third place in the NFC North.  But none of those four wins have been against divisional opponents.

The big question is what the Vikings should do about Adrian Peterson, who until recently was the face of the franchise.  He has been off the field and into a media firestorm over his legal troubles involving being accused of taking a wooden switch to his young son's behind, along with the revelation that he's been a prolific father.  Now Peterson has pled no contest to reckless assault charges, thus eliminating the need for a trial, and is free to go back to playing football.  The NFL, which is having enough problems with other alleged domestic abusers, hasn't said yes or no to Peterson's reinstatement pending a hearing.  The Vikings are even less certain.

Depending on what the NFL does with Peterson--reinstate him after what amounts to a half-season suspension, or have him sit out a few more games--the Vikings have a decision to make.  Do they want Peterson back, knowing they're going to take another PR hit because of the way they mishandled his status the first time?  Do they need him back, given that there's a small chance the team could make the playoffs?  Or do they simply let Peterson twist in the wind until they find a way to get rid of him?

Otherwise, how are things?  Quarterback of the Future Teddy Bridgewater became Quarterback of the Present two weeks into the season, when starter Matt Cassell went down with an injury that ended his year.  Bridgewater excited the Purple Faithful briefly, until it became obvious that the offense has sputtered under his leadership, and the defense has improved to the point where they've been winning games.  The offensive line has not done a good job of keeping Bridgewater from getting pummeled by opposing defenses.  Teddy Bridgewater may be a rookie, but he's learning about life in the NFL the hard way.

But consider the alternative:  Christian Ponder, who was once where Bridgewater is now, did so poorly subbing for him during a Thursday night game at Green Bay against the Packers that the Vikings were out of the game by the second quarter.

Cordarelle Patterson, Mike Asiata and Jerick McKinnon do not have the collective rushing power and impact of one Adrian Peterson, but they've proved capable of taking up the offensive slack in his absence.  Now if only Patterson could stick to playing like Randy Moss without acting like him . . .

Everyone know this is a rebuilding year for the Vikings with half the season remaining.  Nobody knew it would be anything like this.  But if they get a few more victories under their belt, the new coaching staff and the young players could lay the groundwork for better things in 2015.  Meanwhile, the elephant in the room remains Adrian Peterson and what happens to him going forward.  Therein lies the immediate future of the Minnesota Vikings.

UPDATE (11/18):  The NFL has decided to suspend Peterson for the rest of the season without pay, and he has until April to comply with their demands for counseling before there's a hearing to determine if he can go back to playing football.  Neither Peterson nor the players' association were too happy about the ruling, so they're going to appeal.  And as long as they're appealing, Peterson will remain on Commissioner Roger Goodell's exempt list so he can get paid.

This is the only decision the NFL could make after their bungling of the Ray Rice case.  They now realize that domestic and child abuse aren't "boys will be boys" issues that can be explained away with a fine and a mild suspension, not while answering to corporations whose survival depends on what their customers think.  And the Vikings?  It wouldn't surprise anyone if we've seen the last of Adrian Peterson in purple and gold.
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