The University of St. Thomas, a private school based in St. Paul, has been a member of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) for nearly a century. They have an undergraduate population of over six thousand, which is more than the other schools (most of them in smaller towns) in the conference.
UST has also been a powerhouse in Division III athletics, having won several conference and national championships in various sports. Which is also more than other schools in the MIAC.
The problem for St. Thomas, as far as the MIAC is concerned, is that so much winning tends to breed resentment. Their football team, for example, has blown away the competition as often as James Holzhauer keeps setting records as a contestant on "Jeopardy!" (he's up to over $2.2 million in winnings as of 5/28/19). A 97-0 shutout of St. Olaf immediately comes to mind.
So the MIAC announced last week that St. Thomas has been "involuntarily removed" from the conference, effective in 2021. That meant they were kicked out for too many victories, too many blowouts, and too many students enrolled. The MIAC hasn't publicly said why, but one could guess.
This is the same conference whose members have the least creative nicknames in college sports, unless your imagination is more creative than the schools. St. John's is known as the Johnnies. Augsburg has the Auggies. Gustavus Adolphus the Gusties. St. Olaf the Oles, Carleton's teams are named the Carls. Oh, and St. Thomas is known as the Tommies. One of the few nicknames in the conference that is considered normal is the Hamline University Pipers (the Pied Piper of Hamlin, get it?). At least they aren't known as the Hammies.
All of this leaves St. Thomas without many options. If they want to continue in NCAA Division III (small schools, no scholarships), they'll have to join a conference full of Wisconsin-based universities which includes Yours Truly's alma mater, the University of Wisconsin at River Falls. The Tommies can keep their lucrative football rivalry with St. John's, hockey, and other athletic programs. If they decide to move up to Division II, they'll have to spend money on scholarships and improved facilities, but there would also be no more football rivalry or hockey. Or they could go independent.
I have family members who have matriculated at MIAC universities in the past, and this is like asking the oldest son to leave the farm because he's become too big for his britches. St. Thomas will find its way in the world, and the little schools they leave behind will now have to fend for themselves.
Tuesday, May 28, 2019
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Wild, Wolves 2018-19: Early Exits
For the second consecutive year, the NHL Minnesota Wild and NBA Timberwolves ended their seasons at the same time. Last year, you will recall, both teams made it to the first round of the playoffs before bowing out. This time, neither of them qualified and the playoffs are going ahead without them.
Wild: You Can't Win If You Don't Score
The team ended up out of the running for Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time since 2012 with 83 points (37-36-9) and last place in the Central Division. Despite signature wins at league leaders Tampa Bay, Winnipeg and Washington, they had too many bad losses to bad teams and failed to take advantage of home ice.
The Wild scored 211 goals this season, and gave up 237. Despite heroic efforts by the goaltending staff, it was all negated by the collective failure to put the puck in the net. They had consecutive games last season in which they were shut out, including season-ending losses to the Boston Bruins at home and the Dallas Stars on the road.
Yes, injuries played a part with several players--notably Mikko Koivu, Zack Parise and Matt Dumba (in a fight, no less)--spending time on the disabled list. General manager Paul Fenton, in his first season, tried to help by trading popular players Charlie Coyle to the Bruins, Mikael Granlund to the Nashville Predators, and Nico Niederriter to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Younger players tried to step up, whether they came through trades or through the Iowa Wild: Joel Eriksson Ek, Luke Kunin, Jordan Greenway and Ryan Donato.
Coach Bruce Boudreau has one season left on his contract, and a final chance to prove that all the inconsistency the Wild has been noted for in recent years isn't completely his fault. Another season like this one, though, and Fenton might get the opportunity to name his own coach.
First, they need to re-learn how to score goals.
Stanley Cup Final Matchup in June: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Nashville Predators.
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Timberwolves: Familiar Territory
During the NCAA Men's Final Four in Minneapolis, Charles Barkley, TV's best-known basketball commentator who was covering the tournament for CBS, went off on the Wolves during a Katy Perry concert. He said the reason he hasn't been back in town for years was that the team "sucked".
Tell us something we didn't know, Sir Charles.
The Wolves landed in familiar territory, with a 36-46 record that left them out of the Western Conference playoff picture. But so did LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, which means they'll have a better draft pick than the Wolves will. Because they're the Lakers.
In a season that began with Jimmy Butler whining his way to Philadelphia, followed by his partner-in-crime coach Tom Thibodeau out the door, the Wolves took their usual place as the team where good things seldom happen. Karl-Anthony Towns seems to think he has a future here, having signed a contract extension. So did Andrew Wiggins, although the way he played at times this season seemed to suggest (as Sheryl Crow would put it) a change would do him good.
Thibodeau's replacement Ryan Saunders (yes, Flip Saunders' son) and general manager Scott Layden are both on the bubble in terms of returning next season. But don't be surprised if both come back. Because with the Wolves, it's not what you know, but who owner Glen Taylor knows and feels comfortable with.
If Charles Barkley ever decides to come back to the Twin Cities, it should be because the Timberwolves have an improved team that are making the playoffs with regularity. Not because the NCAA was so impressed by the way Minneapolis handled the Men's Final Four that they gave this city another one. That's assuming, of course, that the Wolves are still here by then.
NBA Finals Matchup in June: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics.
Wild: You Can't Win If You Don't Score
The team ended up out of the running for Lord Stanley's Cup for the first time since 2012 with 83 points (37-36-9) and last place in the Central Division. Despite signature wins at league leaders Tampa Bay, Winnipeg and Washington, they had too many bad losses to bad teams and failed to take advantage of home ice.
The Wild scored 211 goals this season, and gave up 237. Despite heroic efforts by the goaltending staff, it was all negated by the collective failure to put the puck in the net. They had consecutive games last season in which they were shut out, including season-ending losses to the Boston Bruins at home and the Dallas Stars on the road.
Yes, injuries played a part with several players--notably Mikko Koivu, Zack Parise and Matt Dumba (in a fight, no less)--spending time on the disabled list. General manager Paul Fenton, in his first season, tried to help by trading popular players Charlie Coyle to the Bruins, Mikael Granlund to the Nashville Predators, and Nico Niederriter to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Younger players tried to step up, whether they came through trades or through the Iowa Wild: Joel Eriksson Ek, Luke Kunin, Jordan Greenway and Ryan Donato.
Coach Bruce Boudreau has one season left on his contract, and a final chance to prove that all the inconsistency the Wild has been noted for in recent years isn't completely his fault. Another season like this one, though, and Fenton might get the opportunity to name his own coach.
First, they need to re-learn how to score goals.
Stanley Cup Final Matchup in June: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Nashville Predators.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timberwolves: Familiar Territory
During the NCAA Men's Final Four in Minneapolis, Charles Barkley, TV's best-known basketball commentator who was covering the tournament for CBS, went off on the Wolves during a Katy Perry concert. He said the reason he hasn't been back in town for years was that the team "sucked".
Tell us something we didn't know, Sir Charles.
The Wolves landed in familiar territory, with a 36-46 record that left them out of the Western Conference playoff picture. But so did LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, which means they'll have a better draft pick than the Wolves will. Because they're the Lakers.
In a season that began with Jimmy Butler whining his way to Philadelphia, followed by his partner-in-crime coach Tom Thibodeau out the door, the Wolves took their usual place as the team where good things seldom happen. Karl-Anthony Towns seems to think he has a future here, having signed a contract extension. So did Andrew Wiggins, although the way he played at times this season seemed to suggest (as Sheryl Crow would put it) a change would do him good.
Thibodeau's replacement Ryan Saunders (yes, Flip Saunders' son) and general manager Scott Layden are both on the bubble in terms of returning next season. But don't be surprised if both come back. Because with the Wolves, it's not what you know, but who owner Glen Taylor knows and feels comfortable with.
If Charles Barkley ever decides to come back to the Twin Cities, it should be because the Timberwolves have an improved team that are making the playoffs with regularity. Not because the NCAA was so impressed by the way Minneapolis handled the Men's Final Four that they gave this city another one. That's assuming, of course, that the Wolves are still here by then.
NBA Finals Matchup in June: Golden State Warriors vs. Boston Celtics.
Tuesday, April 9, 2019
NCAA: Virginia and Baylor Rule College Basketball
The University of Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball team rewrote the narrative of a top-seeded team who, only last season, lost to a 16th seed named Maryland-Baltimore County and was ridiculed everywhere they went. They just won the NCAA Men's Basketball Championship for the first time in Minneapolis, defeating Texas Tech in overtime 85-77.
De'Andre Hunter scored 27 points and Kyle Guy scored 24 to lead the Cavaliers to victory, not to mention being nearly perfect against the Red Raiders in OT to seal it.
This time around, Virginia was an under-the-radar team that somehow skipped over the top seeds in the tournament to get where they are. They got past Gardner-Webb, Oklahoma, Oregon, Purdue and Auburn on the way to Minneapolis. It also helped that fellow ACC conference teams Duke (with all-world freshman Zion Williams) and North Carolina were both defeated.
Granted, the final four of Virginia, Texas Tech, Auburn and Michigan State did not set CBS' TV ratings on fire. But the teams did compensate with good basketball and exciting finishes, and that's all you can really ask. Oh, and a controversial finish that ended up benefiting the Cavaliers while deflating Auburn and famous alum Charles Barkley.
So yes, Virginia. The school that was founded by Thomas Jefferson is a national basketball champion.
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In Tampa, Florida Sunday, Baylor won its third women's basketball title, defeating defending champion Notre Dame 82-81.
The Bears' first title since 2012 came with Chloe Jackson scoring 26 points and the winning score with 3.6 seconds remaining. They had to overcome not only Lauren Cox' third quarter knee injury that took her out of the game, but also a late charge by the Irish that culminated in Arike Ogunbowale closing out her college career by missing free throws that would have tied the game.
Pat Mulkey, Baylor's coach, is now only the third person in NCAA history to win at least three women's championships.
De'Andre Hunter scored 27 points and Kyle Guy scored 24 to lead the Cavaliers to victory, not to mention being nearly perfect against the Red Raiders in OT to seal it.
This time around, Virginia was an under-the-radar team that somehow skipped over the top seeds in the tournament to get where they are. They got past Gardner-Webb, Oklahoma, Oregon, Purdue and Auburn on the way to Minneapolis. It also helped that fellow ACC conference teams Duke (with all-world freshman Zion Williams) and North Carolina were both defeated.
Granted, the final four of Virginia, Texas Tech, Auburn and Michigan State did not set CBS' TV ratings on fire. But the teams did compensate with good basketball and exciting finishes, and that's all you can really ask. Oh, and a controversial finish that ended up benefiting the Cavaliers while deflating Auburn and famous alum Charles Barkley.
So yes, Virginia. The school that was founded by Thomas Jefferson is a national basketball champion.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In Tampa, Florida Sunday, Baylor won its third women's basketball title, defeating defending champion Notre Dame 82-81.
The Bears' first title since 2012 came with Chloe Jackson scoring 26 points and the winning score with 3.6 seconds remaining. They had to overcome not only Lauren Cox' third quarter knee injury that took her out of the game, but also a late charge by the Irish that culminated in Arike Ogunbowale closing out her college career by missing free throws that would have tied the game.
Pat Mulkey, Baylor's coach, is now only the third person in NCAA history to win at least three women's championships.
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Twins 2019: New Manager, Same Old Problems
The Minnesota Twins, having said goodbye to Joe Mauer and manager Paul Molitor, are looking at the 2019 Major League Baseball season as a new beginning. A chance to quit being an inconsistent team and compete with the Cleveland Indians, with whom they finished a distant second to for the American League Central division title. The national baseball pundits are giving the Twins a shot at being contenders, which is something that hasn't happened much this decade.
There are plenty of new faces here, starting with Rocco Baldelli as the new manager. Others you may or may not have heard of yet include: Willans Astudillo as catcher, Jonathan Schoop replacing Mauer at first, and designated hitter Nelson Cruz coming in from the Seattle Mariners as a free agent.
But the same old problems that have held the Twins back for years remain. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano have been the two players the team's been promoting as future superstars since they were drafted, except injuries and repeated trips between Minnesota and Rochester, N.Y. have blunted their effectiveness. Well, they're not kids any more, so it's time to put up or shut up. Buxton is allegedly healthy to start the season, while Sano won't be ready until May at the earliest.
The other big concern is pitching. Who knows if Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi, reliever Fernando Romero or the rest of the staff can keep their team in the game?
The Twins still won't get anywhere close to Cleveland They're a good bet to finish in second or third place again. But don't be shocked if they ended the 2010s with another 90-loss season.
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The MLB season actually began a week earlier with the Mariners playing a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo, Japan. Already, we've had our first retirement when Ichiro Suzuki called it quits in his native country.
The big story, as it usually is during the off season, is player movement. For the longest time, free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado went unsigned, and people were wondering if teams were colluding to keep the price tag down. Then Machado signs with the San Diego Padres. Harper stays in the National League East division by switching from the Washington Nationals to the Philadelphia Phillies, singing for what was then the biggest long-term contract in the history of pro sports. Until Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels signed a bigger contract extension to remain with that team.
MLB continues to make strides in making its games slightly shorter than "War and Peace". But real innovations like pitch clocks and restrictions on how many times a manager can go to the mound to change pitchers per inning may have to wait until 2022, when the new collective bargaining agreement with the players is agreed upon. So keep your Kindle handy.
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Here's who we think will make it to October. Please don't take this to the bank.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East New York Yankees
Central Cleveland Indians
West Houston Astros
Wild Card Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East Atlanta Braves
Central St. Louis Cardinals
West Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Card Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies
There are plenty of new faces here, starting with Rocco Baldelli as the new manager. Others you may or may not have heard of yet include: Willans Astudillo as catcher, Jonathan Schoop replacing Mauer at first, and designated hitter Nelson Cruz coming in from the Seattle Mariners as a free agent.
But the same old problems that have held the Twins back for years remain. Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano have been the two players the team's been promoting as future superstars since they were drafted, except injuries and repeated trips between Minnesota and Rochester, N.Y. have blunted their effectiveness. Well, they're not kids any more, so it's time to put up or shut up. Buxton is allegedly healthy to start the season, while Sano won't be ready until May at the earliest.
The other big concern is pitching. Who knows if Jose Berrios, Kyle Gibson, Jake Odorizzi, reliever Fernando Romero or the rest of the staff can keep their team in the game?
The Twins still won't get anywhere close to Cleveland They're a good bet to finish in second or third place again. But don't be shocked if they ended the 2010s with another 90-loss season.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The MLB season actually began a week earlier with the Mariners playing a two-game series against the Oakland Athletics in Tokyo, Japan. Already, we've had our first retirement when Ichiro Suzuki called it quits in his native country.
The big story, as it usually is during the off season, is player movement. For the longest time, free agents Bryce Harper and Manny Machado went unsigned, and people were wondering if teams were colluding to keep the price tag down. Then Machado signs with the San Diego Padres. Harper stays in the National League East division by switching from the Washington Nationals to the Philadelphia Phillies, singing for what was then the biggest long-term contract in the history of pro sports. Until Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels signed a bigger contract extension to remain with that team.
MLB continues to make strides in making its games slightly shorter than "War and Peace". But real innovations like pitch clocks and restrictions on how many times a manager can go to the mound to change pitchers per inning may have to wait until 2022, when the new collective bargaining agreement with the players is agreed upon. So keep your Kindle handy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here's who we think will make it to October. Please don't take this to the bank.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
East New York Yankees
Central Cleveland Indians
West Houston Astros
Wild Card Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays
NATIONAL LEAGUE
East Atlanta Braves
Central St. Louis Cardinals
West Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Card Milwaukee Brewers and Colorado Rockies
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
Super Bowl 53: Boring But Important
In the end, Super Bowl 53 in Atlanta was a complete and utter dud compared to the exciting finishes of recent years. But it was also historic. The New England Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Rams 13-3, tying the all time record for most championships (six) with the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots did it in less than two decades with the same coach (Bill Belichick) and quarterback (Tom Brady). The Steelers achieved it over a three decade period with three different coaches and quarterbacks.
More about the game later. Right now, let's break down what else happened in and around the big game.
Prelude
The Rams were not supposed to be here, having benefited from a missed pass interference call that would have gone against them, and that would have enabled the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC Championship. Instead, the game remained tied going into overtime, where the Rams kicked the winning field goal that sent them to Atlanta. But that one bad call was all people could talk about in the two week break leading up to the Super Bowl, with upset Saints fans threatening boycotts and lawsuits against the NFL seeking to upend the results.
As for the Patriots, they shut down the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime to win the AFC Championship, with Brady all the while claiming that his team was getting no respect. That came across as, given New England's recent history for dominating the conference, was more for motivation than truth.
The Game
With three points on the board each for the Rams and Patriots for three quarters and punting dominating, this was a defensive struggle, to put it mildly. CBS' Jim Nantz and Tony Romo tried their best to make the game more exciting than it was, but in vain. Only a 29-yard pass from Brady to Julian Edelman (who was voted Super Bowl MVP), followed by a running play into the end zone in the fourth quarter to enliven things and to seal the deal for New England. A combined total of sixteen points by both teams was the lowest in Super Bowl history. But then again, defense does win championships.
Halftime
Maroon 5 may not have been the first choice for the Super Bowl halftime show, but the NFL seems to have gone through nearly every mass appeal pop act that isn't NSFTV (not safe for TV). Atlanta is the capital of hip hop, and nearly every worthy act boycotted the event out of respect for Colin Kaepernick's continued persona non grata status from the league for taking a knee during the national anthem, and for trying to be nice to President Donald Trump. It also accounts for the lack of believability when it comes to the NFL's social justice initiative, launching as it did in Dr. Martin Luther King's hometown during Black History Month.
Adam Levine, Maroon 5's front man and celebrity judge on TV's "The Voice", did a good job of singing the band's Top 40 hits while performing mostly shirtless and having moves like Mick Jagger. He also exposed his nipples and tattoos in a way that Janet Jackson never could. Double standard much?
Commercials
Companies spend millions of dollars each year to get their message and their product across before the biggest TV audience of the year.. Here's how some of those companies spent their money.
More about the game later. Right now, let's break down what else happened in and around the big game.
Prelude
The Rams were not supposed to be here, having benefited from a missed pass interference call that would have gone against them, and that would have enabled the New Orleans Saints to win the NFC Championship. Instead, the game remained tied going into overtime, where the Rams kicked the winning field goal that sent them to Atlanta. But that one bad call was all people could talk about in the two week break leading up to the Super Bowl, with upset Saints fans threatening boycotts and lawsuits against the NFL seeking to upend the results.
As for the Patriots, they shut down the Kansas City Chiefs in overtime to win the AFC Championship, with Brady all the while claiming that his team was getting no respect. That came across as, given New England's recent history for dominating the conference, was more for motivation than truth.
The Game
With three points on the board each for the Rams and Patriots for three quarters and punting dominating, this was a defensive struggle, to put it mildly. CBS' Jim Nantz and Tony Romo tried their best to make the game more exciting than it was, but in vain. Only a 29-yard pass from Brady to Julian Edelman (who was voted Super Bowl MVP), followed by a running play into the end zone in the fourth quarter to enliven things and to seal the deal for New England. A combined total of sixteen points by both teams was the lowest in Super Bowl history. But then again, defense does win championships.
Halftime
Maroon 5 may not have been the first choice for the Super Bowl halftime show, but the NFL seems to have gone through nearly every mass appeal pop act that isn't NSFTV (not safe for TV). Atlanta is the capital of hip hop, and nearly every worthy act boycotted the event out of respect for Colin Kaepernick's continued persona non grata status from the league for taking a knee during the national anthem, and for trying to be nice to President Donald Trump. It also accounts for the lack of believability when it comes to the NFL's social justice initiative, launching as it did in Dr. Martin Luther King's hometown during Black History Month.
Adam Levine, Maroon 5's front man and celebrity judge on TV's "The Voice", did a good job of singing the band's Top 40 hits while performing mostly shirtless and having moves like Mick Jagger. He also exposed his nipples and tattoos in a way that Janet Jackson never could. Double standard much?
Commercials
Companies spend millions of dollars each year to get their message and their product across before the biggest TV audience of the year.. Here's how some of those companies spent their money.
- Bud Light and its Kingdom of Dilly claims its beer, unlike the other guys, doesn't use corn syrup. In another ad, the Kingdom is attacked by a flying dragon, which makes sense only if you're a rabid "Game of Thrones" fan.
- Bob Dylan's anti-nuclear war classic "Blowing In The Wind" is used to remind us that Budweiser is now brewed with wind power. Good to know. We think.
- Harrison Ford's dog in an Amazon ad orders mass quantities of dog food through his dog collar, which was a rejected use for Alexa.
- Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeff Bridges (as the Dude from "The Big Lebowski") walk into a bar and order Stella Artois beer, just to be different. Call it "Stella and The City".
- The Washington Post (now owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos) stressed the importance of journalism while saluting those who died practicing it.
Monday, January 7, 2019
Clemson 2, Alabama 1 (in championships)
For the fourth consecutive year, the University of Alabama's Crimson Tide and Clemson University's Tigers have faced each other in the College Football Playoff. Three of those times included the championship game, which included Monday's matchup at Santa Clara, California. Everyone wondered if these were the only two institutions of learning in America capable of playing championship football in this decade.
The final was Clemson 44, Alabama 16. It was the Tigers' second title in three years, beating a Crimson Tide team that had been the best in America for most of the fall, and the envy of most other college football programs under coach Nick Saban.
Clemson's defense capitalized on many Tide mistakes and, through the arm of freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence (three touchdowns and over 300 yards passing), outshone Alabama's star QB Tua Tagovalova. It was an impressive end to a season that saw the Tigers go 15-0, something that hasn't been done in 121 years.
After running through their conference schedules, the Tigers beat Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl, and the Tide won a shootout over Oklahoma 45-34 in the Orange Bowl. These semifinal games were held on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year's, as ESPN keeps trying to convince viewers to watch bowl games on days other than January 1. So far, it's had the effect of being lumped in with all the other Your Name Here bowl games, with ratings to match.
Now it's Clemson's turn to shine with a bright future apparently in sight, while Alabama coach Saban will simply go back to the drawing board and reload for another shot at the title. Given the flawed state of college football, it would surprise no one if these schools met for the fifth time for the national championship.
The final was Clemson 44, Alabama 16. It was the Tigers' second title in three years, beating a Crimson Tide team that had been the best in America for most of the fall, and the envy of most other college football programs under coach Nick Saban.
Clemson's defense capitalized on many Tide mistakes and, through the arm of freshman quarterback Trevor Lawrence (three touchdowns and over 300 yards passing), outshone Alabama's star QB Tua Tagovalova. It was an impressive end to a season that saw the Tigers go 15-0, something that hasn't been done in 121 years.
After running through their conference schedules, the Tigers beat Notre Dame 30-3 in the Cotton Bowl, and the Tide won a shootout over Oklahoma 45-34 in the Orange Bowl. These semifinal games were held on the Saturday between Christmas and New Year's, as ESPN keeps trying to convince viewers to watch bowl games on days other than January 1. So far, it's had the effect of being lumped in with all the other Your Name Here bowl games, with ratings to match.
Now it's Clemson's turn to shine with a bright future apparently in sight, while Alabama coach Saban will simply go back to the drawing board and reload for another shot at the title. Given the flawed state of college football, it would surprise no one if these schools met for the fifth time for the national championship.
Friday, January 4, 2019
The State of Minnesota Football 2018
The Minnesota Vikings finished at 8-7-1 and out of the playoff picture for the 2018 NFL season, having come out flat in the final regular season game against the NFC North champion Chicago Bears, who had little to play for but showed up anyway. The Vikings lost the game and the final playoff spot, which had been theirs to win, to the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles,
Plenty of factors were in play to make the Vikings, to whom some fearless football pundits thought were going to go. all. the. way. (Chris Berman), plunge to the depths of mediocrity this season.
Our preliminary Super Bowl pick: New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football team had another up-and-down season under coach P.J. Fleck, going 3-6 in the Big Ten and 7-6 overall. Despite this record, they made their way to the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, beating Georgia Tech 34-10.
There were two reasons why the Gophers turned their season around after a slow start:
Plenty of factors were in play to make the Vikings, to whom some fearless football pundits thought were going to go. all. the. way. (Chris Berman), plunge to the depths of mediocrity this season.
- Kirk Cousins turned out to be the highest-paid "average" quarterback in NFL history. But he still managed to remain upright the entire season, and Aaron Rodgers didn't.
- The death of offensive line coach Tony Sparano shortly before training camp, and the firing of offensive coordinator John DeFilippo didn't help matters for a sputtering offense and a line that couldn't protect Cousins.
- A tie at Green Bay, an unexpected loss to lowly Buffalo at home, and not staying on the same field against teams with winning records. Plus the Bears had a great year.
- And, of course, the old standby excuse for not living up to expectations: Injuries, and plenty of them.
Our preliminary Super Bowl pick: New Orleans Saints vs. New England Patriots.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The University of Minnesota Golden Gopher football team had another up-and-down season under coach P.J. Fleck, going 3-6 in the Big Ten and 7-6 overall. Despite this record, they made their way to the Quick Lane Bowl in Detroit, beating Georgia Tech 34-10.
There were two reasons why the Gophers turned their season around after a slow start:
- After giving up more than 50 points to bad teams like Illinois and Nebraska, Fleck fired his defensive coordinator Robb Smith, replacing him with Joe Rossi. Almost overnight, the team's defense improved.
- Defeating the Wisconsin Badgers at Madison 34-10, taking Paul Bunyan's Axe home for the first time since 2003, and becoming bowl-eligible.
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