Highway Robbery

So I was calling a boys hockey game the other night between Bloomington Kennedy and Lakeville North, and I witnessed the greatest display of highway robbery (and poor sportsmanship) I've ever seen. Here goes.

The two teams were scoreless through 2 1/2 periods, and North scored on a power play to go up 1-0. A few minutes later, North had a two-on-zero breakaway, and the second player flipped the puck over the goalie to score on a rebound shot. Or so we thought. The referee was right there to wave off the goal, because one of the North players was in the goal crease (later, our video replays showed conclusively that the call was right on the money - and that the player in the crease actually made contact with the goaltender while he was on the ice).

Right after the goal was disallowed, the Lakeville North player in the crease went ape and got right in the face of the guys in zebra uniforms. He drew an unsportsmanlike conduct minor. But even worse, the North coach stopped the game for at least 5 minutes while he argued the call. He was absolutely livid - and this wasn't the first...or second...or even the third time in the game that he stopped the game to hog the spotlight and argue.

Kennedy scored the equalizer 10 seconds into their power play, and then another 1:09 later, they scored the go-ahead goal. With 3 1/2 minutes to play, they had a one-goal lead thanks to North's complete meltdown. And they held on to win the game.

Lakeville North was ranked #9 in the metro and #13 in the state before the game. But unfortunately for them, they are no longer. As a Lakeville graduate, I attended the high school during the tenure of the current coach. At that time, several players quit the team because they couldn't stand playing for him. The team has played in a few state tournaments since then, but clearly the coach hasn't figured out some of the little things. And it cost his team that game against Kennedy. Remember, the Eagles made all the plays to come back and win, so don't take anything away from them. But a team's actions reflect the character and teachings of its leaders. If the North coach had set a different example for his team, to respect the game, their opponent and the calls of the officials, they surely would have held on for the victory. Even in the face of adversity, you have to stay mentally tough. That's where good teams are separated from the great ones. And this North team completely failed their first mental test of the season.

But this goes beyond the game on the ice. This is about teaching young athletes right and wrong. Blaming others for how things unfold in your life doesn't make anything better - instead, you need to step up, take responsibility for yourself and do your best with what you have. That's the game of life, reflected in this one game of hockey. And the Lakeville North coach seems to have lost that game bigtime, much to the detriment of his players. It's really too bad.

I'm back...

So I'm back...sorry guys.

The Vikings have won five in a row, and struggling St. Louis is coming to town. Yes, the defense is playing better, but one of the more underrated reasons for the turnaround? Koren Robinson. This guy is playing his lights out, and he's corrected a lot of the things that kept him from fitting with Seattle - namely holding onto the football. In hindsight, this was easily one of the top three free agent moves the team made last offseason.

High school hockey is back! Already I've seen some good contests - Jefferson/Lakeville North, etc. But Hill Murray/White Bear Lake? What a yawner. The #2 and #3 ranked teams in the state scored 1 combined goal, and passes were sloppy, skating was lackluster and penalties were frequent. I was completely underwhelmed...glad it's early in the season.

And speaking of low scoring, how about the T-wolves! They may have it put together now, thanks to the fact they only allow 80 points a game. 10-6 after 16 games isn't a bad start, for a new coach and a lot of role players. If they keep gelling, it could be a fun rest of the year.

Gotta run. I'm out like girls hockey players from the Kennedy H.S. team.

Winter Season is Here

So the Timberwolves start tonight, and the Wild are playing. Winter sports are officially underway...

But I don't care. The high school game of the year is this Friday night: Jefferson at Eden Prairie. I will be on the mic for the game, and I can't wait...it has all the makings of a classic. Objectively, I can't pick against EP when they're playing at home. But if anyone's going to beat them, it could be this Jefferson team - it has found a nice running/passing balance, and their defense has only allowed 13 points in two playoff games. Jefferson also has history on their side. The last time these two teams played a section championship game at EP? Jefferson won a classic game in overtime.

I like the new NHL. Have I said that yet? The shootouts have been fun to watch so far (even the Wild's shootout when they went 1 for 8 and lost), but the game is faster, there are fewer stoppages and the talent level is up. All good things for a game "on ice"...

And the T'wolves? I think they're destined for a 7 or 8 seed this year and a first round exit. But I'm excited to see if Casey's defensive schemes mesh with this team. Like Dallas, there hasn't been much D in the Timberwolves in the past few years. And anytime you get a team together and win with defense, that's a good sign. See the Spurs and Pistons. I think it will take some time, but so far I like what Coach Casey has done with this team. And all those experts predicting KG won't make the playoffs for 2 straight years will be proven wrong.

Notice we're not talking about the Vikes. Ouch.

I'm out like Daunte Culpepper (but I'll be back a lot sooner than one year from now).

Back again...

Hey all...due to popular demand, I'm writing again. Funny how that works...people actually read this stuff.

So, did anyone notice that Bloomington Kennedy won last night? If you look back a few blog postings, you'll see that I called it: Kennedy would end their losing streak this season. It took them all year long and a non-conference playoff game to do it, but they got it done in convincing fashion. And their reward: a semifinal game against the Eagan Wildcats, who were just as underwhelming as the Eagles during the regular season. Remarkable.

In a real playoff game, the Jefferson Jaguars have drawn the defending state champ Minnetonka Skippers on Saturday night in their Section 2 semifinal. Both teams won big last night, so it's tough to get a read on this game. The Skippers came to Jefferson last year in the same game and routed the Jags, so the layperson may pick them to do it again. But I saw something last night from Jefferson that I hadn't seen in two years: a running game. The pass has carried them, and very well I might add. But this time of year, you need a running game to win the big playoff games. And Charlie Stuckey was impressive in amassing 249 yards last night against Prior Lake. I'll take the Jaguars on a late score, 35-31. Plus, if this happens, then I'll get to call a section championship game at Eden Prairie. That would rock.

Also, I must say I'm very impressed with the job Larry Thompson's done at Lakeville South this year. They won three games in the ultra tough Lake Conference, finished 4-4 overall and put up 62 points in their first round playoff game last night. A .500 year with a brand new program with no seniors? And a victory over your new crosstown rival? A #2 seed in the section, and a playoff run? That is an amazing year, and he deserves mad props.

The Vikes beat the Packers. The Gophers absolutely blew the game against the Badgers. The White Sox are going to win the World Series. Oh, the life of a Minnesota sports fan...it's never boring!

I'm out like the Chaska Hawks football team. You're rated #5 in the state at 5-0, and you beat Eden Prairie. And then you lose your last four games. 20-ton boulders don't drop that fast.

Second try

So I just had a great posting written, and my computer lost it. Robbed.

--Eastview football has a solid running game, led by a very talented Jake Machacek. Last night I saw him run for 175 yards and 4 TDs in one half, and the Lightning rolled to a 49-9 win at Bloomington Kennedy. Very talented...I can't wait to see if Eden Prairie can contain him.

--The Vikes may just fall to 0-2 this weekend. They are playing a Cincinnati team that is an AFC sleeper this year. Plus the Bengals start a fellow Lakeville alumnus at safety.

--Speaking of Lakeville, how about South pulling the upset over North last night! In the first game in what will be a great rivalry, South went into North and won 24-19. All of the press leading up to the game was about how it would be an extension of the friendships that all of the players and coaches have, and it would be a celebration of football in a truly football-crazy suburb. Try telling that to the North players, who lost to a South team with no seniors and a lot of the players that filled out the depth chart at North last year. This, my friends, is how rivalries are born.

--This just in: Wayzata football is good. A very impressive 3-0 they are, but a big road game at Eden Prairie awaits. Can they pull that one too?

--T-minus 7 days until the Gophers season starts. For real. Of course, they'll be 3-0, but who cares? Can they beat Purdue?

All for now. I'm out like a football in Daunte Culpepper's hands.

Koren Robinson??

All right, Purple Nation. Can anyone explain to me why the Vikings signed Koren Robinson?

Did they really need another receiver at $1.5 million over two years? And did they need to take another guy with a history of drug use? I'm not sure. All I know is that Robinson was a stellar college wideout at NC State. He torched our Gophers in the Micron Bowl in Miami in 2000. But ever since then, he hasn't been able to catch a cold. Just ask Mike Holmgren...the man definitely did not help the Seahawks' chances last season. And the last thing Daunte needs is for the WRs to get a case of butterfingersitis.

Yeah, Koren's supposed to have cleaned himself up in the offseason, so the Vikes laced his contract with incentives. But right now, there's only one positive I see to this mess. Guess who got demoted to make room for Robinson? Kelly Campbell. And when you compare these two characters, the Vikings definitely upgraded.

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day to all...

--So far so good for the Gophers. If you still don't believe that Maroney is one of the best backs in Gopher history, get out of here.

--High school football season is underway, and it's more of the same old, same old so far. Eden Prairie pounds another team into submission. Cretin-Derham Hall continues the domination. And Bloomington Kennedy, although much improved over last year in their opener, takes a loss. But my hat's off to my former hometown, Lakeville. It's a team that many experts predicted could win a state championship this year if there was still just one football team. But they split up, with both teams getting pounded in their openers. They may have lost the games, but they WILL win the war. The district, unlike Eden Prairie, built a second high school. They gave more kids a better chance to lead, to play, and most importantly, to succeed in the classroom. The on-field wins will just be that much sweeter when they do come.

--The Big Ten is 10-0 in football so far this year, thanks to Illinois' superb 4th-quarter comeback against Rutgers. Is there any doubt, with three top-ten teams and improved strength all over, that this is the best conference in college football?

--The WNBA playoffs are happening. Does anyone care?

Aw shucks, I can't think of anything else right now. I'm off to grill it up.

Vikings Predictions

A lot of people have asked me what I think of the Vikings this year. The short answer: 10-6, division champs and probably one playoff win.

I think the offense will continue to produce. Daunte is very quietly one of the most efficient QBs in NFL history - Peyton, McNabb and Vick get the headlines, but Culpepper is as good as they get. Burleson, Williamson, Robinson and Taylor are a solid foursome at WR. The offensive line, although depleted through injury, will play well because they always do. The return of Jim Kleinsasser is a huge boost to the team in passing and third-down situations. But the question for me is at RB. No matter who starts, you only have two solid backs in Moore and Bennett. Then you have Moe Williams, a prototypical third down back, Ciatrick Fason and maybe someone else. Then you have the Whizzinator himself sitting out this year. It usually takes 2-3 good backs to win in the NFL over the course of a season, so it will be interesting to see if the Vikes have enough horses to balance the offense for Daunte.

And the defense...I'm not sure if they're as good as everyone says they are. First, they must be able to get a pass rush in third-and-long and other obvious passing situations. Second, they must do a better job of creating turnovers - the revamped secondary should help with this. And third, they must tackle. These are the hallmarks of poor Vikings defenses of the past. Granted, there's lots of new personnel, but to shed the stereotype these are the areas where I believe they must improve.

Looks to me like a 10-6 year, Purple faithful. But if that defense gels quickly and stays tough, it could be as good as 12-4...and in the weak NFC, you never know where that might take us. It's like they always say: defense wins championships.

High School Football is Back

Hey everyone...

A few items today:

--How about them Hawaiians! Their comeback against Curacao in the Little League World Series will go down as one of the greatest championship comebacks in LLWS history. You can bet ABC was absolutely loving that ending (oh, oops, maybe not - because the game went into extra innings, they had to drop national coverage and move the game to ESPN2. Sucks for all those people without cable...)

--Looks like our Twins made a nice run. But now that they're 5 1/2 back to the Yankees, let's just forget about the playoffs and enjoy September for the great races elsewhere in the league. I mean, just look at the NL West. Will someone PLEASE play .500 ball??

--New from the Lake Conference in football: because there are 11 teams in the conference now, there will be one non-conference game each week - most schools in the conference will play a school outside the league for the first time in many years. And most of the opponents will come from the Classic Lake Conference - for all you history buffs, the Classic Lake was the original Lake conference way back in the 50s and 60s. The Edinas, Eden Prairies and Bloomingtons of the world played each other all the time, but that isn't the case anymore. Well, thanks to the unbalanced leagues, get ready to renew some old rivalries...

It all kicks off with a real good matchup this Friday, when the new Lakeville North, two years removed from a state title, travels to Mounds View to play the Mustangs, who will be a top-ranked team this year largely because of their U of M-bound quarterback. Other top non-conference games on the schedule include defending state champ Minnetonka driving to Apple Valley on October 14 and top-five contenders Eden Prairie and Wayzata doing battle in EP on Sept. 23. Another game circled on my schedule? Park of Cottage Grove, a cellar-dweller in the Suburban East in recent years, will visit Lake doormat Kennedy on Sept. 30.

For all you Bloomington residents, my partner and I will be announcing our first football game of the season this Thursday - Kennedy hosts Chaska that evening. Check it out on BEC-TV, channel 16 locally.

Mid-August post

Hey all! Sorry it's been a while since my last posting. I'll do better.

So I noticed that the Twins have won 3 of 4. The pitching has been amazing, so I'm glad to see some wins on the board. Maybe if they sweep the remaining games from the White Sox, they can win the division. Maybe.

I saw a brief in the Strib sports today about the MSHSL thinking about making state football quarterfinal playoff games neutral-field, artificial-turf contests. This makes a lot of sense to me. I'm not sure that games needs to be played on turf, but neutral sites would get rid of the huge advantage that home teams have in the quarterfinal round. Huge. Especially if the opponent happens to be from a section on the other end of the state. Although it could mean that games would move indoors, and the nostalgic part of me doesn't like that, the teams that get to the Dome are most often the teams that navigate the weather the best - not necessarily the best team. Let's move the games.

And today's thought on the Twins:
Remember recently how they were in an 0-for-24 slump with runners in scoring position? And how that stretch came at a time when the Twins lost a lot of one-run ballgames? Think for a minute. If the Twins hit a merely average .250 in that stretch, they would have had 6 hits. Being that some of the hits would come with bases loaded, you could conservatively estimate that the team would have scored 8 more runs because of those hits. And eight runs in the bank when you're losing a lot of one-run games?? Maybe that equates to 4-6 more wins. And how far back are the Twins in the wild card? As of today, six games. Just a thought to chew on...

I drafted my fantasy football team this weekend. Gotta love the fact I have Marvin Harrison, Michael Clayton, Steve Smith AND Jimmy Smith at WR, Jason Elam at K, Carolina's defense and Deuce McAllister at RB. And Tom Brady will be steady as my starting QB. But my big question is whether Fred Taylor and Michael Bennett will produce. I took them both on their potential, which is definitely big. And my string of consecutive championships could very well depend on how much of that potential they realize...

Some things...

What's up y'all,

A few observations of mine lately:

--Rafael Palmeiro. When the guy got his 3,000th hit a few weeks ago, I was among those leading his parade to Cooperstown. What a sweet career he's had, and not only full of big numbers but consistency as well. And then we heard about his steroid trouble. As a baseball purist, I'm really struggling with Palmeiro's positive test. I still believe that his numbers are Hall-worthy, and I've enjoyed watching him play over the years. But he cheated, and he got caught cheating. It doesn't matter if it was intentional or not, the fact is he got busted. And that, my friends, is why he should NOT be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Heck, if Pete Rose isn't a member of the Hall for what he did, then Raffy shouldn't be either.

And the sickest thing about this news? Jose Canseco might actually have been right. I don't know if I'm rushing out to buy his book yet, but Jose definitely had a good week. And it wasn't because Janice Dickinson hit on him on "The Surreal Life."

--What's up with the Lynx?

These guys baffle me. In my opinion, the Lynx have had amazing opportunities in the past couple of drafts to get homegrown stars like Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville of Gopher All-America fame. Granted, they may have had to draft up and give up talent and draft picks to do it, perhaps making the team less competitive in the short term. But you had an opportunity to get two of the most cherished female athletes this state has ever seen, and you let it go. You may lose a few games, but haven't you been losing games since you started? Also, even if you lose, I guarantee that attendance would have been up, as people really loved these two charismatic young role models. In the WNBA, and the Target Center for sure, there are LOTS of good seats available for every game. And in a league where money talks, the Lynx probably would have had some more of it - which they could have reinvested in the team however they wished.

And then they went and traded their franchise player, depleting your talent and tossing in your playoff towel...and you still don't have anything to draw in the fans. I'm sorry, but this is exactly the kind of series of events that explain clearly why no one in the Twin Cities cares about the Lynx.

--Gopher Football Practice Started! Woo hoo...even though I'll be lucky to attend one game this year after going to EVERY game for the last 7 years, these guys will be fun to watch. That is, until their Big Ten opener against Purdue. The jury's still out on this team, because I don't see a big difference between this team and the one that blew a top-10 ranking against Michigan and then mailed it in the rest of the last two seasons. And with a tougher Big Ten schedule, it gets even tougher for the Gophers. I think they'll go bowling again, but until they can prove they're worthy of the pressure, I can't pencil them into Pasadena, Orlando or even Tampa. But will it ever be fun to watch Maroney this year...for those of you who haven't had the pleasure of seeing him live, he's one of the best pure runners I've ever seen.

Gotta run. Check out the 3M Championship this weekend!

Twins notes

Too bad about Tori. I guess I am ready to call it a season for the Twins given the results of their road trip and their inability to make a trade to improve the team at the deadline. I heard the Twins had an offer to trade for Soriano. In exchange, they would have given up a really good minor league picture, Loshe, and Romero. I think Soriano would have changed the complexion of the team, but I guess this trade wasn't a good deal in Terry Ryan's mind.

At least we still have the Vikings to distract us from the last two months of this tailspin.

Torii's Hurt

This is what the Twins were saying after last night's game in Boston. Torii Hunter is down, and that's not good. Just my opinion, but with this setback the Twins are toast. It doesn't matter how long he's out...not a chance of making the playoffs. Hate to say it, but facts are facts.

But this also hurts for me on a personal level. He's a great centerfielder, and he's the Twins undisputed leader. But he's a great person too. Back in my college days, when I did production work with Fox Sports Net, I worked quite a few Twins games and helped bring the TV telecasts to the visiting team's markets. In my down time before the games, I did what any baseball lover with an all-access media credential would do: I hit the field. I leaned on the batting cages and watched the bombs fly. I stood with the players as they loosened up and played catch. I sat in the dugout and spat sunflower seeds. I got to know some players, and I had a truly wonderful summer.

And when I was doing all this, one Twins player was always there with a smile and a handshake for me: Torii Hunter. He always wanted my latest news. He was there to offer congratulations when things were going well, and a word of encouragement when they weren't. I was for the most part a complete stranger with a press credential - but I showed interest, and he took it from there.

I miss those days. And ever since, I've rooted a little harder for Torii than the others. So it follows naturally that I feel a bit worse now that he's out of the lineup. Torii, to give you some advice that you always gave me, keep after it, and don't lose sight of your goal, man. You'll get it done.

High School Sports Season...

Well, we're nearing the end of July, and that means a couple of things:

• two months to go in the MLB season
• a few short weeks until football starts
• and of course, a few short weeks until high school sports begin again

Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to see the NFL, NHL and NBA start and the MLB playoffs begin. But the fall is also a wonderful time of year because...there's high school sports to follow. Here are a couple subplots I'll be following this fall:

1. A New Era for Lakeville Schools

Beginning this fall, Lakeville will have two high schools, North and South. The Panthers and the Cougars. Red and black, and red and gold. Of course, the school will provide many more opportunities for kids to participate in sports and should help improve academics in the district, and that's what it's really all about. But, if anyone can be critical of the decision, they'll likely cite the fact that Lakeville is the two-time defending Challenge Cup champion. The Cup is given to the high school with the best overall athletics and activities program each year, based on performance, and being as involved as I was during my years there I'm proud of what my alma mater became.

But it's a new day. I was raised in South's new territory, and so I'm particularly interested to see how the athletic programs fare this fall. Granted, who expects much out of a new athletics department? Not me. Eastview is the next-newest Lake Conference school, and it took them a few years to build a strong program. And I would expect that Lakeville South will be much the same on the playing field. But where does a pure bred Panther stake his allegiance when it comes time for the inaugural North/South gridiron war? As the saying goes, it might be a game-time decision.

2. More of the Same?

This will be my second fall announcing high school football games, and as a long-time fan, I've noticed a few trends that I'm sorry to say I'm getting tired of. First, the Eden Prairie football program continues to dominate. Take nothing away from the kids, who come out in droves every year and work very hard to be the best. An Eden Prairie football roster takes three pages of paper, and depth charts go five to ten deep depending on position. Wow.

So maybe it would follow that their coach should be demanding. Well, Mike Grant is definitely that. And quite honestly, I wouldn't be unhappy to see him endure two or more losses this year. When my Panthers ended EP's mammoth winning streak in Eden Prairie two seasons ago, Grant gave no credit at all to a #1-ranked and future state championship team that ended his record streak on his home field - and then beat them soundly in the state playoffs that year. He gave the Jefferson Jaguars no credit at all when they took the Eagles to the brink before losing in last year's regular season finale in a matchup of undefeated, top-ten ranked teams. As the son of a former Vikings legendary coach, he knows more about the game of football than I ever will, and he is undoubtedly a leading high school coach that could likely move up the ladder if he wanted. But will Eden Prairie continue its domination, and if not, will Coach Grant remember his manners?

From one Lake Conference football streak to another, I'm sick of Bloomington Kennedy going winless. Die-hard Eagle fans have waited a LONG time now for a victory, and will this be the year the streak ends? They return a good core from last year's team, but will it be enough? You heard it here first - there will be a post-game party on Bloomington's East Side some time this fall.

Across the metro, will Cretin Derham-Hall continue its football prowess now that it's a member of a real conference? I'm sorry, but all games in the old St. Paul City conference should be struck from the record books because they simply weren't fair. Last year was better, as Cretin teams played an independent schedule of top teams in the area. So how will they fare in a decent football conference, featuring the likes of Hastings, Woodbury and White Bear Lake on a regular basis? Time will tell.

And outside of football, can the Lake continue its absolute dominance of volleyball? Take a look in the rankings at any time this season and I'll bet there will be at least 5 conference teams among the top ten. Eagan and Chaska have been great lately, with Eden Prairie, Lakeville and Jefferson challenging. If you're into every single contest having an impact on a conference title race, look no further than Lake Conference volleyball.

Lots of great stuff to watch. And I'll do my best to stay on top of it for you.

The NHL is Back!

Hey, what's up...

A few people have asked me what I think of the NHL coming back. I love hockey, and the NHL's return is cause for great celebration. I look forward to watching games again...that is, if someone with a national television station wants to put up any money to broadcast the games. Sheesh.

The rule changes seem okay, for the most part. Fans of the game in the Carolinas, Texass, Florida and Arizona (all two of them) and television executives are begging for more scoring. And granted, I wouldn't mind seeing Sakic, Jagr, Gaborik and company scoring 60-plus goals a year with regularity. Who doesn't love offense in hockey? Taking out the red line might be a good idea, because it could speed up the game. Shrinking goalie pads? Okay, I suppose. Calling obstruction? A worthy effort.

But shootouts??? Give me a break. When entire seasons can be won or lost on a single wrist shot, the game of hockey breaks down. For all time, hockey has been a team game. Did Howe and Gretzky do all that scoring by themselves? How do you think the Edmonton Oilers of the 1980s won all those Cups? Shootouts would produce some immediate, cheap thrills, and may give home crowds more to cheer about a few nights a year. But it could have as much of a damaging effect on the game long-term as any major rule change in history. And seriously - do you think the 2003 Wild, a team that went to the Western Conference finals, would have even made the playoffs if they were facing penalty shots against the likes of Tkachuk, Modano, Forsberg and the great shooters of the West one out of every three or four games? I doubt it.

Also, offense is made to be defended, and defense wins championships. Do you honestly think that hockey coaches will turn a blind eye and allow their defense to give up more goals per game? The truly bright coaching minds in the league will continue to earn their salaries and devise schemes to counteract the rule changes. Who knows what they'll come up with, but like the advent of the Jacques Lemaire neutral zone trap (that won the 1995 Cup for the Devils), something's bound to change.

Bring on the NHL - I've missed it. Just don't make it so those wonderful hockey-playing Canadians don't recognize their national sport anymore.

A Gopher Football Stadium?

Of course, one of the great debates in the Twin Cities today is whether the Gophers should get a new outdoor football stadium. And how does this stadium fit in with the proposed Twins and Vikings stadiums? Which comes first? Who pays for it?

First off, I see no reason at all why the Gophers shouldn't have their own stadium. Memorial Stadium was leveled before my time at the U, but I grieve anyway when I hear teary-eyed accounts of Gameday in the old Memorial Stadium on campus, with the tailgating and the marching band coming down University Avenue and the weather. As a former marching band member and passionate Gopher alumnus myself, I would LOVE to see this come back to campus.

Who should pay for it? There are obviously several options out there. But one item not getting much discussion: alumni fundraising. I know lots of fellow Gophers that would join me in spending some money so that a stadium could be built. Maybe we each give $100, and we get our name etched into a brick or something. Maybe $1,000 donors get their name on the back of a seat. I don't care how you do it - the team belongs to the University, the state and the alumni that have suffered through several fall seasons inside the Dome. There are lots of us out there - we don't always pack the Dome, but then again, sometimes there are reasons for that. And there are several of us that would do our part to help the stadium effort.

I also believe that the Gophers stadium issue is independent of the Twins and Vikings. The University of Minnesota is a public institution - it is owned by all Minnesotans. If there is demand with the masses, as has been the case, then there should be something done about it. I'm not saying the Twins and Vikings can't get a new stadium, or that I'm not for both of them. I believe they both would be wonderful additions to the community. But why can't our legislators and University leadership work together to do something that's so obviously good for the fabric of the school? This to me has no bearing at all on the other stadiums, especially when the infrastructure (land, parking, etc) is already in place.

In short, in the absense of University and corporate funding and leadership, give passionate Gopher fans the opportunity to put their money where their mouths are. Get the leaders involved past the bureaucratic and political red tape, and get it done. The economic impact around campus would be huge - but more importantly, it would be a huge boost to Gopher pride everywhere. Build it and the true fans, the tens of thousands of die-hard maroon and gold bleeders, will come.

The Sports Ace Kicks Off!

HELLO!! Thank you for checking out The Sports Ace! I hope you enjoy this blog, and that you all check it out regularly.

As a pseudo-journalist with his own blog, I feel compelled to disclose my biases, so when I get going on something you all can see where I'm coming from. So here we go:

• I was born and raised in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, went to college at the University of Minnesota and currently live in a Twin Cities suburb. I respect a great many teams and individuals around the world, but I am first and foremost a Gophers, Twins, Vikings, Wild and Timberwolves fan. It is these teams that make me laugh, cry, celebrate, jeer, yell and scowl. And in prep sports, I was raised in the Lake Conference. I have announced games for five years in the Lake Conference. And I live near a Lake Conference school. I know as much about the Lake as anyone, and I am a true believer that it is the best collection of high schools in the state in terms of overall excellence in athletics, arts and academics.
• I believe sports are all about testing yourself, and the emotion and the feelings that come with victory, defeat and the pursuit of excellence. How does Tiger Woods feel when he's standing over a 20-footer for the Masters title? A high-school sophomore on the free throw line with no time on the clock, his team losing by one and two shots coming? A high school football team embarking on its first day of practice in the fall? Every sports story in the world is a function of the basic question: what do you have, and how do you use it? And it is this emotion that I try to convey somehow in every game I call.
• I am a passionate high school sports fan. I believe that you can find more of this raw emotion I speak of in high school sports than at any other level. For five years I have been a play-by-play and color announcer for high school football, basketball and hockey games in Bloomington, Minnesota. I have seen truly great kids win state championships and others suffer through winless seasons, but it takes the same commitment to play sports whether you win two or 20 games in a season. And that effort and drive to excel never fails to impress me.
• I am an athlete myself. I don't come from an athletic family, and I was never all-state by any means, but I did play high school tennis and normally hold my own when on the field of battle. There are lots of things I don't know, but I consider myself to be a sort of expert in the field and an acute observer and consumer of all types of sport. Hopefully I get you to think of things a bit differently once in a while...
• I hate the Yankees. They are the epitome of everything that is wrong with the game of baseball, and they truly do play on a different field than my beloved Twins. Plus, of course, they've eliminated the Twins from the playoffs the past two years.

That ought to get us started. See you around!