Vikings Note

I was going to add this yesterday but figured, hey, I could have something for Tuesday if the Wolves lost.

Half way through the NFL season, only ONE team has more wins than the Vikings (the Eagles).

I'm going to sit back and digest that one for a moment or two.

Wolves OVER .500

The Timberwolves won at Miami last night in OT.

That puts them above .500 at 4-3 for the season. They haven't found themselves in that position for awhile. I'm still not expecting anything this year (or ever for that matter) but at least I can pay attention to what they're doing right now awhile longer.

That's something.

Go Wolves!

Greatest. World. Series. Ever.

And it's only been 5 games.

That ending rivaled game number two.

Me? I was in bed long before it got good. I'm going to buy the entire series at iTunes and watch it when I'm awake.

It's THAT good

The Vikings? I'm glad they won but I missed the entire thing because of the horrible start time. 6-2 with a bye week coming.

The standings are looking great.

Dodgers Win!

I said it before, when two great teams meet, they each should win two. It's the last three games that will determine whose best.

Astros, Wolves Win!

A good evening of sports.

Ravens Rebound After Vikes Loss

They lost Joe Flacco to a concussion, though.

Personally, I didn't see it as a late or bad hit. I've seen enough QBs over the years do jukes and fakes while running up field to know that sometimes they are going to get hit like a real runner.

The slide was late. The tackler was screened just before he got there. The result was painful, but not dirty.

Suh, the defensive lineman who has been doing dirty stuff his entire career? That's different. Picking the backup QB up by the throat and doing his best Darth Vader impression? That's blatant. Just like everything else Suh has done over the years. I don't no why he is still in the league.

Item Of the Day

Wolves Get Kicked

Of course they did.

Houston Rallies In Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh. Wins!

What a game! Possibly the best single baseball game of all-time.

And I went to bed after the seventh.

sigh

Kershaw, Dodgers Dominate

It was fast and painless. Just like a World Series opener should be.

The Wolves got kicked last night.

Of course they did...

Eagles Flying, Series Starts

The Eagles are now 6-1 after sweeping the season series with division rivals Washington last night.

I missed most of it. I don't care for either team.

The World Series starts tonight. My main rooting points are good close games, great pitching, and that the Series goes 7 games.

I don't really care who wins as long as the main criteria are met.

But...

...Go Astros!!!

Vikings!

1 turnover. 169 yards rushing. 188 yards passing. Great defense.

The recipe for success in the NFL.

After 7 weeks of the season, the Vikings have the same record as the New England Patriots at 5-2.

I'll take it.

I'm a little bummed that they play in London next week. I MIGHT get to see part of the fourth quarter after church. And then they have a bye week...

Go Vikings!

NBA Standings

Don't get used to it, but the Wolves are currently ahead  Golden State in the Western Division standings.

Go Wolves!!

Vikings

I don't think anyone has really been able to "read" what kind of team the Vikings are this season.

Are they going to finish 11-5 and win the division OR are they going to finish 7-9 or 6-10 out of the hunt?

I don't know either. We have a back-up QB starting who has been both brilliant and average, depending on the week. The Vikings say they want Bridgewater back in the mix before the end of the season to see if he's worth hanging on to, so that means our current starter is not our REAL starter, yet. All 3 of our QBs are free-agents at the end of the season, so the Vikings have some tough decisions ahead of them. Bradford, and his arthritic, hobbled knees, will probably not see another down for the Vikings.

Our running game? Let's just say it would not be our first choice, but injuries force game plans and moves more than season-long strategies.

The defense seems better than ever, but if the offense can't move the ball, even the best defenses break down and get weary.

Today's game? I guess we'll have to wait and see. At least the Ravens look average this season, just like everyone else.

Houston!

The Yankees could generate no offense last night.

It's an Astros/Dodgers World Series.

A lot of baseball fans I know weren't even going to WATCH the  Series if it was Yankees/Dodgers, so for many it a wish come true.

For me, THAT is exactly what a game seven should have been. Dominant pitching and decisive.

Go Astros!!

Houston Behind Verlander Wins!

I've always like game sevens.  We have one tonight.

Oh, and the Timberwolves defeated the Jazz in their home opener last night. It was weird seeing Rubio on the other side.

Dodgers!

The Dodgers were the best team in baseball this year, even with that weird losing streak near the end.

They proved it again last night by crushing the Cubs and going the World Series.

Hernandez and Kershaw put on a show.

The Yankees try to wrap up it tonight for the American League.

Football? KC lost again last night. Just like that, every team seems average.

Yankees Take Series Lead, Cubs Win One

I admit that even though the Twins aren't playing, these seven games series have some intrigue.

Maybe that's the mystique of baseball. You never get that many chances to get to know a team and beat them in the regular season. But here, the law of averages also catches up with you. IF both teams are good, they really should beat each other a couple of times each. It's those last three games that make all the difference.

Hoping the Cubs win a couple of more games to make it interesting. Realizing the Yankees probably aren't going to lose the last two in Houston.

I'm still looking forward to the Series.

Oh, and the Wolves got beat.

Of course they did...

Baseball And The NBA

The Yankees won again yesterday. So did the Dodgers.

The two biggest markets with the two biggest payrolls are on a roll. Those two teams will probably get baseball better World Series ratings, BUT it's starting to prove, all over again, that the biggest markets, with the most money to spend, can buy their way to the Series.

The NBA is finding out the same thing. There are MAYBE 4 contenders for the NBA Championship this year, and its the same 4 who are always recently mentioned. I'd like to have hope for the Wolves this year, as good as they look on paper, but even Michael Jordan admitted that it probably going to be the 3 or 4 teams everyone always mentions.

The only thing that could stop that from happening are injuries. Boston is one of those teams mentioned. They lost one of their "new, exciting" stars last night minutes into their season opener. It was a broken tibia and a major ankle dislocation. That's a nightmare to start the season on.

The Wolves? Tomorrow night at San Antonio. San Antonio? Yes, they're one of those "four teams."

sigh

Yankees and Football

The Yankees are never out of any series.

Last night they showed us why. Great pitching and a rookie's power squelched the Astro's advantage. I'm still not picking any teams for the Series, but I am enjoying some of the spectacle of post-season baseball.

There was a time when Monday Night Football meant something. Those times are over. Last night, the game featured two losing teams, one which was playing .500 ball by the end of the night.  It might not be just the anthem protests that are leading to football's sliding ratings...

Cubs Lose Again

A three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth with two outs gave the Dodgers the win. It's not looking good for the Cubs.

No Aaron Rodgers? No Problem!

I hate to make light of an injury, but the Packers found out yesterday how important one person can be in their line-up. Without Rodgers, the Pack became a very, very average football team.

The Vikings have been losing key personnel like that for the last year and a half, yet have managed to stay very competitive despite those key injuries.

And word has it that Teddy Bridgewater is set to be cleared. Even now we're hearing more about just how bad his knee injury REALLY was. Some are saying the injury was so bad that it could have actually cost him his leg. The medical responders and their quick, smart action when it happened are the only thing that kept him "whole."

That he's even thinking about returning to the full-time position is a medical miracle. Packer fans should be thankful that with Rodgers that it is just another broken collar bone. Yes, it pretty much wrecked a good season. But, he'll be back 100% before long.

The Vikings knee injuries? We don't know if any of the three will ever be back 100%

Football is a weird mistress. Just when you think you have it all figured out, yesterday happened.

Green Bay lost Rodgers and suddenly the Vikings are favored to win the NFC North. The Lions looked hapless yesterday against the normally hapless Saints. The hapless Bears with their new QB actually beat the Ravens. New England needed a horrible call reversal to beat the Jets. The Giants, everybody's doormat, won yesterday AT Denver without ODB.

AND Pittsburgh, the team that lost so badly last week that everybody thought it was time for Big Ben to retire, beat the best team in the league, the Chiefs, AT KC!!!

All of the sudden, every single team is excited about their chances.

That's just what one week of NFL football gave us.

I know I'm more excited about next week's games.

Vikings/Packers

I'd be more excited about this game if the Vikes were more healthy. But it seems like we'll never be more healthy. Two top QBs out with knee injuries. Our only really good running back out with a knee injury.

It's going to be a long season.

And it's a good day for a church business meeting.

Yankees Lose Again!

Another great pitching duel. Another loss for everyone's favorite villains.

There's a flip-side as well. The Cubs, America's team, got beat by the Dodgers last night too. We got to see a catcher illegally guarding home plate again last night as well. I like the idea of the rule, but let's face it. The guy was out. The rule made him safe. IF a catcher moves into position to catch the ball before he has the ball, that seems normal. But baseball has decided that THAT is blocking the plate.

Poor Cubs. That one play turned the game around.

sigh

Number 5 Washington, Number 10 Auburn LOSE

This would have been a great year to watch college football...

...oh, that's right.

The 4 team play-off at the end.

Never mind.

#2 Clemson Upset

Okay, getting beat by an unranked team is pretty cool. IF I knew that game was on I would have watched it over baseball.

Yankees Lose!

The AL championship series got off to a great start. Go Houston!

Cubs Win

It was a good game until Chicago broke it open. Washington rallied but not enough. That plus a challenge play ended the Nationals season.

No biggie. I'm watching some baseball again, but have no REAL rooting interest. I don't like the Yankees much, but if they win the whole thing, it simply makes the Twins look better.

This is the first year I really noticed the pace or speed of the games. They are much longer than I remember. I might be losing my interest in the sport.

Last night Gotham was written by Ben McKenzie, the actor who pays James Gordon. Wow. He knows the characters and HOW to tell a story. Their best episode yet. And that's saying a lot.

Maybe I'd rather watch scripted television than live events. Sports that aren't YOUR team start to suffer by comparison. With things like Hulu, Netfix, and Apple TV, there's always something good on.

Yankees Win

I don't get how they do it.

Cleveland won something like 47 straight games toward the end of the season. Their ace, Corey Kluber, was a lock for all the post season pitching awards.

And yet, boom, the Yankees are in yet another post season championship series because they came back and beat Cleveland three straight to take that series.

I guess big market money does beat small market success.

Yankees play the Astros next.

I sure wouldn't bet against them.

Game 5 today between the Cubs and Nationals. The Cubs won last year so I'm going for a Nationals win.

Anthem Debate

It's certainly getting more interesting.

Jerry Jones said he expects his players to stand. The commissioner has reversed himself and said that the perception of players not standing is hurting the league's popularity. (Viewing is down a whopping 18% since the beginning of last season.) He said he now wants all players to stand, and he and the league owners will get together to figure out how to make that happen.

People are divided over the issue. (BIG surprise.)

The NFL is now in a tough space. People are threatening to boycott the NFL if they make the players stand. People are threatening to boycott the league even more (including sponsors) if the players aren't all standing soon.

My take? No one should use the National Anthem as a bargaining chip or a political tool when it comes to protest or debate.

Ever.

Because this is what will always happen.

If you're a person who thinks that political or philosophical change is needed in any area of American life, DO something tangible to change it. It doesn't take courage to stand or kneel for the anthem. Let's just say standing is expected. It shows respect for your flag and your country.

You might not like everything the government does. You might not like the military. You might not like the police. You may not agree with every law. But the processes are currently in place that allow you, and others who think like you, to change the things you don't like.

Having that ability is why you respect this country and its flag and anthem.

Now, here's the hard part. Real change takes time, effort, money, and lots of people supporting an idea. AND, this part is really important, even if you do all theses things, change MAY NOT occur.

You see that's the problem of living in a democracy, the majority get their way most of the time. That's also the biggest joy of living in a democracy as well.

Your opinion does matter, but just because YOU believe it, that doesn't make it true, valid, or feasible. If you take shortcuts (like kneeling for the anthem or calling for no-win scenario sponsor boycotts) people will hate you not because of your ideas, they will hate you because you are a coward who is not willing to invest time and money and REAL effort into your cause.

Shortcuts are for cowards and wanna' be's.

Grow up. Stop pouting. Put on your big girl panties. Roll up your sleeves and get to work.

And, for crying out loud, do some real research. Your emotions and opinions mean nothing against the facts. At least get your facts straight even if you still choose the cowardly way out.

Vikings!

Okay, let's start with the Bears.

Even with their new QB, they are not a good football team.

Sam Bradford? He may have started but he was awful. He still looked hurt and immobile.

The defense? Good throughout the night. The fake punt was the special team's fault. Smith's INT gave us the win.

Keenum? Right now, the better choice, by far.

The run game? Good last night. McKinnon looked great rushing and receiving.

We won.

Barely.

Against the Bears.

3-2 is way better than 2-3.

Green Bay

I TRIED to be a good Viking's fan yesterday and root against the Packers against Dallas, but when it came down to that last drive that gave Green Bay the win I was rooting FOR Rodgers and the Packers all the way.

It's just so much fun watching a team that good.

I figure the Vikes without a running game ...again... are going to struggle the rest of the season...again... no matter what the Pack does. I want the Vikings to win, but I don't see why the Packers can't win as well.

At the end of the season, we'll see which team goes further in the playoffs.

Go Vikes!!

Go Pack!

Go Patriots.

May the best team win.

Upsets in College

I used to watch college football games, waiting for these types of upsets, knowing that ANY loss could cost these teams the season.

Now?

eh

I didn't watch any of them because the losses don't matter with the play-off.

Don't tell me football is better with the play-off at the end.

Cleveland Beats Yankees With Walk-Off Homer in 13th!!!

I'm living vicariously through the Indians right now.

Indians Shutout Yankees

That's all the good sports news I needed to read this morning.

Gotham on Fox last night was the best Batman tv show and/or movie I have ever seen. That only 3 million people watch it every week is as perplexing as it gets. I get why people who don't like the movies wouldn't watch, but Bruce Wayne gradually becoming Batman under the tutelage of his faithful butler is probably the best thing on television right now.

The biggest surprise of the television season for me so far is Fox's Orville. CBS's reboot of Star Trek this season was just awful. Seth McFarlane, better known for his crude and adult comedy cartoons like Family Guy and American Dad, has launched his own version of Star Trek this season. Keeping the "adult humor" at a minimum, he has managed to bring Star Trek to a whole new generation of eager Star Trek fans. Having HUGE guest stars like Liam Neeson, and Charlize Theron adds to the mystique of course, but having people like Star Trek veterans like Brannon Braga on board helps even more. Last night's episode had Jonathan Frakes directing. It was their best so far.

Yes, McFarlane still wants his silly humor, but he's starting to find the right balance. I'll take this version over the travesty that CBS is perpetrating any day. I won't give it a ringing endorsement, but I'll keep watching for now.

The Mayo Clinic Verizons Win Their FOURTH WNBA Title!!!

They beat the Equitrust Verizons in a hard fought game 5 last night!

I actually watched the last six minutes. It reminded me  a lot of the NBA. Not the quality of play, but how LONG those last 6 minutes lasted.

Mayo Clinic Verizons!!!!

Whooo!!!

sigh

Everyone I talked to in the last few weeks agreed that Ervin Santana and Kyle Gibson had kind of traded places over the last few weeks. Gibson had become the reliable starter while Santana had inexplicably became the guy that gave up lots of home runs and big innings early.

Our observations became painfully obvious to everyone last night as, staked to a three-run lead in an explosive top of the first, he quickly gave it all back in the bottom of the first.

You kind of knew the season was over at that point. I went to bed in the bottom of the third.

Enough was enough.

A good season ended on a sour note.

Twins At Yankees Tonight

I know I'm pessimistic about this (most likely everyone who is a Twins' fan has similar feelings) but it is our very first play-off game in a number of years, so I'm planning on watching most of it as long as we're not blown out early.

Not optimistic, but hopeful...

Go Twins!!!

Twins End Regular Season On High Note!!!

Castro!!
Gimenez!!
Colon!!

And the Twins bullpen is rested and their rotation is set.

All of this excitement just for the privilege of losing one more game to the Yankees in New York.

The Twins finished the season with 206 home runs. Their third best total of all-time. We were 16th in all of baseball. The Yankees were first with 241.

sigh...

Defense Great and A Riddle

It  sure wasn't the defense's fault the Vikings lost yesterday. They were phenomenal.

Here's the riddle:

What do Terry Bridgewater, Sam Bradford, and Dalvin Cook all have in common?

Their knees went out and nobody touched them.

Case Keenum To Start

AND the Vikes are favored at home today against the Lions.

I don't anticipate a Vikes win, myself. It really depends on Keenum and the defense. IF they look good, we may have a QB controversy brewing.

I don't see it, but it's a good position to be in.

Realistically?

I don't see how the Vikes can be favored.

Twins Lose Meaningless Game, Romine Plays All Nine Positions

A fun end-of-season game for Detroit. I BELIEVE the Twins stayed healthy. One game left. Everybody is just waiting for Tuesday.