Despite the over-love that closers get, I still couldn't bring myself to watch Joe Nathan give a postgame interview for another team last night.
109 thoughts on “April 26, 2013: Attachments”
A great cast and an interesting idea; I hope this pilot gets legs
Wild Playoff Chase
If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
None of the games went the way the Wild would have preferred last night. Columbus won, so the Wild's magic number (WMN) for a playoff berth remains at two. Detroit won, so Minnesota is currently in the 8th spot. St. Louis won, so the Wild cannot finish higher than the 6 seed.
Edmonton @ Minnesota - The first of two shots, on back-to-back nights, to win their way into the postseason.
In a situation like this, part of me would normally be rooting for the epic meltdown. But, Dagnabbit, we've had enough with the crap around here.
Let's! Go! Wild!
It would be truly epic at this point, back-to-back losses to the two worst teams in the conference is the only way the Wild miss out.
Dave Poole in the endzone! Touchdown Cardinals!!
The Vikings would absolutely pull it off.
I thought it was "Nate," but I'll never forget "Poole" either way.
It was Nate.
See how the brain tries to block out painful memories?
Heh. I was certainly willing to believe that my brain had done so. No such luck.
Fortunately, as Zack noted below, the Paul Allen reaction makes it more of a happy memory for me.
I actually feel that, considering that the Vikings weren't a threat to win the Super Bowl that year, it was much more interesting to have a crushing defeat to a terrible team in the regular season than it would have been to lose a beatdown to an established superpower a week later.
That second scenario sounds recently familiar.
Eh. That Week 17 Packers/Vikings game was a great game. More than worth the beatdown that happened the next week, in my opinion.
Those playoffs were probably sour anyway, right spooky?
What Spoons said. It was a beautiful collapse.
Schöne Einstüzende NeuVikings
Bad German, but I can't be bothered to look it up or fix it.
What AMR said. It was absolutely beautiful. Which is why I would normally be pulling for that Wild collapse. But I'm weary of collapses, beautiful or otherwise.
The Wild don't appear to share your distaste for collapses.
A True Minnesotan Team.
NO! NO! NO!
Ugh. Just realized I'll be bartending at the church's silent auction during the game.
How does this work? Do you have hand signals?
Much less exciting: A sheet of paper next to the item. When the auction closes, the highest bidder is the winner. Toward the end of the night, some choose to hover near their target to make sure they remain the top bidder.
I sit in the kitchen drinking beer and serving beer and wine to the bidders.
It would be cool if the bartending/ordering of drinks had to be silent as well.
Or if they were subject to the auction process.
Now that's an idea!
Usually, all the husbands end up in the kitchen with me next to the keg. Not too shabby, but I would have loved to see the Wild game tonight.
They're not auctioning a TV?
Possibly, but the old house that the event is hosted in isn't wired for cable. Even if I had bunny ears, I don't think we'll be able to get FSN.
I'm aware of what a silent auction is, this is what my original comment was supposed to be driving at.
I figured as much - I just thought you were aiming more at "silent" whereas I was thinking "3dollarforrumncokedoIhear3dollar3dollar!,3.25doIhave3.25..."
Vikings' sleeve stripes alleged to mimic Viking ships, actually mimic Greek ships. Helmets weren't ruined (still too much black and now a black facemask). Pants striping is a bit funky, because it's assymetrical but not embarrassing because it has no stupid curves. I stand by my original assessment.
Dolphins went and ruined their set, much like the Vikings did a while ago. Or more like the Jags did a while ago, which they now broke in a different way.
again, it's all about getting rid of the stupid, faux collar. Good riddance!
No, about getting rid of the stupid sidepanels.
The Faux Collar was new last year with Nike's new cut of all jerseys. Chargers and Bills (rumored) to be ditching theirs as well, without redesigns.
But your point stands.
Read an article this morning about Brad Johnson. Seems like he can barely move. One wonders what Peyton Manning's post-career life will be like.
similar, but much richer.
I would imagine that Peyton will get daily massage therapy for the rest of his life. With his money, I'd have the masseuse at the house for the morning massage before he gets out of bed.
RIP, George Jones.
🙁
Double 🙁
.
.
Miguel Sano hit his league-leading eighth homer yesterday. He's now hitting .377/.430/.753 in 20 games at high-A.
Kent Hrbek jumped from A ball to the majors in 1981. Just sayin'.
Kent Hrbek was a couple years older. Just sayin'.
he was in his age-21 season and third year of pro ball when called up. Sano is in his age-20 season and in his fourth.
Hrbek was extraordinarily talented. If Buxton and Sano have similar talent, that's not a bad thing. Just sayin'.
I'd be content with another losing season if it means Sano and Buxton get good at hitting MLB pitching and then win a whole bunch of games the next few years after.
yea, I'm not suggesting that they be brought up right now. I'm just saying that the Twins should not always be content with grooming a guy until he's 25-26. Superstars very often arrive in the Majors at 21-22-23. We could use a few more of those.
Ah, I get you now. Then again, Joe Mauer was in the majors at 21. He is, despite his pansiness, a superstar. Hicks is pretty young. The problem hasn't been incessant grooming, it's been a dearth of drop dead superstar talent.
I'm not against Hicks on the ML club, I'm against him having to start CF and leadoff all the time due to no necessarily better alternatives. Put some of the blame on Mastroianni's injury, but still, good as he might be that's a lot of pressure on Hicks.
Liam Hendriks!
A .753 SLG my word.
An ISO of .376. There have been five Twins with a season of at least .300 (min 100 games): Killebrew ('61, '62, and '69; just missed in '63), Don Mincher ('64), and Thome (2010).
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, It was a thrill to see the gentleman masher is a twins uni. I've always wondered how many home runs / long singles he would have hit over / into the trash bag at the dome had he played in his prime for the twins.
It was pretty effing fun, no doubt about it. That HR that he hit to beat the White Sox is on the short list of my favorite non-World Series Twins moments of all time.
i can still hear the hawk's silence after that blast. it was beautiful.
Despite being 19 in a pitcher’s league, #Twins' Miguel Sano is tied with Max Muncy (A's) and Scott Van Slyke (LAD) for most HRs in minors.— Darin McGilvra (@SoCalTwinsfan) April 26, 2013
NFL draft: American football industry is on its deathbed
And yet every day, more American parents decide they're finished with football. Why? Because parents can no longer avoid the fact that football scrambles the human brain.
This is pretty much exactly where I am as a parent. Before it was all talk because we only had a daughter, but now that we'll have a son, I will be doing my best to walk that walk. I don't think it will be extremely difficult, though, because everyone around me says they wouldn't let their kid play football. Basically, my plan is to continue not watching or talking about the NFL so he really won't be much exposed to it growing up.
Thank God the Texas parents are continuing to feed the NFL pipeline.
I'm torn. I had a blast playing football, but maybe if kids' leagues had flag football or somesuch, that would feed the urge. There aren't a lot of team sports like football which require that level of coordinated team play among the individual players, and it would leave a void if it were to totally disappear from schools.
I imagine that void would be filled by something else. Maybe baseball would get huge, that'd be pretty sweet.
Soccer?
That might be more likely, and I have no problem with that, either.
At my school, soccer and cross country were the other boys fall sports. The football guys would make fun of us, but the truth is that soccer training was by far harder workout, especially the endurance running. I think it's by far a lot better team sport to play because there isn't a coach telling you what to do all the time.
Basketball.
That was my other thought, but I figure the next "big" high school sport after football would be played outside.
See, basketball & soccer & hockey & baseball are team sports and all, but none involve so many players in such a concerted effort like 11 football players trying to make a play work. It's a true team effort, on every play. Randy Moss excepted.
The problem with basketball is there are only 5 guys on the court at a time and only 6-8 guys get playing time. Based on my genes and the size of schools in the metro, my kids are doubtful to ever make a varsity basketball team.
Football teams are so big that lots of kids can suit up.
Um, hello?: Marching band.
DING DING DING!! Yes, now there you've nailed it.
Band nerds FTW!
but what would band nerds march to if there's no football?
Well, er, uh . . . why are you trying to make me think on a Friday afternoon? Our pep band did also play for basketball and hockey. And soccer playoff games. (No marching band due to budget cuts.)
I think the correct question is "what would footballers play football to if there's no halftime marching band?"
I was in marching band and never once marched at a football game. It was all parade marching, including the 4th of July parade in Washington, D.C.
RT @stribbizeditor: #Vikings draft coverage is driving huge online traffic at @stribsports, even more than big moments of the Boston saga.
Maybe when the sports TV contract bubble is about to burst, newspapers will chip in some to keep it going.
Because my first thoughts when a bomb goes off in Boston is to hit a Minnesota newspaper's website.
This.
Ugh. The one thing my soon-to-be 10-year-old boy wants more than anything is to play tackle football in the fall.
Just wait a little while, and the thing he'll want more than anything will be... something else.
That's the thing though. We've been using distractions for years now: fall hockey, hurling, more time at the cabin. He and his friends play at recess every day they're allowed and it just doesn't seem to be going away.
You should introduce him to girls. Nevermind.
Your little one plays hurling? That is awesome
Flip Saunders back to Timberwolves as president of basketball operations, Kahn out, league source tells .NBA.com. on.nba.com/Zpo28p— Steve Aschburner (@AschNBA) April 26, 2013
If Adelman retires, maybe Flip can get McHale to come back and coach! 😀
Asch's article says that Flip and Adelman have a pretty decent relationship. I was also hoping Adelman would move upstairs, but... hm. At least Khan won't be running the draft. Hopefully Rick gets things sorted with Mary Kay and he's back on the bench next year.
I'm of the belief that Flip ain't much of a coach, or perhaps too much of a coach. Can he co-exist with Adelman? Does this spell the end of Adelman? I would really hate to see Flip on the bench again. But, we know that Flip knows more about basketball than David Kahn. I was hoping that Adelman would be the GM.
Zack beat me.
Reusse:
Eddie Rosario, 21, is the second baseman at Fort Myers. He had three more hits to raise his average to .357. Doug Mientkiewicz, the Fort Myers manager, said last week in a radio interview that he expects Rosario to be the Twins' second baseman at the start of the 2014 season.
Can he dislodge the second coming of Chuck Knoblauch?
since Rosario is the second coming of Rogers Hornsby, the answer is yes, of course
Turns out it was Loria who demanded the Marlins switch their starters in the doubleheader. Of course, Loria's reasoning backfires.
No reason to need to kick anyone else's @ss on that team when it's the one everyone already wants to kick.
Congratulations! Should that read 5-15 in 2012? You might have lost a number somewhere.
Actually, 5-13, but thanks for pointing that out. I can get it fixed.
Fixed now. Although it would be nice if they didn't break it on a line break, but oh well.
Congratulations! Hope it goes well for you.
Uhh... hmm. In a totally unrelated note, I clicked on the article and the comments opened up allowing me to post with the name of "Bret" and a raccoon avatar. What are you doing on my computer, Higgs?
Hmm, that is interesting. If I knew how it happened, I'd probably be much better at this whole "internet" thing.
A few days ago I mentioned that the Docs thought that my wife she was healthy enough to go back to wearing just an oxygen mask.
Unfortunately this didn't work and on Friday morning the Docs decided to put her back on the ventilation tube. However in order to allow her lungs to heal, this time they will keep her on mechanical ventilation for a long period of time: weeks, maybe months.
This has been a big shock and we are still trying to figure out all the implications of this turn of events. Fortunately for me she is at Fairview University Hospital so I've been able to easily visit her and combine those visits with coming into the office.
Keep those thoughts and prayers coming, but this one is going to take a long time.
wow. yes, you are in our thoughts and prayers
Yikes. Will keep good vibes and prayers in your direction.
ugg. that sucks, free. really sorry to hear this.
Damn. Best wishes, free.
You and your wife remain in our prayers as well.
So sorry to hear this. Please keep us updated on how things are going.
Well, the Wolves are a complete laughingstock.
In statement, David Kahn says he will meet w/Taylor "at appropriate time" to discuss his status, but only after Adelman makes his decision
A great cast and an interesting idea; I hope this pilot gets legs
Wild Playoff Chase
If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.
None of the games went the way the Wild would have preferred last night. Columbus won, so the Wild's magic number (WMN) for a playoff berth remains at two. Detroit won, so Minnesota is currently in the 8th spot. St. Louis won, so the Wild cannot finish higher than the 6 seed.
4. STL* — 58 pts
5. LA* — 57 pts
6. SJ* — 57 pts (WMN = 6)
7. DET — 54 pts (WMN = 4)
8. MIN — 53 pts
————
9. CLB — 53 pts (WMN = 2)
* = clinched playoff spot
Tonight’s Game
Edmonton @ Minnesota - The first of two shots, on back-to-back nights, to win their way into the postseason.
In a situation like this, part of me would normally be rooting for the epic meltdown. But, Dagnabbit, we've had enough with the crap around here.
Let's! Go! Wild!
It would be truly epic at this point, back-to-back losses to the two worst teams in the conference is the only way the Wild miss out.
Dave Poole in the endzone! Touchdown Cardinals!!
The Vikings would absolutely pull it off.
I thought it was "Nate," but I'll never forget "Poole" either way.
It was Nate.
See how the brain tries to block out painful memories?
Heh. I was certainly willing to believe that my brain had done so. No such luck.
Fortunately, as Zack noted below, the Paul Allen reaction makes it more of a happy memory for me.
I actually feel that, considering that the Vikings weren't a threat to win the Super Bowl that year, it was much more interesting to have a crushing defeat to a terrible team in the regular season than it would have been to lose a beatdown to an established superpower a week later.
That second scenario sounds recently familiar.
Eh. That Week 17 Packers/Vikings game was a great game. More than worth the beatdown that happened the next week, in my opinion.
Those playoffs were probably sour anyway, right spooky?
What Spoons said. It was a beautiful collapse.
Schöne Einstüzende NeuVikings
What AMR said. It was absolutely beautiful. Which is why I would normally be pulling for that Wild collapse. But I'm weary of collapses, beautiful or otherwise.
The Wild don't appear to share your distaste for collapses.
A True Minnesotan Team.
NO! NO! NO!
Ugh. Just realized I'll be bartending at the church's silent auction during the game.
How does this work? Do you have hand signals?
Much less exciting: A sheet of paper next to the item. When the auction closes, the highest bidder is the winner. Toward the end of the night, some choose to hover near their target to make sure they remain the top bidder.
I sit in the kitchen drinking beer and serving beer and wine to the bidders.
It would be cool if the bartending/ordering of drinks had to be silent as well.
Or if they were subject to the auction process.
Now that's an idea!
Usually, all the husbands end up in the kitchen with me next to the keg. Not too shabby, but I would have loved to see the Wild game tonight.
They're not auctioning a TV?
Possibly, but the old house that the event is hosted in isn't wired for cable. Even if I had bunny ears, I don't think we'll be able to get FSN.
I'm aware of what a silent auction is, this is what my original comment was supposed to be driving at.
I figured as much - I just thought you were aiming more at "silent" whereas I was thinking "3dollarforrumncokedoIhear3dollar3dollar!,3.25doIhave3.25..."
Vikings' sleeve stripes alleged to mimic Viking ships, actually mimic Greek ships. Helmets weren't ruined (still too much black and now a black facemask). Pants striping is a bit funky, because it's assymetrical but not embarrassing because it has no stupid curves. I stand by my original assessment.
Dolphins went and ruined their set, much like the Vikings did a while ago. Or more like the Jags did a while ago, which they now broke in a different way.
again, it's all about getting rid of the stupid, faux collar. Good riddance!
No, about getting rid of the stupid sidepanels.
The Faux Collar was new last year with Nike's new cut of all jerseys. Chargers and Bills (rumored) to be ditching theirs as well, without redesigns.
But your point stands.
Read an article this morning about Brad Johnson. Seems like he can barely move. One wonders what Peyton Manning's post-career life will be like.
similar, but much richer.
I would imagine that Peyton will get daily massage therapy for the rest of his life. With his money, I'd have the masseuse at the house for the morning massage before he gets out of bed.
RIP, George Jones.
🙁
Double 🙁
.
.
The future looks bright, my friends.
Kent Hrbek jumped from A ball to the majors in 1981. Just sayin'.
Kent Hrbek was a couple years older. Just sayin'.
he was in his age-21 season and third year of pro ball when called up. Sano is in his age-20 season and in his fourth.
Hrbek was extraordinarily talented. If Buxton and Sano have similar talent, that's not a bad thing. Just sayin'.
I'd be content with another losing season if it means Sano and Buxton get good at hitting MLB pitching and then win a whole bunch of games the next few years after.
yea, I'm not suggesting that they be brought up right now. I'm just saying that the Twins should not always be content with grooming a guy until he's 25-26. Superstars very often arrive in the Majors at 21-22-23. We could use a few more of those.
Ah, I get you now. Then again, Joe Mauer was in the majors at 21. He is, despite his pansiness, a superstar. Hicks is pretty young. The problem hasn't been incessant grooming, it's been a dearth of drop dead superstar talent.
I'm not against Hicks on the ML club, I'm against him having to start CF and leadoff all the time due to no necessarily better alternatives. Put some of the blame on Mastroianni's injury, but still, good as he might be that's a lot of pressure on Hicks.
Liam Hendriks!
A .753 SLG my word.
An ISO of .376. There have been five Twins with a season of at least .300 (min 100 games): Killebrew ('61, '62, and '69; just missed in '63), Don Mincher ('64), and Thome (2010).
I've said it before, and I'll say it again, It was a thrill to see the gentleman masher is a twins uni. I've always wondered how many home runs / long singles he would have hit over / into the trash bag at the dome had he played in his prime for the twins.
It was pretty effing fun, no doubt about it. That HR that he hit to beat the White Sox is on the short list of my favorite non-World Series Twins moments of all time.
i can still hear the hawk's silence after that blast. it was beautiful.
News to me.
This is pretty much exactly where I am as a parent. Before it was all talk because we only had a daughter, but now that we'll have a son, I will be doing my best to walk that walk. I don't think it will be extremely difficult, though, because everyone around me says they wouldn't let their kid play football. Basically, my plan is to continue not watching or talking about the NFL so he really won't be much exposed to it growing up.
Thank God the Texas parents are continuing to feed the NFL pipeline.
I'm torn. I had a blast playing football, but maybe if kids' leagues had flag football or somesuch, that would feed the urge. There aren't a lot of team sports like football which require that level of coordinated team play among the individual players, and it would leave a void if it were to totally disappear from schools.
I imagine that void would be filled by something else. Maybe baseball would get huge, that'd be pretty sweet.
Soccer?
That might be more likely, and I have no problem with that, either.
At my school, soccer and cross country were the other boys fall sports. The football guys would make fun of us, but the truth is that soccer training was by far harder workout, especially the endurance running. I think it's by far a lot better team sport to play because there isn't a coach telling you what to do all the time.
Basketball.
That was my other thought, but I figure the next "big" high school sport after football would be played outside.
See, basketball & soccer & hockey & baseball are team sports and all, but none involve so many players in such a concerted effort like 11 football players trying to make a play work. It's a true team effort, on every play. Randy Moss excepted.
The problem with basketball is there are only 5 guys on the court at a time and only 6-8 guys get playing time. Based on my genes and the size of schools in the metro, my kids are doubtful to ever make a varsity basketball team.
Football teams are so big that lots of kids can suit up.
Um, hello?: Marching band.
DING DING DING!! Yes, now there you've nailed it.
Band nerds FTW!
but what would band nerds march to if there's no football?
Well, er, uh . . . why are you trying to make me think on a Friday afternoon? Our pep band did also play for basketball and hockey. And soccer playoff games. (No marching band due to budget cuts.)
I think the correct question is "what would footballers play football to if there's no halftime marching band?"
I was in marching band and never once marched at a football game. It was all parade marching, including the 4th of July parade in Washington, D.C.
Maybe when the sports TV contract bubble is about to burst, newspapers will chip in some to keep it going.
Because my first thoughts when a bomb goes off in Boston is to hit a Minnesota newspaper's website.
This.
Ugh. The one thing my soon-to-be 10-year-old boy wants more than anything is to play tackle football in the fall.
Just wait a little while, and the thing he'll want more than anything will be... something else.
That's the thing though. We've been using distractions for years now: fall hockey, hurling, more time at the cabin. He and his friends play at recess every day they're allowed and it just doesn't seem to be going away.
You should introduce him to girls.Nevermind.Your little one plays hurling? That is awesome
If Adelman retires, maybe Flip can get McHale to come back and coach! 😀
Asch's article says that Flip and Adelman have a pretty decent relationship. I was also hoping Adelman would move upstairs, but... hm. At least Khan won't be running the draft. Hopefully Rick gets things sorted with Mary Kay and he's back on the bench next year.
I don't know how I feel about this.
Zack beat me.
Reusse:
Can he dislodge the second coming of Chuck Knoblauch?
since Rosario is the second coming of Rogers Hornsby, the answer is yes, of course
Turns out it was Loria who demanded the Marlins switch their starters in the doubleheader. Of course, Loria's reasoning backfires.
No reason to need to kick anyone else's @ss on that team when it's the one everyone already wants to kick.
My first "paid" gig to write about the Twins.
Congratulations! Should that read 5-15 in 2012? You might have lost a number somewhere.
Actually, 5-13, but thanks for pointing that out. I can get it fixed.
Fixed now. Although it would be nice if they didn't break it on a line break, but oh well.
Congratulations! Hope it goes well for you.
Uhh... hmm. In a totally unrelated note, I clicked on the article and the comments opened up allowing me to post with the name of "Bret" and a raccoon avatar. What are you doing on my computer, Higgs?
Hmm, that is interesting. If I knew how it happened, I'd probably be much better at this whole "internet" thing.
A few days ago I mentioned that the Docs thought that my wife she was healthy enough to go back to wearing just an oxygen mask.
Unfortunately this didn't work and on Friday morning the Docs decided to put her back on the ventilation tube. However in order to allow her lungs to heal, this time they will keep her on mechanical ventilation for a long period of time: weeks, maybe months.
This has been a big shock and we are still trying to figure out all the implications of this turn of events. Fortunately for me she is at Fairview University Hospital so I've been able to easily visit her and combine those visits with coming into the office.
Keep those thoughts and prayers coming, but this one is going to take a long time.
wow. yes, you are in our thoughts and prayers
Yikes. Will keep good vibes and prayers in your direction.
ugg. that sucks, free. really sorry to hear this.
Damn. Best wishes, free.
You and your wife remain in our prayers as well.
So sorry to hear this. Please keep us updated on how things are going.
Well, the Wolves are a complete laughingstock.
If you aren't watching this Warriors-Nuggets game, too bad for you.
I'm very sad that what will probably be the best series of the playoffs is not on free tv.