Sporting the Twin Cities:
Woe is football

-- Andrea Jackley

The autumn months just before winter bring many reasons for sports fans to give thanks. There is the impending delight of the collegiate bowl announcements, professional football is in full swing in the mid-weeks of the season, hockey has established a preemptive course and basketball is up-and-running.

Unfortunately, November in Minnesota had sports fans re-thinking their Thanksgiving benedictions. With several more-than-lackluster performances by our (presumably) favorite football teams, the highly gluttonous and enjoyable holiday tradition of stuffing ourselves and relaxing in front of the TV for a long afternoon (and evening) of football was almost a little depressing.

No worries, though—Christmas is right around the corner.

The Vikings
Well Vikings fans, another [couple] has bit the dust. It was a somewhat excusable, although in Brad Johnson’s words, embarrassing, loss to the Patriots (currently first place in the AFC East) during Monday Night Football 31–7. Pardon the grisly details, but it was the worst home-loss the Vikings have suffered in five seasons (since the 33–3 loss to Jacksonville on Dec. 23, 2001). Former Gopher’s star Laurence Maroney was a key player in the trouncing.

The Vikings went on to completely fall apart against the absolutely awful (not an exaggeration) San Francisco 49ers on the road the following week, losing 9–3 in a single-touchdown game. Some interesting highlights included two dropped passes by Troy Williamson, a second-quarter fumble by Brad Johnson (that helped set-up a 49ers field goal), a third-quarter interception at the 49ers 30-yard line and an illegal blocking penalty on Travis Taylor that brought back a 65-yard touch down catch by Chester Taylor.

As I look forward to this Sunday’s border battle at the Metrodome, Green Bay’s losing record (3–5, just behind the Vikings) doesn’t mean much. Both teams will be coming in on losing-streak momentum, so getting geared-up for this game will be a challenge.

Gopher SportsThe Gopher football team was a dismal 4–5 until something magical happened: Indiana came to town—for the homecoming game, no less. It was a beautiful day for a team coming off a 44–0 loss (number-one-ranked Ohio), and previously Wisconsin, Penn State, Michigan and Purdue.

Notably, Ernie Wheelwright caught two touchdown passes, and seven Gophers scored in a 63–26 butt-whooping, improving to 4–6 (Indiana fell to 5–5).

Students and fans alike showed their pride by wearing homemade "Fire Mason" t-shirts and leaving by the end of the third quarter (maybe a loss at the Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl won’t cut it this year).

The Gopher men’s basketball team suffered a 2006 Minnesota football-like loss to reigning NCAA Division 2 champs Winona State 69–64 on Wednesday, Nov. 8. It was a troubling game for a team anticipating their season opener against North Dakota State.

"They deserved to win, and I’m glad I don’t have nt that game and we can move on," said Coach Dan Monson. Last season the Gophers started season play with six consecutive losses and ended the season 16–15. It is without much question Monson’s job hinges on the success, or failure, of this season.

The Gopher ladies’ basketball team is facing some of their own challenges these days. The end of last season proved disastrous to the Final Four-achieving organization when five players, including seniors Jamie Broback and Liz Podominick left the team for various reasons, from rocky relations with Coach Pam Borton to playing time.

Admittedly, Kelly Roysland, the only remaining senior and team member left from the 2004 Final Four roster (the only member of the team to have started a collegiate game this season), will have a lot on her shoulders this year. She will be following the footsteps of big names with big expectations, like Lindsay Whalen and Janel McCarville.

"Now I’m the one who has to be there," said Roysland, who won three state high school Class A titles in basketball and two in volleyball. "I haven’t had that on my shoulders since high school."

The Gopher women’s basketball team stands fifth in the nation for attendance.

The undisputed star of all of Gopher sports remains the second-ranked men’s hockey team. As of Friday, Nov. 10, on the eve of the interstate battle against St. Cloud State, the Gophers are riding an eight-game winning streak (the school record being 13)—the best start since the 2001–02 season.

The Gophers also recently announced they have signed six top recruits for next year’s roster: Cade Fairchild, Mike Hoeffel, Alex Kangas, Nick Larson, Taylor Matson and Patrick White.

Let the domination continue.

The Timberwolves
So which do you want first, the bad news… or the bad news? As I write, the Wolves have just returned from a miserable first road trip out West where they lost three out of four, which has left them 2–3 and in third place in the Northwest. The Timber-puppies fell to the Trail Blazers, the Kings, and of course, the Lakers. Their only win was to the last-place Denver Nuggets.

A couple of side notes: Kevin Garnett is still somehow managing to average 22.4 points a game; and while Ricky Davis seems to be finding his groove, the shots are not falling like they were in practice.

Garnett commented on the rocky start by saying, "We need to be collectively together. It seems like, during periods, we tend to separate, which is expected when you have new additions."

Let’s hope fans haven’t already started separating themselves from the ticket office.

The Wild
The Wild are currently on top in the Western-Northwest at 10–4, making them an anomaly among Minnesota professional sports this year. As it stands, Mikko Koivu, the energetic young center, has exploded on ice; and Wes Walz, previously out with a leg injury, is anticipated to return as early as (if we’re lucky, by the time you’re reading this article) the end of November. Brian Rolston has 15 goals and Manny Fernandez is 8–4 on the season.

To celebrate our rich hockey heritage here in the state of Minnesota, and perhaps the crowning achievement of our current year in Minnesota sports, the Wild and FSN North will present Hockey Day Minnesota on Saturday, Jan. 20, 2007 with 11 consecutive hours of hockey to be telecasted on FSN, including big-ticket games like high school’s St. Paul Johnson versus Lake of the Woods (1 p.m.—to be played outdoors on Baudette Bay); Denver at the University of Minnesota (5:30 p.m.—representing four out of five of the last NCAA national championships); and the Dallas Stars at the Wild (8 p.m.—no explanations necessary).