Sporting the Twin Cities
Billion-dollar baseball

Andrea Jackley

We're all thinking it. Just not too many of us are saying it...for some reason.

Forbes magazine recently listed the 400 richest Americans, with Twins owner Carl Pohlad coming in at number 78 at a net worth of $3.1 billion. This makes Pohlad, by American standards, the mightiest owner in baseball—overshadowing even bloated Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, whose bankroll is listed at a meager $1.3 billion in comparison. And why does it matter?

Well, aside from Pohlad's franchise recently being awarded with a new somewhat publicly funded, and highly contested, stadium in Minneapolis' warehouse district; there's just one other thing: the lack of spending on “name” players. And while Pohlad redeemed himself slightly by committing an additional $15 million to purchase the land site for the new stadium, his wallet is notoriously zipped shut when it comes to expanding his team's payroll.

Every baseball fan knows that their favorite franchise can't compete with Steinbrenner once he has his eyes set on a player; his pockets are just too deep and, generally, quite generous. So a Twins fan is left to ponder: why can't my billionaire owner do that?

As Torii Hunter drifts into free agency this year, effective at the end of the World Series, Twins fans will be on the edge of their La-Z-Boys. Hunter has made his affection for Minnesota public, right along with the fact that other teams are going to bid high for his stellar outfielding abilities. And then there are those pesky rumors floating around that the Yankee's have been keeping an eye on him (which is enough to make any baseball fan sweat).

In addition, pitching ace Johan Santana's contract is due up after the 2008 season - and speculation says the mound master may command around $20 million a year hereafter. Each of these events fill Twins fans with dread because, as history tells us, Twins ownership doesn't often spend money to keep talent.

As the franchise finished out the season with the third-highest attendance on record, coming after its second highest in 2006, Twins fans deserve a shot at watching their team win. And without undo complication of the issue, it all boils down to Pohlad shelling out some dough to keep our most beloved and talented players.

Vikings
The poll predicted it, and the Vikings' squeaker over the Chicago Bears proved it: Adrian Peterson is a stud. The rookie running back jumped, dove and ran (really, really fast) his way to 224 all-purpose yards against the Chicago Bears on Oct. 14, setting a team record for combined net yards in a game, and coming in third in the NFL, all-time. This outstanding performance won Peterson NFC Offensive Player of Week, which he can add to the list after earning September's NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month. Peterson also leads the NFL in both total rushing yards and yards per carry, with 607 and 6.3.

And this is just the beginning of it. Everywhere you turn, a new stat has Peterson's name written all over it. Longest runs by Vikings' rookies: each of the top three belong to Peterson, with Fran Tarkenton coming in fourth with a 52-yard dash in Los Angeles back in 1961.

But even with all of the rookie hype, and a raucous run to victory in Chicago, Vikings fans must be wary of becoming too excited. While Peterson's “historic week” has turned heads all over the state (and the nation, for that matter), Star Tribune staff writer Jim Souhan pointed out, “We see the No. 1 rusher in the NFL; [head coach Brad] Childress sees the No. 2 guy on his depth chart.” The Vikings' head coach is steady in his opinion that Peterson hasn't proved himself just yet: “Yeah, he's a number two; that's how he is. It doesn't bother him, it doesn't bother me,” said Childress.

Gopher football
(This section was painful to write.) The Golden Gopher football team, crouching beneath other contenders in the Big Ten with a record of 1-6, are playing like a bunch of dominoes: falling to one team after another and another. Most recently, at the time this article was written, to Northwestern in double overtime after blowing a rare two-touchdown lead. And what did our fearless leader, head coach Tim Brewster of the Tim Brewster era, have to say about it?

“At the end of the day, the bottom line is this: we did not get the job done. We had the opportunity to close the door on Northwestern, and we didn't do it,” said Brewster at the following press conference. Well...duh!

And as the Gophers drag their feet back home to face North Dakota State, the equivalent of a really good AA team (they are 6-0), there is fear in the hearts of Minnesota college football fans. North Dakota State has crushed their last four opponents, including Mississippi Valley State (who?) 58-7.

Wild
Those wacky Wild were at it again: on the morning of Tuesday, Oct. 16 the Wild were 5-0, and looking to tie last year's beginning-of-the-season run of 6-0 by defeating the Los Angeles Kings that evening. But after a grueling night on the ice, the Wild fell 4-3 in a three-shot shoot-out to one of the worst defensive leagues in the NHL.

The Wild finished their road trip taking five out of six possible points, an impressive feat by any standards. So why the sudden plummet?

Sloppiness.

Our winter warriors have been committing penalties about as often as Lindsey Lohan behind the wheel. The Wild gave nine power plays to the Kings Tuesday night, after handing eight to the Anaheim Ducks Sunday night. Only this time, the result wasn't as favorable.