If you ain't lyin', you ain't tryin'

Holy fuck, people.

Hey you kids, get off my lawn!!!

A segment about how life is going by and we're not cool anymore.

So every day I listen to this radio station while I work called "Radio K"; it's the college station over at the U of M and has three signals, two FM and one AM, and if I drive in my car and cross highway 62 or 169, I lose the FM signals, no joke; actually, one of the FM signals stops broadcasting when the sun goes down due to some obscure FCC regulation, again, no joke.

It is actually a great station because they play a lot of music that the 'kids' are listening to; for the most part the DJ's are like Jack Black in "High Fidelity" - but I like that kind of snobbery at 35. I highly recommend streaming it online; your usual list of today's best angst and artistry with bonus points for degrees of how obscure and/or retro a tune is (found this song today and love it.) However this morning was Themed-Thursday and it had something to do with "90's Irony" - they were playing tounge-and-cheek about how bands in the '90's were "mean and angry" - they introduced Cherub Rock as one of the Smashing Pumpkins "angrier songs from the early '90's." They finished with Urge Overkill doing their cover of Neil Diamond's "Girl, You'll be a Woman Soon." The former song released - 1993; the latter became popular with Pulp Fiction in, wait for it, 1994.

We're old and apparently the songs of our youth were angry.

Con v. Less Con - Mixed Martial Arts Edition

Mixed Martial Arts, MMA, fan or not a fan?

RTS
I am a unabashedly a fan. I got hooked in the earlier days of the sport. I am not going to say I was there at the beginning but I was there pretty early. UFC 8 was the first event I saw when it was still under new releases at the movie store. They just completed UFC 110. The initial hooks for me were the tournament style of the events and that there were a lot of former amateur wrestlers competing. I was not a great or even a good high school wrestler, but I did participate in my fair share of Saturday tournaments. I continued to follow college wrestling at Iowa. When talking about the greatest wrestling programs, the debate is only between Iowa and OK St (if you look the time period after Gable took over at Iowa, Iowa is hands down #1). MMA to me is an extension of amateur wrestling. The sport has grown and morphed from what it originally started as, but it still features ex-wrestlers and lots of grappling.

Jan
OK, got it, you like "wrasslin'" - but I don't see the UFC as that at all. I'm not a fan. Call me whatever you want (here, I'll get you started: 'Sissy Pants') but watching guys bludgeon each other and try to "end" someone isn't my cup of tea. I get why men ages 13 to 45 are entranced (it's always weird when women are involved in this sport either as a participant or as a spectator, am I right on this?) it's the most basic of human competition but I'm not one attracted to the violence. I understand it is "mixed martial arts" and that there is undoubtedly skill involved in the moves, holds, fist-punchings they deliver and I understand that not everyone is meant for 'regular work' but how long before the next Ron Mexico gets busted for a arranging "Tyson v. a Black Bear?" Also, sounds like the "tournament" format is exciting but just re-watch Bloodsport or attend your VFW hall on "Gin Rummy Night" if you need to see some bracketology ("Grandpa Joe" is a 3rd seed? No way!)

RTS
OK Sissy Pants, it is weird when women watch this. Kind of like girls who try dipping or smoking cigars. Chances are they have some self esteem problems and are desperately trying to get the attention of a guy. The sport can be brutal at times. I know you saw James Thomson's ear explode. On the flip side a sweet submission is just as cool as a guy being pummeled with fists. One guy sinks the submission, the other guy taps (if he is smart) and both guys can leave relatively unscathed.

As far as fighting bears and the like that is a bit much and goes back to John McCain's cock fighting argument. This stuff is licensed. However what most resembles what you are describing is Japan. There is no steroid testing and matches pitting a guy with no chance of winning vs. a star is common place. Throw in foot stomps, soccer kicks and knees to downed opponents and Japan truly is the wild west of MMA.

You don't watch it, but do you think it is here to stay?

Jan
Wow, can I retort the retort? I won't. Anyway, you asked do I think it is here to stay? Of course. It will just get bigger and evolve. These sports tend to be somewhat cyclical in nature; it was a little less than 20 years ago that the "Fun Club" in high school went to the taping of "American Gladiators" at Target Center (true story; who didn't love the 'Fun Club?') Then there is the WWF and all that it went through from Mean Gene to an IPO. I think MMA is a progression of all “that.” I think it will level out at some point like all things but will still be huge if/when it goes global. I went to China once, there’s a billion Brock Lesnar fans right there. Honestly, a version of the "Running Man" sans Richard Dawson is right around the corner. Have to admit I'd buy that for a dollar. (too obscure?)

My grandfather lived until he was 93 years old, so I got to know him pretty well. He was an avid sportsman himself (remind me tell you about all his 'aces' on the links sometime) but he always told me I should lead the campaign to outlaw boxing as it was brutal. Yes, a kooky concept for me to be involved with on so many levels.

Now, do you think that there is anything wrong with putting this violence front and center in our society? Or are you gonna disagree with my grandfather, may the Lord rest his soul?

RTS
I am not for banning either one. If forced by water boarding to say which one should be banned I am going with boxing. In MMA if a fighter gets creamed and dropped into heap on the ground and can no longer defend himself the fight is ruled over and he is the loser. In boxing, that guy gets 10 seconds to pick himself up and then go and absorb more punishment. Even Evander Holyfield can figure out who is going to suffer more long term damage.

Playing the devils advocate, I won't say MMA will go away but it could see a big decline. There have been 110 UFCs, I am guessing that 50% of the American fan base came on board within the last 60 UFCs or the last 5 years. Eventually, the UFC will become old hat and lose people who are watching it for shock value or that they feel like they are cool because it is an underground thing or the new thing. As the popular fighters retire they will need to replace them with other fighters that people want to follow. That is not a given, look what happened with boxing's heavyweight division. Who was the champ after Evander Holyfield? Lennox Lewis, who was less popular. Who was champ after Lennox Lewis? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?

Being that it is still a developing sport there are several questions that need to play out to be answered. It is a sport right now dominated at the top by one large organization. Over a few years several challengers have tried to compete only to fail after hemorrhaging money. So is it that MMA is popular or is it that the UFC is popular? What happens to the sport if the UFC is no longer supreme and there are several organizations diluting the fighter pool? What if Zuffa sells the UFC to new management? Is the UFC going to be the top level and all the other organizations being feeders? With the sport being relatively new and still sorting things out, it is too early to say for certain that it will continue to grow in popularity. Don't believe me? Pride used to be the big organization in Japan. They used to sell out the Saitama Super Areana! The Saitama Super Arena I tell ya! Then they lost their TV deal and the next thing you know the UFC buys them for their fighters contracts and back library of events. They close the doors and fire all the employees.

Alright, regardless of where you stand, there is some primal rage in all of us. So, who would you like to fight in the squared-circle-octagon? Pick anyone throughout history, why you pick them, and the outcome of the fight.

RTS
I don't know if you know this but like Charles Martin I keep a towel with the names of people who have wronged me. The towel has around a dozen people on it right now. I don't want to name names but let's just say a former boss may be at the top of the list. Is that too cliché? I would win no question. He was an alcoholic and even in my bloated state I know I could pummel him into oblivion.

Jan
I like the bottled-anger towards the old boss. With all this MMA chatter, I’d wager a case of beer that if you and I bellied up to a bar tonight at the very least I could get you to call him and leave a profanity-laced tirade on his voicemail.

When first posed, I immediately thought Napoleon Bonaparte, I think because I assumed I could beat him and not embarrass himself in front an audience but I don’t really want to fight a Frenchman.

I don’t know his name but when I was 9 years old I went to Camp Warren. After dinner you could go to the “store” and buy candy before lights-out. The first night of camp I was running back to my bunk excited about my handful of Root Beer Barrels and an older camper ran by me and “dropped his shoulder” simultaneously knocking the wind out of my as I spun around 220 degrees; I was blasted, my loot, scattered. Laughter erupted from everywhere as I tried to gather my wits. The transgressor didn’t even slow down to steal my candy, he just wanted to level me. That’s who I want, that kid - oh, and I’d take him as that 13 year-old punk with me being my 35 year-old self. Yes, I want to fight a 13 year-old.

State of Hockey: Olympic Edition

U-S-A! U-S-A! Wow, feel bad for the Canucks but I feel like we haven't seen the last of them at these Olympics however they're playing like the actual games are a formality (barely beating the Swiss is like the Gophers barely beating North Dakota - oops, sorry.) Loved the 1960-esque jersey. Oh, and could Chris Drury live a more charmed life?

Answer me, these questions three with Jan and RTS: "You, Bob Marley, a boom box and - "

Note: This is the reason I installed the “Print/PDF” button – feel free to take it with you to your favorite workplace or homeplace throne.

Toss up: If you and Bob Marley were stranded on a island with a boom box and one Pink Floyd album what would that album be?

Jan
First, the albums I didn't pick:

1. "Piper at the Gates of Dawn" and "Saucer Full of Secrets" - Yes, the Syd Barrett years. It is cool to see what Syd and the boys were exploring but I think Bob would get tired of psychedelic experimentation and would throw "Saucer" in the ocean after listening to "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" the 50th time.

2. "Obscured By Clouds" - This was a close one for me. I loved this album in high school. It's actually a soundtrack to a movie (La Vallee) which I never saw. The band takes a great leap forward and you get to start to hear the Floyd we all know. Honestly, a hard one to pass up as I bet Bob would like to clap along to "Free Four" but I think he and I could do better.

3. "Atom Heart Mother" - This is a cult favorite. My friend Paul in college was the biggest Floyd fan I knew and he played this incessantly freshman year. One particular night I was lost inside my head for a while while it was on and that might by why I didn't choose it to bring with me to the island.

4. "Animals" - Highly underrated and a great album end to end. Tough one to pass up but it's pigs, dogs, and sheep that might get to be too much after a while with the snorting and the barking and the bleating.

5. "Wish You Were Here" - Two of my favorite Floyd songs are on this album "Wish you were here" and both parts to "Shine on you crazy diamond" but "Welcome to the machine" and "Have a Cigar" ruin the momentum of the album for me and I don't need to get into a discussion of the recording industry with Bob every time I hear it.

6. "The Wall" - Like I said, formative album for me musically. This is also hard one to pass up on because of how epic it is - really a great rock opera. I think Bob would like it and get totally into it and jam out but it might get a little heavy while strolling the beaches looking for coconuts.

Winner: "Dark Side of the Moon"

There is a reason it spent 14 years on the charts. Yes, every 15 year old gets a copy as a rite of passage but there are seminal songs on the album. I find "Money" to be annoying, I was never a huge fan of it but it has a nice bass beat that Bob might get into and I'd like to hear him sing out "Money, it's a gas" in his Jamaican accent. "Breathe," "On the Run," "Great Gig in the Sky," "Us and Them," "Brain Damage" into "Eclipse" - they all give me something to wake up to, something to go to sleep to, something that gives a little hope, and something to lose my mind to as Bob and I count down our final days together.

Yes, that is a long way at getting to one of the most popular albums in history but it’s Pink Floyd.

RTS
Dang, just when I thought I knew you, you go and do something like this. I thought for sure you would go with Obscured By Clouds. I was all prepared to comeback with a very similar case for Darkside. Unlike other monumental classic rock albums, like Zeppelin IV, Darkside is still very listenable and holds up time and time again.

Since you chose Darkside, I will go with Obscured by Clouds, which you helped turn me on to. When I put on a Pink Floyd album, this is the one I go with it. It does not have the hits of Darkside, but it is a solid album that I listen to from start to finish and do not skip any songs. Imagine sitting on a beach mellowing out watching the waves roll in while listening to the first song, Obscured, with Bob doing what Bob does best. I might lose my mind. The Gold It's In The... is probably my favorite Floyd song. What I find so odd about it, is that it seems almost like a throw away song. There is very little written about the song and was almost never played in concert. The only reason I would consider choosing another album would be that this one is soooo mellow with the exception of The Gold Is In The.... As you mentioned this album is a soundtrack. I have read that Floyd watched clips of the movie and then timed certain items in the songs to match the movie. If you are a believer that Darkside of the Moon was timed/synched to the Wizard of Oz (I am not), you might use this album and the process as evidence.

Toss up: If you and Bob Marley were stranded on a island with a boom box and 3 Bob Marley albums what would they be?

RTS
I will admit that I do not throw on Marley like I used to. The first two choices were easy though, Kaya and Uprising. I absolutely love the eerie sound of Sun is Shining on Kaya. Kaya ends with Time Will Tell. It is one of those songs that can tug at the inner me and force me to reflect on myself. Uprising has a more refined sound than most if not all of Marley's albums. Coming In From the Cold and Could You Be Loved sound like they could be hit singles in the mainstream. The album ends with Redemption Song. How can one not like that song?

For my third choice I am going with Catch a Fire. If I really studied the albums grading song by song it might not be 3rd. However, it has a very different sound from the other albums I chose. This was one of the first Marley albums I owned and thus is very familiar and comfortable for me. Alright, I am ready for you to hit me with the deep tracks and off the wall albums that a connoisseur like yourself can dig up. Bring it on.

Jan
You had me at "Time Will Tell." Love the choices and because of your challenge I will choose three different albums. Not that you really have to go very far to find gems.

1. "Live!" - Because, well, it's live. One of those "could you imagine being there?" kind of shows.

2. "Survival" - You think Bob Marley and you think fighting for freedom. This album is all that, "Africa Unite" "Zimbabwe" "Ambush in the Night" - It's the kind of album that makes 35 year old white guys from Minnesota shout out "Haile Selassie I."

3. Best for Last: "Bob Marley v. Lee Scratch Perry: The Upsetter Years 1970-1971" - OK, this isn't a Marley "album" it is a compilation of Marley recordings with Perry but if someone had only one reggae album in their collection this is it. It’s Marley, it’s Perry, it’s early and it’s bad ass.

Not too clever but I have no doubts that Bob would appreciate any of them, it'd be kind of odd that he would get pissed off for one of my selections, right? Make the rest of our time on the island a little uncomfortable.

Final toss up: If you and Bob Marley were stranded on a island with a boom box that only played one Doors song once a month. What song do you choose? I'll go first as I know that The Doors have a special place in your heart.

Jan
I'd take LA Woman as our monthly song. This is one of those songs that in college got me pumped up. It was my Foosball song. I'm getting excited thinking about it. I think Bob would like it. "Mr. Mojo risin' got to keep on risin', ridin', ridin'." I got next game! C'mon! Who wants this!?!?

Sorry, that was 15 years ago (yikes.) So, your turn? What is it gonna be Door-head?

RTS
Wow, set the way back machine for just short of two decades ago. Once upon a time I listened to quite a bit of The Doors, but I can not say that those albums do much more than collect dust in my collection these days. I thought about something more lively like Waiting for the Sun or People Are Strange but ended up taking Riders on the Storm. I guess by my choices I can see how I have mellowed over the years. I tell you what, if there was one guy I would not want to be stuck with on an island, Jim Morrison would be a safe bet.

If the Gophers beat the Badgers, would anyone notice?

Tubby has Bo Ryan's number as the Gopher's dominated the 14th ranked Badgers last night at Williams. I didn't see the game but reports are that we went up and, yes, held a lead! Also, reports are that the student section was chanting "F#*@ Bo Ryan" - stay classy, Dinkytown. Does this help us make a run at the NCAA tourney? I'd say no. NIT here we come!

Vonn: 1 for 1

Way to go, Buck Hill! U.S. women take gold and silver in the downhill. That's, if I'm remembering correctly, 7 out of 8 downhills this year, between the Olympics and the World Cup circuit, won by Vonn. Just ridiculously dominant in the discipline at the moment.

When do we sign Joe Mauer?

After an off season of moves that would indicate the Pohlad family is making a run at having a great baseball team in Minneapolis for the next 5 years, the final piece to the puzzle is still missing: Joe. Pitchers and catchers report on Sunday (I think) and here we are without Janchise (Joe + franchise) signed to a long term deal. Deal to get done in the next 4 days? Has to be done, right?

Review: Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony "Canada: Come Celebrate America Jr"

Found myself home on a Friday night with a sick daughter (she made it 13 months as the picture of health, then hits 105 on the thermometer, yikes) and fell into the Winter Olympics opening ceremony. Sure, I knew it was going on but it's not exactly Must See T.V. Plus, have you tried to watch t.v. on a Friday night lately? To think I had already seen the episode of "Swamp Loggers" that was on. But I digress. Now, I remember watching the opening ceremonies from Beijing and being blown away; like the host country itself it was truly like nothing I had ever seen before. I didn't expect the same thing from our friends to the North but hey, it's 2010, it had to have something that was cool.

Disclaimer: I must admit I didn't watch the whole thing but I did make it through a relatively respected NESCAC school in 4 years by paying partial attention so I still feel qualified to give my take on what transpired in Vancouver. I would guess out of a 3 hour+ program I caught a total of 18 minutes.

The first portion of the program is all the countries entering the arena. It's probably because I'm "one of them" but Scandinavians are the best looking people on the planet, hands down. Between the Swedes, Danes, Norweigens, it's almost unfair.

Quick quiz: what is the country that uses this flag?


That's right, Chinese Taipei. As announced during the broadcast "That is Chinese Taipei entering the ring. Commonly known as Taiwan. The flag is a compromise between the International Olympic Committee and the Chinese government." Great Olympic spirit there, Hu Jintao.

As the athletes entered the stadium they were welcomed by a plethora of Native American dancers; do you think the average Nunavummiut was tuned in? When the USA entered, we looked like the Ralph Lauren clothes we were sporting; seeing all the faces of our athletes we clearly are a hodge-podge of the world.

After all the athletes were seated the theatrical portion of the ‘program’ began. There was an inspirational song sung by Canada's own Nelly Furtado and Bryan Adams - I didn't realize either were still relevant. The Canadians used the performance to tell the “story of the country from sea to sea” – at least that’s what I got. Some cool visuals like whales that seemed to swim across the stage, a gigantic polar bear that emerged, and the Canadian Rockies that rose dramatically. Honestly, I couldn't stand the song and dance stuff so it was great to be a few minutes behind and hit the fast forward button and watch it in high-speed. One downside was that Nova Scotia's own Sarah Mclachlan performed a bunch of songs, not saying I don't like her music but every time I see her all I can think about is those poor, poor dogs.

The final piece of the program was a what I would call a “slam” poem read by a big fat dude with a neck-roll beard (as gross as it sounds.) It was about the country of Canada and how nice everyone is and how diverse the country is and how they’re proud to be Canadian and how they like hockey and say “zed” instead of “zee” when rounding out the alphabet. All well and good and nicely done but I kept thinking that what he was describing sounded a lot like the US of A’s kid brother. Then onto the torch lighting portion, which I can't comment because I didn't see the malfunction or the Great One light the flame. C'est la vie.

So, to recap, Swedes are hot, China is no fun, USA rocks it and our brothers and sisters to the North put on a great show – or at least the parts I saw.

Con v. Less Con - The 2010 Winter Olympics Edition

In an effort to change things up, RTS and I have decided to try a "Point/Counterpoint" style repartee. We called it "Con v. Less Con" instead of "Pro v. Con" as we both are generally malcontents but we do try to see the two sides of every issue. If you're keeping score, "Con" = RTS and "Less Con" = Jan.

Topic Du Jour: The Vancouver Olympics start Feb 12th.

Do you care or should we care?

Less Con:
We should care and here's why: the Olympics represent what the world should be like. It's one of the few times that people put aside their differences and become "sportsman," "teammates," "patriots" personified. While I find the whole prostitution of the International Olympic Committee by big business and bigger governments to be tragic it is more a sign of the times than anything else. Also, to it's credit and it's detriment the Olympics have tried to evolve with the times and we find ourselves watching "The Flying Tomato" pulling a double McTwist 1260 and wondering what that just was but who cares it was cool. Do I watch the medal count? Sure, I want the U.S. of A to do the best but it's more than that. At the end of the day it is about the people, the amateur athletes competeting and for me there is always someone who has taken on whatever tragedy has befallen them in their lives (100x worse than what I will ever encounter) and persevered to compete on the Olympic stage and it gives me hope and makes me feel like anything is possible. What's so wrong with that?

Con:
I guess nothing if you like being the sucker of grandiose marketing schemes. It once was what you allude to with the sportsmen, teammates and patriots concepts. Let’s face it, those days are gone. Those days disappeared when they started letting the pros play basketball and hockey. In addition the 24 hour sports networks have killed the mystique of the Olympics. One used to have to wait every 4 years to watch these sports that can only hold ones attention for a couple of days every 4 years (and that might be stretching it). As it is now I can tune in and see the same snowboarders and aerial acrobatic skiers on ESPN 2, Versus, probably MTV and maybe Spike TV on any given Saturday. In fact I get mad when they are on, because it means Pro vs. Joes or classic college football is not. Even the premiere event, hockey, was done better by the NHL when they had the North America vs. the world concept for the All Star game. When was the last time the NHL did anything better than anyone?

Would you dissuade your child to grow up to be an Olympic athlete?

Con:
No and I would be excited if my daughter achieved that level of success. In my under educated opinion I think there are several levels of Olympian. At the top of the Pyramid you have the Pros. No one is going to argue if you are in the NHL you are not a Pro. Then you have the middle level, the people who do this for a living and make a fair amount of money competing and through sponsorships. Those would be your the skiers, figure skaters, snowbaorders and the like. Then you have the lowest level the bi-atheletes, curlers and snowman builders. That is a medaling sport now right? These people I am guessing don't make squat and only play their respective sports part time. Where I am going with this is yes I would be proud, but lets not pretend the people on TV in prime time are true amateurs as they are portrayed. Since you brought it up, I am curious as to what circumstances you would play the dream shatterer?

Less Con:
Of course I would be excited if my daughter achieved Olympian status. First of all, short of working a pole or a corner she can do no wrong. Second, if she was that dedicated and committed to a sport (even if it is the biathalon) and represented the United States of America I can't imagine being more proud as a father. The thought of her dressed in red, white, and blue and coming out to our national anthem? C'mon. Third, I'm gonna go out on a limb and make the assumption that if she were to be an Olympian she is most likely accomplished in other areas or her life (i.e. probably going to be a doctor etc.) and of course who doesn't want a Harvard trained doctor in the family. I'm not playing dream shatterer under any circumstances, now dream "guider" is a different story.

Is there anything you want to see specifically and what obscure sport might you watch if given the chance?

Less Con:
Specifically I'd like to see the US hockey team win the Gold medal. Not because of trying to recreate the impossible in 1980 but for the shear fact that hockey would peak interest on a national level and give us a shared story for the games. I would also like to see some Curling - my aunt is a National Champion in Curling (no lie) and I love the fact that they're all from the Range and/or Bemidji.

Con:
Way to go out on a limb picking the 2 sports that hit home close to the Minnesota iron range. I am surprised you did not pick the opening ceremony. I want to see the USA win a medal in something we have no business winning a medal in. Something we normally get smoked in such as the previously mentioned biathalon. As far as obscure sport I am going with the ski jump, that takes flat out balls. Like a NASCAR race, I will be waiting for a crash.

One last jab back to the previous question, I have a hard time seeing you committing to driving your daughter everyday in the wee hours of the morning to parade stadium for ice skating practice but I digress.

500th Blog Post - You go FTLOSBW

With this post we have achieved our 500th post* - not too shabby for a little blog written by a bunch of over-educated fans of teams that consistently let us down (obligatory mention of the '87 and '91 seasons being the exception.) This 500th post marks a new era for FTLOSBW whereby I think we need to 'step it up.' Not really sure what that means and if we actually change anything but as I was shoveling my long, long, long f'ing driveway this morning I thought "Maybe I should contact John Randle's agent and see if I can get an interview with him." Now, you might be thinking that's crazy dumb talk but dumber things have been uttered on these pages. . . seriously, why not try some more 'creative/fun' things over the course of our next 500 posts. Or not.


* Didn't say if that number included those posts that were never published but whatever, 500 is 500.

Glory be to thee, John Randle

What FTLOSBW has known for years was just confirmed by the Hall of Fame voters, congrats to John Randle on his election to the NFL Hall of Fame.

The official video from the Vikes

I've posted this before - an instant classic.

Didn't remember this

Guys like this make you love this goddam team more than your own flesh and blood!*




* "Flesh and blood" of course referring to the the other losers on this blog and not actually family members (I am only speaking for myself on that one.)

Let's Transcribe And Rewrite This

substituting the Yankees for the Soviets. Then we can send it to Jim Thome and ask him to perform it before the first game against NYY this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vwpTj_Z9v-c

Twinkies sign O Hud

So we got Jim Thome for $1.5M and Orlando Hudson for $5M and we traded Gomez to the Brewers for JJ Hardy? Seem like pretty good f'ing deals to me. Hudson's .283 in the #2 spot? Me likey.

Signing day and the U of M

Yesterday was signing day for college football. Rivals.com ranks the Gophers 50th in the country and 6th in the Big Ten.

http://footballrecruiting.rivals.com/TeamRank.asp?sort=0&year=2010&postype=0&Conf=4

Winning is definitely a two part process. The first is getting the kids, the second is coaching up the kids they get. Florida State in recent years is a good example of a school that has pulled in top 10 classes year after year but has only had marginal success on the field. When asked how his classes ranked former Michigan State coach John L smith used to respond with "About a C, we have not had a chance to coach them yet." It helps to have the horses but you need to have coaches that can get the most out them.

In the Big Ten the rankings went 1. PSU 2. Michigan 3. OSU 4. MSU 5. Iowa 6. MN 7. Purdue 8. Ill 9. NU 10. Wisco 11. Indiana Without a major shake up to the status quo 9 times out of 10 PSU, Mich and OSU are going to occupy the top 3 spots. I don't think 6th is bad. I am sure some people are disappointed, since Brewster is billed as super recruiter extraordinaire and Seantrel Henderson did not consider the U. On the bright side they are on the upper half of the the remaining 8, right behind Iowa and way ahead of border state rival Wisconsin. I would guess that 6th is better than the Glen Mason's classes. Obviously this is only one part of a two part equation.

Chuck Gauck excitement meter = 7

2009 Minesota Vikes: Stay Positive

This chatter of "The Great Reboot of 2010" got me excited. Then I found the below in my bag. Stay positive.

Minnesota Vikings: Reverse the Curse

The other day this very FTLOSBW blog alluded to the tale of the Minnesota Vikings' mascot being dragged across the field during Super Bowl 4. This is a story that few have ever heard, yours truly included, but says so much about our beloved Purple. As inspiration to change our fortune following the 2009 season, DTK and I think we need to take some sort of action to remedy the situation and "Reverse the Curse." An inital thought is that we successfully launch that hot air balloon with our mascot in it (site of Super Bowl 4 was Tulane stadium, I think they'll do it.) We're doing something so the suggestion-box is open. Oh and how do we know if the curse is reversed by our actions you ask? Why we win the Super Bowl next year, of course.

BTW - if you don't feel inspired to come up with something then watch any one of these videos and get back to me.

Breaking news!?

Via CG (father of BG), via WCCO's Mark Rosen (which means it could be complete b.s.):

http://wcco.com/sports/twins/joe.mauer.minnesota.2.1462891.html

I think we can all agree that this would help close the final wounds from the Vikes' debacle.

Oh, and I thought this was pretty funny:

http://www.theonion.com/content/news_briefs/vikings_stand_behind_brett