Extra Points

First of all, I’m shocked to see people still have been checking in on my blog fairly regularly. Thanks for staying interested even though I haven’t posted in forever.

In case you didn’t know, I left the Stillwater Courier in August to become the Sports Editor at the Mitchell Daily Republic in Mitchell, South Dakota. The Daily Republic is a Forum Communications paper, and it was a good opportunity for me to both move up the ladder, and to a daily from a weekly. After a longer-than-expected adjustment period, I think things are going great with our sports section here now, and I think that we have a great working relationship going with the sports scene in Mitchell and the surrounding communities.

A lot has happened, obviously, since my last blog. The Gophers went 1-11, the Packers went 14-3 and then broke my heart, Torii Hunter bolted for Anaheim on Thanksgiving and "Johan Watch" has consumed me since early December. If you have anything specific from the past few months that you’d like me to comment on, please submit a comment or e-mail me at mhiggins@mitchellrepublic.com.

Part of the reason I took some time off from the blog is that columns are now a regular part of my job, so I was selfishly saving some of my best writing for the left-hand column of the Daily Republic’s sports page. However, with spring training right around the corner and Tubby doing a pretty good job with Gopher basketball, I feel it’s time I got back to work on Extra Points. So from here on out, I’ll be using this space to publish my columns that appear in the paper, and to expand on thoughts or ideas that don’t fit or work with our paper.

I’ll start right now, by posting a pair of columns that ran in our paper this week. The first might be a new subject for some of you. My main beat out here is Dakota Wesleyan University sports, and the first column deals with the 17th-ranked men’s basketball team. The second is a familiar topic — the Twins — and the two big extensions given out on Friday. Here they are…enjoy. Feel free to send me feedback about anything at any time.

Has there been a bigger microcosm for this season than the last six games? The Twins come back from the All-Star break, and dominate a four-game series against Oakland thanks to otherworldly starting pitching, and hitting that didn’t knock the cover off of the ball, but it got the job done. There was a little bit of everything – some decent offensive outputs, big at-bats, good games, and then a few clutch performances in Sunday’s impressive come-from-behind win where they looked auspiciously like the club we grew to love in 2006.

Then, the Tigers came to town. With the division lead slimmed to six games, and two great starts from Matt Garza and Johan Santana, the Twins should only be trailing by four. However, the bats decided to take two games off (other than Cuddyer last night) and suddenly we’re eight games back.

How many times this year have the Twins wasted a good pitching performance? I suppose a good journalist would look that up and include, but truthfully I don’t think I want to know because it might push me over the edge. After the last two games, I’m certifiably unstable. I feel like I spent both nights being interrogated for four hours apiece instead of watching baseball. After each game I was mentally, emotionally and physically drained, and it’s only July, for crying out loud. I’m irritable, drained and probably shouldn’t be writing a "second half predictions" column in this state, but I’m hoping it ends up being therapeutic.

It’s how the whole season has been – nothing resembling consistency on either side of the spectrum. A team that put up 32 runs in one doubleheader (in recent memory) is also completely capable of going days and games without scoring more than five runs. One day, they’re coming back with confident, explosive offense and the next they’re stranding 13 runners on base. They’re no rhyme, no reason and thus far, little explanation.

The only silver lining is that there is one group who appears to be getting more consistent – the starting pitchers. So far in the unofficial second half – six games, six quality starts. If that continues, Detroit and Cleveland better keep their eyes on their rear-view mirrors.

I think there are a few reasons why these mid-July games are so big (or maybe seem so big). First of all, the Twins are facing a lot of franchise-changing decisions, and some of them hinge on where we sit in the standings in the next week or two. Regardless, I don’t think they’re trading Torii Hunter before the 31st, but if they appear dead in the water, the possibility would cast an unbearable cloud over the franchise.

On the flip side, had they gotten just one or two clutch hits and made this a tight division race, the Twins instantly become buyers in a market that is unusually weak, but not without options. Torii wants Dimitri Young, some people want Ty Wigginton – I just want something.

I feel like Terry Ryan owes us. It’s easy to second-guess, but the argument could be made that the Twins are sitting eight games back because of the organization’s decision to go the Ramon Ortiz-Sidney Ponson route instead of the Kevin Slowey-Scott Baker-Matt Garza route. Now that they’ve corrected their rotation errors and have the pitching staff going in the right direction, they need to do the same thing to the lineup.

I know that Rondell White is supposed to be back to help someday, but when? He’s had more setbacks than OJ’s search for the real killers. There’s no consistency in left field, or at the designated hitter spot, and Punto continues to be flat out bad at the plate. However, if they were to address left or the DH, you can sacrifice from offense from Punto for his defense/base running/intangibles.

In short, the Twins need at least one move, if not two. Here’s what I’d do. (I’m not going to name specific players because I don’t know exactly who’s going to be available and what they’ll cost.) Get someone to be an every-day DH. Teach Garrett Jones how to play left. Get rid of one of their useless bench players (Lew Ford, Luis Rodriguez) so they can keep Chris Heintz up and DH or pinch hit Mike Redmond if need be. Leave Punto in the nine hole and hope he continues to play great defense and give you at least a little more with the bat. While they’re at it, ship someone else out, too, so Alexi Casilla can come back up to give Luis Castillo days off here and there and give us absolute lightning speed on the bench if we need it.

If you have to give up a good, young pitcher and maybe a Kubel or another player to do that, fine. I realize how important it is to covet young pitchers, but two things keep coming back to me. Number one, we won’t have room next year for all of them. The rotation is probably going to be some sort of Santana, Garza, Francisco Liriano, Baker, Bonser combination, so if you can get something really good for Slowey or Perkins, so be it. Roll the dice. Number two, JD Durbin. At one point, “The Real Deal” could’ve gotten us a boatload in trades, but we kept him and watch him fizzle out. That means that these prospects aren’t all “can’t miss.” The team is so close to being great, so now it’s time to take a shot.

There’s a big difference between what I want to happen, and what I think will happen. While part of me thinks that this might actually be the year we make some sort of move (especially considering how the last two games against the Tigers played out), I doubt Ryan pulls the trigger, unless we get can something for basically nothing.

At some point, we have to stop being a team looking to the future and become a team trying to live in the present. The future could be now. We have the best pitcher in baseball and one of the best bullpens from top to bottom. Torii is playing the best ball of his career, and we have some great young talent at the major league level both in the lineup and in the rotation.

Prediction

Let me preface this by reminding you that I am ever the Twins optimist, but with our current roster, I don’t see us catching Detroit. The Tigers have the look of a championship team – even more so than they did a year ago at this point. They do the little things well, they have great pitching and a deep lineup that features baseball’s best hitter this season – Magglio Ordonez.

However, I do see us catching and passing the Indians. We still have 13 games with Cleveland, and another 13 with Kansas City that should help us gain some ground. The Indians remind me of the Tigers a year ago – a good team who got out to a great start, but this is relatively new to this group and they’re not as battle tested as the Twins. Plus, Sabathia is fading while our ace is gaining steam, and Hafner hasn’t been his usual superhuman self. I don’t think Cleveland’s ready.

That would give us a good shot at the Wild Card. I don’t see the Yankees fading completely from the picture, and the Mariners have played some pretty good ball, so it’s going to be an interesting race, but I think the Twins will get the wild card and get into the playoffs. Their starting pitching has just been too good to ignore lately.

The requirement is that at some point the Twins show some semblance of consistency. There’s little to no evidence that they’re capable of it, but I think it all comes back to the pitching. If the pitching stays strong, the hits should come. If they do, we’re looking at a playoff team.

However, that isn’t just a big “if.” It’s huge.

Hey AJ…

I was in the Colorado Rocky Mountains with my family last week, and while most of our activities on vacation were centered around the great outdoors, we did find ways to keep in touch with our favorite baseball squad. Cousin Tony gets inning-by-inning updates text-messaged to him, and he got the best cell service in the Rockies. Plus we caught a few games on TV during meals at places that are smart enough to have the MLB package.

While we were mostly disappointed with the updates, it was a big relief that Santana won in the Bronx on the fourth, and it was great getting the inning-by-inning updates during Friday’s doubleheader with the hated White Sox as the huge offensive numbers just piled up throughout the two games. Luckily, when I got to excitedly tell my parents, “It’s 12-0 now!” during the second game while we were shopping in Estes Park, there was a little girl wearing a White Sox within earshot. Yes! Take that, Chicago!

Our other baseball experience on vacation was the Rockies-Mets game at Coors Field on the Fourth of July. We went early to get “Rockpile Tickets” – $4 centerfield bleacher seats that only sell the day of the game. We waited in line for about an hour and a half in blistering heat and eventually got our tickets and made our way into the stadium.

I really like Coors Field. I really like how one side of the stadium sees the mountains in the distance, while the outfield sees the Denver skyline. I really liked how the ushers were all nice and friendly and actually invited you to occupy the good seats for batting practice and photos of the stadium. But I REALLY liked the “Fantasy Broadcast” booth in right field.

For just eight bucks two people could broadcast a half-inning of the game and get a DVD copy of their performance, so obviously Cousin Tony and I had to sign up and do it. We were scheduled for the top of the first, so we got to do a little pre-game show, and the Mets’ half of the first inning. We weren’t prepared to do a full 15-minute pre-game show, so after going through the starting lineups, and struggling with the name “Yorvit Torrealba,” we naturally gave a recap of Santana’s win in Yankee Stadium that day, and then ran down a list of our favorite presidents and Americans since it was the Fourth. I went with Honest Abe, the Great Emancipator, while Tony picked Martin Van Buren, because of the bitchin’ sideburns.

The play-by-play was fun, although the finished product was a disappointment. You can barely hear us on the DVD, which I guess should be expected for eight bucks, but there was a lot of gold on the air that day that can’t be heard, including constant comments about Rockies’ starter Josh Fogg looking hungover, a remark about Paul Lo Duca being slower than Barbaro after the injury and Tony’s great line about Jose Valentin having one of the best pedophile mustaches in all of sports. Unfortunately, it’s all muffled. We’ll have to go back and do it again someday and scream at the top of our lungs, but like I said, it was still fun for eight bucks. I hope the people in the concourse who could hear us over the speakers had a sense of humor.

After the game, they had a great fireworks show, but the best part was that they emptied the outfield bleachers onto the field, so we got to see the show from the centerfield grass. It was a cool touch, especially walking out of the tunnel onto the field.

Oh, and the Rockies won 17-7.

We spent the first two days of the trip in Rocky Mountain National Park, seeing the sights, looking for wildlife, trout fishing and being short of breath in the high altitudes (up to 12,000 and 13,000 feet in spots).

We saw a ton of elk, including some huge bulls, and a spectacular bull moose on Tuesday afternoon. We also got to observe our new favorite animal, the marmot, on different occasions. No bears, although one was spotted near our campsite, and no Bighorn Sheep, which was a bummer for my old man, and it meant no chances to mimic Will Ferrell’s great Robert Goulet sketch.  "Oh look, a bighorn!  You don’t even blink, do you?  Staring contest, me and you … go!  You win, you always do."

After spending the fourth in Boulder and Denver, we waited out a horrendous hail storm in our camper on Thursday while watching the Twins cough up a game to the Yankees on Tony’s laptop (our site had wireless internet). Friday we drove to Vail and headed home Saturday. It was a great time – I love the mountains – but it’s also great to be back.

One last vacation story. There is a sports memorabilia store in Estes Park that exceeded any possible expectations. On sale were old posters of players who were retired or with new teams. Our favorites were a David Justice Yankees poster and one titled “The Bear Necessities” featuring Brian Urlacher, Anthony “A-Train” Thomas and Jim Miller. They actually wanted full price ($6.99) for these. We couldn’t talk them down, even after convincing them that both Thomas and Miller don’t play for the Bears anymore. It’s too bad. That Bears poster would’ve been a great gift for our friend Big Party.

Luckily, I did make one purchase there. I bought a Vlade Divac basketball card plaque for $2.99 that I found in a cardboard box full of random items. This will now be the traveling trophy for my fantasy basketball league. It’s perfect in every way.

It’s Derby time

Not the Kentucky version – the Home Run Derby. I’ve always liked this event. I can even remember back to when I was 12 and I had most of my little league all-star team over after practice to watch Ken Griffey, Jr. win the home run crown.

However, I’ve never had much of a rooting interest in the event. Now, with the Canadian Crusher Justin Morneau involved, it’s 10 times as exciting for me. I’m pretty sure a Twin has never been in the Derby in my lifetime, so it’s really cool to finally see it happen. Throw in Prince Fielder and it’s going to be a great show.

I just hope that they give Morneau’s home run distances in meters instead of feet. After all, they use the metric system in Canada.

I’ll be rushing home right after Camp Cliff’s doubleheader tonight to watch “Big Canada” take his swings. I set the DVR last night, and I can’t wait.

All-Star Break

We’re at the unofficial halfway point of the season, and we find the Twins seven back in the wild card and eight back in the division. Last year at this time we were nine and 13 back, respectively, but this has not looked like last year’s team.

Maybe Garza’s emergence is what we need. I didn’t see his start, but it sounded like he finally looked like a top prospect, mostly thanks to a slow curveball to go along with his mid-90s fastball.

Maybe it’s Rondell White coming off the DL after the break. We could definitely use some more pop in the lineup (on a consistent basis) and a little more depth, and The Rock should provide both. He was great in the second-half last year, and his addition could also take some pressure off of Jason Kubel, who inexplicably shaved his beard off in favor of a hideous looking goatee. If it doesn’t work, go back to the beard, Kubes.

Maybe Terry Ryan surprises me and actually makes a move. We have more young pitching talent than almost any team in baseball. We have five legitimate starters (Garza, Boof, Kevin Slowey, Scott Baker, Glen Perkins) who are young and ready to contribute, not to mention a hopefully-repaired Francisco Liriano waiting in the wings. Move just one of those guys to get a bat. Please, Terry. My birthday is on August 2, but I’ll gladly take a power-hitting third baseman, DH or left fielder on (or before) July 31 as an early birthday present.

I’ll be back later this week with a full look at the second half of the season for the Twins, as well as a recap from the All-Star Festivities.

Draft recap

This will be quick.

Corey Brewer – Yes, great pick. The Bucks taking Yi Jianlian – hilarious. Joakim Noah – absurd.

Hey AJ…

“Hey AJ” is a regular installment of Extra Points that suggests things that Joe Mauer should say to AJ Pierzynski when he gets up to bat against the White Sox. “Hey AJ” is brought to you by the Facebook Group: “The White Sox, Second Class Citizens.”

“Hey AJ, I heard an ugly rumor that you’ve only thrown out three of 39 potential base-stealers this year? That isn’t true is it? What? It is? Ouch. Sorry, dude.”

Out of the three major professional sports, I’m the coldest on pro basketball. However, I love the NBA draft. I had watched each and every draft in its entirety from 1993 to 2004. I had to skip the 2005 draft because I had front-row tickets above the Twins dugout for a Santana start, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t on my cell phone getting updates constantly. I even staged a mild celebration when a “friend” misinformed me that the Wolves had drafted Sean May. Notice how I use the word “friend” loosely there.

My first two real basketball fan memories are Jordan and the Bulls beating the Lakers for their first title, and rooting for the Fab Five. In retrospect, that’s weird because now I hate all things Michigan, but I’ll never forget the first time I saw Chris Webber play as a freshman in college. They made basketball seem so (gasp) fun, despite what Billy Packer thought.

When Webber declared for the draft a year later, I began my yearly ritual of draft-watching. I think part of the reason I love the draft so much is because I’m more of a college hoops guy, and the draft is almost a way to say goodbye and good luck to players I enjoyed watching so much at the collegiate level. Whether it was Webber in 1993, Bobby Jackson in 1997, Dwyane Wade in 2003 or JJ Redick last year, I was always hinging on the moment my favorite college players would hear their name called by the commish.

After a year off, I watched most of last year’s draft, but I just couldn’t get fired up about an event that featured a foreigner named “Andrea” as the top pick. It reminded me of the Kwame Brown/Eddy Curry/Tyson Chandler year. However, I did spend the whole first hour hoping the Wolves would draft Brandon Roy, and instead of just not drafting him and upsetting me right away, they had to draft him and then trade him. I was happy with Foye and cash, but there was still disappointment (which may sum up the experience of rooting for the Wolves).

Anyway, I’m back on board this year, baby. I wish I could remember what I first thought about the NBA’s age limit. I think I was against it, but in hindsight it’s going to make the drafts so much better, starting with this year. In the top 10 alone we could have two transcendent college players taken (Oden, Durant), three back-to-back national champs (Horford, Brewer, Noah) and recognizable heroes from the NCAA tourney (Conley, Jeff Green).

That alone would make this draft one of the most memorable in recent years, but on top of it there is endless trade speculation, starting with local legend Kevin Garnett.

It’s seemed foreseeable that the Wolves were going to have to eventually trade KG and start over, but now it’s downright inevitable. Some blame his huge contract. I blame a front office who opted for Troy Hudson over Chauncey Billups, brought in Ricky Davis, Mark Blount and Marko Jaric and gave away first-round draft picks like they were a giant chicken handing out coupons in front of a grocery store.

(Two thoughts on the draft pick thing – shouldn’t the Wolves understand the value of first round picks more than ANY other franchise after losing all those picks because of the Joe Smith fiasco? And how the hell did Elgin Baylor swindle McHale to give him Sam Cassell AND a future first rounder for Jaric? Shouldn’t they have had to include a pick with Jaric to get Cassell from us? I have to stop, I’m starting to see red.)

I’ve always dreaded the sight of KG in another uniform. He’s a high-character guy who rarely complains (despite getting dealt some crappy hands here). He’s one of the hardest worker in the league. He’s an automatic double-double and an absolutely fierce rebounder. He’s an athletic freak who has constantly developed his mid-range game.

But above all that, he is the Minnesota Timberwolves. For proof, go to a Wolves game and watch the opening tip. After the starting lineups are announced, all the players from the visiting team and the four other Wolves all assemble for the jump ball, with some exchanging hi-fives, elaborate handshakes or those awkward "guy hugs" and the refs get ready to toss the ball up. But all have to wait, because they’re in Garnett’s house.

KG goes over to the scorers table and throws a handful of powder in the air (a tribute to Jordan that LeBron ripped off this year). Then, he makes his way around the court, greeting every starter on the opposing team and hi-fiving his teammates. Once that’s done, he walks all the way to the corner of the court that is opposite the Wolves’ bench and he salutes the crowd and beats his chest a few times. Finally, he makes his way back to half-court, crouches for the tip, and nods to the ref.

He’s that big in Minnesota. Games don’t start until KG looks at the ref and nods that it’s OK to throw up the jump ball. Opponents, refs and an arena full (sometimes) of people are required to wait for the start of the game until KG goes through his pre-game ritual, and everyone seems to understand. The fans literally hang on his every move. Opponents watch him with respect. This is KG’s house. We don’t start until he’s ready.

There’s no way he will ever be this revered or this important to another team or another city. Kevin Garnett IS professional basketball in Minnesota. Elsewhere, he’s a great player finishing a great career. Here, it’s different. It’s special.

But it looks like it’s over. The last few days have been rampant with Garnett trade speculation. Boston, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Atlanta. He’s been mentioned with almost every team other than the Wolves in the last week, and as hard as this is to see for a long-time KG fan, it’s time for both sides to say goodbye.

The ideal trade is sending him to Phoenix for Amare Stoudemire and mixing in a few other players on each side. I’d be happy heading into next year with Foye, Stoudemire, Craig Smith, whoever we get at No. 7 and Rashad McCants as our young nucleus. Foye and Stoudemire and flat-out studs, Smith appears to be serviceable, and then throw in McCants (a shooter) and a defense/glue guy like Corey Brewer or Jeff Green and that’s at least a team with a hopeful future.

If that’s not going to happen, I also don’t mind the three-way with Minnesota, Phoenix and Atlanta that would send Garnett to the Suns, Stoudemire to Atlanta and the third and 11th picks to the Wolves along with a few expiring contracts to make it work. Actually, I rarely mind any three-ways, but this one could be particularly good if the other options are exhausted. The Wolves could take Al Horford at No. 3, Brewer/Green at No. 7 and Acie Law at No. 11. Not bad. (Although if this deal DID go down, the first thing I’d do is call Seattle and just see if No. 3 and No. 7 interest them at all for No. 2. I’m not saying they’d do it, I’m not saying it’s even the right move, I’m just saying I’d make the call).

Had Garnett not revoked the Celtics, I would have liked that trade, too. Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff’s expiring deal and the No. 5 pick for KG would have been a winner. Then you hope Conley falls to No. 5 and you still take your pick of Brewer/Green at No. 7 so your nucleus becomes Conley, Foye, McCants and Green in the backcourt and Jefferson, Smith and Brewer/Green in the front court. As Borat would say, “I will like it! I will like it very much!” If I had my choice, this is the deal I would’ve done, followed by the Stoudemire deal and the Hawks coming in third. The Lakers don’t even exist in this scenario to me. Rebuilding teams don’t want Lamar Odom.

There’s also a good chance that nothing could happen, and this could all be worthless speculation. This is actually the way I’m starting to lean. And that would be OK, too. After fearing a future with no KG, us Minnesotans would hopefully appreciate him more this season. Plus, Foye should be primed for a breakout year, and whoever the Wolves get at No. 7 should be able to help right away. Will they be good enough to win the West (or even their division)? No, of course not. But will they be more watchable than last year? They’d have to be.

Regardless of what happens, the KG saga adds a ton of intrigue to my favorite NBA event of the year. Now, I won’t only be tuning in to bid adieu to college hoops’ best talents (and occasionally staring quizzically at the TV when a foreigner is drafted), but I’ll also be waiting to see if it’s also the day we say goodbye to KG. I can’t wait.

And if I were Portland, I’d take Durant. Boom.

Give him a bat … or don’t …

A double and a triple in two games as a hitter this season? Johan Santana has officially proven he can do whatever he wants on a baseball diamond. At this point, I’d believe that he painted the Sistine Chapel or discovered penicillin.

After his RBI triple against the Marlins on Sunday, I got a text message from my Cousin Todd that said: “Do you think Johan can play third?”

Probably – but I don’t want to find out. He’s going to cost the Twins enough as just a pitcher. Imagine if he could hit, too? He’d be the real life version of Steve Nebraska, only way less crazy, and I’d bet the Yankees would offer more than $55 million for four years, which is what they gave Nebraska in the underrated baseball movie, The Scout. Extend his contract first, THEN get him in the lineup.

And as far as comedy goes, try and find the clip of Johan shaving Bert Blyleven’s head after throwing a complete-game shutout to win a bet between the two. Fantastic television. My only hope is Bert keeps betting him he can’t do things throughout the season.

Hello, John

I think most people were too busy trying to find out if their TVs broke during the final episode of The Sopranos to watch what came on next on HBO, but if you stayed tuned in for the premier of John from Cincinnati, you are a genius.

After hearing my roommates talk about the first two episodes, I used HBO On Demand to get all caught up on Sunday morning, and now I know what they were talking about – that show is mind-blowing. I honestly don’t want to say too much and give anything away for anyone who hasn’t seen it and intends to, but I am definitely. I spent all Sunday afternoon thinking about the first two episodes, then after I watched the third episode when it ran on Sunday night, I spent all of Monday thinking about that one.

I’m pretty confident that not EVERYONE will like this show. It definitely has a niche, and definitely will come off as too pretentious or too weird or too vulgar for some people, but it’s part sci-fi, part family drama, part surf show with a little bit of comedy and a lot of great dialogue sprinkled over the whole thing. I urge you to at least give it a shot.

Dollar Dogs

How about Scott Baker last night? Does anyone else wish that Baker would just find a nice, safe, middle-of-the-road area and stay there? He’s either crap or gold, it’s never a solid, average start. He either gets rocked or throws a gem. Personally, I don’t know if I can handle the Baker-coaster. I just want him to settle in as a solid fourth- or fifth-starter.

Having said that, it was a joy watching him pitch against the Blue Jays last night. I’m off to the Dome for dollar dog night. Let’s hope Boof makes it money well spent.

Hey AJ…

“Hey AJ” is a regular installment of Extra Points that suggests things that Joe Mauer should say to AJ Pierzynski when he gets up to bat against the White Sox. “Hey AJ” is brought to you by the Facebook Group: “The White Sox, Second Class Citizens.”

That’s what I kept saying to myself last night as the Twins seemingly went down in order against Tim Hudson over 7 1/3 innings last night. It appeared to be another wasted gem from Johan Santana, and another chance for us to realize that the magic from last year ain’t comin’ back.

I said this over and over right up until Luis Castillo slapped a single right over third base to lead off the ninth. Then I shut up and moved to the edge of my seat.

Suddenly, they were the Twins of 2006. Joe Mauer moved Castillo over on a hit-and-run, and for some unbelievable reason the Braves heavily played Michael Cuddyer to the opposite field, allowing him to rip a breaking ball down the left-field line for a triple and a 2-1 game.

I fully expected Morneau or Hunter to hit the requisite sacrifice fly to tie the game, and then take our chances in extra innings, but the bizarre sequence that followed worked just fine, too.

Morneau hit a grounder off of the Braves’ first baseman’s chest (I would’ve used his name, but I won’t even attempt to spell that 14-letter challenge), but Cuddy stayed put, which I assumed set up the inevitable game-ending double play. Instead, Torii hit a grounder to third, and the throw home to get Cuddyer sailed over the catcher’s head. For some reason, the home plate umpire didn’t see that part of it and called Cuddyer out. Of course, it was overturned and suddenly it was a tie game with runners on second and third and the loveable Mike Redmond at the plate.

Red Dog had a chance to put a run on the board in the seventh, when he came up with a man on third and two outs. He feebly popped up to 14-letters in foul territory.

Not this time. No way. One hanging slider from shaky closer Bob Wickman and it was over. Red Dog lined the game-winner into left field and my living room erupted into yells and hi-fives. They actually did find a way to win this game, and the way it happened seemed to be a spark with bigger implications than just a June, ninth-inning comeback.

So is this the sign? Is the magic back? At this point a year ago, I felt good about the Twins, but one game seemingly changed everything. It was the home series against Milwaukee, and facing a large eighth-inning deficit and previously unscathed closer Derrick Turnbow, the Twins appeared to be done. But as Lee Corso always says, “Not so fast, my friend.”

Cuddyer tied the game with a huge triple, and scored the go-ahead run. Nathan closed it out and Turnbow was never the same. The Twins, meanwhile, picked up an air of invincibility, and it somehow made their huge deficit in the AL Central seem manageable.

Well, this time around there isn’t that air of invincibility, not yet, but there also isn’t a huge deficit. We sit 3.5 back of Detroit and 5.5 back of Cleveland. That seems like nothing after overcoming double-digit deficits in ’06.

So now we turn to the Brewers series once again. The ‘Crew is in town after helping us by beating Detroit in the two games where they actually got base hits. We need them to keep helping us – this time by leaving Minneapolis on a three-game losing streak. A series win would be OK, too. My brother, Bruiser, pointed out to a Brewers fan who heckled us in Milwaukee that, “Meatloaf said that two out of three ain’t bad.” No, it ain’t, but a sweep here would be monumentally better.

The Twins looked like they were on the verge of turning the corner at the end of May when we took the Milwaukee series and then swept the White Sox, but a west coast road trip and a disappearing offense killed that quick. This time, we need to keep riding the wave.

Neither team will throw their aces this weekend. Sheets and Capuano won’t go for the ‘Crew, while the Brewers miss Santana for the second-straight season. That means Boof Bonser and Scott Baker need to replicate their masterful starts against Milwaukee in May, and Kevin Slowey has to keep being the new Brad Radke. And most of all, our offense needs to stay hot against Milwaukee’s second-tier starters.

A year ago, the Twins didn’t just right their ship in interleague play. They dove all the way down, pulled the wreck from the ocean floor and completely rebuilt it into a first-class vessel. This year, they just need to fix a few leaks and re-check the destination.

Hopefully, at the end of September, it’ll be docking at the team’s fifth division title in six years, and we’ll remember this stretch as the moment Gardy and company charted the course. Otherwise it could be stormy seas ahead, especially once we stop playing JV teams and get back to the best division in baseball.

Tubby Watch

I really enjoyed Tubby Smith’s inning in the booth with Dick and Bert during the broadcast last night. I sent a text to my buddy Rap to let him know the new Gopher coach was on the FSN broadcast, since he was subjected to watching it on Ted Turner’s station.  He wrote back with a good idea.

"Sweet … Does he love Santana?  Get him to play point guard."

Why not?  Johan can do anything, and that would free up Lawrence McKeznie to play the two.  Maybe Johan could convince him to bench Dan Coleman, too.

Hey AJ…

I thought the whole LeBron James “Witness” campaign was a little premature when it first ran. At that point, I remember thinking, “Witness what? His first playoff berth in the crappy Eastern Conference? Big deal.”

Then he hit a few game-winners against the Wizards last year, and took the Pistons to seven games and I started thinking that maybe I should make sure to witness his emergence. After all, I was a little too young to fully embrace the rise of Jordan. In fact, my first real NBA memory is Jordan’s Bulls beating the Lakers for their first NBA title. I was 10, and the prevailing thing I took away from that is the media constantly saying: “We always knew that if Jordan’s team could get him to the Finals, he’d win it.” That was one of the coolest things I’d ever heard at that point. Well, that and “Too legit to quit.”

I got my first basketball that summer – a red and while outdoor ball with Jordan’s signature imprinted on the rubber. That ball almost became our own microcosm of Jordan’s dominance. To this day, that basketball is full of air. I can’t ever remember having to fill it up. When we’d play basketball at Hines Park with all the kids in my neighborhood, and it came time to pick which ball to use, the Jordan ball was almost always selected, with someone uttering the phrase: “The Jordan ball’s always good for some air.” It was the one transcendent ball of the neighborhood the same way Jordan was the one transcendent player of our adolescence. The fact that they were tied to one another was no coincidence. Not to us.

Like pretty much every kid my age, I reveled in the Jordan Era. I fully appreciated his next two titles. His (first) retirement hit me hard, and as a high schooler I was glued to my TV for almost every moment of the Bulls’ second three-peat, with the only exception being his final game in a Bulls uniform. I was my school’s Boys’ State representative, and Game Six against the Jazz was our first night at the week-long event. No TV was a strict rule, and our counselor, who we later found out was (no joke) a clown for his profession, wouldn’t budge an inch. Luckily a kid named Big Jeff was running to the pay phone every 10 minutes to call a friend for an update, and my mom was under strict orders to tape every second of the game. I still have that tape.

My point is, there hasn’t been a player with that effect since, and there never will truly be “another Jordan,” but after last night’s Cleveland-Detroit Game Five, I can confidently say two things. LeBron might come close, and I am officially a “Witness.”

One thing that made Jordan SO special is that he had the uncanny ability to subtlety influence the direction of the game while involving his teammates and conserving his energy until it was time for him to take over, and then he TOOK OVER. That’s what LeBron did last night, and I’ll never forget it, the same way I’ll never forget Jordan draining three after three against Portland, or absolutely dominating in an overtime win against Barkley’s Suns. Last night, LeBron put himself in the same realm as His Airness.

He did it all. Fading away jumpers with two guys in his face. No problem. Going left past two defenders and then rising for a game-tying three. Of course. Two positively huge game-tying dunks in regulation. Absolutely. A game-winning drive in double overtime through the entire Detroit defense. You betcha.

I was watching the game in my living room with my roommate Big Party and we actually cracked a few “witness” jokes during the early stages in the game. Then LeBron slashed through the whole Pistons’ team and dunked not once, but twice, in the last minute of regulation, resulting in us screaming: “OHHHHH!!!” simultaneously.

By double overtime, the screams evolved to laughter. It was the only appropriate response to what we were seeing. I’ve written about the giggle factor before, (most commonly referenced when talking about Johan Santana using his changeup to make a major league hitter look like an uncoordinated 8-year old) and LeBron achieved it last night. It comes into play when what you’re seeing from an athlete is so absurd that you can’t do anything but laugh out loud. I laughed as much during the second overtime as I do during an episode of South Park.

The other thing I loved is post game LeBron. After the final buzzer, he just bent over and put his hands on his knees. He looked like he could barely lift his head. It was apparent that he had literally given his team everything he had, and he didn’t over dramatize it like some athletes do. He looked truly spent, and it just added to the respect factor.

After we were able to soak in what we had just seen, I finally looked at Party and asked him one question.

“Are we obligated to go buy ‘Witness’ t-shirts now?”

He just nodded.

The Evolution of Torii

Three or four years ago, if I had told you that the Twins were tied 6-6 with a team in the bottom of the ninth and they had the bases loaded with two outs and Torii Hunter at the plate, what would you have expected to happen?

I would’ve probably bet most of my money on a three-pitch strikeout, with some consideration going to “feeble pop up” and “walk-off grand slam.” The chance that I would have guessed: “four pitch game-winning walk?” Zero. Absolutely.

Not anymore. It’s like Torii grew up before our very eyes last year. He’s now a more patient, precise hitter, with power to the gaps and speed on the bases. It’s almost hard to fathom.

In the past, when Torii would come up, it was almost guaranteed that either myself or one of my friends would say, “Here comes three HARD swings.” Torii always looked like the little leaguer on a quest to hit his first homerun. He didn’t have a plan, or an approach … just three hard swings.

Personally, I couldn’t be more thrilled about New Torii, but it is taking some getting used to. When the Twins loaded the bases with one out and Morneau coming up, I got an excited call from my buddy Rap. I was excited too, but quickly lost all hope when the MVP popped up to the catcher.

“We’re done,” I told him. “That was our big chance. No way we survive this game now after blowing that.”

“Come on,” he said. “Torii’s up.”

“Yeah, time for three hard swings,” I glumly replied.

“He’s coming through,” Rap assured me. “Game winner, coming up right here. He’s going to do it.”

“I hope so, but I have a bad feeling,” I told him as we got off the phone to listen to Torii’s at bat.

Then came a ball. Then another. And another. Suddenly, my attitude changed, because he’d get a look at a fastball on the 3-1 pitch. However, that pitch never came. He walked, and the Twins celebrated their fourth straight win, and five out of six.

This taught me two things. One, I need to shift my expectations with New Torii. It’s not the same old song and dance. Things are definitely different now. And Two – I need to listen to Rap more often. Sorry, buddy. Way to keep the faith.

Now the only questions surrounding the Twins’ leader are how he’ll do in the All-Star game, and what uniform he’s going to wear next year. I hope God, Terry Ryan and Carl Pohlad and any other higher power do whatever they can to make sure he’s got a TC on his cap. We deserve New Torii, and he deserves to stay a Twin.

Hey AJ…

This is a new segment that I’m introducing to Extra Points. Last year, Cousin Tony and I developed a fun game to play when you’re sitting near White Sox fans at a game, and it’s called: “Things Joe Mauer should say to AJ Pierzynski when he comes up to bat against the White Sox.” After AJ’s continued antics last week, including trying to spike the MVP, I decided its time to make this an installment in the blog. Here’s the inagurual “Hey AJ…”

“Hey AJ, I was just wondering if you remembered when the Twins traded you just so I could come up and play. Sorry that they couldn’t keep my greatness in the minor leagues any more. Also, sorry that you ended up being the wrong side in the worst trade in history.  That must really hurt.”

More Podcast Fun

The Pony Podcast is rolling in its fourth week now, and this was a particularly good installment. I sat down with Stillwater boys’ golf coach John Scanlon on Thursday and we talked about his team’s section victory and the upcoming state meet. Check it out at: www.stillwatercourier.com and www.lakeelmoleader.com.

Nothing seems to be working for the Twins. When they hit, they don’t pitch (Tuesday). When they pitch, they don’t hit. And sometimes – actually most of the time – they haven’t done either particularly well.

To top it off, Joe Mauer is on the DL, Jesse Crain might be lost for the season and the experiment officially known as Sidney Ponson has already went up in flames, which is exactly the way 99 percent of Minnesota fans predicted it to end.

I know, I know. Things were a lot worse at this time last year. It was exactly a year ago that Franciso Liriano and Boof Bonser were about to make their first starts, and the club was almost ready to jettison Juan Castro and Tony Batista in favor of youth and speed. And that’s when things turned around.

However, last year I never panicked about the Twins. Even at the depths of their struggles, there was just something about them last year that suggested that their spotty play early was mirage rather than trend. This year … I’m not so sure, and it’s scares me.

Usually, I’m the most optimistic fan you can find. I think the Twins are going to win the World Series every year, and I find a way to convince myself that every year is finally going to be the year that the Gopher football team wins the Big Ten and earns a trip to Pasadena. In my almost 26 years of being a sports fan, I’ve only been right twice, and both times (1987, 1991) I was too young to know how to temper my expectations.

Something just doesn’t feel right about this year’s team. Last year, the fixes were rather obvious. It was clear Liriano was destined for stardom as a starter, and going with speed on the left side of the infield was an easy choice, but this year the Twins seem like a tougher team to “fix.”

Health has been a problem. The Twins have missed Rondell White, and other smaller injuries have plagued the lineup from settling into any sort of consistent groove. However, as guys like Mauer and Luis Castillo and Michael Cuddyer regain their health, the lineup will need to regain its’ punch.

And what will become of the pitching staff? Santana has been un-Santana like. Boof has been inconsistent, Ramon Ortiz seems to get worse every start, and let’s face it, when Carlos Silva is your best starter, things need to change. However, there isn’t the no-brainer fix like Liriano just waiting to come in. Matt Garza didn’t show enough last year to warrant too much confidence that he can be a saving grace. Ditto with Scott Baker. Glen Perkins has been good in long relief, but it appears he’ll stay there for now. And Kevin Slowey has yet to take the hill for the big-league team, so predicting his production is impossible.

The first thing that needs to happen is that Johan needs to find a phone booth and change into his Superman cape. As I write this, I’m listening to John Gordon and Danny Gladden call this afternoon’s Twins-Indians game, hoping that this is the start where the state of Minnesota breathes a collective sigh of relief because Johan finally pitched like a two-time Cy Young winner.

I know that this game holds huge importance for me for a few reasons. First of all, Twins fans just need a little more reason for optimism. Once Johan snaps into form and reminds us that he’s a lock for a win every fifth day, that will be a huge step in the right direction.

Also, I’m heading to Milwaukee this weekend for an annual ritual – the Twins-Brewers series at Miller Park. Last year, Liriano was announced as the Friday starter and Twins nation was collectively energized. This year, a superb start from Santana heading into the interleague rivalry series could be the same shot of optimism we all need.

So far, so good. Johan just cruised through the third, striking out his fourth and fifth hitters, and the only baserunner has been the seemingly invincible Travis Hafner, who beat the Twins’ shift with an opposite-field, ground ball single. The “Dazzle Man” just described Johan as “locked in.” And I feel equally happy and relieved.

However, the other big thing is that the Twins aren’t playing “Twins baseball.” They’ve remained successful despite the obvious payroll woes because they consistently play the game the right way. They bunt, they take extra bases, they do the little things that make teams successful. But this year, that hasn’t been the case. Not only have there been countless baserunning errors, but Bartlett just popped up a sacrifice bunt and got Castillo doubled off of first. These things have to change. And they have to change now.

Like I said, it’s hard to pinpoint what they should do to turn things around. Sometimes it looks like they need a full-time, power-hitting left fielder, or an upgrade at third base. The DH is always a place of concern for the Twins, but the answers just aren’t as obvious as they were a year ago.

However, I don’t think I’m alone in urging the team’s front office to do SOMETHING. Make a move, mix it up, pull the trigger on a trade. We learned last year that the waiting game is not the answer, so let’s stop playing it.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe it will all come together once everyone is healthy, and the Twins will rip off 12 wins in a row and get right back in a heated race in baseball’s best division. I don’t know.

What I do know is that Johan just cruised through a scoreless fourth and recorded his sixth strikeout. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have to turn my attention to my radio now.

You know how when rehab programs advertise with the slogan, “Today could be the first day of the rest of your life.” With Johan rolling, I’m going to take the same approach.

Today could be the first day of the rest of the season.

The next day…

Alright, so I was wrong. I wrote everything you’ve read up to this point during yesterday’s game, but after the Twins lost a 2-0 decision and were stifled for the second time this year by some guy named Fausto Carmona, I just didn’t have the energy to post the blog or add anything onto it.  I’m finally snapping out of my Twins’ coma now.

Johan pitched a gem, but made two mistake pitches, gave up two solo home runs, and the Twins lost 2-0. I’m not hitting the panic button yet. I’m eager to see how they do against the Brewers starting tonight (and I’ll be in Milwaukee for the Saturday and Sunday games). However, my hand is certainly hovering near the panic button, and if we get swept this weekend, you better believe I’m pushing that thing.

I still stand behind most of what I wrote yesterday. I still think of myself as an optimist, but at the same time, there’s little to no reason to have any optimism about this team at this point. Let’s hope that changes.

Pony Podcast

Since we’re always trying to increase our presence at the web at the Courier and Leader, I’ve started doing a weekly Podcast that takes a look at Stillwater sports. The second one went up yesterday, and it’s broken down into three parts (apparently the smaller files make for easier downloading, or something … I don’t know, I’m not a computer guy).

You can hear the Podcasts at www.stillwatercourier.com and www.lakeelmoleader.com. They’re on the homepage, just scroll down a little. This week, I’m joined by Dan Rowe and Tim Daigle from AM 1220 KLBB radio to discuss their experiences broadcasting Pony sports, although I don’t think I’m doing myself any favors by putting my voice up against two trained radio personalities. Yikes.

Really Great Clips

I just got a call from my roommate, Big Party, to let me know that Michael Cuddyer gets his hair cut at the very same Great Clips in the Quarry in Minneapolis that we go to. He said that an older gentleman was talking about how Cuddy Bear was in there getting a trim the last time he was there, and an employee confirmed the fact that the Twins’ right fielder is a regular.

"It’s possible I just got my hair cut in the same chair as a guy who drove in over 100 runs last year!" Party said to me excitedly over the phone.

I’m equally excited. What does this say about us? Hold on … don’t answer that.

Season Finale

Last night’s season finale of The Office was fantastic. SPOILER ALERT! What the hell happened to Karen? Did Jim just leave her in New York? If so … that’s awesome. And am I the only one who has been blown away by Jenna Fischer’s acting in the last two episodes? I always thought she was good, but in the last two … wow. Hopefully she gets a statue of some kind, because she’s been excellent.

Also, I love what they keep doing with my favorite bit character on the show – Creed. He gets funnier and funnier each week, and the best single moment of the whole season is a tie between Creed catching the fish last week and Ryan batting the bouquet down at Phyllis’ wedding. Thankfully NBC really posted Creed’s blog online. Go to this address to read it (http://blog.nbc.com/CreedThoughts/) and prepare to laugh-slash-be amazed.

Entourage, my other favorite show, has been great lately, too. I thought the season started kind of slow, but I’ve really enjoyed the last two episodes.

This year, things aren’t going nearly as well.  A few guys are swinging the bat, but the Twins lineup has largely underachieved, particularly during their recent four-game losing streak, and especially with runners in scoring position.

While Vavra is undoubtedly a good technical guy – he can help fix swings and get guys out of slumps – I want the Twins to add a second hitting coach to try and coax some runs out of their lackluster lineup – Pedro Cerrano.

I know Cerrano is a fictional character from my all-time favorite baseball movie (Major League) but the Cuban defective and voodoo-practicing slugger might be exactly what the Twins need to "wake up bats." At this point, I’m beyond reason and logic, and this actually seems like the right idea.

He could start by going to Golf Galaxy (or Roger Dorn’s garage) and getting a dozen head covers to put over the barrels of the Twins’ bats. "Hats for bats, keep bats warm," is what Cerrano said in the movie, and let’s hope he’s right, because the Twins’ bats are ice cold and are in serious need of some warmth.

Then maybe he could put a little statue of Jobu in each player’s locker, and under no circumstances should they forget to offer Jobu gifts of cigars and rum so he helps out with hitting the breaking ball. Luckily, the Twins seem like more of a Coors Light crowd, because, "Is very bad to steal Jobu’s rum - is VERY bad." Just ask fictional Indians hurler Eddie Harris.

Finally, Cerrano needs to hook the hitters up with whatever explosive substance he had at the base of the Jobu statue.  You may recall the part of the movie where Harris tries to lead the rag-tag team in prayer, but he’s suddenly interrupted by a loud BANG and a cloud of smoke coming from Cerrano’s locker. "Have to wake up bats!" was Cerrano’s response to the sudden explosion, and let’s face it – the Twins’ bats definitely need waking up.

So Gardy, Vavra, Terry Ryan, the Pohlad’s, whoever – do what you can to get the hitters a little extra spiritual guidance, even if it has to come from a fictional movie character who relied heavily on religion and superstition to break out a slump and hit a huge homerun in the team’s one-game playoff with the Yankees. I mean, come on, it can’t hurt.

And remember – if Coach Cerrano tells you that he needs to "sacrifice a live chicken" for extra power before a big game, don’t settle for KFC and make the same mistake as Jake Taylor and Willie Mays Hayes.  Get the man a live chicken, and watch the hits and runs come pouring in.

Draft Day

It’s time again for the NFL Draft and my excitement level has risen in the last few days, but it’s nowhere near where it was a year ago. On top of the Packers having the fifth pick, there was so much star power last year.  This year, the first round doesn’t excite me. Even the top guys – JaMarcus Russell, Calvin Johnson, Adrian Peterson – don’t seem that special.  The only one that I’d be legitimately thrilled to see on either of my favorite teams (Dolphins, Packers) is Johnson, who looks like he’s going to be an absolute stud at wideout.  If I was the Vikings, I’d find out what Detroit wanted for number two and GIVE IT TO THEM.  Their biggest glaring need is at receiver, so why not at least explore the opportunity of getting the best?

As far as my squads go, I’m hoping like crazy for Marshawn Lynch to the Packers.  After watching him destroy the Gophers last September, I remember thinking how good he’d look in green and gold.  The only other player that would excite me there is Dwayne Jarrett from USC.  I know that would be a reach for him, but I saw him play numerous times in college and he is definitely a gamer.  He runs all the routes, makes all the catches, and will be another solid pro.

As far as the ‘Fins at No. 9, I’m hoping that Brady Quinn or Joe Thomas somehow falls to them or they make a move, but it really isn’t likely and I’ve started to accept that its going to be the tackle from Penn St. – Levi Brown – and I’m OK with that.  After all, this team SHOULD be built around it’s already strong defensive nucleus and young running star Ronnie Brown, so solidifying a shaky O-line seems like a smart move to me.  (And signing Drew Brees instead of trading for Daunte Culpepper also seemed like a smart move last summer, so I don’t trust them to do the "smart" thing 100 percent of the time.)

Reliving a Championship

This has been up for a few weeks, and I wanted to pass along the link.  My paper’s photographer, Andy Blenkush, and I put together a behind-the-scenes multimedia look at the Stillwater girls’ hockey team and their run to the state championship.  We’ve gotten a ton of great feedback about this, and I think it serves as a great representation of how exciting that cold weekend in St. Paul really was.

See it at:  www.stillwatercourier.com/multimedia

“Hey, I got my company’s tickets for the Wolves game tonight.  Do you wanna go?” he asked.

My first reaction was that I absolutely did not want to go.  It was the last game of the regular season and they were playing the Memphis Grizzlies.  Both teams would be actively trying to lose to improve their position in the draft lottery, and on top of that, Kevin Garnett wasn’t even playing (management shut his season down to make sure they finished in the bottom 10 and kept their draft pick).

Then I realized that you don’t get the opportunity to see both teams actively trying to lose in professional sports every day, and if nothing else it would make for good blog fodder.

“Yeah, sure.  I’ll go.  It’s gonna be a crap-fest, but I’ll go,” I told him.

My suspicions were right – the level of play was at an all-time low. I counted at least three double turnovers (where one team turns it over, then the other team gives it right back).  There were three or four missed dunks, tons of apathy on defense and even a player from Memphis named Tarence Kinsey (after research I learned he a rookie out of South Carolina) who somehow managed 22 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.  I was shocked.

Timberwolves forward Justin Reed may have set a record last night for awkward, useless  dribbles AND dropped passes in the same game. Also, at one point my brother turned to me and asked:

“At some point, did some coach decide that Rashad McCants should only be shooting threes?  Who decided that?  Who told him that was a good idea?”

The game wasn’t without highlights.  Ricky “my least favorite Timberwolves player ever’ Davis had a nice follow-up slam on a free throw, and Randy Foye looked downright dangerous.  However, the night’s best moments didn’t involved the basketball being played.

The first one happened during a first-half timeout.  For some reason, the Target Center staff decided it was a good idea to put clips of people wiping out on water skis and tubing up on the scoreboard video screens. While I was looking around, confused why this was being showed at an NBA game, I noticed one person who was absolutely LOVING the footage:  Grizzlies player Mike Miller.

Miller was in street clothes (probably not playing for the same reasons as Garnett) and rather than listening into the Memphis huddle, he was just staring up at the screens and laughing hysterically.  He loved it, couldn’t get enough of it.  Later in the game we noticed he was having a conversation with Rudy Gay on the end of the bench and a few fans seated nearby, and we could only assume he was asking if they saw “all those awesome water skiing wipe outs.”  I would’ve expected it to take more to get Miller riled up, after all he is from Mitchell, South Dakota – home of the Corn Palace.

The other great moment happened just before the end of the game. A guy in our section seated near the court stood up with about five minutes left in the game. He turned around to reveal his white shirt with blue block lettering that simply read:  “Fire McHale.” He held up a sign that said the same thing.

This guy was really proud of himself.  He stood up holding the sign in the air, and eventually he moved to the aisle to attract more attention.  After a few more minutes, he worked his way over to where the Wolves’ TV crew was doing their broadcast, and he made sure they saw his handy work.

It was at this point that his crony emerged and joined him in the aisle. The second guy was way more sheepish, but he slowly seemed to get more and more fired up about the statement they were making.  Oh, and the second guy’s sign read:  “Fire McFail.”

After a few more minutes, an usher approached the dynamic duo and it looked like he was asking for their signs. The two men played keep away, holding their signs high above their heads as the shorter usher tried to seize them. Security showed up shortly, and they got the crony’s sign and led him out of the Target Center without much effort, but T-shirt and sign proved to be a much tougher task.  He refused to give up his sign, pulling it away from security several times, and we could just barely hear him yelling, “Freedom of speech,” from where we were sitting. Eventually, they wrestled his sign away and forcefully removed him from the arena as well. However, the guy was waving his arms and trying to generate a response until he was out of sight.  He got one of the louder ovations of the night, but even that wasn’t much on that dismal night.

I wonder if McHale saw the signs and ordered the cease and desist order?  I could just see him, sitting in his usual seats, pulling out his cell phone.

“This is McHale – get me the head of security.  (pause)  Johnson, this is McHale.  See the guy with the sign and shirt?  Take his ass out.”

Then he’d have to inevitably follow it up with either a sinister laugh, or a comment along the lines of:  “That’ll teach them to mess with McHale.”

Coming up