#-1: Gopher wrestling (Last Week: -2). The grapplers take the top spot after winning their third match in a row on the road against a ranked opponent. It was close, 21-16, but they won at then-15th-ranked Illinois. Because of that, and because Virginia Tech lost, the Gophs are now ranked 4th in the NWCA/USA Today Coaches Poll. This Sunday, they host the team ranked 3rd: Wisconsin. It's a rematch of their dual in that Nationals earlier this month, where the Badgers nipped Minnesota, 19-17.
#-2: Swarm (Re-Entry!). A 9-8 win over Edmonton gives our National Lacross League team two in a row to take the lead atop the Western Conference. They were trailing the Rush before outscoring them 4-2 in the fourth quarter. This was the second straight time they held their opponent to eight goals, which I'm guessing is very good. That defensive effort was lead by Goalie Nick Patterson; he notched 47 saves and was named NLL Defensive Player Of The Week for ... the second straight week. All told, Patterson has a Save Percentage of .858 (97-for-113) for this winning "streak."
They are in action at the X tonight when they face the Washington Stealth. I'll be there, not just for the lacrosse game but because of the second half of a multi-sport twin-bill: After the Swarm game, the Minnesota Roller Girls will play a friendly against the Mad Rollin' Dolls of Madison, Wisc. The MNRG usually play next door at the Roy Wilkins Auditorium, but this special night is an effort to break the modern-day attendance record for a roller derby bout, which currently is held by the Rat City Rollergirls of Seattle (6,015). These Mad Rollin' Dolls are a good team, so we could have a double home team win, or a dreadful double loss. The Swarm follow up with a game at Buffalo Friday.
#-3: Gopher men's hockey (Last Week: -4). A 5-1 victory over a program that is too far away to field a financially viable men's ice hockey team, Alaska-Anchorage (although they're closer to Minnesota than Alaska-Fairbanks). An even spread: All goals scored by a different player.
Didn't know that last week was the team's last bye week for the rest of the season, whenever that ends. They have one more against the Seawolves at Mariucci tonight, then begin a two-game set at fifth-ranked UMD Friday night.
#-4: Gopher women's hockey (Last Week: -1). Crushed Ohio St. in Columbus 8-1, then went to Madison last (Friday) night and, even though it technically goes down as a 2-all tie, the Badgers win the shootout, so the Gophs' winning streak ends at nine. Center Sarah Davis is the WCHA's current Rookie Of The Week for assisting on half of the team's eight goals against the Buckeyes last Saturday afternoon. They play one more at Wisconsin tonight, then come home for St. Cloud St. Friday.
#-5: Gopher men's basketball (Last Week: -3). If I was able to do this WMNSS before this afternoon's game at Purdue, I would have put them in the catbird seat. After their 1-3 start against the toughest part of their Big Ten schedule, they have won four in a row. Well, had: They were clubbed by the 12th-ranked Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind., 73-61. They seemingly started off well, but turnovers and foul trouble started to creep up on the Gophs' massive frontcourt, and Purdue took advantage.
Blake Hoffarber started at Point Guard because Al Nolen is done for the season with a broken right foot. As deep as they are on the downlow, their backcourt is very, very thing. Hoffarber is serviceable running the system, but his strength is jump-and-shooting at the 2-guard spot. Tubby Smith saw that and switched him to the 2 early in the second half. Too little, too late, sadly. We'll see if the Gophers can make any headway in a game that is dominated by guards; also, I want to see if they can get their Free-Throw Shooting Percentage up to a respectable level.
I feel bad that I'm harping on today's loss because they won two games this week, at Michigan Saturday and home against Northwestern Wednesday. This week: at Indiana Wednesday, then they host the #1 team in the country, Ohio St., hours before Super Bowl XLV.
#-6: Wild (Last Week: 0). They are at the All-Star break now after going 1-1 for the week. A kind-of-scuffling 4-3 loss at San Jose was followed up with a confident and strong 4-2 victory at defending Stanley Cup Champion Chicago. They win three-of-four on that roadtrip.
Hey, congratulations to Martin Havlat, named as an injury NHL All-Star Game replacement. What do you think of the new pick-up game format, where two captains choose who they want on their team, regardless of conference? I say it's fine; players might steal the show because they were picked lower than they thought they should be picked. And besides, if it doesn't work, no big deal because it's just an All-Star Game.
After the break, the Wild begin the second half of their season hosting Los Angeles Tuesday and at the Bastard Quebec Nordiques Thursday.
#-7: Gopher women's basketball (Last Week: -5). Hey, they won their first conference game against Northwestern Thursday, yay!!! I thought about going to the game. But I decided to work out instead. I figure I should go to a weekend game instead because that way I can avoid seeing my parents yell at me for not doing chores around the house because I'm "out." But not tomorrow against Michigan. They also visit Indiana Thursday.
One other thing: Check out the current edition of ESPN The Magazine. The issues are themed these days; this one is the "Recruiting" issue. In it is a very interesting story about homophobic negative recruiting in women's basketball.
#-8: Timberwolves (Last Week: -6). The Woofie Dogs weren't completely embarrassed, but an 0-3 week means they've now lost six in a row.
But I do know one thing: Kevin Love has to make the NBA All-Star Game. The Timberwolves have even started a campaign around convincing the coaches to name Love as a reserve. They have a website and everything under the concept that he has a cologne called "NUMB#ERS." Check it out. Love may need some acting classes for his role in his commercial, but it's alright. In fact, Dime Magazine called this marketing campaign The Best For An All-Star Reserve Spot In The History Of The NBA. High praise. These PR efforts, intended for the coaches who make the decision on who makes the ASG but a way to impress the fanbase, could be the next avenue of fan relations for the NBA and maybe even sports.
This week: home to Toronto and Memphis, then at Toronto. Shit, they could turn the numbers around and have a 3-0 week! OK, wishful thinking. ...
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