I guess I should be happy that the Gophers swept St. Cloud St. this weekend. But many times, more than anything, I want to see a competitive game, especially when I step back, divest myself of any personal and visceral allegiances to a team, and look at the sport, and sport, as a whole. When the U. immolates the Huskies by a combined score of 15-1, I don't think, "Yeah, they beat the shit out of the Cloud!" nor do I think, "Great, they can beat the hell out of bad programs but can't beat good ones like UMD or Boston College." I'm thinking, "Shit, if the schools are going to be so lopsided in talent, why even play? Why not shed the programs in half? Why not degrade the sport down to club level, at least until there's ample evidence there are enough good players going through U.S. colleges to justify 34 Division I teams?" I don't want to be a Debbie Downer, but that's how I truly feel about this team right now.
I don't think the icers will have much of a problem dispatching their next opponent, Ohio St., next weekend, even if it is in Columbus, Ohio.
#-2: Timberwolves (Last Week: -6). A very eventful week for the Woofie Dogs, who went 3-2 for the week. They had a chance at a statement win against The Team That Was Stolen From Us, The Bastard Minneapolis Lakers Sunday but buckled at the altar of Kobe. They had another chance against Indiana while disguised as the American Basketball Association team that was here, the Minnesota Muskies (the uniforms are kind of blah, but it's nice to see Minnesota professional basketball recognized), in a game I had planned to go to because it's the only time in six games the Timberwolves play as the Muskies against an actual ABA opponent. But I forgot ... and lucky me, because they lost.
#-2: Timberwolves (Last Week: -6). A very eventful week for the Woofie Dogs, who went 3-2 for the week. They had a chance at a statement win against The Team That Was Stolen From Us, The Bastard Minneapolis Lakers Sunday but buckled at the altar of Kobe. They had another chance against Indiana while disguised as the American Basketball Association team that was here, the Minnesota Muskies (the uniforms are kind of blah, but it's nice to see Minnesota professional basketball recognized), in a game I had planned to go to because it's the only time in six games the Timberwolves play as the Muskies against an actual ABA opponent. But I forgot ... and lucky me, because they lost.
But the big story this week is the coming-out party of Kevin Love -- as a presence, a vocal leader on the club, and maybe as a bad boy in the NBA. During the loss to the Pacers, Love got into an argument with Indiana leader Danny Granger. Earlier in the week, in a win at Houston, Luis Scola tried to save possession for his Rockets by throwing the ball at Love while Scola was jumping out of bounds; it hit Love somewhere in the lower torso, maybe the groin (I didn't see the replay). As payback last (Saturday) night at Target Center, Love stepped on Scola's chest as the Timberwolves were running the other way. It wasn't called on the court, but Love will definitely be called on the carpet once the NBA's front office reviews it.
I didn't know Love had the capacity to be a hothead. I'll wait and see when it stops being beneficial and starts being a liability. (Oh, BTW, the Wolves beat the Rockets last [Saturday] night, and New Jersey on the road too.)
A pair of backer-to-backers this screening week: home to Sacramento then at Memphis, then a pair at home against Dallas and New York.
#-3: Swarm (Last Week: -1). Had a 9-6 lead at halftime at Rochester but lost the game 16-14, their only game this week. That's all I've got. They start a three-game homestand Friday against Edmonton.
#-4: Wild (Last Week: -3). Although the Mild won a game (as part of their 1-2 week), I'm grading them below for three reasons:
#-3: Swarm (Last Week: -1). Had a 9-6 lead at halftime at Rochester but lost the game 16-14, their only game this week. That's all I've got. They start a three-game homestand Friday against Edmonton.
#-4: Wild (Last Week: -3). Although the Mild won a game (as part of their 1-2 week), I'm grading them below for three reasons:
- Do you remember who won the NHL All-Star Game last weekend? One Marian Gaborik, the supposed cornerstone of the franchise when it was born in 2000. He had two goals and two assists, I think, thus giving some publicity to his new team, the one he signed with (rather than traded to), the New York Rangers. Their gain is our loss.
- That fucking awful loss to Nashville at home Tuesday to start the second half of the season. I was driving to a coffeehouse that evening and listening to the game on the radio. This fucking squad had a 4-2 lead with 3 1/2 minutes left. The fucking Mild the coughed up two goals in only 21 seconds to choke away the lead, then gave up the game-winning goal with 21 seconds left to lose. They couldn't even get a point by surviving into overtime. No, this was a complete pissaway.
- I was assuming that loss to the Predators would be the final nail in the coffin, the game that, even if there are wins afterward and even if they've been playing awful before then, would trigger a noticeable and eye-wincing downward spiral to destroy yet another promising season. They did win at Colorado (somehow, on a fluke goal by Greg Zanon), but then they had to go to Dallas and be hospitable to The Team That Was Stolen From Us, The Bastard North Stars, in a shootout last (Saturday) night. Personally, I believe the Wild have an obligation to beat the shit out of The Team That Was Stolen From Us every game, and that they lost is just as embarrassing as the one to Nashville.
Did you know that this will is the second of three straight weeks where the club plays Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday? At the worst team in the NHL, Columbus, before starting a four-game homestand against Vancouver and those same Blue Jackets.
#-5: Gopher women's basketball (Last Week: -7). The last three teams in the WMNSS lost one game. This team lost at Illinois. So why did I put them first among these winless? Oh, a combination of expectations (meaning I'm more disappointed in the teams that have a better chance of winning the NCAA tournament) and ... well, I just put them in reverse order of where they were last week.
#-5: Gopher women's basketball (Last Week: -7). The last three teams in the WMNSS lost one game. This team lost at Illinois. So why did I put them first among these winless? Oh, a combination of expectations (meaning I'm more disappointed in the teams that have a better chance of winning the NCAA tournament) and ... well, I just put them in reverse order of where they were last week.
All three teams lost in dispiriting fashion. Here, they were tied late before the Illini ended the game scoring the last five. They now sit at .500 (12-12) overall.
They host Penn St. in an hour, then visit Iowa Thursday. About today's game: It kind of sucks for the Nittany Lions. Everybody's watching the Super Bowl; it's an American obligation, kind of like the draft. Where will Penn St. be after the game? Flying home? In their hotel rooms? Watching at Williams Arena? I noticed that the last college basketball games today start at 2 Central, meaning they should be done by 4 Central. A lot of visitors playing earlier today (the Gopher men, for one) might -- might -- be able to get home in time for kickoff 5:25 Central. But the Miami men's team will be 90 minutes away from the start of Super Bowl XLVI after they finish their game at Duke. It's kind of sad to be away from home for the game. It's kind of like working on Christmas Eve, you know?
#-6: Gopher men's basketball (Last Week: -5). The Goofs led at Iowa by as much as ten in the second half and held a five-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes left. They then went scoreless the rest of the game and allowed the Hawkeyes to rip off the final nine points in a 63-59 defeat. They have been swept by Iowa, who sport the same 4-6 B1G record as the U. Killer loss.
#-6: Gopher men's basketball (Last Week: -5). The Goofs led at Iowa by as much as ten in the second half and held a five-point lead with 3 1/2 minutes left. They then went scoreless the rest of the game and allowed the Hawkeyes to rip off the final nine points in a 63-59 defeat. They have been swept by Iowa, who sport the same 4-6 B1G record as the U. Killer loss.
As I said, they're playing at Nebraska right this minute. If the Goofs win somehow, it'll be only the second time they win at a Top 100 opponent. They also host Wisconsin Thursday.
#-7: Gopher wrestling (Last Week: -4). When in the hell does the University of Minnesota wrestling team get upset? But they did. Now, it's not as if Iowa is some podunk school; it's a legendary program and were ranked fifth. But the U. was ranked third, and any J Robinson-led team takes care of business.
#-7: Gopher wrestling (Last Week: -4). When in the hell does the University of Minnesota wrestling team get upset? But they did. Now, it's not as if Iowa is some podunk school; it's a legendary program and were ranked fifth. But the U. was ranked third, and any J Robinson-led team takes care of business.
But the Hawkeyes won the first three matches to race out to a 9-0 lead. Dylan Ness major-decisioned Michael Kelly to make it 9-4, but then Nick Moore returned the favor on Alec Ortiz, and then Mike Evans pinned Cody Yohn to make it 19-4. The Hawkeyes lost the last four matches of the dual, but they didn't need any more points; they were able to hold the Goofs down to decisions and thus won 19-17.
Right now they're finishing up the last game of the conference season against Nebraska at the Sports Pavilion. The grapplers then go to Piscataway, N.J. for NWCA National Duals Saturday.
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