#-1: Gopher soccer (Last Week: -2). They began the home portion of their schedule with a pair of clean sheets, 1-0 over Marquette Friday and 2-0 over South Dakota St. I have nothing else to add. This weekend they travel down south to face a pair of SEC teams in a reciprocating visit for, I think, Ole Miss and Auburn coming up to Robbie Stadium this time last year.
#-2: Gopher football (Re-Entry!). For the first time in I think ever, there were a lot of good matchups to start off the college football season: Florida St.-Oklahoma St., LSU-Wisconsin, Texas A&M-South Carolina. And then there are the Gophs, who still are mired in starting their season with cupcakes, such as second-tier Eastern Illinois. And although they beat them 42-20, they started off very slowly. Yes, it's a win, but it doesn't really count. Next week's game, also at home, is against Middle Tennessee St. -- it counts, because they are technically a top-tier program, barely.
#-3: Twins (Last Week: -3). With Tuesday night's loss to the Chicago White Sox, they finish the week 2-4. They have a nasty habit of losing every game but the last one to avoid the sweep. The Twinks did it against Kansas City, and they did against Baltimore (thank God for Phil Hughes, by the way), and Wednesday they will get a chance to avoid a two-game sweep against the White Sox. After that they finish the homestand against the Angels before starting a series at Cleveland Tuesday.
#-4: Gopher volleyball (Re-Entry!). Now this is very discomforting. Although Minnesota is a perennial bridesmaid when it comes to championships, you can always depend on them to be strong at the Sports Pavilion, especially at the beginning of the season. So it came as a shock that on Saturday they lost to an outgunned Louisville squad -- and in four sets only, no less. The honeymoon is over for Hugh McCutcheon; his prestige from being in Olympic coach doesn't seem to be translating to the college ranks. Seriously, Louisville???
Oh, I was at their season opener against Notre Dame. Although they swept, it was a mighty struggle, even though I credited that to the busted A/C in the Pavilion, making everything humid and everybody hot. It was the worst game to watch; not only was everybody fanning themselves, after every point they had to stop for 15 seconds so the Swiffer girls could wipe down the spot on the court where a player slid. Eventually I was checking my texts instead of watching the game because they were playing music during every wipe-down. I was both uncomfortable and bored, and now they lost a game at home. What the heck should we make of this team now?
This weekend they go to New Haven, Conn. for the Yale Tournament, playing the host Yalies, Boston College and Albany. I assume they can win all three.
#-Infinity: Lynx (Re-Entry!). Ladies and gentlemen, this is The End Of An Era. What was billed as an epic clash between the two best teams in the WNBA turned into the laugher that more-attuned experts into the league knew it would be. Reminiscent of the blowout in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, and the heroic come-from-behind victory in Game 2 that did not mask the age difference, the Jynx just got the shit kicked out of them by the Phoenix Mercury, 96-76.
The Big Three of Seimone Augustus, Lindsay Whalen and Maya Moore served beautifully, winning two championships in three seasons and winning 25 or more games in four consecutive regular seasons, a league record. But Diana Taurasi finally found chemistry with Brittany Griner, the freak of nature that might change the WNBA, and their youth and energy finally outlasted the veteran savvy of the Lynx.
It is sad to see a team's end, especially because a club can get very old very quickly. Fans may not want to admit it, but the Lynx are old. They don't have much of a bench, and their starters are going to get lapped next season. So what to do? I'm afraid that although she has been a very loyal soldier, sticking it out when the Jynx sucked to finally find redemption when she hoisted the trophy, Augustus and her weak knees may need to move on. And while Whalen tried to put this team on her back with every daredevil drive to the basket, there might be a need for a more athletic Point Guard to begin taking control of the ball. This is Moore's team now, and the sooner the Lynx can rebuild with young and good talent around her, the sooner this franchise will be on the upswing, not the downswing.
Unfortunately with this elimination, they know will be reintroduced back into the WMNSS. And they should make themselves at home because I don't think they'll be winning any more titles any time soon.
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