#-1: Lynx (Last Week: -2). Not a great Week for Twin Cities sports. I felt more depressed than not this Week, actually. As an example, the Lynx absolutely deserve the top spot this screening Week because of their 2-1 record. Surprisingly, they swept a home-and-home with the Griner-less Phoenix Mercury Tuesday and Thursday. (Aside: The fortunes of the Merc and the Lynx appear to mirror each other. They both rose to prominence together, and now they're mired in mediocrity at the same time.) But that squad blew a big goddamn lead in Las Vegas on Sunday and lost by a Point to the Aces. And they have the second-worst record in the WNBA and worst in the Western Conference.
The only silver lining is that Sylvia Fowles has been cleared to come back and play. Her first Game back was Thursday's 100-88 victory over Phoenix; Fowles scored 14 Points and collected ten Rebounds. I don't know if she's the difference-maker, but it is her farewell season, so it would be nice to see her on the court. Also, they are only three Games out of the final spot in the playoffs, so who knows?
This Week: At defending champs Chicago Sunday, then home to Dallas (Tuesday) and Las Vegas (Friday).
#-2: Timberwolves (Re-Entry!). Hanging out at a bar Thursday night, stuffing my face with (first) wings and (second) nachos I couldn't finish while watching the NBA Draft, I realized I wasn't enjoying it as much as I do the NFL Draft. I can't quite put my finger on as to why, but I have one guess: The way the National Basketball Association permits and announces trades is so damn confusing.
Take, for example, the Timberwolves' First Round pick, which was 19th overall. I was watching the ESPN feed with the sound off, so I had to see that league newsbreaker Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Wolves proposed a trade with Memphis, which had the 22nd overall selection. Not made a trade, mind you, but proposed one. I'm guessing league rules when it comes to trades don't allow, or at least don't make an incentive out of, trades where the teams, you know, actually trade picks and the team that traded up makes the pick.
Instead, the NBA forces teams to work official trades behind the scenes, or at least I guess. Meanwhile, because it's not official but is all but a done deal, journalists like Woj have to couch these almost-trades in some cutesy wink-wink language. Meanwhile, because trades haven't officially happened yet, Minnesota picked 19th -- with the assumption that the Grizzles told Timberwolves brass who to pick. That pick was Jake LaRavia, some Forward out of Wake Forest I have never heard of. Again, it was hard to keep track of all of this because there was no sound. At first I was thinking the Woofie Dogs just Woofie Dogged again, but then I saw the bit on the far right side of the chyron say "Proposed Trade With Memphis."
I think there were at least of few of these "proposed trades" that went down in the First Round. LaRavia wasn't there, but some of the players ensnared in these "proposed trades" were at the Barclays Center, and so they had to go through the bit where, after they get hugs from their family and support system, they walk up to the dais and wear the cap of the team that selected them ... even though everyone and their mothers know they won't play a single fucking Second for that team. This bullshit performance theater has happened for years now. Not only is it misleading, it makes no goddamn sense to have Rookies wear the logo and colors for teams they will be promptly traded from by the time the night is over. And yet they go through with this charade. Why? And why can't the league and the NBA Players Association 86 these lies?
Anyway, the T-Wolves finally wound up with Walker Kessler, a Center out of Auburn. He's not considered a generational talent or anything. But he is the NCAA Defensive Player Of The Year, and both height and rim protection were things in extremely short supply in Minnesota. I've never seen him play, but at least one mock Draft had him going to the Woofs, so because of that, I think that was a good selection. I think there was another trade where the 29th, which I believe the Grizz gave to the Wolves along with the 22nd, was subsequently flipped to Houston (along with "future picks," another phrase used often by the NBA that is so vague that it's meaningless for Draft fans to keep track of) for the 26th pick. And Minnesota -- or is it Houston? -- selected Duke Guard Wendell Moore, Jr. I thought the Guard the Woofs would choose would be Kentucky's TyTy Washington. And I don't think anyone foresaw Moore coming up here. But if he pans out, he might supplant trade bait D'Angelo Russell and backup Jordan McLaughlin and become the Timberwolves' Point Guard of the future.
I think they picked two guys in the Second Round, but it's hard to follow.
#-3: Twins (Last Week: -1). They once had one of the best records in the majors. They also once had a huge lead in the American League Central Division. Both distinctions are gone as of this past Week, when they went only 2-4.
After splitting the last two contests of a three-Game series at Arizona (the Diamondbacks won on Friday), the Twinks came home for a pivotal three-Game set with the Cleveland Guardians, the ballclub that was hot on their heels. And they took two-out-of-three in Minnesota and left the state tied with Minnesota for the Division lead. All three Games were decided by a one Run. Most excruciating for Twinks fans: Their team had the lead on Tuesday and Wednesday, and the Bullpen blew leads and both Games.
On Tuesday, Minnesota had a 5-3 lead going into the Eighth Inning, but anti-vaxxer Emilio Pagan game up a Game-tying, two-Run Home Run to Franmil Reyes, and Griffin Jax allowed a bloop Single to Andres Gimenez in the Eleventh to give the Guardians the Win.
The next tilt was probably worse. The Twinks led 5-1 after four, but Cleveland came back to take a 7-6 lead in the Seventh off a two-Run Homer by Oscar Gonzalez. Minnesota responded with four in the bottom of the Inning and kept that 10-7 lead into the top of the Ninth ... where Pagan allowed a Run and left two men on for Jax, who then yielded three Runs (the Game-winner being a Sacrifice Fly by Owen Miller) and got hung for the Loss for a second consecutive Game.
Thankfully neither Pagan nor Jax pitched Thursday; four hurlers made Nick Gordon's Home Run stick in a face-saving 1-0 victory. However, Colorado, which is mired below .500 along with the Arizona Diamondbacks that just took two-of-three from Minnesota, turned the tables on the Twinks last/Friday night with a 1-0 Win for the visitors. The only Run came on a Fielder's Choice grounder by Charlie Blackmon, and German Marquez went 7 2/3 Innings to win despite walking five and striking out only two. Saving grace: As of press time, Minnesota and Cleveland are still tied for the Division lead.
After finishing up with the Rockies over the weekend, they travel to Cleveland for a five-Game series that includes a make-up. They then return to Target Field to begin a trio against The Bastard St. Louis Browns on Friday.
#-4: United FC (Re-Entry!). Rigor mortis has set in on the only Minnesota sports team I have ever devoted a significant amount of money and time to. On Sunday they couldn't hold onto a 1-0 Halftime lead and lost, 2-1, to the New England Revolution. That makes them winless in five out of their last six Major League Soccer Matches, and that puts them in eleventh place (as of press time) in the Western Conference, albeit only two Points back of Seattle for the final spot in the playoffs.
Midweek did not bring another contest. No, it brought something more important: The announcement by the organization of season ticket renewal. And if Twitter is any indication (and I have to guard against hearing things only in a bubble like a certain social media platform), the team's ticket reps heard an earful before being told people won't renew. I don't know how bad it's gotten, but I'm sure it's not good.
Hastening the bad vibes currently surrounding this club (if not its on-pitch fortunes), the franchise announced, also midweek, that they have extended the contract of Manager Adrian Heat through 2024. There is now a rabid #HeathOut movement. I don't know if the organization is ignorant about it or is aware and doesn't care. But the timing behind this announcement probably convinced more than several season ticketholders not to renew. I'm not one of them; inertia is my reason. But I fear that next Year, Allianz Field is going to look mighty empty, that will be really sad.
But hey, maybe they can turn it around. They've finally offloaded Adrien Hunou back to Ligue 1, with side Angers. That'll free up some money, but many onlookers felt the attacker was never given a fair shake by Heath to contribute meaningfully to MNUFC. I just hope Hunou's replacements can score. Anyway, the Loons have a busy road trip ahead of them: They're in Miami tonight/Saturday night to face Inter, then play at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday.
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