Sunday, August 6, 2023

The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#-1: Twins (Last Week: -2).  OK, so this is better.  I still think they should be sweeping teams they supposedly are better against, and they started off the screening Week getting swept in Kansas City.  But they took two-of-three at demoralized St. Louis, and they have already taken the first two Games of a three-Game series at home over Arizona.  What's even better is that while the Twins went 4-2, Cleveland went 2-4, and so Minnesota now leads the Division by 3 1/2 Games.  There is plenty of time for things to go sideways, but this has been a good Week, and their Week has been better than any other's, so that's why they resume up top.

One more vs. the Diamondbacks, then four in Detroit beginning tomorrow/Monday, then an intriguing trio at Philadelphia starting on Friday.

#-2: United FC (Last Week: -3).  Yeah, I guess I'm writing about the Loons just because I want to.  And hey, they're giving me something to write about.  I thought they were dead to rights after choking at home versus Chicago because they had a date at high-flying Columbus Friday.  The familiar ties between the two clubs are rife: Will Trapp used to play there, and Christian Ramirez and Kevin Molino used to play here.  It was a hell of a match, apparently.  MNUFC scored first, only for the Crew to tie it.  Then, Columbus went ahead twice (Superman scored to make it 3-2 in the 83rd Minute), only for Minnesota to draw even.  (Bongokuhle Hlongwane scored the first two Goals -- he leads Leagues Cup scoring with six Goals, one more than Lionel Messi -- and Hasani Dotson scored in the 90th to make it 3-3.)  United FC won on Penalty Kicks, 4-3.

That earns the Loons a home date Tuesday against Liga MX side Toluca Tuesday night.  It would be so awesome if they sold Toluca jerseys at the stores, but I'm told it won't happen, and besides, I won't buy one unless MNUFC win.

#-3: Lynx (Last Week: -1).  A four-Point Win at Connecticut Sunday extended their winning streak to three Games, but that ended when they lost the second of a two-Game "series" to the Sun by ten on Tuesday.  They then went home and lost by ten to New York on Friday.  I again assert that all this losing means the Lynx are "winning" a high draft pick.  But they're still in seventh place in the WNBA, and the squads below them (ninth-place Los Angeles is 3 1/2 Games behind) seem disinclined to win.  They're kind of stuck in a mediocre middle, and that is not good news for this franchise.

Busy Week, all on the road -- Chicago Tuesday, Indiana Thursday, the first of a home-and-home with Seattle Friday.

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