The Weekly Minnesota Sports Survey

#0: Timberwolves (Last Week: -1).  Can't say I think they're going to win this series, but ... this club seems as locked as they have been all season.  That depth and chemistry propelled the Wolves into taking Games 3 and 4 at Target Center this Week.  Anthony Edwards is stepping up as the alpha, not only on this team but also in the playoffs.  Meanwhile, Jaden McDaniels has had to step up and be a reliable scorer, and he has.  Therefore, they are on the brink of beating The Bastard Minneapolis Lakers (who played all five of their starters for the entirety of the Second Half of Game 4, no substitutions ... and they almost pulled it off, falling 116-113), starting with Game 5 tonight/Wednesday night at the Crypt.

Want to be encouraging about what they've done, so I put them above negative numbers, but they haven't yet reached The Western Conference Finals, so I won't put them at Positive Numbers.

#-1: Gopher softball (Last Week: -6).  This squad is mired in negative numbers based on overall and conference record.  But let us note that the softballers had probably their best weekend of the Year over the weekend.  They hosted two teams, both out-of-conference (Pittsburgh and North Dakota), for two Games each over three Days.  Only the first tilt versus the Fighting Hawks Saturday evening went the distance.  Not only did the other three Games get mercy-ruled, they ended after the minimum of five Innings, and they all were Gopher Shutouts.

Poor Pitt.  They got waxed 9-0 in five on Friday and 8-0 in five Saturday afternoon.  I was at that Game Saturday afternoon as part of a Golden Gopher softball/baseball Doubleheader.  It got done in 75 Minutes.  Oh, the U. blitzed NoDak Sunday afternoon 8-0 in five as well.

Didn't realize they were in the middle of a seven-Game homestand.  Also didn't notice that the regular season ends this weekend as they host Michigan for a three-Game series.  They're 4-15 in the Big Ten, and they've already been eliminated from playing in the 12-team Big Ten Tournament, so this is it for them.

#-2: Twins (Last Week: -5).  Last Year, the Twins had trouble getting out of first gear, but then they had consecutive three-Game series against The Chicago White Sox and The Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Angels Of Los Angeles Angels Of Anaheim Angels Of. ...  Minnesota won all six Games, and that propelled them into their best play of the season.  (Let's not talk about how they collapsed down the stretch.)

By coincidence, the Twins got the White Sox and the Angels back-to-back again, and although they dropped a rain-shortened 3-0 result to the Pale Hose, they swept Anaheim and went 5-1 in these six Games.  They lost 2-1 last/Monday night in Cleveland when Kyle Manzardo walked it off with a Home Run off Louis Varland in the bottom of the Ninth Inning, though.  Also, they are 13-17 overall and trailing Detroit by five Games in the A. L. Central.

Two more vs. the Guardians, then at Fenway for a trio over the weekend, then home to play The Bastard St. Louis Browns for three starting on Tuesday.

#-3: Wild (Last Week: -1).  I can feel it slipping away.  Thursday's 5-2 romp in Game 3 of their series against the (Las) Vegas Golden Knights at the X felt electric.  But Team Privilege won in Overtime in Game Saturday to even up the series at two apiece, then won it in OT again in Vegas last/Tuesday night to take a 3-2 series lead heading into tomorrow/Thursday night's do-or-die Game 6.  Kirill Kaprizov and Matt Boldy continue to shine, but damn puck luck has put the Mild behind the eight-ball.

Instead of calling them the Mild, if I want to insult them, maybe I should call them the Mid instead.

#-4: United FC (Last Week: -4).  Ugh.  Their eight-Match unbeaten streak (albeit four of those eight Matches are Draws) came to a thudding end at home vs. Vancouver.  This was a matchup of the top team in The Western Conference (and all of Major League Soccer) versus the #3 team in the West, and sadly for the Loons, they got boatraced, 3-1.  I guess I could and should bash MNUFC since the Whitecaps played a CONCACAF Champions Cup Game Thursday evening and, because they had to play Minnesota Sunday afternoon, they rested many of their best players and they still raced out to a 3-0 lead before Will Trapp pulled one back.  But looking at how the Whitecaps were surgical in build-up play, I've got to say that they look like a damn good team.

United FC, now technically in fourth place but in a three-way tie on Points for third, play Saturday at Austin, one of the clubs that is tied with them on Points but is technically in third, where the Loons were this time last screening Week.

#-5: Gopher baseball (Last Week: -3).  Coming in dead last with a bullet are the Goopher baseballers.  They had been riding high, winning nine in a row recently.  But they got swept over the weekend at Siebert by my alma mater.  Me and a few alumni friends took in the Saturday Game, one that was scoreless through four Innings but came alive with a First Pitch Grand Slam in the top of the Fifth.  My alma mater's Starting Pitcher had a No-Hitter through seven Innings and eventually threw a Complete Game two-hitter as Minnesota lost, 6-1.  The U. had a lead in Sunday's tilt, but coughed up two Runs in the top of the Ninth to lose, 3-2.  Oh, and they got blasted in the Friday contest, 16-6.

What may be worse is that they lost last/Tuesday night at home to North Dakota St., 6-3.  Maybe it was hangover over the weekend, but these guys have followed up winning straight with losing five straight.  And they have to turn around and go across the Mississippi to play at St. Thomas tomorrow/Wednesday afternoon, then travel to Nebraska for a trio over the weekend.