THE OPENER — Rooting for UConn to win the NCAA women’s basketball title was a greater-of-two-goods opportunity that counters all the time, in sports and in life, when we feel like we’re choosing between the lesser of two evils. On the UConn side was the local hero, Paige Bueckers, hoping to win a title in her last year of college. On the other was Dawn Staley, the extraordinary South Carolina coach and advocate for the game. (And also Tessa Johnson, the former St. Michael-Albertville star.) Yes, it would have been great to see a more competitive game than UConn’s 82-59 win. But the game was one-sided largely because of Bueckers’ play and leadership, not only in the title game but in the grind of the season that led to the final. The next challenge for Bueckers: Going from a program where she was brought in to continue a legacy of excellence to a Dallas team, where she’ll also certainly go as the No. 1 overall pick, that lost 31 of 40 games last season. — Howard Sinker
KNOW WHAT ‘VERKLEMPT’ MEANS? I’ll save you from looking it up.
TUESDAY BLOODBATH: Trying to remember worse hour in Minnesota pro sports than Tuesday night when another in a series of brutal Twins failures (more on that later) led to a 3-2 loss at Kansas City and the Timberwolves blew a 24-point lead in the fourth quarter, featuring a stretch when they were outscored 34-3, to lose an important game at Milwaukee. So much for sports providing a few hours of escape in difficult times, huh? More on both teams below.
HOT TV DATE TONIGHT: Via Chris Hine at Star Tribune. Wolves at Memphis, 8:30 p.m. on TNT and FanDuel Sports North, in the third-to-last game before the postseason. VERBATIM: “For the Wolves, Thursday is their last gasp of guaranteeing themselves a playoff spot. Lose and they have to pray for help. Win and you can see a pathway to getting No. 6, considering the Grizzlies then have to play Denver, and Golden State has to play the Clippers, in only a few of the key matchups involving teams just ahead of the Wolves in the Western Conference standings.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/biggame0410
GAME PREVIEW: Via Derek Hanson at Canis Hoopus. Yes, this game is big enough for a detailed pregame look. VERBATIM: “The most important game of the regular season now comes Thursday night in Memphis, and if you’re a fan of chaos, tiebreakers, or red-eyed Wolves fans pacing their living rooms like dads in the delivery room, you’re in for a treat.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/preview0410
NBA STANDINGS: You’ll be quizzed on all possible season outcomes in the morning. https://fluence-media.co/nbastandings0410
IS SEEDING IMPORTANT? Via Jace Frederick at Pioneer Press. Yes. VERBATIM: “First off, no one wants to risk potential elimination in a win-or-go-home game. Secondly, teams that finish in the top six get a full week off before the playoffs start, the value of which was widely acknowledged by Wolves’ players and coaches last spring. The Wolves looked like a rejuvenated, refocused team as they swept Phoenix out of the first round, a stark contrast to the year prior, when Minnesota dropped its first two games in Denver after having to play two play-in games leading up to its first-round series. Lastly, even if a team survives the play-in tournament to reach the West playoffs as the No. 8 seed, its reward is a first-round series with Oklahoma City. And while the Wolves have competed well with the Thunder in recent years, opening the playoffs against the conference favorite is far from ideal. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/seeding0410
TELL ME SOMETHING GOOD: Via Randy Johnson at Star Tribune. Spring football practice is going on at the U and sophomore-to-be Koi Perich owns a fun storyline. Most offensive players wear white jerseys and defensive players wear maroon for the workouts. But Perich has a half maroon/half white jersey, a signal that Coach P.J. Fleck is figuring out more ways to work the star defensive back into the Gophers’ offensive scheme. VERBATIM: Fleck says, “The more you can do with Koi Perich, the better off you’re going to be — simple as that. So, you can take that for however you want it. You can take a picture of his new jersey if you want, then figure it out. He’s too good of a football player not to be on the field, somehow, some way, throughout the entire game, not just on one side.”
PERICH: "“It obviously comes with more work, and every opportunity is not given. . . . That’s why I love this program. It’s all hard work, day in and day out. It’s pretty fun to come in each day and work." FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/koi0410
ANOTHER ACRONYM: Via Andy Greder at Pioneer Press. Fleck likes acronyms and creative phrases. So his latest defensive coordinator, Danny Collins, has devised one for his unit. It’s the HAVOC defense. Collins was promoted after last season, when he’d been coaching the team’s safeties. VERBATIM: “The H is for how much effort the defense will play with; the A is for an attacking style; the V is for violence; the O is for playing together as one; and C is its level of competition. In other words, Collins wants his defense to be “controlled chaos. . . . ‘I know exactly how they play the game and how exactly we can plug them into a scheme to create that HAVOC defense,” he said. STORY: https://fluence-media.co/havoc0410
FLECKTIONARY: Via Gophers Nation. Here’s a guide to what Fleck means when he drops phrases and acronyms. https://fluence-media.co/fleck0410
QUITE A RETURN, IN GOOD WAYS AND BAD: Via Michael Russo at The Athletic. Wild fans should want to feel really, really good after Joel Eriksson Ek and Kirill Kaprizov both made their long-awaited returns from injury Wednesday night — and scored a combined six goals. But all those goals, including Kaprizov’s overtime game-winner, were needed in a thrilling but messy 8-7 victory over San Jose, the worst team in the NHL. VERBATIM: “No chance the coaches loved the Wild’s ‘casual,’ as coach John Hynes called it, demeanor defensively. Albeit in a winning effort, Marc-Andre Fleury was certainly not smiling from ear to ear after allowing seven goals on 31 shots, including the tying goal in the final minute of regulation, in what was likely the final home regular-season start of his career. But the crowd of 18,675 certainly had a blast despite the shocking back-and-forth nature of a game that featured multiple ties, lead changes, a blown three-goal, third-period lead by the Wild and 15 goals, the last being Kirill Kaprizov extending his franchise record with his 10th career overtime winner courtesy of a pass from his best bud, Mats Zuccarello.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wildgame0410
PLAYOFF CHASE: The Wild have three games to play and would clinch a playoff spot by beating the Flames on Friday night in Calgary. The final two games are at Vancouver on Saturday and at the X vs. Anaheim on Tuesday. Minnesota is tied with St. Louis for the top Wild Card position in the Western Conference, but has played one fewer game. The idea scenario for the team would be to have the Anaheim game be meaningless to the playoff race, in part so the game can feature a final sendoff for Fleury, who’s almost certain to retire after the season. STANDINGS: https://fluence-media.co/nhlstandings0410
SWEET PREGAME MOMENT: Fleury’s three children joined him on the ice for pregame introductions and the National Anthem.
VIKINGS TO IRELAND? Via Nick Farabaugh at Pennlive.com. Media in Pittsburgh had been speculating that the Steelers would face the Packers in Dublin this season. However, Packers president Mark Murphy said recently that Green Bay wouldn’t be making the trip. VERBATIM: “If the Packers are not the team to face the Steelers, the Buffalo Bills, Seattle Seahawks, and Minnesota Vikings could end up being the teams to do so. NFL executive vice president Peter O’Reilly said the date and opponent would be announced after the NFL Draft but before the schedule release in May.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/ireland0410
MOCKERY I (LYNX EDITION): The WNBA Draft is Monday night and the Lynx draft 11th of the 12 teams in the first round, barring a trade. Last year, they traded down in the first round from the seventh to eighth spot, which allowed Chicago to move up and draft Angel Reese while the Lynx took Alissa Pili, who did not make a big impact as a rookie. The Lynx need help in the backcourt and on the wing. And these mock drafts have different ways for them to address those issues:
Via Sabreena Merchant at The Athletic: Georgia Amoore, 5-foot-6 guard, Kentucky: “The Lynx need additional playmaking, and Amoore is an exceptionally good point guard. Her size will make it challenging to play her deep into the playoffs, but if she can run the offense as a backup, keeping the rest of the rotation fresh during the regular season will be a useful role. Other than Bueckers, no other player in this class makes better reads in the half court. Amoore is also a capable spot-up shooter who is crafty at creating space. Minnesota hasn’t played its rookies much in recent years, but Amoore has more specific, definable skills than either Diamond Miller or Alissa Pili.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/athletic0410
Via Doug Feinberg at Associated Press: Hailey Van Lith, 5-foot-9 guard, TCU. “Van Lith became the first player to play on three different teams in the Elite Eight after seeing her college career revitalized at TCU. She averaged 17.7 points and 5.5 assists to help the Horned Frogs reach the Elite Eight for the first time in school history. She also has some pro experience helping the U.S. win a bronze medal in 3-on-3 at last year’s Paris Olympics.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/ap0410
Via Jack Maloney at CBS Sports: Sarah Ashlee Barker, 6-foot wing, Alabama. "Barker, who went off for 45 points in Alabama's loss to Maryland, was another player who boosted their stock in the tournament. Cheryl Reeve has built the Lynx into a title contender by having a depth of versatile players who can shoot the ball and work hard on the defensive end. Barker fits the bill. She's turned herself into a reliable shooter, especially off the catch, and you will never doubt her effort or toughness.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/cbs0410
Via Cydney Henderson, USA Today: Serena Sundell, 6-foot-2 guard, Kansas State. “The Lynx will return most of their roster, but will look to add depth with guard Serena Sundell. She has excellent vision and led the nation in assists per game (7.3). She can also score and averaged 14.1 points and 4.4 rebounds.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/usatoday0410
DRAFT TV, LYNX PICKS: The draft is on ESPN starting at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The Lynx also have the 15th, 24th and 37th picks. The 15th came from Chicago in the Reese trade.
POLL RESULTS: I was a bit surprised that 78% of those who responded to last week’s poll about whether the Gophers’ 1997 men’s basketball banners should be redisplayed at Williams Arena voted yes. It’s hard to cheat in college sports right now, but academic cheating is an easy call for me. Also, on Opening day of the baseball season, I asked where you thought the Twins would finish in the AL Central: 28% said first place, 27% said second, 28% said third, 9% said fourth, 7% said fifth. Do you feel the same way two weeks into the season?
MOCKERY II (VIKINGS EDITION): Via Ben Solak at ESPN. We’re two weeks from the opening night of the NFL Draft and the mock-draft makers are coming up with all sports of ways to break down things beyond the first round. In this case, ESPN’s Solak has found spots for 12 quarterbacks — nine in the draft and three in the free-agent scramble that will follow. And, yes, he does have the Vikings picking one in the sixth round: Will Howard of Ohio State. VERBATIM: “Howard in Round 6 is a pretty square deal. He had 43 starts over four seasons at Kansas State and a national championship campaign with Ohio State. With the Buckeyes, he looked the part of a poised and trustworthy veteran. I like Howard's mobility, but he isn't a one-read-and-scramble escape artist in the pocket. He'll sit in there, bounce through progressions and look for the correct throw. He can break a tackle or two as well; he's big and doesn't shy away from contact. Howard can access all the levels of the field and is generally safe with the football, but he doesn't see it fast and will get hoodwinked by coverage rotations at the snap. He needs an offense like the one Kevin O'Connell runs, as it protects the quarterback from high processing demands.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/qbs0410
MISSING FROM THE ESPN LIST? That would be 2024 Gophers quarterback Max Brosmer.
THREE DAYS OF AWFUL: It’s hard to imagine a three-day stretch of baseball as terrible as what the Twins produced in their series-ender vs. Houston and their first two games in Kansas City. Something different went horribly wrong each day (in addition to the general inconsistency of a struggling team). On Sunday, it was starter Chris Paddack inability to hold a 7-1 lead, opening the way for the Astros to win 9-7 in 10 innings. On Monday, it was Byron Buxton and Carlos Correa punctuating their season-long slumps by going 0-for-8 in a 4-3 loss. On Tuesday, it was three errors leading to both of Kansas City’s runs in a 2-1 loss. (Buxton struck out in all four at-bats, earning a spot on the bench to watch Wednesday’s 4-0 Twins win.) April 10 is too early to write off the season, of course, but how Minnesota has lost games doesn’t inspire the kind of hope you’d want from the first two weeks of the season. Only the White Sox have kept the Twins from having the worst record in the American League through their first 12 games.
THAT LOPEZ MOMENT: I don’t want to jump to conclusions about the Pablo Lopez hamstring injury during Tuesday’s loss that’s going to put him on the injured list. But the fact that pitching coach Pete Maki came to the mound for a visit without Lopez letting on before a second visit immediately afterward from the training staff and manager Rocco Baldelli was equal parts puzzling and troubling. Afterward, Lopez acknowledged knowing that something was amiss. That a wise and highly respected veteran didn’t share his discomfort with Maki is something I’m working hard not to overanalyze.
MAUER STATUE: Hall of Famer Joe Mauer will have his statue unveiled outside Gate 34 at Target Field at 11:30 a.m. Sunday. Anyone can stop by to see Mauer, some of his teammates and former manager Tom Kelly. Mauer will be the ninth person featured in a Bill Mack-created statue outside the ballpark. Can you name the other eight? (TC Bear’s statue doesn’t count.)
LEGEND RETIRING (AGAIN): Via Minnesota Sports Headliners. Brian Cosgriff, whose teams won seven girls’ basketball state titles at Hopkins and another at Minnetonka, gathered his Tonka players Wednesday to tell them he’s retiring from coaching. Cosgriff, 64, tried retiring once before when he left Hopkins after the 2020 season. But he accepted the Minnetonka job two years later after helping out as an assistant at Providence Academy, where he’d taken a teaching job. He’ll keep his current day job at DeLaSalle and seasonal work on the chain crew at Gophers football games. Will this be another failed coaching retirement? VERBATIM: “I don’t ever envision coaching again.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/cosgriff0410
MY TAKE: Tied for the most girls’ basketball state titles, a 38-6 record at state, moving on from Hopkins after winning his final 62 games there, always up for answering questions and involved at his schools beyond coaching and teaching. “Legend” and “great” are often overused. Not here.
HEY, WRITE MORE ABOUT SOCCER: Sports Take reader and soccer podcaster David Zeller started a message to me this way: “Hey Howard, appreciate the Thursday Sports Take but the lack of Loons coverage is frustrating. . . .” I’m not too proud to ask for advice so, in the course of acknowledging my Minnesota United deficit (and promising to reach for a cure), I asked David if he’d offer some wisdom on places people can get soccer coverage and opinions. Among other things, that allowed him to promote his podcast — The Daves I Know — which he touted as “the longest-running MNUFC-specific podcast.”
WHAT ELSE? Edited lightly to, in part, remove the phrase “fish wrap factory” as a description of the local daily newspapers. VERBATIM: “Minnesota has simultaneously had a dearth of newspaper soccer coverage and yet some amazing writers doing their best. Jon Marthaler took over the Star Tribune’s Loons coverage about halfway through last season and has not just been filing game stories, but he is breaking down soccer analytics and teasing out theories about how the team is playing. In St. Paul, Andy Greder has been covering the Loons for years at the Pioneer Press, and while he gets stretched during Gopher football and basketball seasons, he has a lot of connections in the Loons front office and MLS, and is often the one breaking news here.
BLOGS AND PODCASTS: “Wes Burdine, formerly of the now-shuttered FiftyFive.One blog and current owner of Black Hart of Saint Paul, has a great blog that breaks down most games using stats, and also writing eloquently. My other go-to spot is Northland Soccer Journal. Their writers are at most Loons matches and they also cover Minnesota Aurora and other local soccer. Other good podcasts, in addition to mine, are Pod on You Loons and The Loony Bin. (Loony Bin has recently had on Jeff Reuter of The Athletic, Matt Doyle of MLS.com, and MNUFC defender Michael Boxall).
MARTHALER AS TEACHER. Via Jon Marthaler at Star Tribune. Since losing their opener, Minnesota United have been unbeaten with four wins and two draws, good for a second-place tie in the Western Conference. But there’s a nagging issue. The team coughed up a three-goal lead for a draw in Kansas City and has battled its own tendencies to hold leads in the closing minutes of other matches. VERBATIM: “The first-half version of the Loons is pretty dominant, but the second-half Loons are too focused on trying to keep players back on defense and start settling for long, hopeless clearances for the two strikers and two attacking midfielders to chase. . . . Even veteran players such as midfielder Robin Lod end up being guilty; counterattacking has been so successful in the past that the team collectively seems to forget that playing a pass sideways or backward is even an option.”
COACHSPEAK: Loons manager Eric Ramsay told Marthaler: “We are such a threat on the counterattack that our tendency is to try and counterattack at almost every opportunity. It’s an endless topic of conversation for us, and it’s not just me who sets the direction of what we do; we have a very open and honest conversation with the players.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/loons0410
AURORA ON TV: Minnesota Aurora’s home matches will be broadcast again this season on FOX9+. Away matches can typically be found on the web with a bit of searching. The home opener in May 22 against Rochester FC.
SWEET READ: Via Alex Chhith at Star Tribune. The story starts with Alan Page’s treks to his cabin in northern Minnesota to boil sap for maple syrup and then takes off into his life outdoors. The Q&A with the Pro Football Hall of Famer and retired Minnesota Supreme Court justice is about neither football nor the law. VERBATIM: “Just because every day that you’re outside is a good one doesn’t mean that some of them aren’t painful. It just means that the good overshadows the bad. Go out and run a marathon and you’re exhausted at the end. You’re sore, you’re tired, you’re beat up. You feel like you’ve had a bad day, but it’s really a good one. The other piece is you go out when it’s 35 degrees below zero. The paths are treacherous, that’s unpleasant, but yet you were able to do it. You did it. That makes it all worthwhile.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/page0410
SAD NEWS: Via Mike McIntyre at Winnipeg Free Press. Chaz Lucius, a high school star at Gentry Academy who played one season for the Gophers and was taken by Winnipeg in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, is retiring from hockey for health reasons. McIntyre posted this statement from Lucius on X:
SMART WORDS. Via Cassidy Hettesheimer at Star Tribune. The Minnesota State High School League’s 60-day window to evaluate its response to the Trump administration’s executive order barring transgender females from participating in women’s sports closes soon. (MSHSL rules currently allow transgender students to play on teams matching their gender identity.) Next time you see or hear an elected official — or anyone — using the issue to score political points, this is who they’re attacking. VERBATIM: “When asked what these athletes would do if Minnesota’s bylaws changed, families and coaches had few answers. . . . Leaving sports entirely would mean leaving behind the benefits that both athletes rattled off: a daily routine, friendships, physical health, a community — everything from a distraction from scrolling on Instagram to a “space of belonging,” said (one trans athlete).” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/mshsl0410
STUPID WORDS: Via Fox News. If you’ve ever heard anyone say anything as ridiculous as this 30 seconds of crazy from Sen. Tommy Tuberville, please let me know.
AND FINALLY: Can’t let that Tuberville video be the last thing you see. I’m a sucker for the annual One Shining Moment video from the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. Enjoy.
Thanks for reading. Back with more next week.
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HOW TO WATCH ALMOST ANYTHING
ESPN's guide to sports on about 250 channels and streaming services: https://fluence-media.co/3T4rYw4
Minnesota Division II and III sports: MIAC Network | Northern Sun Network | Upper Midwest Network
NSPN Minnesota high school livestreams: https://fluence-media.co/3My8Tyv
NFHS Minnesota high school livestreams: https://fluence-media.co/3MvFSU6