BEFORE YOU READ ANYTHING ELSE: Let's start with some unbridled joy from Target Center. The celebration is awesome. The family scene is even better.
NEXT WEEK: Planning to publish the newsletter on Wednesday. My small contribution to giving you something other than politics to talk about on Thanksgiving.
ADVISORY: This will likely be the only sports newsletter you'll read this week that includes Tim Brewster, Norm Green and Chappell Roan. Yes, there's a lot to talk about. Let's get the conversation started!
CONVERSATION STARTER I: Minnesota and Wisconsin played an epic 2 hour, 45 minute volleyball match Wednesday night that the Badgers won in five sets, with the final one ending in a 20-18 score. If you're a volleyball newbie, sets are 25 points until the fifth (if needed), which goes to 15 -- or longer if the leading team isn't ahead by two points. Minnesota led two sets to one before Wisconsin rallied, reversing an outcome from earlier this season when the Gophers won in five sets, with the finale decided 18-16. The Badgers are ranked fifth in the nation; the Gophers 16th. (Seven Big Ten teams are ranked in the Top 25.) The highlights are worth hundreds of words and, if you were watching U volleyball for the first time, I'm guessing you'll be back. VIDEO: https://fluence-media.co/borderbattlevbvideo
CONVERSATION STARTER II: Via John Shipley and Jess Myers at Pioneer Press: A "postgame tirade" after a loss last Friday at Bemidji State led to the resignation of St. Thomas women's hockey coach Joel Johnson. He didn't coach in Saturday's rematch and his departure was announced Wednesday. Johnson was the associate head coach at the U before coming to St. Thomas when it moved from Division III to D-I three years ago. Athletic director Phil Esten wouldn't go into detail about what happened. VERBATIM: According to multiple sources, Johnson had his usual scheduled meeting with his team in the visitors’ locker room following the game on Friday but returned at least once to excoriate the team’s performance — a breach of protocol that caught the team by surprise. “We hold all our coaches to the highest standards consistent with university values and convictions,” Esten said, “and prioritize the experience and well-being of our student-athletes.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/tommieshockey
CONVERSATION STARTER III: Tim Brewster has his first head coaching job since being fired by the U midway through the 2010 season. He was named as the interim replacement this week at Charlotte, where he'd been the associate head coach. Brewster demise in Minnesota came several weeks after the U's president at the time told the student newspaper "we need a stronger football program." Brewster had a 15-30 record with the Gophers, including losses to North Dakota State in his first year and South Dakota State in his last. Brewster has been an assistant at eight colleges since his departure from the Gophers. In Minnesota, he was known as a fierce blocker -- on social media -- noted by the hashtag #BlockedByBrew. I was among those blocked and have no idea why.
CONVERSATION STARTER IV: Via Evan Drellich at The Athletic. As MLB wrestles with its broadcasting/streaming issues, know that commissioner Rob Manfred is seeking a model that looks a like the NBA model -- carving up the league's offerings in several different ways. 2028 is the key year because that's when national deals with ESPN, Fox and Turner expire. The Twins are one of eight teams whose games will be handled by MLB in 2025. For Twins fans, looking a few years ahead is secondary right now to knowing what next season's broadcast package will be. For Twins management, that's going to be a prime issue that outgoing team president Dave St. Peter takes on in his future advisory role. VERBATIM: Interest in national packages should be heavy, both for fans and bidders. MLB’s goal is for any offering to be free of local blackouts. And for would-be broadcast partners, baseball’s 162-game season provides an unmatched volume of sports content. Executives from Apple, Amazon, CBS, Disney/ESPN, DirecTV, Fox, Netflix, NBC/Peacock, Roku, YouTube and Warner Bros.-Discovery were all on hand during the World Series. Manfred wants to do what the NBA’s Adam Silver did: split the league’s inventory in different ways.
MANFRED TELLS THE ATHLETIC: “I’d like to have all the rights available. I’d like to talk to the people who are buyers. I’d like to cut them up into packages and sell them, as many of them as possible, nationally, and then have a plan to deal with what’s left over.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/baseballontv
PREDICTIONS ARE PRECARIOUS, BUT . . . I'm trying to figure out how the Vikings don't finish the season with at least a 13-4 record and, to be honest, 14-3 wouldn't surprised me from the currently 8-2 team. Frankly, the biggest surprise for me is that we're seven games away from the end of a regular season that's seemed to fly by. It doesn't feel that long ago when we were wondering if they'd manage to get more than one win in their first four games, right? The next five weeks include two games against the Bears, who are bound to find a way to lose; home games against the Cardinals and Kirk Cousins (d/b/a the Atlanta Falcons), and a road trip to Seattle. The season-enders are against Green Bay and Detroit. SCHEDULE, RESULTS: https://fluence-media.co/vikings2024
NFC CHAMPS: I'm not gonna be the guy who concedes the NFC North to the Lions. Yes, they're 9-1 and kicking butt right now. But they also have the Packers, Bills and 49ers on their remaining schedule. SCHEDULE, RESULTS: https://fluence-media.co/lions2024.
ROOTING FOR DETROIT, KINDA? Here's a question for you? Would you rather have the season-ender against the Lions be huge by settling the division title or playoff seedings? Or do you want it to be one of those final-week games with back-up quarterbacks and lots of players you aren't likely to see in the postseason because everything is already settled?
AS FOR ME: I want the game to be huge. Period. Exclamation point. Invite-friends-into-the-basement-to-watch huge.
LITTLE NOTICED (BUT BIG) RECORD BROKEN: Via Matthew Coller at Purple Insider. VERBATIM: On Sunday against the Tennessee Titans, Justin Jefferson passed Torry Holt for the most receiving yards ever through the first five years of a player’s career. Also notably right behind him on the list: Jerry Rice and Randy Moss. He didn’t just break the record, he passed those legends with seven games left to go in the season. Before you nod your head at another Jefferson feat and move onto worrying about the right guard against Chicago, can we just stop for a moment and think about this one? Jefferson’s 6,811 yards through 70 games are almost 1,000 more than Larry Fitzgerald put up in 76 games. Moss had 80 games to get to 6,743 yards. AJ Green, Calvin Johnson, Julio Jones, Tyreek Hill, Mike Evans, Marvin Harrison — these guys are all looking up at Jefferson through five years. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/jeffersonrecord
GET WELL GAME: Via Ben Goessling at Star Tribune. After Sam Darnold's recent struggles, including the three-interception worry-maker in the Vikings' 12-7 win over Jacksonville, all sounded right after Sunday's win over the Titans. Coach Kevin O'Connell is optimistic but wary. VERBATIM: “It was a really good foundational kind of growth week. Because I think we went back to really highlighting a lot of those things [he’s done well this season] throughout the week, and putting it on Sam to get to that standard every single snap of doing his job. And then he played great. So, hopefully it’s something consistently that we see moving forward.” STORY: https://fluence-media.co/darnold1121
CONTROLLING CALEB: Via Dane Mizutani at Pioneer Press. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores knows that whatever game plan he creates to stop Bears quarterback (and No. 1 overall draft pick) Caleb Williams, is subject to be busted by the rookie's skills. VERBATIM: “We might be in the perfect position with the perfect call,” Flores said. “He spins out and the next thing we know it’s a ball downfield.” Maybe the biggest challenge of preparing for Williams is the fact that he’s working with a new play caller. After some continued struggles moving the ball, the Bears fired former offensive coordinator Shane Waldron last week, replacing him with current offensive coordinator Thomas Brown. The early returns were a step in the right direction last weekend as the Bears put up a fight before narrowly losing to the Green Bay Packers. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/caleb2024
"NARROWLY LOSING TO THE PACKERS": How did the Bears manage to spit up their second brutal last-play loss in four weeks? HERE'S HOW: https://fluence-media.co/bearslose1114
JUST FACTS: KICKOFF: Noon Sunday. TV: FOX. RADIO: KFAN 100.3 FM, Vikings Radio Network and stream. BETTING: Vikings by 3.5, Over/Under: 39.5. STATS AND STUFF: https://fluence-media.co/vikingsbearsweek12
BYE-WEEK WONDERS: The Gophers face their biggest test of the season Saturday against No. 4 Penn State and are currently 11.5-point underdogs in a game that should swing the pendulum on where they'll end up during bowl season. We're going to pull out one statistic that should give fans hope: Given a bye week to prepare, the Gophers are 6-3 under P.J. Fleck. That includes last year's 12-10 win at Iowa and a 38-31 shocker over Penn State in 2019, when the Nittany Lions entered the game 8-0 and the Gophers finished their season by winning the Outback Bowl. A 5-0 record in bowl games adds more evidence of Fleck and his staff's ability to prepare well when given extra time.
MY TAKE: As little as "past precedent" usually means, this is a case where numbers do matter. Combined with a need to erase the sting of their loss at Rutgers and a chilly Saturday weather forecast, the Gophers are better positioned to do some damage than if the Penn State game had fallen elsewhere on their schedule.
WATCH THE TURNOVERS: Via Frank Bodani at York Daily Record. VERBATIM: The Lions have forced only 12 turnovers in 10 games − middle of the pack among the nation's 133 teams. The lone standout has been safety Jaylen Reed (three interceptions). Meanwhile, Minnesota, for all of its hot and cold play, has been remarkably consistent and efficient at taking the ball away on defense (20 forced turnovers) and protecting it on offense (eight turnovers). The Gophers have already intercepted 16 passes. It's an intriguing factor that could tilt a game the Lions have no business losing. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/minnvspennst1121
JUST FACTS: KICKOFF: 2:30 p.m. Saturday. TV: CBS. Listen: KFAN 100.3 FM, Gophers Radio Network and stream. Betting: Penn State by 11.5, Over/Under: 45.5. STATS AND STUFF: https://fluence-media.co/gopherspennstate1123
NEED A DEPTH CHART? https://fluence-media.co/4gakd1w
Did someone share this edition of Sports Take with you? Click here to subscribe: https://fluence-media.co/SportsTakeSignUp
FINALLY, ANOTHER PLAYOFF GAME. Via Jon Marthaler at Star Tribune. After winning their first-round series on November 2, Minnesota United will play LA Galaxy on Sunday afternoon in the second round of the MLS Cup playoffs. The game is on FS1 at 5 p.m. The Galaxy, second place finishers in the Western Conference, played to a 2-2 draw with the Loons in May and defeated them 2-1 in July. Can the Loons pull off a win and get through to the conference finals? VERBATIM: Well, it’s simple: be defensively sound, score on the counter and maybe get a goal off a set piece. In this case, though, it’s not just because of the obvious “how to win on the road” cliché. The tried-and-true road formula also happens to play into the Galaxy’s weaknesses. They’re among the worst teams in the league at transition defense, and they have struggled all season to defend set pieces. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/loons1121
SECOND-LINE STRENGTH: Via Sarah McLellan at Star Tribune. The surprisingly good Wild's 12-3-3 record, good for second place in the Western Conference, is due in some measure to depth that didn't exist last season. The current test is a line restructuring forced by the injury to Mats Zuccarello, who will be out for several weeks after surgery for a lower-body injury. Tuesday's win in St. Louis was a positive sign. VERBATIM: The second line featuring Marcus Johansson, Marco Rossi and Ryan Hartman stepped up, scoring the first goal and helping create the game-winner in a 4-2 victory over the Blues that showcased the trio’s budding chemistry. “That’s what we needed from them,” coach John Hynes said. “They obviously all have a high skill level, but I thought that they played with speed. They worked as a three-man unit. I thought they moved the puck well." MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wild1121
BIG 10 DAYS: The Wild have six games in the next 10 days, finishing a road trip with games tonight in Edmonton and Saturday afternoon in Calgary. There's a home match-up with first-place Winnipeg on Monday, a road trip to Buffalo and then back-to-back games against Chicago on Friday afternoon and Nashville on Saturday night. Will continued success finally get them on the sports radar beyond the hockey community?
TROUBLE FOR WOMEN'S BASKETBALL? Via Kent Youngblood at Star Tribune. Minnesota increased its record to 6-0 Wednesday by beating another soft opponent, winless Eastern Illinois 81-52, but the biggest news was that star Mara Braun was watching from the bench in a walking boot on her right foot. It was the same foot she injured last season that caused her to miss more than two months. Minnesota, which finished second in the WNIT last season, was 4-10 without Braun on the floor and 20-16 overall. VERBATIM: She got hurt during morning shoot earlier Wednesday; (Coach Dawn) Plitzuweit said she just stepped wrong. Tests were done Wednesday afternoon, and there will be more before the extent of the injury is known. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/marabraun
GABLE'S RETURN: Via Randy Johnson at Star Tribune. After announcing the news last week in a press release, the Gophers made Gable Steveson available for an interview. After a failed attempt at pro wrestling, Steveson is setting goals of another NCAA heavyweight title and a gold medal at the 2028 Olympics.. VERBATIM: “My goal has always been to just be as dominant as possible, and especially this year, I just want to go out there and put out a good product once again,” Steveson said. “… Minnesota fans like seeing Gable wrestle. So, if you’ve got the year left, why not do it again?” Steveson will make his season debut in Sunday’s 1 p.m. dual meet against Campbell at Maturi Pavilion. His likely opponent is no slouch. Campbell heavyweight Taye Ghadiali finished eighth in the 2024 NCAA tournament and on Saturday defeated No. 3-ranked Nick Feldman of Ohio State in the NWCA All-Star Classic. STORY AND VIDEO: https://fluence-media.co/gablespeaks
PLEASE AND THANK YOU: Let this be the last time for a long while that an athlete refers to himself/herself/themselves in the third person.
FRIDAY AFTERNOON SOCCER: Via Champ Howard at Minnesota Daily. Minnesota plays No. 14 South Carolina at 1 p.m. Friday in the second round of the NCAA tournament. The Gophers beat South Dakota State 2-0 in last week's opening round and another victory would likely get them a match-up at 4 p.m. Sunday with No. 2-ranked North Carolina in the round of 16. VERBATIM: It should not surprise Gophers fans that this team made the tournament, even after their 7-6-4 finish last season. Defender Elizabeth Overberg and her teammates expected this season to be the year they made the jump. “Being here for the past four years, I knew we had something special,” Overberg said. “I thought it was something we could achieve.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/usoccer1121
MEN'S HOCKEY UPDATE: The Gophers had their nine-game winning streak ended last weekend by Bemidji State but are ranked No. 3 in the latest poll. They've reached a soft spot in the schedule with a series this weekend at Notre Dame and next weekend vs. Alaska at Mariucci. Gophers are on Peacock this weekend and FOX9+ next weekend. The schedule gets better after that with home series against No. 5 Michigan and No, 2 Michigan State the following weekends.
Got something to show me or tell me about? Email: sportstake@fluence-media.com
HALL OF FAME BALLOT OUT: The 2025 ballot was released this week. Twins connections are Torii Hunter, on for the third year, and Fernando Rodney, on for his first. I'm a Hall of Fame voter, as a member of the Baseball Writers Association of America for more than 10 years. I'll take a few days next month to chat with people, dig through statistics and fill out my ballot. I haven't voted for Hunter and won't be voting for Rodney, even though his entry music is my ringtone.
MY 2025 VOTE: I'll make it public soon after I send it in. Last year I voted for Joe Mauer, Adrian Beltre and Todd Helton (the three players who were elected). Mauer reached the 75% needed by four voters. I also voted for Billy Wagner, who missed by five votes and is on the ballot for the 10th and final time, Andruw Jones, Manny Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez Carlos Beltran and Gary Sheffield. I can vote for up to 10 players, but don't usually choose that many. You can follow the voting as ballots are made public. GO HERE: https://fluence-media.co/hof2025
BALLOT TRACKER: It's run by Ryan Thibodaux, who will be posting individual ballots on Bluesky, too. FOLLOW HIM: https://fluence-media.co/ryant
AN HOUR WELL SPENT: The FOX9 documentary "No Stars," about how the North Stars left for Dallas in 1993, is on YouTube and worth watching. Lots of memory-inducing video and interviews with people, including Lou Nanne and Norm Coleman, who were closest to what was going on. It's a good reminder for some of us about the years between the team's departure and the arrival of the Wild. And it's an excellent history lesson for younger fans who didn't live through the drama, which included a lawsuit and allegations of sex harassment involving owner Norm Green. ONE ISSUE: A voice missing from the movie is Rachel Blount, the recently retired Star Tribune reporter who covered the team at the time. Green, now 90, refused to be interviewed. WATCH IT: https://fluence-media.co/nostars
PREP BOWL PRIMER: Via Minnesota State High School League. The seven state championship football games kick off at 10 a.m. Friday with a game between 1A teams Springfield and Minneota and end late Saturday afternoon with a 4 p.m. kickoff in the 5A final between Elk River and Alexandria. All of the games are on KSTC-TV and will be streamed on its website. THREE KEY FACTS: (1) All but four of the 14 teams playing are undefeated. The "non-unbeatens" include Minnetonka, which plays Maple Grove at 7 p.m. Friday for the 6A (largest school) title. (2) In the 5A final, Alexandria's 6-foot-8 quarterback Chase Thompson has committed to play college basketball at Clemson. He's thrown 35 touchdown passes and only four interceptions. (3) Staples-Motley in Class 2A and Fertile-Beltrami in Nine-Player are the only teams playing that haven't won a state football title in the past. MORE ON THE GAMES: https://fluence-media.co/prepbowl24. TICKETS, LIVE UPDATES, TOURNAMENT PROGRAM: https://fluence-media.co/prepbowldetails
ANSWERING THE CRITICS. Via Star Tribune. After his team lost in the Nine-Player semifinals to Hills-Beaver Creek, Mountain Iron-Buhl coach Dan Zubich was asked if his team wasn't prepared for a close game because of all the one-sided games it played during the season, including wins of 91-0, 87-0 and 88-6. VERBATIM: “You tell me how I ran up the score. I’m sick of hearing this whiny stuff. How do you get 91 points? Well, when you never get tackled, you can get 91 points. We play whole second halves running time and we still get it.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/mib
JOHNNIES IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Saint John's (10-0) is the No. 1 seed in the D-III football playoffs and will have home field advantage if it stays in the tournament until the finals, which are set for Jan. 5 in Humble, Texas. The Johnnies played only two close games during the season, including a 41-33 rematch win over Bethel in the MIAC title game. Bethel also qualified and will host Coe College at noon Saturday. The Johnnies have a bye and will play the winner of Saturday's game between Wisconsin-La Crosse and Northwestern of Roseville. If they keep winning, St. John's and Bethel would meet for a third time this season in the quarterfinals on Dec. 14. BRACKET: https://fluence-media.co/d3fb2024
IN DIVISION II: Minnesota State and Bemidji State, co-runners up in the NSIC, have unseeded spots in the D-II playoffs on Saturday. The Mavericks play at Augustana at noon and the Beavers play at Angelo State at 1 p.m. Augustana, the NSIC champion, beat Minnesota State 34-16 four weeks ago. BRACKET: https://fluence-media.co/d2fb2024
WANNA WATCH? All D-II and D-III playoff games will be on ESPN+ LINK: https://fluence-media.co/fbplayofftv
COOL VOLLEYBALL STORY: Via Charles Hallman at Minnesota Spokesman Recorder. A story about the most diverse college volleyball team in Minnesota. “I love connecting with all the girls of color. I never had a lot of girls that look who look like me, but this is such a great team.” STORY: https://fluence-media.co/volleyball112124
AND FINALLY: Next week I'll have the second edition of the Sports Take Hot 10 ready to go. It'll get you ready for the holiday season, I promise. HOT (AND READY) TO GO? WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/hottogo
Thanks for reading, Back with more next week.
HOWARD ON THE WEB:
X: @afansview
Instagram and Threads: @howardsinkermn
Tips and takes: sportstake@fluence-media.com
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