THE OPENER: — Sometimes sports produces sweet and powerful stories. Sometimes sports trips over itself with questionable actions. Sometimes sports are just fun. This week’s Sports Take is going to bring you to a few places that we don’t normally visit . . . as well as the staples that are the fabric of the Minnesota sports calendar. There’s a lot to consume, so it may take you a few sittings to get through all of it. But that’s better than the alternative, right? Let’s go! — Howard Sinker
BEFORE YOU READ ANYTHING ELSE: Via Karen Tolkkinen at Star Tribune. A teenage hockey player from central Minnesota who left home to attend a hockey academy in Idaho suffered a spinal cord injury during a game recently in Canada. Jackson Drum, 17, is in a Vancouver, B.C. hospital as doctors wait to see the extent of his injury and consider next steps. VERBATIM: “His situation echoes that of Jack Jablonski, a Benilde-St. Margaret’s sophomore paralyzed in a 2011 hockey accident. ‘From what we understand, he actually more or less died on the ice, and he was resuscitated,’ said Emily Haeg Nguyen, Drum’s aunt, who lives in the Twin Cities. “They were able to restart his heart, and they rushed him to the hospital.’ “
MORE: When Drum’s situation is more stable, the plan is to transfer him to a medical facility in the United States and then have him return to the family’s home outside of Parkers Prairie. VERBATIM: “They live on a lake outside of Parkers Prairie, where Drum often skated in the winter. They will have to pave their long driveway for his wheelchair and modify their house to become wheelchair-accessible, Nguyen said. Because the accident happened in Canada, the family is trying to figure out what their health insurance will cover. An online fundraiser has been set up on their behalf, and people are coordinating meal trains for the family when they return home, raising money, and organizing an April 12 fundraiser in Alexandria.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/drum0206
HOW TO HELP: Information about the online fundraising campaign — which has so far raised about $88,000 — and the benefit in Alexandria are here: https://fluence-media.co/drumbenefit0206.
BEAUTIFUL MOMENT, REVISITED: Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Wild last week for his final game in Montreal. Fleury, 40, grew up less than an hour from Montreal and, although he’s never played for a Canadian team in his 21-year NHL career, is considered an icon in Canada. The game was halted during the third period for this tribute. (Take note of the young fan with the sign offering to trade sticks with Fleury. You’ll see him again later.)
AFTER THE FINAL HORN: The love continued.
CURTAIN CALL: Fleury was named the game’s first star and got solo time on the ice. Stay with it until the end.
CONSOLATION PRIZE: On their trip to the West Coast to play college basketball’s elite teams, the U women were doomed by a slow start against No. 7 USC and overpowered by wildly talented No. 1 UCLA. They were nice efforts and reinforced the drama ahead: How well do they need to do in their final seven game of the regular season and the Big Ten tournament to win a spot in the NCAA tournament? Tonight’s game against Iowa (7 p.m., BIG) became more interesting because the Hawkeyes upset USC in Iowa City in their last game. Two of the final seven are on the road against ranked teams — No. 8 Ohio State and No. 20 Michigan State.
MY TAKE: The Gophers are still among the 12 Big Ten teams that ESPN’s Charlie Creme currently expects to see in the tournament. Not getting swept this weekend against Iowa and Sunday vs. Indiana (2 p.m., BIG+) is important to maintaining Minnesota’s status. Finishing at least ninth in the conference wins a first-round bye. That and one tournament victory should ensure a spot.
LINKS: Creme’s bracket | Gophers schedule | Conference standings | Tickets
AS FOR THE MEN: They continue to confound. We’d be talking about a late-season if they hadn’t regressed by losing to last-place Washington over the weekend before grinding out an ugly win-is-a-win victory at next-to-last-place Penn State. Instead, we’re still wondering whether they’ll be able to move up to 15th place in order to even make the Big Ten tournament field and if Ben Johnson will be back next season. STANDINGS: https://fluence-media.co/bigtenmen.
OR AS REUSSE PUT IT: Via Patrick Reusse at Star Tribune. VERBATIM: “Would the Gophers return to being who we thought they were by losing at home to a bad team? Or would they return to a path that might allow Johnson to pull off one of the more surprising saves of a high-profile coaching job that we’ve had in these parts in recent memory? Final: Washington 71, Gophers 68. And that puts Johnson, hardworking fellow, done in by transfer portal mania, back on double it’s-no-secret probation.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/reusse0206
CHALLENGE FOR U WOMEN: Via KSTP-TV. No. 3 Minnesota is in Madison this weekend to play Wisconsin. The Badgers are a unanimous No. 1 in the latest poll, have a 27-1-2 record and swept the Gophers earlier this season at Ridder Arena. Minnesota will be without forwards Josefin Bouveng of Sweden and Emme Kriesz of Hungary, who are away playing for their national teams. Games are at 2 p.m. Saturday (FOX9+) and noon Sunday (BIG+). VIDEO: https://fluence-media.co/borderballte0206
SALE RULING BY MONDAY: Via Jeff Day at Star Tribune. The dispute over who owns the Timberwolves should be settled Friday or Monday when the three-member panel appointed to hear the case makes its ruling on whether Glen Taylor keeps possession of the team or the duo of Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore can resume the process of buying it. Last March, Taylor said the sale was off because Rodriguez and Lore missed a deadline that was part of the sale agreement. VERBATIM: “If Taylor prevails in arbitration, he will keep ownership. If the arbitrators rule in favor of Lore and Rodriguez, they likely will be given the right to a 90-day window in which to finish paying Taylor for control of the franchise. The NBA Board of Governors would have to approve the sale.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wolvessale0206
THINGS TO KNOW: Rodriguez and Lore say they have put $940 million into an escrow account that will be used to complete the purchase if they prevail. The sale price has been reported at $1.5 billion, less than half of the the current $3.1 billion valuation, according to Forbes’ annual NBA team financial overview. The Lynx, who are part of the deal, are said to be worth $85 million. NBA valuations: https://fluence-media.co/nba0206. WNBA valuations: https://fluence-media.co/wnba0206
BUTLER TRADED AGAIN: Via Zach Harper at The Athletic. The Jimmy Butler “Disgruntled” Tour added its fifth city Wednesday when he was traded from Miami To Golden State as part of a four-team deal that had three Wolves connections. In return for Butler, the heat received ex-Wolves Andrew Wiggins and Kyle Anderson. VERBATIM: “The Heat (25-24) no longer have to suspend him, and the Warriors (25-25) have decided to pay him. The Jimmy Butler saga is over … until the next one happens! Golden State acquired Butler in a four-team deal that sent Andrew Wiggins, Kyle Anderson and a protected 2025 first-round pick to Miami. The Warriors also sent out Dennis Schröder and Lindy Waters III in the deal to Utah and Detroit, respectively. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/butler0206
NOT THAT LUKA: Via The Athletic. The unexpected blockbuster trade between the Mavericks and Lakers that swapped superstars Luka Doncic and Anthony Davis created all kinds of wild reaction around the league, including a funny Timberwolves touch. Among those taken aback was Phoenix star Devin Booker. VERBATIM: “ ‘It’s a business. They are always having a conversation about you, so don’t think you are safe at any point. I'm interested to see how it turns out, I'm sure the world is too.’ How did Booker find out about the trade? ‘Someone told us on the bench, (they) said 'Luka,' Booker said. ‘And I said, ‘Luka Garza? Who got traded?' No shade to (Garza). But crazy." MORE: https://fluence-media.co/garza0206
LOSING AT HOME, A COUPLE THEORIES: Via Jace Frederick at Pioneer Press. Of the 15 teams in the Western Conference, the Wolves and Utah are the only ones with better records on the road than at home. VERBATIM: “Finch noted that everything on the road, everything about a player’s schedule, revolves around game preparation. That’s not always the case in Minnesota. ‘There’s parts of the day that are up to them (like) when they get to the arena,’ he said. ‘Obviously, they try to find their own routine, and most of them stick to it. But what they do in between those times, I don’t know, or the mindset they show up at the arena with, it’s all individual. I can’t affect that.’ Life happens.”
DADDY ISSUE? Veteran Mike Conley weighed in. VERBATIM: “More Timberwolves players have become fathers over the past year, including Rudy Gobert, Anthony Edwards, Jaden McDaniels, Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Donte DiVincenzo. Veteran guard Mike Conley noted he had some ‘rough years’ in the league just after his kids were born. ‘The first six, seven months of that is really tough on athletes You’re trying to sleep and you can’t really sleep at home. You look forward to the road trips, honestly, because that’s the first time you really get to sleep. Your wife is dealing with most of it, God bless them, but it can be tough. I don’t know if that’s what they’re dealing with — if they’re not able to keep their same routine and stuff. But like I told them, when they’re having kids, you’ve got to adjust to it. . . . You just have to morph into what your life is now.” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/road0206
TICKET$ FOR ME$$I ARE EXPEN$IVE: Via Andy Greder at Pioneer Press. Single-game tickets for Minnesota United went on sale Wednesday to season-ticket holders. The team’s “dynamic pricing” system, which has become more common in pro sports, shocked some supporters when they saw the price to see the Loons play superstar Lionel Messi and Inter Miami on May 10 at Allianz Field. Prime tickets near the center line were set at $894, almost nine times more than the same seats against St. Louis a week later. The least expensive seat for Inter Miami, according to a supporter’s screen shot on X, was $313.
VERBATIM: “MNUFC, in a request for comment from the Pioneer Press, said it determined its pricing structure based on data from what other MLS clubs have set for Messi matches and what SeatGeek and other secondary resellers have done since he joined the league in the summer of 2023. The club looked at the differences in matches when Messi plays against teams in the Eastern Conference (where Miami resides) and the rarer times against clubs in the Western Conference and when Messi did or didn’t play and in MLS or NFL venues. With the Loons setting these prices, the revenue remains within the club and, in turn, should be reinvested. If the club had set lower prices, ticket brokers likely would have pocketed that difference with their own markups.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/messi0206
AN OPPOSING VIEW: This Loons season-ticket holder is fine with the single-game price to see Messi:
ANOTHER EXAMPLE: This season, the Lynx play 22 home games and offer two 10-game packages. One game that’s not part of those packages? It’s against Caitlin Clark and Indiana on August 24. SEASON TICKET INCENTIVE: Season tickets near the top of the lower level average out to about $23.50 per game, including the Fever game. The same seats for a 10-game plan average $30 per game. I’m reasonably sure those single-game seats to see Indiana and Clark will be in the $100 range, plus fees, when they go on sale. In 2024, the Lynx-Fever games were two of only three games before the WNBA playoffs when the Lynx sold tickets in the upper level of Target Center.
AND THE TWINS: The Twins have nine price tiers for their tickets this year based on opponent and other factors. Single-game tickets against the White Sox on April 22 (a Tuesday night) are in the lowest tier and priced from $15-$95. Tickets against the Brewers on June 22 (a Sunday afternoon) are in the highest tier and range from $36 to $159. For seats in the 300 level between first and third bases, tiers range from $9 to $33.
STUPID, STUPID, STUPID: Via Joe Smith at The Athletic. Ryan Hartman’s thug move — smashing the face of Ottawa’s Tim Stutzle into the ice during his team’s 6-0 loss at Ottawa last weekend, has resulted in a deserved 10-game suspension. VERBATIM: This is Hartman’s fifth suspension and his history played a part in the length of the ban. Additionally, Hartman has also been fined seven times — the last being a cross-check into the teeth of the Jets’ Cole Perfetti off a faceoff last season in retaliation for Brendan Dillon cross-checking and hurting Kirill Kaprizov a game earlier.”
WHAT HAPPENED? Via YouTube. The video includes a content advisory. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/video0206
TOTAL CONTEXT: Smith’s excellent story put Hartman’s fine and suspension in the context of the player’s career and how his misbehavior hurts the Wild, who are already shorthanded by injuries to key players. The impact is mitigated somewhat by the fact that Hartman isn’t playing well. VERBATIM: “Hartman further puts himself on the radar of the NHL Department of Player Safety and makes him open to even longer punishments the next time he crosses the line. Hartman’s last suspension was in April 2024. He sat for three games for tossing his stick in the direction of a referee. That also hit him in the wallet, as it put him in ‘repeat offender’ status, meaning his lost salary for the upcoming suspension will be per game rather than per day.”
MORE FROM SMITH: Hartman is in the first year of a three-year, $12 million contract. He carries a $4 million cap hit and makes $5 million this season. It’s been kind of a down season for Hartman, who has seven goals and 10 assists in 48 games, including a minus-8. He was even dropped to the fourth line for a game a week ago in Chicago, so this no doubt won’t help him get out of Coach John Hynes’ doghouse. Hartman’s cap hit must remain on the books and he has to be part of the 23-player roster, so the Wild won’t have as much flexibility once Marcus Johansson returns from a concussion.” FULL STORY: https://fluence-media.co/suspension0206
ADMITTING FAILURE: Via Pat Borzi at MinnPost. At this time next week, pitchers and catchers will have officially reported for spring training in Florida. The rest of the roster will start formal workouts a few days later — and things will be different for the hitters. That’s what Manager Rocco Baldelli vowed during a couple of appearances. The first came during a banquet in West St. Paul. VERBATIM: “Baldelli vowed to change the “all-or-nothing” hitting approach he believes failed the Twins down the stretch. That’s in part why the club replaced its three hitting instructors — an unpleasant task for Baldelli, who liked them all — while retaining all the pitching coaches. ‘The pitching staff did a decent job, but we didn’t hit,’ Baldelli told the audience of about 300. ‘It kept me up a lot of nights. I was not eating, and I still haven’t gained all the weight back.’ “
‘REMARKABLE BIT OF HONESTY’: Baldelli went deeper during a media luncheon a couple days later. VERBATIM: “He wants more level swings and hard-hit balls to right-center and right, instead of batters uppercutting and trying to pull everything. The latter approach, favored by former hitting coach David Popkins, required batters to make contact in front of the plate, leaving them susceptible to breaking pitches. Even with two strikes, most still tried to jack the ball. ‘Not every player, but almost everyone was guilty of that last year. I would say it’s a mental adjustment. It’s something we’re going to talk about from the very beginning of spring training. To win games, it has to be more of a hit-first mentality than a power-first mentality.’ . . . This is a remarkable bit of honesty from an organization not exactly known for being straight with its fans. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/rocco0206
TWINS WIN THE AL CENTRAL! Via David Adler at MLB.com. The preseason PECOTA projections from Baseball Prospectus have been released and the Twins are picked to win their division with an 87-75 record. VERBATIM: “PECOTA simulates the season over and over to project what might happen for every team, and there are plenty of noteworthy projections for this year. Remember, standings projections aren't meant to be a perfect crystal ball for exactly how the season will shake out -- they're just an attempt to use all the information we have to find the most likely outcome for each team.” UMM, BUT: PECOTA projections called for the Twins to win the AL Central in 2024. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/pecota0206
2025 PECOTA PROJECTIONS: Via Baseball Prospectus. https://fluence-media.co/standings0206
NAMES TO KNOW: Via Keith Law at The Athletic. Last week’s newsletter included the three Twins prospects who are among the Top 100 in the minor leagues. This week’s ranking is of the Top 20 in the Twins organization, including strengths, weaknesses and when they could make it to the majors. ONE TAKEAWAY: Barring something unforeseen, don’t expect much rookie help this season. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/prospects0206
KIND OF IMPRESSIVE: Baseball America ranks the Twins as having MLB’s eighth-best minor league system. That’s up from 14th last season and 21st in 2023. VERBATIM: Winning a draft lottery pick that turned into Walker Jenkins gave the Twins their highest-ceiling prospect in years, and Emmanuel Rodriguez looks like another potential cornerstone if he can overcome injury issues. But Minnesota’s most impressive feat has been its ability to steadily draft and develop later-round college pitchers. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/farmsystem
GREAT LINE: Via John Bonnes at Twins Daily. The Twins announced the signing of Harrison Bader, who will take the fourth outfielder role held by Michael A. Taylor (2023) and Manuel Margot (2024). Bader won a Gold Glove in center field with the Cardinals in 2021, but injuries have been a hallmark of his career. As a result, the secondary headline for Bonnes’s story, authored by Matthew Trueblood, reads: “Congratulations to this year's winner of the Byron Buxton's Injury History MLB Outfielder Fellowship” STORY: https://fluence-media.co/bader0206
MEET CHIPPA TOOTH: Minnesota Roller Derby is celebrating its 20th anniversary this season and the league’s semifinals are set for 6 p.m. Saturday at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in downtown St. Paul. Contemporary roller derby shares a name, and not much else, with what you may have seen on TV in the 1960s and 1970s — if you’re that old. I checked in with Sarah Gemlo, a Coe College graduate who rolls as “Chippa Tooth,” with some questions about the 2025 version.
Sports Take: How did you discover roller derby?
Tooth: I began roller derby while living in Colorado after my best friend told me I was going to do it with her and I wasn’t allowed to say no! I fell in love after my first practice and I've been hooked ever since. My first three years of derby was spent on Fort Collins FoCo Roller Derby, and in 2021 my partner and I moved back to Minnesota where I transferred to Minnesota Roller Derby. I currently skate on the All-Stars competitive team and Bodies of Water home team.
Sports Take: Does your background in college theater help?
Tooth: Derby and theater do have some crossover, especially when we get to play at Roy Wilkins in Saint Paul, which does a wonderful job on the production side with lights, music and an overall entertaining feel.
Sports Take: In the 1960s and '70s, roller derby was often scripted, much like pro wrestling. Is anything scripted now or are the bouts all legitimate competition?
Tooth: We have moved on from derby being an entertainment sport. It’s now highly competitive, non-scripted and world wide. Minnesota Roller Derby competed in the 2024 spring Regional Championships in State College, Pa., and world championships took place this past November. It’s incredibly competitive with lots of strategy.
Sports Take: What was your background in sports before roller derby?
Tooth: I have always been involved in sports, although roller derby is probably the most physical sport I've ever played. I swam competitively in high school (at St. Paul Central), and was also on the tennis and cross country skiing teams.
Sports Take: What are three things people should know before going to their first bout?
Tooth: (1) It's more physical than people expect. Derby is a constant slew of pushing, sprinting and hitting — with offense and defense happening at the same time. (2) We are family friendly and offer lots of opportunities for kids to get involved in activities between games. (3) It’s a sport that anyone of any shape, size, and athletic level can play. We have players who are recent high school grads, parents, professionals, retirees and everyone in between. There’s a spot on the track for all of them.
TICKETS: https://fluence-media.co/derbytix0206
VIDEO: “Trying to play chess in the middle of a food fight.”
SHOWTIME AT ST. THOMAS: Via Jim Souhan at Star Tribune. Students were lined up 90 minutes before tip off to get into Sunday’s Summit League game between St. Thomas and North Dakota, which filled Schoenecker Arena with a more-than-capacity crowd of 2,100. The Tommies won 79-62 to stay in a first-place tie with Omaha. TELLING STAT: St. Thomas had 16 field goals in the first half with assists on 145 of them. All nine players who got in had at least one assist. Coach Johnny Tauer’s team moves the ball and rarely rushes its shots. VERBATIM: “Tauer tells recruits that he values offensive skills but not ball-dominant scorers. That’s how he ends up with rosters deep in scoring and versatility. . . . ‘I’m admittedly biased, but I think we’re the coolest story in college basketball,’ Tauer said. ‘Part of our vision is, how do we get the entire state to be aware that this is a pretty cool team and school, and an easy one to cheer for.’ “MORE: https://fluence-media.co/toms0206
TOURNAMENT SEASON: We think of it as March Madness, but the winter season of state high school state tournament starts off this week with section play in girls’ hockey and skiing. The first sports state tournaments are skiing (Alpine and Nordic) at Giant’s Ridge next weekend followed by girls’ hockey and gymnastics the week after. STATE TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE: https://fluence-media.co/state2025
GIRLS’ HOCKEY BRACKETS: https://fluence-media.co/brackets0206
LOOKING FOR A GAME? Benilde-St. Margaret’s (16-1), the No. 1 team in Class 3A boys’ basketball goes to St. Louis Park for a 7 p.m. game on Friday. Park (9-9) may be the most entertaining .500 team in the state. The Orioles have averaged 99 points in their last four games, including a 102-98 loss to No. 2 Orono on Tuesday. They are led by 6-foot-8 twins Micah and Marley Curtis, who have made verbal commitments to North Dakota. RECOMMENDED: Dinner before the game at Mexico City Cafe, just around the corner from the school. STAT: Micah dropped 57 points and had 19 rebounds in a 106-100 win at Chanhassen last week. WATCH: https://fluence-media.co/micahmarley0206
BIG LIST OF COLLEGE CHOICES: Via Star Tribune. Wednesday was the start of the regular signing period for high school athletes to make their Division I and Division II college choices official. (The early signing periods were in November and December.) More than 130 Minnesotans were expected to sign on Wednesday. LIST: https://fluence-media.co/list0206
MILESTONE: Via Joel Rippel at Star Tribune. VERBATIM: “Benilde-St. Margaret’s boys hockey coach Ken Pauly became the sixth boys coach in state history to reach 600 career victories when the Red Knights defeated Orono 6-4 on Thursday at Orono Ice Arena.” Northern Lakes Coach Mike Randolph is the all-time leader with 720 wins. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/600wins0206
THREE SPORTS MEDIA TAKES: Now and then, I see things in sports media that make me wonder — for better or worse — about the state of the industry. Here are three I’ve thought about in the last week.
HIT THE ROAD, PLEASE: Twin Cities media missed a chance this week to back up their talk about more coverage of women’s sports. Neither the Star Tribune nor Pioneer Press sent a reporter to cover the Gophers women’s road trip to play at No. 4-ranked USC and No. 1-ranked UCLA. Both relied on stories by reporters watching games on TV. Remote coverage was a necessity during the pandemic but should be put to rest as much as possible. And readers should be told when that happens, a practice Star Tribune used to do but discontinued.
ROMO VS. BRADY: At the beginning of the football season, I couldn’t have imagined telling you I’d rather listen to lead FOX analyst Tom Brady that CBS analyst Tony Romo. But Brady has improved significantly during the season and showed that during the Eagles-Commanders NFC title game. It’s been a progression from rookie mistakes to adding insider knowledge while talking to an outsider audience. I’m assuming he’ll only get better. Romo predicts what’s about to happen too often (DABS — Dude at the Bar Syndrome) and needs to let the action speak louder than his words more often.
WHAT WE NEED HERE: The Twin Cities needs a sports media critic. Talk radio + podcasts + legacy print/web media + TV/radio + blogs + social media = a need for someone (or some people) to hold us accountable, critique the work and share highlights and lowlights. Someone needs to make this happen on Substack (or another platform). Brian Stelter, the CNN media columnist, was hired by the New York Times at age 22 after creating (and selling) his own media blog. Who wants to do that in Minnesota?
VONN CRASHES AT SUPER-G WORLDS: Via Associated Press. The Minnesota native had a rough start at the Alpine skiing world championships in Austria on Thursday. VERBATIM: “Lindsey Vonn’s opening race at the Alpine skiing world championships lasted all of 25 seconds. The American got caught on the 11th gate of the super-G on Thursday, causing her to briefly lose feeling in her right arm and leaving her ‘a little banged up.’ Vonn competed despite cold- and flu-like symptoms that prompted her to use a nebulizer to try to clear up her sinuses." . . . ‘It’s bad timing. But that’s life.’ “ Vonn will compete in the downhill on Saturday. Stephanie Venier of Austria won the event; Lauren Macuga of the United States tied for third. MORE: https://fluence-media.co/vonn0206
FAY VINCENT’S CARLETON CONNECTION: Former baseball commissioner Fay Vincent, who died on Saturday at age 86, was once a member of the Carleton College board of trustees and funded a endowed chair at the college to honor former president Stephen Lewis Jr. According to the college, the position “is designed to be held for three to five years by a member of Carleton's faculty who has shown a high degree of skill in mentoring colleagues in teaching, scholarship and service.” It is named for John Sawyer, who was Lewis’s mentor and a former president at Williams College, where Vincent graduated in 1960. COLLEGE TRIVIA: Sawyer is known for abolishing the fraternity system at Williams.
TRUMP’S TRANSGENDER WAR: Via Nina Moini and Ellie Roth at MPR. President Trump on Wednesday signed an executive order intended to ban transgender women from competing in sports from elementary school through college. Moini interviewed State Rep. Leigh Finke of St. Paul, the first openly transgender person to serve in the Minnesota Legislature. VERBATIM: “Finke said the order and similar efforts to bar transgender people from sports, bathrooms and the military add up to banning transgender people from society overall. ‘We are separating them out. We are taking trans people out of society, we are removing them from our data from the CDC and now we are saying these young people who are playing sports should be removed as well.’ ” NOTE: NCAA president Charlie Baker said at a Senate hearing in December that fewer than 10 of the 510,000 athletes at NCAA schools are transgender. STORY, AUDIO, INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT: https://fluence-media.co/gender
MAN OF THE YEAR: Via NFL.com. Duluth native C.J. Ham will find out tonight if he’s the winner of the NFL’s Walter Payton Man of the Year Award and the $265,000 prize that would go to the charity of his choice. VERBATIM: “In addition to the efforts C.J. has shown during the 2024 season and offseason, he has been an unwavering presence throughout Minnesota communities and beyond since first earning his opportunity with the Vikings as a 2016 tryout participant.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/ham0206
HOCKEY POWERS: Gustavus is fourth and Augsburg sixth in the latest Division III women’s hockey poll. St. Mary’s and Hamline are getting votes but outside the Top 15. (UW-River falls is No. 2 and Eau Claire is No. 14.) No Minnesota men’s teams are in that Top 15. Augsburg leads Gustavus by two points in the current MIAC standings. The teams split their series in December.
HUGE COLLECTABLES AUCTION: The inventory of Mark (Papa Hawk) Hochstaetter’s recently closed Papa Hawks Sports & Collectibles in Golden Valley is being auctioned on the web through Monday. There are sports cards, jerseys, autographs and more. Get ready to jump down a rabbit hole, but leave the autographed Lew Ford bat for me, please. LISTINGS: https://fluence-media.co/auction0206
AND FINALLY: Via Charles Robinson at Yahoo Sports. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league isn’t going to be among businesses backing down on its commitment to diversity. VERBATIM: “It’s a notable decision by the NFL, given the league’s extremely strong public profile and the recent trends opposing DEI initiatives in the wake of Donald Trump’s re-election to the White House. The NFL has supported a host of diversity initiatives throughout its structure, most notably including the league’s long-debated “Rooney Rule,” which mandates the interviewing of minority candidates during the hiring process of high-ranking coaches and executives. ‘We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League. And we’re going to continue towards that, because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven to ourselves that it does make the NFL better.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/goodell0206
BUT STILL . . . This made me laugh:
AND SO DID THIS: Anthony Edwards had this reaction to the Luka Doncic trade. https://fluence-media.co/edwards0206
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