THE OPENER: I am convinced this is the most sports-packed weekend of the year for a Minnesota sports fan. Aside from the state boys’ hockey tournament, it’s not a championship weekend. But there is so much going on that you can go full-on TV/tablet/phone — watching three things at once — and still have choices to make about what you’re not going to see in real time. I’m gonna try to deal with the volume of stuff first and then offer my viewing template for the week ahead. What I do know, for sure, is the food menu: It’s Wok in the Park on Thursday, ElMar’s on Friday, leftovers on Saturday and (a healthy) TBD on Sunday. — Howard Sinker
A FEW QUICK OPINIONS:
*The girls’ basketball tournament isn’t until next week. But the “real” 4A title game is tonight when No. 1 Hopkins plays host to No. 3 Wayzata at 7 p.m. You can watch for free here if you’re a Star Tribune subscriber. Ticket info is here. BONUS OPINIONS: (1) Get to the Royals Athletic Center early. (2) All section finals should be played at neutral sites.
*Kyler Murray would be the best competition for Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy. Murray will be released by the Cardinals next week, will continue to be paid by them and has a truckload to prove. There’s an excellent case for Murray later in today’s Sports Take. At the same time, I’m not ruling out that a challenged McCarthy would prevail. The “legal tampering period” for free agents opens at 11 a.m. Monday and signings can start Wednesday.
*I’ve never heard so little spring training buzz about the Twins. The screen grab below is the ticket map for the lower rows of Section 119 (behind the third-base dugout) for the home opener as it stood late Wednesday morning. The red seats are available. Spring training scores are meaningless, but it doesn’t help that the Twins are 2-8-1, allowing 10 or more runs in four of those losses. Also, the defense looks pretty bad despite all the Florida talk about fundamentals. More on that later, too.
NOTABLE AND NEWSWORTHY:
VIKINGS ROSTER MOVES: Via Ben Goessling at Star Tribune. The Vikings need some heavy salary cap management to prepare for free agency and the draft. The Strib’s lead Vikings reporter is being told the team will cut defensive tackle Jonathan Allen next week and noted previous reports that defensive tackle Javon Hargrave and running back Aaron Jones are prime candidates for release. Several of the moves will make it even clearer that last year’s surround-McCarthy-with-veterans plan was a flop from every angle. VERBATIM: “Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard could be a trade candidate if the Vikings decide not to meet the request for a new contract he is reportedly seeking. The Vikings could also decide to cut or restructure the contracts of tight end T.J. Hockenson and center Ryan Kelly, while considering a contract extension for Brian O’Neill that could reduce the right tackle’s $23.12 million cap hit.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/vikings0305
TALK IS CHEAP, DEFENSE IS BAD: Via Aaron Gleeman at The Athletic. "Among ‘10 things’ he saw at spring training, the long-time baseball writer said that the Twins defense won’t be good. It’s another example of the awkwardly constructed roster. VERBATIM: “Like every new manager, Derek Shelton has talked a lot about cleaning up fundamentals and playing better defense, but the roster simply lacks the fielding chops to make that a reality. After ranking among MLB’s worst defenses last season, the Twins’ biggest offseason pickups were first baseman Josh Bell and catcher Victor Caratini, both of whom are bat-first players. Aside from Byron Buxton, no projected regular is an above-average fielder and several are well below average.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/defense0305
THAT TIMBERWOLVES BENCH: Via Jace Frederick at Pioneer Press. After finding their young players surprisingly lacking, the Wolves pivoted to a veteran-infused bench that will serve them well in the postseason. Bones Hyland was signed toward the end of last season. Ayo Dosunmu was picked up at the trade deadline last month. Kyle Anderson was reacquired as a free agent last week. Mike Conley returned to be a bit player with a wise voice. Naz Reid hasn’t needed to fill in as a starter because those five players have generally been healthy. VERBATIM: “Through trades and affordable signings, basketball boss Tim Connelly – with the assistance of a new ownership group that ultimately agreed to pay the luxury tax for the second time in two years of team control – has cobbled together a more playoff-suitable bench that not only touts more bankable attributes, but also addresses needs and accentuates the strengths of the team’s top six players. . . . The Wolves are a bigger threat moving forward because of it.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/bench0305
SO MUCH SPORTS: As promised, here’s how crowded the sports calendar is in the next week.
GOPHERS: Women’s basketball earned a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament for its fourth-place finish. They’ll start in the quarterfinals against Ohio State, Indiana or Nebraska at 1:30 p.m. Friday (BIG). Winning likely gets them No. 1 seed (and No, 2 in the polls) UCLA at 1 p.m. Saturday. Women’s hockey (seeded No. 3) plays in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinals at St. Thomas at 7:30 tonight vs. No. 2 seed Ohio State (FOX9+). TICKETS. Baseball, which is off to an 8-3 start, hosts the Cambria Classic on Friday-Sunday at U.S. Bank Stadium. Opponents are UNLV at 7 p.m. Friday, South dakota State at 7 p.m. Saturday and Omaha at 6 p.m. Sunday. BIG+ | TICKETS Men’s basketball closes its regular season at 8 .m. Saturday vs. Northwestern at The Barn. The conference tournament opens Tuesday, Men’s hockey closes its season vs. No. 2-ranked Michigan State at Mariucci tonight (7 p.m., FOX9) and Friday (7 p.m., FOX9+). The Gophers will be on the road for a Big Ten tournament quarterfinal on Wednesday. Softball has a three-game series Friday-Sunday at Indiana BIG+ | SCHEDULE. WRESTLING is at Big Ten Championships at Saturday and Sunday at Penn State (BIG). GYMNASTICS is at No. 15 North Carolina at 5:45 p.m. Friday ESPN+
STATE HOCKEY: Class 2A quarterfinals are all day today. Class AA semifinals are at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. Friday with the title game at 7 p.m. Saturday. Class A semis are at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Friday with the title game at noon Saturday. (Ch. 45 and kstp.com). TOURNAMENT PROGRAM | BRACKETS | TICKETS
ST. THOMAS: Men’s hockey is seeded No., 2 in the CCHA Playoffs and starts at best-of-three series vs. Lake Superior State at 7 p.m. Friday. Games 2 and 3 are scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday and 5 p.m. Sunday. MIDCO+ | TICKETS Men’s basketball is seeded No. 2 in the Summit League tournament and plays No., 7 South Dakota State at 8:30 p.m. tonight (MIDCO). If the Tommies win, the semifinal is at 9:30 p.m. Saturday. The title game, for an NCAA berth, is at 7 p.m. Sunday (CBS Sports Network). Women’s basketball is seeded No. 5 at plays No. 4 Oral Roberts at noon Friday. (MIDCO). Semifinal would be at noon Saturday (MIDCO) at the title game at 3 p.m. Sunday (CBS Sports). Both tournaments are in Sioux Falls.
HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL: Girls’ section finals are tonight and Friday. In addition to tonight’s Hopkins-Wayzata game (see above), best options are Mounds View at. Maple Grove for the Section 5 title in Class 4 at 6 p.m. tonight and Maranatha Christian vs. Providence Academy for the Section 5 title in Class 2A at 7 p.m. Friday at Augsburg. FULL SCHEDULE. Boys’ sections are in the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Tartan, No. 1-ranked in Class 4A, hosts a Section 4 semifinal vs. St. Paul Central 7 p.m. Saturday. In a Section 6 semifinal, No. 2-ranked Wayzata will play Edina or St. Louis Park at 7 p.m. Tuesday. DAILY SCHEDULES
PARALYMPICS: Via Noah Bloch MPR. The games run from Friday through March 15 in Italy and there are seven athletes with Minnesota connections. Liam Cunningham and Landon Uthke, ice hockey; Aaron Pike, Max Nelson and Sydney Peterson, cross-country skiing; Mike Schultz, snowboarding, and Oyuna Uranchimeg, curling. TV INFO | BIOGRAPHIES: https://fluence-media.co/para0305
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: It starts today and Team USA, which includes Byron Buxton, opens play at 7 p.m. Friday vs. Brazil (FOX). The tournament runs through March 17. SCHEDULE | ROSTERS
DIVISION III: NCAA play in men’s and women’s basketball is Friday and Saturday. WOMEN: Four MIAC teams are in the women’s field. Bethel and Concordia are hosting four-team regionals, with the Royals playing Millsaps of Mississippi in the first round at 7:45 p.m. Friday and the Cobbers playing Wisconsin-Superior at 8 p.m. Friday. Gustavus plays Chicago in Whitewater, Wis., and St. Mary’s plays Wisconsin Lutheran in Oshkosh. Both games tip off at 4:45 p.m. Friday. Second-round games are Saturday. MEN: Gustavus, which won the regular season and post-season titles, plays UMAC champ Bethany Lutheran of Mankato at 7:20 p.m. Friday in St. Peter. LIVESTREAMS | MEN’S BRACKET | WOMEN’S BRACKET. MIAC men’s and women’s hockey finals are Saturday in St. Cloud. Gustavus plays St. Benedict at 4 p.m. in the women’s final and Gustavus plays St. John’s at 7 p.m. in the men’s final. VIDEO | TICKETS.
OTHER BIG STUFF: The NHL trade deadline is 2 p.m. Friday and the Wild always seems to be on the verge of making one more move. The Big Ten men’s basketball tournament runs Tuesday through next Sunday. The state girls’ basketball tournament starts Wednesday morning. NFL free agents can sign starting Wednesday afternoon. Is that enough?
THE CHOICES WE MAKE: We can literally go nonstop from late morning to late night through the weekend, go triple screen (TV/tablet/phone) much of the time and still miss stuff. Here’s how (I think) I’ll be spending most of my next four days.
THURSDAY — TV: Gotta watch the hockey tournament because it’s what Minnesotans do, right? TABLET: I’ll add the St. Thomas vs. South Dakota State men’s game in the Summit League tournament to the mix in the evening. PHONE: Twins vs. Yankees during the day and Hopkins-Wayzata in their girls’ section title game in the evening. SOMEHOW: Check in on Gophers vs. Ohio State in the WCHA hockey semis. PRO TIP: if you have the right Xfinity package, you can watch the Summit League men’s and women’s tournaments on MIDCO (Ch. 1270).
FRIDAY — TV: Gophers women’s basketball — the best-to-follow team in town right now — gets the big screen in the afternoon for its Big Ten quarterfinal (vs. either Ohio State or Indiana) and Class 2A hockey takes over in the evening. TABLET: I’m a D-III guy so I’ll flip among the five NCAA first-round games in the late afternoon and early evening. Curious to see if the Gustavus men are as good as their No. 7 national ranking or whether a down year in the MIAC inflated their standing. PHONE: Keep up with the last day for NHL trades during the day and switch to baseball. Team USA in the World Baseball Classic opener vs. Brazil and the Gophers vs. UNLV in the Cambria Classic. SOMEHOW: Check in on St. Thomas in the first game of CCHA hockey playoffs.
SATURDAY — Things get iffier here. TV: If the Gophers women win their first game, they get the big screen for their Big Ten semifinal, probably vs. UCLA. The night-time doubleheader is the Class 2A hockey final followed by St. Thomas in the Summit League men’s semis (providing the Tommies advance), which has a 9:30 p.m. tip-off. TABLET: WCHA Final Faceoff title game at 2 p.m. followed by whatever teams are still alive in the D-III basketball playoffs. PHONE: TBD. Maybe I’ll just read all the texts I missed.
SUNDAY — Gotta see what happens Thursday through Saturday depending on who's still playing. BEST BETS: St. Thomas in the Summit League men’s title game and needing a Game 3 in the CCHA hockey playoffs vs. Lake Superior State. FALLBACKS: Wild and Frost. Or maybe I’ll go to A Bar of Their own and power watch the eight women’s conference title games scheduled between noon and 5 p.m. Or maybe I’ll go for a long walk.
TIPS AND THOUGHTS: sportstake100@gmail.com
EX-TWINS PITCHER GETS LIFE IN PRISON: Via Jessica Hill at Sacramento Bee. Dan Serafini, the Twins’ first-round draft choice in 1992, has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of first-degree murder in the death of his father-in-law and attempted murder for the shooting of his mother-in-law. Serafini, 51, was convicted in July 2025. He pitched for the Twins from 1996-98 and was with five other teams in the final four seasons of his career. VERBATIM: “Serafini reportedly hated his wife’s wealthy parents, prosecutors said, telling friends that he would offer $20,000 to whoever would carry out their killings. Ultimately, Serafini took the task into his own hands. . . . ‘Dan Serafini executed my dad and left my mom to die,’ daughter Adrienne Spohr told reporters following Serafini’s sentencing. ‘My mom fought with everything she could and did not let Dan Serafini win. Dan Serafini is finally being held accountable and will spend the rest of his life behind bars.’ “ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/serafini0305
2 STATE TOURNEY PLAYERS SUSPENDED: Via Jim Paulsen at Strib Varsity. Hibbing/Chisholm’s leading scorer Cole Swanson served a one-game suspension during Wednesday’s Class A quarterfinal win over Dodge County for making an obscene gesture after his No. 1-seeded team won its section final. In today’s Class 2A quarterfinals, Rosemount goalie Drew Sherman will sit out “at least the start” of his team’s game vs. Grand Rapids for doing the same after the Irish defeated St. Thomas Academy to win their section title. Tate Swanson, the Star Tribune’s All-Minnesota Player of the Year, acknowledged his brother’s situation in a postgame press conference. VERBATIM: “ ‘Everyone knows he made a mistake. It’s not the type of person he is. He’s learned from it.’ A representative from the Minnesota State High School League ended the postgame news conference after Swanson’s comment.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/suspension0305
ASKING A QUESTION: I texted a retired veteran Hall of Fame coach for thoughts about a player making an obscene gesture toward fans. VERBATIM: “When I saw the clip on the goalie from Rosemount, the first thing I said was, ‘I’m glad I don’t have to deal with that.’ Not sure I have a good answer. My first inclination was ‘he’s done’ and as a coach I had somehow failed him.”
GAME STOPPED EARLY: Via WCCO-TV. Richfield, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 3A had its section quarterfinal game against Westonka stopped with 15 minutes to play after a dunk by Gideon Horne shattered a backboard. The final was 67-28. Richfield hosts Holy Angels at 2 p.m. Saturday in the semifinals. VERBATIM: “I feel like Shaq right now.” TICKETS: https://fluence-media.co/richfield0305
WNBA LABOR BATTLE DRAGS ON: Via Mark Giannotto at USA Today. Three main things to know: (1) The league has told players that Tuesday is the deadline for reaching an agreement without the season being delayed. (2) The players’ union called the latest proposal “not worth taking.” (3) Two League superstars and executive committee members wrote to the union’s executive director, criticizing her for not keeping the players more involved in the talks. VERBATIM: “Kelsey Plum and Breanna Stewart, in a three-page letter sent earlier this week to players' union executive director Terri Jackson, cited ‘a lack of adequate player involvement in the process’ thus far and warned of the harm a potential work stoppage would do to the league's financial outlook.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/talks0305
FROM THE LETTER: Via ESPN. VERBATIM: “When we and other players have attempted to express concerns about negotiations, we have been made to feel as though we are acting against the interests of the PA. Many other players across the league feel these same frustrations and have expressed them to us, but feel afraid or unable to speak out.’ ESPN previously reported that there has been a strong debate within the executive committee in recent months over how to proceed in negotiations, with a split over willingness to hold out or to take a deal more in line with the league’s latest proposal.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/wnba0305
HOLTZ AND THE GOPHERS: Via MPR and Associated Press. College football coaching legend Lou Holtz, who died this week at age 89 after entering hospice care in February, is typically identified and revered for the time he spent at Notre Dame, leading the school to a 100-30-2 record and the 1988 national championship. Many of us remember that he went to Notre Dame after two seasons at Minnesota (1984-85), where he took over a team that went 1-10 in the year before he arrived. The Gophers went 10-12 under Holtz, including beating Clemson in the 1985 Independence Bowl. VERBATIM: “But by that point, Holtz had already accepted an offer to coach Notre Dame, his dream job. ‘When I went to the University of Minnesota, I firmly believed in the bottom of my heart that would probably be the last coaching job I would ever have. However, the only stipulation we did put in was, if Notre Dame ever did contact me, I would be free to go. And they understood that from Day 1.’ “ MORE: https://fluence-media.co/holtz0305
ON PROBATION: Via Los Angeles Times archive. The Gophers were put on NCAA probation and banned from playing in a bowl game for one year because of two Holtz violations that are laughable in the context of current college sports. The findings were part of a larger investigation that put the U on probation for two years because of 17 violations in men’s basketball, wrestling and football. VERBATIM: “Holtz gave $250 to an athlete to pay for a course that allowed the athlete to remain eligible for competition. Holtz also was found to have given between $25 and $40 to Roselle Richardson to reimburse the former quarterback for the loss of a wallet.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/probation0305
‘BRIDGEWATER BILL’ PASSES FLORIDA SENATE: Via Grant Gordon at NFL.com. Last year, former Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater lost his coaching job at a Miami high school for giving money to help players with personal expenses — help he was very public about providing. In response, the Florida senate has approved a bill allowing coaches to provide up to $15,000 per year to help their players. The bill passed unanimously and awaits action by the state’s House of Representatives. VERBATIM: “Officially, the act requires, ‘the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws authorizing a head coach to support the welfare of a student by using personal funds to provide certain effects to the student; requiring the head coach to report such use of personal funds to the association; providing that such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an impermissible benefit, etc.’ " MORE: https://fluence-media.co/teddy0305
MINNESOTA PARALYMPICS CO-HOSTS: Via Neal Justin at Star Tribune. FOX9 reporter Courtney Godfrey and veteran Paralympian swimmer Mallory Weggemann of Eagan will be part of the NBC and Peacock coverage of the Paralympics, working from network studios in Connecticut. Godfrey, who lost her left leg in a 2017 boating accident, is a snowboarder good enough to compete on the U.S. Para Snowboard Team. VERBATIM: “Going all out to earn a place on this year’s team would have meant even fewer hours at Fox 9 News, where she shifted from full-time reporter to a freelancer two years ago, and more time away from her husband and kids, who are 3 and 6. ‘This allowed me to feel like I’m still part of the Paralympics movement without having to sacrifice so much and highlight what I’m truly good at. I love snowboarding. But the truth is I’m a better broadcaster than a snowboarder.’ ” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/godfrey0305
VERY GOOD NEWS: Via GoFundMe. Carleton quarterback Jack Curtis, whose story of receiving chemotherapy for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma while continuing to play for the Knights was first reported by Sports Take in September, has announced that his cancer is in remission. Curtis threw for 29 touchdowns and completed 72% of his passes in leading Carlton to a 6-4 record. VERBATIM: “I am excited to announce that in my first remission appointment, we found no cancerous activity! I am officially in a healthy remission, and I could not have done that without all of your help! Thank you all, and god bless you! . . . Outside of my health updates, I am now preparing to pursue a career in the NFL and professional football. At the same time, I am preparing for my graduate school path to continue to study Aerospace Engineering with a focus on super/hypersonics.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/curtis0305
THE CASE FOR KYLER: Via Matthew Coller at Purple Insider. Based on past performance with the Arizona Cardinals — and despite his inconsistency — there are reasons why quarterback Kyler Murray is the right choice to compete with J.J. McCarthy to be the Vikings starter. While you read this, keep in mind that every potential option — Kirk Cousins, Malik Willis, Aaron Rodgers, Geno Smith — involves risks. VERBATIM: “Last year, McCarthy struggled mightily to find Justin Jefferson, which proved very costly to the Vikings passing attack. When Murray had a receiver of similar caliber in DeAndre Hopkins, he completed 71% of passes in his direction and registered a 109.5 QB rating throwing to his WR1. The Vikings also made a huge investment in tight end T.J. Hockenson that did not pay off last year as McCarthy struggled to find him. In Arizona, Murray completed 76% of throws to TE Trey McBride at 7.8 yards per attempt with a 94.7 QB rating. What do we get when we add up all the information on Murray? He’s the best quarterback (likely) available in this year’s market. If there are no other politics involved, like the desire to give McCarthy a chance to still become the Vikings franchise QB, then Murray’s top-end performance would give the Vikings the best chance to compete in the NFL North and under the perfect circumstances potentially be dangerous in the postseason.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/murray0305
PRAISING PLITZUWEIT: Via Marcus Fuller at Strib Varsity. Whose opinions matter most when it comes to college sports? I’d rank players and prospective players at the top — and Gophers women’s coach Dawn Plitzuweit appears to be doing quite well by that standard. Fuller’s story has current high school players, including Crosby-Ironton standout and future Gopher Tori Oehrlein, competing to see who can dish the most praise. VERBATIM: “I’d say a lot people didn’t have faith,” Oehrlein said. “I knew Dawn would be able to turn the program around and surprise a lot of people. I knew Dawn was that type of coach that really pushes her players and gets everything out of them. She has a great IQ for the game, and you can see them putting that into play at the end of the season.” MORE: https://fluence-media.co/dawn0305
MARCH MADNESS HOME GAMES? The Gophers women are currently seeded 15th by the NCAA tournament selection committee. if they remain in the top 16, that will let Minnesota be host at Williams Arena for the first two rounds of the tournament. Winning Friday’s quarterfinal Big Ten tournament game should enough to earn the spot. RANKINGS: https://fluence-media.co/seeding0305
ST. PAUL TEAM TO WATCH: After starting the season 8-6, Concordia-St. Paul has won 16 straight games and earned the Northern Sun’s automatic bid to the NCAA Division II women’s basketball tournament. MOST IMPRESSIVE: Concordia ended Minnesota State’s bid for an undefeated season in the final game of the regular season, beating the Mavericks 96-75. For an encore, the Golden bears beat No. 3-ranked Mankato 79-71 for the NSIC title on Tuesday in Sioux Falls. ABOUT: Leading scorers are senior guard Lydia Haack from Elk River (18 points per game) and junior forward Lauren Wilson of Springville, Iowa (17.3) Wilson is also the leading rebounder with 8.7 per game. Eleven of the 15 players are from Minnesota. The tournament field will be announced Sunday night.
MOORE TELLS ESPN TO GO AWAY: Via Sam Neumann at Awful Announcing. Timberwolves podcaster Dane Moore is getting tired of ESPN asking if it can use his content. After the Wolves beat Denver on Sunday, the network messaged Moore to ask if it could use a clip from Anthony Edwards that Moore posted on X. VERBATIM: “You do not have permission to use it, as I’ve told you numerous times in DMs. Shouldn’t have laid off all those reporters if you wanted locker room content.” STORY AND VIDEO: https://fluence-media.co/dane0305. WATCH: Dane Moore Podcast on YouTube.
AND FINALLY: My favorite statistic of the year so far comes from Strib Varsity’s Marcus Fuller in this week’s Basketball Across Minnesota report: Niko Medved has more Big Ten wins (seven) than healthy rotation players (six).
THANKS FOR READING AND WRITING
EMAIL HOWARD: sportstake100@gmail.com
ON THE WEB:
Bluesky: @howardsinker.bsky.social
Instagram: @howardsinkermn
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/howard-sinker-80921813/
ESPN’s comprehensive TV and streaming service listings: https://fluence-media.co/watch