By Ray Jay and Young Dex
Let”'s start this edition of sports talk out with a big congratulations to Lynx coach Jen Gillom and Lynx point guard Renee Montgomery as they were selected to be representatives on The United States Women”'s Basketball team for the pre Olympics Games.
We must also congratulate our Minnesota Twins as they made the American League play-offs with an exciting one game play-off entry win over The Detroit Tigers. Needless to say, that game took all of their oomph, as they were swept in the first round by the powerful New York Yankees, who beat the California Angels, Tori Hunter”'s new team, in their best of seven ALCS playoffs for the World Series. Speaking of Tori, just imagine that we may still be playing had the Twins retained him, and/or Johan Santana. Oh well! That”'s the way the small markets go, so some say.
The Minnesota Vikings are riding high as they go into the seventh week of the young NFL season undefeated. I admit, I was wrong about Mr. Brett Favre. The coaching still raises my eyebrows, however, and we can only hope that gets better.
What about the MN Wild NHL team. Two words; They Stink!
This next team, The MN Timberwolves, I”'m not going to say stink, I will say they have their work cut out for them, as they are currently 1-4 in the exhibition season. It doesn”'t help the cause when two of your best players go down to injuries in the pre-season. I really like young Jonny Flynn, the rookie point guard from Syracuse; Damien Wilkins, son of NBA great Dominique Wilkins and Ryan Hollins show a lot of promise. We think a key to this season will be Sasha Pavlovic, the 6”'7” guard from Serbia, who gives the wolves something they have not had in many years, a big shooting guard who can hit the threes. With K-Love, Kevin Love out till December and Al Jefferson still suffering from his season ending surgery, the other players will have to step up. The Timberwolves only have five players returning from last year, so developing new chemistry is vital.
Seeing as how a couple of sub .500 teams made the play-offs last year, we would not count the Timberwolves out at this time. They are going to need a sixth man, in fan support, to be competitive.
Here are our starting Timberwolves line-ups. Ray Jay would start Jefferson, Gomes, Flynn, Wilkins and Pavlovic at season”'s start. I still feel that Brewer is so much stronger coming off the bench with his hustling style. Young Dex would start Jefferson, Gomes, Cardinal, Flynn and Brewer. He just doesn”'t believe in the new guys as of yet. In any event we will need strong games from Sessions and Hollins every night.
Coach Rambis is in a similar position that Lynx Coach Gillom was in during the WNBA just ended season, in that he will have to find some creative ways to motivate and stimulate this Timberwolves team. The home opener is Wednesday October 28th against the New Jersey Nets, followed on October 30 against the revamped Cleveland Cavaliers with LaBron James and Shaquille O”'Neil.
Come out and be a part of that sixth man.
