By Ray Jay & Young Dex
Sportstalk is back for the upcoming Minnesota pro-sports season. Yes, my friends, the season for enjoying professional sports in Minnesota is beginning. We only average about three months each year, of pro-sports here, while the other nine are nothing but misery and suffering! We both agree that this is a sad period here in Minnesota. At least contend, is all we are asking. While we made the prediction over two years ago that the next professional sports champion Minnesota would have is not; the Favre lead Minnesota Vikings; nor would it be the unled Timberwolves; or the, what are they called? Oh yes, not the Wild, or the new stadium Twins. Speaking of which, we sadly have been told while preparing this edition of Sportstalk, that Minnesota Twins great, Harmon Killibrew, has died from esophagus cancer. Killibrew put the Twins on the map. We also report the untimely death of ex-Wild star, Derek Boogaard. After spending the last hockey season with The New York Rangers, Boogaard was found dead in his Minneapolis apartment by family members. While the cause of death is currently not being reported. He passed at the age of 28.
Back to our prediction two years ago, when we here at Sportstalk said, “The next professional sports champion for Minnesota would and will be The Minnesota Lynx WNBA team. We could tell back then the Lynx franchise was being prepped. Why is that so? They were doing the things that make a champion. There were no franchise over halls, in that they started and stayed with a nucleus of talent. They then have allowed that talent to develop as a unit, never losing faith, even while losing their key nucleus player,  6-foot guard, Seimone Augustus to injury. With the number one pick this offseason, the Lynx chose, 6-foot, guard extraordinaire, Maya Moore, who is very able to do some startlingly good things with the basketball.
A key missing element from the past two years is forward/center Nicki Anosiake. Who was quite a beast on the inside. Â Will Rebekkah Brunson, Quantra Hollingsworth, and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, be able to fill those shoes? We will soon find out, but just in case, The Lynx made an outstanding, fourth overall pick, in choosing 6-5 forward, Amber Harris, who is bound to contribute heavily as a Rookie this season. So with the return of Augustus, Charde Houston, Candice Wiggins and second year player Monica Wright, what more could this franchise ask. Well they did and they got WNBA All-Star, Lindsay Whalen. Entering her 8th year in The WNBA, and her second year as a Lynx player, Ms Whalen could certainly be the link to a championship.
She talked to The Alley, and when asked about her return home, (she was born May 9, 1982 in Hutchinson, Minnesota, she said, “It”'s been good. Having another year, this is the second year. I feel a lot more comfortable with everything and you know, it is home for me and I just want to do my best, for Minneapolis, St Paul and the whole state and bring a lot of success to the team this season.”
When you hear us and others saying that we now have a champion caliber sports team in Minnesota; does that put pressure on you?
“We just got to go out there, let things jell together, play together and the biggest thing is us coming together, playing together, learning the system as fast as possible, and we have a whole training camp this year, which is a really big plus. Now we must keep it going!”
She continued, “Maya has been a great draft pick, Amber is full of energy and Angel and others have been making some great plays. It has been great getting to know them all. It”'s very encouraging for a successful season.”
“I think this is one of the most talented teams I”'ve been on. That brings us a lot of optimism and excitement. We have a lot of youth and experience, so all of those things put together can mean some good things for us.”
So starting the season with back-to-back games against the Los Angeles Sparks, June 3rd in L.A. and the home-opener June 5th will be a great show of strength opportunity for the Minnesota Lynx. Mark your calendars for Sunday June 5th 2:30 PM, at The Target Center.
