Bob Collins
A few days ago, Justin Gallegos, a junior at the University of Oregon, was finishing cross country practice, working on his dream of one day running a half marathon in under two hours. Read more →
MPR News Reflections and observations on the news
Sports
Curiously, the demographic that has increased the most, is also the demographic that has been most upset about the players’ protests for racial equity in America. Read more →
Mark Rosen, the dean of TV broadcasting in the Twin Cities, is retiring after 50 years, WCCO has announced. That’s 50 years with one employer.
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The St. Louis Post Dispatch reports that the family accepts that Student Doe, who played JV soccer last season, didn’t make the big team, but he didn’t make the JV squad either. They say they were told the JV openings went to freshmen and sophomores because they have more time to polish their skills and help the big team. Read more →
No more entries, please; we already have a winner in the This Week in Stupid competition. It’s Mark Whipple, football coach at the University of Massachusetts. Read more →
New parents are so cute, what with their thinking their child will do what parents want them to do and all. Read more →
Joe Mauer doubled in his final at bat on Sunday, then gave every indication his career with the Twins is over when he caught a single pitch in the 9th inning before exiting to the cheers of a tearful hometown crowd. Read more →
A few weeks ago, I wrote in this space that I thought Joe Mauer would be back next season, at reduced pay, because why not? I don’t believe that anymore.
Ridgewater College began the season with 54 players but it’s down to 22 now. Read more →
What makes the Cubs and Cubs fans distinctive? Nothing. That all disappeared with a World Series victory.
So it was up to a rat to bring that old vibe back to Wrigley Field last night and give the fans something new to cheer for. Read more →
Tiger Woods is back and so are the duffers playing courses in Minnesota, apparently. Coincidence? Probably. But it’s indisputable that Woods did for golf in the ’90s what President Truman did for the hat. When his career collapsed, so did a lot of golf courses.
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She started curling when she was 25. But she gave up the sport after a year because being a nurse and raising two kids took much of her time. Twenty years ago, she — literally — picked up the sport again.
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Ingredients for youth soccer in Minnesota in late September: Kids with endless amounts of energy, a soccer field and a bunch of parents who pull their cars around so that the kids can see what they’re doing. Read more →
What’s with kids today that they don’t want to be umpires and referees in youth sports? Read more →
Former Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio spoke for a lot of fans when he tweeted his reaction to the news that Jimmy Butler, a star of the current team, wants out of Minnesota. Read more →