Minnesota Vikings Going Younger

The Minnesota Vikings are going younger this off season in their attempt to catch up with the rest NFC North. Some of the Vikes most experienced starters have contracts and ages that make them candidates for a pay cut - or being cut.

Steve Hutchinson, a former Michigan All-American, is scheduled to make just under $7 million in 2012. This year wraps up as the final installment of a seven-year deal worth as much as $49 million.

Hutchinson said he wouldn't be surprised if the Vikings asked him to redo his deal to stay this season. He also recognized the possibility of being let go before the new league year begins and the free agency opens next month.

Hutchinson's 2011 season ended early, but that wasn't necessarily a negative or detrimental. The Vikings finished 3-13, an embarrassing record for everyone.

Discount Concessions at Minnesota Wild Games

If you are anything like me, you enjoy having a little extra cash in your pocket. Who doesn't like more money? Make it rain!

Save money on concessions at Minnesota Wild games. Use "Wild Bucks"!

Here's the scoop: Wild Bucks are good for $150 at the concession stands in the Xcel Center... and it will only cost you $75.

Wild Bucks gift cards are good for food* and drinks at the Xcel during all regular season Wild games! What a deal... seriously. Think of it like a groupon or a living social coupon. You get the same great beer and burger, you can just buy more while staying within your budget.

Save money on your beer and burgers, buy Wild Bucks from Ticket King!

*There is one exception: Mini Donuts. Wild Bucks don't work on Mini Donuts.

Pitchers Catchers to Spring Training

If you don't have a fire in your belly for spring training and the greatest sport known to mankind, consider this: Rich Anderson, the pitching coach for the Minnesota Twins, has already set the starting pitching for the Twins' first three exhibition games. Carl Pavano, Francisco Liriano and Jason Marquis will start the exhibition games 1, 2, and 3, respectively.

The Minnesota Twins, who struggled with, among other things, starting pitching last year, have 33 pitchers coming in to spring training. A couple of those guys have to be able to pitch... At least enough to round out the starting rotation.

If Scott Baker and Nick Blackburn are healthy, they'll round out the rotation, at least for the beginning of the season. Essentially that would mean Brian Duensing would go back to the bullpen, where he will join Glen Perkins, Joel Zumaya and Matt Capps. This is assuming, of course, that all of the aforementioned pitchers remain healthy and on top of their game... Or that their game is at least better than the next person's game.

Anderson spoke out about Matt Capps and his relationship with the mound and Minnesota Twins fans, "It broke my heart every time people booed him before he even got to the mound." I believe that fans didn't completely grasp what Matt Capps was going through last season, meaning that we booed him in ignorance. Which... is brutal. I also think there is a point to be made that Twins fans were so frustrated and disappointed in the Twins that it was easy to boo Capps because he was often at the transition point that led the Twins from a win to a loss.

Basically, the Twins have to play better this year. And Twins fans need to remain some of the most loyal fans in the MLB.

Minnesota Twins Spring Training

Who wants to take me?

Happy Birthday!

Well everyone, it is my birthday today! Yay! The big 22...

I can't say I have very intense plans, but my friends and I will be going to PF Changs in Edina for dinner. I know, I know... I party too hard.

Minnesota Twins Season Ticket Holder

I almost forgot to tell you all - I was finally chosen to be a Minnesota Twins season ticket holder! Yes, that is right... I will be sitting in section 105, row 22 for 40 fantastic Minnesota Twins games this 2012 season!

While getting tickets is a bitter-sweet feeling because it means that enough Twins fans have given up on our boys to allow me a turn at the table, I am still selfishly happy to have the tickets.

Now I just can't wait until that box shows up at my door! I'll post a picture. Twins Territory, baby!

Wild Stop Avalanche

In a particularly dry winter, with barely any accumulation on the ground, it seems fitting that the Wild stop the Avalanche before they can start.

Backstrom had 37 saves for his third shutout of the season and 25th of his NHL career as the Minnesota Wild beat the Colorado Avalanche 1-0 in Denver.

Greg Zanon played the hero for the wild, scoring the winning goal with 13:56 left in the first period. The goal, only Zanon's second of the season, came off an icing by Colorado. Kyle Brodziak won the faceoff to Dany Heatley, who slid the puck to Zanon. Zanon skated through the center of the zone before nailing the goal.

Colorado didn't go away easy. The Avalanche recorded 17 shots in the final frame. Ryan Wilson hit the post with 15 minutes left when Colorado was swarming the Minnesota end.

The Wild needed a win, coming off a couple shocks in recent games.  

Wolves Taking Applications for a Shooting Guard

The Wolves score the 11th-most points in the NBA, sitting at a strong 96.7 points per game. In contrast, the Wolves boast the worst field-goal percentage of any of the top-14 teams in the league.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have a glaring gap at shooting guard.

We have Rubio, who will be running the offense for years to come. Derrick Williams, a work in progress, will most likely be slotted at small forward down the line. Kevin Love will continue pounding the glass for the Wolves while putting up league MVP-type numbers. Darko Milicic and Nikola Pekovic will secure the center position.

In order to contend, the Wolves must scratch together someone to boost the field goal percentage - the Wolves need a starting shooting guard.

The Wolves are able to run a very effective high pick-and-roll with a player spotting up in the corner or on the wing. Ideally, Love sets a screen and rolls to the hoop. The player guarding the spot-up shooter has to collapse to help and Rubio can find either Love or the spot-up.

Wayne Ellington will come to most fans' minds, but I dissent. While Wayne complements the pick-and-roll offense captained by Rubio, he isn't a starter. Not in this league, anyway. We can't change the offense, not when it took so long to import Rubio. No, we have to find a guard that can at least play pick-up ball at the pick-and-roll.

Who can the Wolves target?

While it would be nice to lock down a defender to guard the Kobe Bryants and Dwayne Wades of the NBA, I'm willing to bet that the Wolves would settle for a smart and efficient guard that can play the system. My suggestions are as follows, in no particular order. Unless, that is, you consider alphabetical...

Eric Gordon

Kevin Martin

O.J. Mayo

Evan Turner

As a side note, while needing a shooting guard really is a #firstworldproblem, let's take a moment to remember when we needed 5 starting positions.