Twins Fever

I am no Twins apologist. In fact, you could call me Mr. Negative at times when it comes to the hometown 9. There's been plenty not to like about recent Twins teams, although hardcore fans who never went away during the mid- and late-nineties will disagree with me I am sure. Yes, the Twins have not been awful. Yes, they have done it mostly with homegrown talent. But have they really contended for a title in any meaningful way? Ron Gardenhire is a great manager, but his lifetime playoff record is 6-18. They have been close a couple of times against the Yankees, but I think we would all agree that winning any of those series would have been shocking. Since they lost in the ALCS to the Angels in 2002, I don't think that any of us could be honest with ourselves and say that we really thought the Twins could win it all.

But this year is different. On April 5th, 2010, I really think that the Twins have an honest chance to win the World Series this season.

Is it some kind of new stadium euphoria that has gone to my head? Is it a man crush on Joe Mauer (unlike Joe Smith, Mauer really is no ordinary Joe)? Is it the face that our off season acquisitions were more than just other teams retreads who we knew would be cut by the end of May? (I wouldn't recognize JJ Hardy or Orlando Hudson if they walked up to me in uniform, but I love them already.) It's some of all of that. I am more excited for this baseball season than I have been in a very long time.

Maybe it's the thought that I am going to get to take my daughter to her first baseball game this summer, and we won't have to sit inside and talk about what a beautiful night for baseball it is outside the Dome. She has not one but TWO Twins shirts now (Morneau and Liriano), and I almost cried when Nadia got her Joe Mauer #7 for Easter. First pitch tonight is at 9:05 local time, and I will probably turn off the NCAA title game to watch baseball, even though it's just 1 out of 162.

For once, I am not going to be negative the first time Baker the Bomb-maker gets shelled, or the first time I have to watch little Nicky Punto come to the plate when need a hit late in a game, or when Jon Rausch blows his first save, or when Denard Span hits his own mother with a foul ball. This year is going to be filled with POSITIVITY, excitement, and hopefully October baseball under the stars. The biggest question mark facing the Twins this year is going to be whether or not we still wave Homer Hankies during the playoffs.

Twins fever? I've been infected, and I don't think there is a cure.

Divisional Playoff Picks

Last week my picks were 2-2. I was right on the Cowboys and Ravens, wrong on the Bengals and Packers. All I can say is that the Bengals played like they were the crappy team, although I had to turn the game off because the annoucing crew was so awful. And the Packers game, well, I did say if 1999 Kurt Warner came to play, the Packers would be in trouble. Whichever team lost that game was going to be pissed because they both knew they had a chance to win. On to the games for this week - which is, as others have said, the best week of football all year.

Game #1 - Arizona Cardinals @ New Orleans Saints



The Saints didn't look very good down the stretch, but they had very little to play for, and remember, 2 months ago, after they destroyed the Patriots on Monday Night, they looked like one of the great teams of all-time. They are home, in front of what will be a very loud crowd. Drew Brees could have been league MVP this year. The defense creates a lot of turnovers. And the Cardinals gave up 45 points last week, and it looks like the Saints have an even more explosive offense than the Packers did.

Of course, I am picking the Cardinals. If the past two years have taught us anything, it's that Kurt Warner needs to be in discussion as one of the great Quaterbacks of the past 25 years. If he were to somehow get the Cardinals all the way to the Super Bowl this year, and even WIN it all, I think you would have to put him on a list of the greatest of all-time. Against the Packers he threw 5 passes that resulted in TDs. He threw FOUR passes that landed incomplete. That's just shocking. If you are gambling on this game, I just don't think you can put yourself in a position where you lose money because Warner had a huge day. You would feel stupid.


I am picking Cardinals +7, and I think they will win it outright: Cardinals 38, Saints 30

Game #2 - Baltimore Ravens @ Indianapolis Colts


The Colts have lost in the playoffs at home after a bye 3 times in the past 10 years. They quit playing for keeps during the regular season, and that was about a month ago. Honestly, had they NOT won the Super Bowl a few years ago (which they DID win, I understand, but remember that Rex Grossman was prominently involved), they would be on a short list of biggest chokers in history.

The Ravens made it all the way to the AFC title game last year, and look even meaner than usual, especially last week against a crappy Patriots team. No, I don't like QB Flacco - he looked old last week and he's not old, so that's a bad sign. I think the Ravens will play with more emotion. Look out if the Colts D gets after Flacco too much, but I think the Ravens running game will keep that from happening. And let's face it, I don't think the Colts are too happy about playing the Ravens this week. The Colts won a lot of close games this year, and I think they will lose this one.

I am taking Ravens +6.5, and to win outright, 24-17

Game #3 - Dallas Cowboys @ Minnesota Vikings

I haven't had this amount of anticipation about a game in a long time. It's almost more than I can handle. This game will come down to how well the Vikins offensive line plays against the Cowboys defensive line. If the Vikings can control that line of scrimmage, they'll be fine. If you see Favre running for his life and getting a lot of pressure, it will get real quiet in the Metrodome real fast. I think that having the extra week to prepare will be a big advantage for the Vikings in that regard.

On the other side of the ball, I am not scared of Romo. He's been ok recently, but he has been a choker in the past. If our defensive secondary can tackle, the Vikings will be fine. Fat Pat Williams and Kevin Williams will be important, too. As always, if Jared Allen has a big game, the Cowboys have no chance.

Vegas seems to like the Cowboys, only giving a customer 3 points to the road team. I don't htink it will be that close.

I am taking Vikings -3. Minnesota 35, Dallas 20

(There's nothing better than beating overconfident Cowboys. It's very satisfying to watch them cry as they leave the field).

Game #4 - NY Jets @ San Diego Chargers

Look, this is a VERY good Chargers team. This is the week that we see the Jets exposed as a very borderline playoff team. I don't see any way that the Chargers can be stopped - they are my pick to get to the Superbowl in the AFC right now. The Jets had a nice run, but their rookie QB isn't taking them any further, and the Chargers have too many passing weapons for the Jets to stop. This looks like a blowout.

I've got Chargers -7. San Diego 38, Jets 13

All you know now is that at least one of these predictions will be wrong. Proceed at your own risk!

First Round NFL Playoff Picks

Since I know you all care so much, it's time to release my picks for the first round of the NFL playoffs. We all know that the NFL playoffs are the best playoffs of any sport. I encourage all of you to devote yourselves fully and completely to the NFL playoffs - you will NOT be disappointed.

For the purposes of these picks, I am using the Las Vegas Hilton lines as of Friday morning. I am doing this because I actually won money once on the only game I have ever put down a real bet on, and it was at the Hilton.

Game #1 - NY Jets @ Cincinnati Bengals

These teams played last week, but only one of them was playing for something, so the domination by the Jets should be completely disregardd. The Bengals have all the emotion on their side in this one, having dealt with two deaths close to the team this year (the Defensive Coordinator's wife early in season and WR Chris Henry just a few weeks ago). Professional football is an emotional game, and playoff football only intensifies that. Add to that the fact that the Bengals are at home, which will mean something in this game because...

The Jets start rookie QB Mark Sanchez, who was ok this year, but is clearly the worst QB in the playoffs this year. The Jets only hope is to run the ball a lot and shorten the game, because if they ask Sanchez to win it for them, they are cooked. The Bengals know this and will make it impossible for the Jets to run. Once the Jets get behind and are forced to start throwing the ball, look for this game to get out of hand.

I am taking the Bengals -2.5, all the way to the bank. Bengals 28, Jets 10

Game #2 - Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys

Eagles coach Andy Reid is 7-0 all time in the first game they play in the playoffs. Wad Phillips and Tony Romo have never won a playoff game for any team. Everyone hates the Cowboys all the time, because they have one of the richest owners, and most of their fans are really annoying. Any team that calls itself "America's Team" should be disbanded on general principle alone. Plus, these Cowboys are classic underachievers.

So of course, I am taking the Cowboys. There's no way that Reid can continue his playoff coaching streak. And these teams played just last week, with the Cowboys winning 24-0. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise, the Eagles DID want to win that game. Had they won, they would have been the #2 seed in the NFC, gotten a bye and a home game in the playoffs. Instead they fall to #6 and find themselves in the first ever playoff game in the new Cowboys stadium. The Eagles have more injuries than can even be listed in this space, including key injuries on the offensive line (playoff football often comes down to who can protect their QB better). In spite of all the factors listed above, the Cowboys are just the better team, and the better team usually wins these games.

I am taking the Cowboys -3.5; Dallas 31, Philadelphia 17

Game #3 - Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots

Like everyone else in America (even some people from Boston), I am sick of Boston teams. I am sick of Tom Brady (hot wife, illegitimate child, lame haircut). I am sick of Bill Belichek. I am sick of Boston getting all of Minnesota's good players (David Ortiz, Randy Moss, Kevin Garnett). They are just thoroughly unlikeable in so many ways. But beyond that, they just aren't that great this year. With the loss of Wes Welker last week, the Baltimore Defense will be able to focus on containing Moss, leaving it up to Fred Taylor to carry the load for the offense, and this isn't 2001 anymore, so I'm not buying it.

The Ravens were much better than their record would indicate. They lost at least 4 should have won games (including the game against the Vikings). They have a young QB in Joe Flacco, but they made it to the AFC title game last year, and this team is better. Ray Rice is as good a young, all-purpose RB as you will find. And Willis "The Father of America" McGahee is just a stud. This is not the same Baltimore Defense of years past, but they are still getting it done, and I don't think the Patriots can protect Brady long enough for him to do anything. Patriots fans know that this isn't their year.

I'm taking the Ravens +3.5. Ravens 24, Patriots 17

Game #4 - Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals

We all know the league is going to do anything it can to get one more Packers/Vikings game this year (and you KNOW the Packer fans would love to have one more crack at Favre, especially in the playoffs). The Cardinals surprised everyone last year with their Super Bowl run, and I don't think I can live in a world where the Arizona Cardinals go to the Super Bowl two years in a row. The Packers are a much better team than they were earlier in the year, and are healthy on the offensive line, which the Cardinals are not. The only word of warning here relates to Kurt Warner. If he starts to party like it's 1999, all bets are off. Also, if man-child Superhero Larry Fitzgerald has a game like he had in any of last year's playoff games, the Packers could be in trouble.

I'm taking the Packers +1. Green Bay 38, Arizona 34

So there you have it. With this information there are two things that are certain:

1. At least one of these picks will be wrong. Probably more than one. So tread carefully.
2. Years from now someone will stumble on this blog and wonder why someone would have a blog with only 2 posts in the past 4 months.

A Pumpkin Treat

Well, I finally made it over to The Four Firkins in St Louis Park. I was not disappointed in me visit at all. It's like Disney World for beer lovers, if Disney World was in St Louis Park and sold beer. So it's not like Disney World at all really.

Anyway, I'm going to talk more about The Four Firkins in future posts, and I will be going back there as soon as possible. In the meantime, I'm going to give you some recommendations over the next few posts of some beers you might want to try if you go. Don't worry if these beers are not in stock - just tell them what you like and they'll steer you in the right direction.

The first beer I tried from there was from the Shipyard Brewing Company in Portland, Maine. Labeled as part of Pugsley's Signature Series

, the Smashed Pumpkin I got was unlike any beer I have ever tasted.

You will not be able to have one sip of this beer without thinking Pumpkin and Nutmeg. I was astounded at the depth of the flavor in this beer. I guess I have never had a pumpkin beer before. It had all that flavor, but the nice part was that it wasn't heavy at all. And as I was drinking it slowly, I was rewarded with even more flavor and aroma as the beer got a little warmer. The label suggests serving at 55 degrees, so you may even want to pull it out of the fridge for about a half hour before you open it.

And it was freakin orange, I kid you not.

Amazing color from an amazing beer. The picture doesn't show the clarity of the beer, but it was almost transparent, yet still had the orange color. It was $9 for the bomber, but I thought it was worth it. And hey, at 9.0% alcohol, you even get some bang for your buck!

One last thing - if you have access to the Sierra Nevada ESTATE bombers that were recently released, go ahead and suck it up and but one. You won't be disappointed. It was $10 a bottle at the Tonka Bottle Shop, and $11 at The Four Firkins, but it won't be around for long, and it was very very very good. I didn't bother to blog it because it's unlikely that you'll be able to find it anyway, but I thought I should at least mention it so that you aren't scared away by the price if you see it. At the Tonka Bottle Shop they aren't even putting it out, they are just asking people who they think might be interested in it.

Once again, if the liquor store guys tells you that he has something in the back room for you, and tells you that they are not putting it out for regular sale, just buy it, don't even ask how much it is. That's advice to live by.

Fantasy Football on Tap

Getting ready for the BFL Fantasy Football Draft in about a half hour. For those of you who don't know, BFL stands for Big Fun League. It's been big fun since sometime around 1990, and it has come a very long way. Lots of old high school friends, along with a couple of good guys we've picked up along the way.Almost as important as whom I will be drafting, is what I will be drinking. Here's a list, complete with pictures.

Round 1

I'll be starting it off with some Hop Juice, Double India Pale Ale from the Two Brothers Brewing Company. It looks really good, and I probably won't need to eat for a few days. I have high hopes for this one.

Round 2

I'll be following the Double India with my current favorite - Furious from the Surly Brewing Company. It's brewed right here outside of Minneapolis, and don't let the can fool you - this is some awesome stuff. It has been tearing up the local scene for the past 2 years, growing like crazy. It's heavy, and you know you are drinking some good beer while it goes down. Hopefully I won't hate my team by the time this one comes out.

Round 3

For the next round, I'll be tasting some of my old favorite, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Yes, President Obama will be with me, in the form of this comemorative glass that my brother in law brought back from the inauguration. Can the Minneapolis Liberals become BFL Champions? YES WE CAN!

Round 4

The BFL Draft is a marathon, it's not a sprint. And since I have been trying to lose some weight, and there are 90 calories in a Miller Lite (vs 270 in a Sierra Nevada), Miller Lite is coming to the party. It's just like water anyway.

Finally, if things go bad, or if the power goes out at the wrong time, there's always the one beverage that has never sent anyway on the wrong path:

Health Insurance and Life Insurance

I've said it before and I will say it again - the answer to our health care cost issues in this country can be at least partially solved by a change in pricing. If we charge for health insurance the same way we charge for life insurance, we would save a lot of money because the fatties would have to pay their fair, and this is important, their CONTROLLABLE share.

Here's an article that says 10% of our medical spending is going for our obese fellow Americans. Talk about waste in the system!

Let's take two people. I'll be one of them. I am 33 years old, I weigh 215 pounds, and I don't smoke. The guy next to me is 33 years old, weighs 350 pounds, smokes two packs of Marlboro Reds a day and drinks nothing more than coffee and Mountain Dew. If this person and I went to get life insurance, the other guy would have to pay nearly TRIPLE what I would pay for the same amount of coverage (those who have bought life insurance know what I am talking about). Let me put that in simple terms: over the 20 year span of our life insurance policy, my friendly co-worker is 3 times more likely to die than I am. But if this other person and I participate in our employer provided health insurance program, we would pay exactly the same amount per month, and we would have the same co-pays and deductibles. Does it seem reasonable to assume that we will consume the same amount of health services? NO. Then why do we pay the same amount?

I am NOT in favor of genetic screening for disease and pricing health plans that way. That's not fair - you cannot control the genes you were born with. But you can control what you eat, what you smoke and what you drink. I think it is reasonable to ask people to pay for the choices they make. I also think that if my coworker's out of pocket expense what three to four times what mine was, a lot of people out there would stop consuming all the bad things that are making them fat.

Who knows, we could probably pay for health insurance for all the kids in this country with the savings. But I guess that makes me a socialist.

Welcome Home from China Professor Gates

Debates about healthcare be damned! A prominent black man has accused a police officer of racism - we must get to the bottom of this!

Like the rest of the mainstream media, I think the debate about the healthcare system in this country is too complex to think and write about, so I am going to move onto something quite a bit simpler - a black man getting arrested by a white cop.

I'm not a constitutional scholar, but I have watched a lot of Law and Order. I have also read the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which reads as follows:

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.

The racial element of this situation is what is getting most people excited, and I think it is unfortunate that that particular angle is framing the debate about Gates' arrest. As details are released, and each side tells and retells their story, what is becoming clear is that neither Professor Gates nor the arresting officer distinguished themselves during this incident. Did the Cambridge Police act "stupidly" as President Obama described? I don't know, but the facts seem to indicate that the Cambridge Police acted unconstitutionally, which is a far more serious matter.

Did the police have probable cause to ask Gates for his drivers license? Yes. However, the moment that the police confirmed that Gates was in his own home, their probable cause to ask Gates more questions evaporated. The police, under the constitution, should have said, "Good bye, sir." And that is all. It's not up to the police to decide if they can search our houses. Without a properly executed search warrant, it is ILLEGAL for them to search our "persons, houses, papers and effects". Whatever complaints and belligerence Gates demonstrated during the incident is completely irrelevant. ESPECIALLY after the police determined Gates was, in fact, in his own home.

Reports indicate that the officer asked Gates if he (the officer) could look around Gates' house. Gates said no. The right to not be searched or detained without cause is fundamental in our country, and is one of the cornerstones of the freedom we have here. The reaction of many right wingers out there is laughable. You may be familiar with this quote:

Extremism in defence of liberty is no vice.

None other than famous bleeding heart lefty BARRY GOLDWATER said that at the 1964 Republican National Convention. But now, some 45 years later, anyone expressing that kind of sentiment is laughed off as a wingnut liberal. Well I have grown tired of that attitude.

Reports have also indicated that Gates was agitated at the time, and was yelling at the cops who were there. Ask yourself this question: If you are ever arrested and handcuffed on the porch of your own home for "disorderly conduct" and the only people you were disturbing were the officers who were arresting you - arresting you illegally in your mind - don't you think you would be upset too? Don't you think that your friends would later say that the police had acted "stupidly" in such a case?

Liberty is being challenged in this country. The arrest of Professor Gates in his own home for "disorderly conduct" should be all the evidence you need to see that.