Jeremy: "....been a long time since I..."

So my cousin really let me have it on the phone last night. A tongue lashing that would do The Tuna proud. Geez, where ya been, he said. I get all my friends to read your blog and you two disappear, he said. I don't even know you, he said. Your hair looks stupid, he said. You shouldn't wear yellow, he said.
Okay, maybe he didn't say all of that, but he didn't have to, he's right: Jeffrick and I have been slacking.
So let me get a few things off my chest...

*As I write this the Twins are 1/2 a game behind the White Sox for the A.L. Wild Card spot. They are also currently losing to the White Sox 3-0. This is a crucial series for our boys, one that could potential swing the proverbial wild card pendulum 2 to 3 games in either direction. It's big. But here's the thing, in the words of Cal Naughton Jr, "I like to think of Jesus as a mischievious badger." Excecpt instead of thinking of Jesus that way, I think of the Twins that way. Because what does a mischeivious badger do? He fights. And what does he not do? Go away. He just doesn't go away, and neither will the Twins... okay, enough of that.

*By the way, if you are a NASCAR fan, you should go see "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." And if you aren't a NASCAR fan, but you are a Will Ferrell fan, then you also should go see this movie. And if you aren't a Will Ferrell fan, well, then... you should be shot.

*Are you like me? Do you imagine Brad Childress sitting in his office, late, late at night, after all the practices and meetings are over, after all of the players and coaches have left, hitting his head ever so softly on his desk over and over and over again while quietly mumbling to himself: "Chad Greenway...why?... Koren Robinson...why? ... why?... why?..."

*Speaking of the Vikings, I haven't had very ample opportunity to watch the preseason games so far, but when I have I've made sure to watch Tavaris Jackson. I DVR'd the second preseason game just so I could watch Jackson. So far I think he looks pretty impressive, and at the very least he seems comfortable. He's got a gun for an arm and he's not afraid to run when he needs to. Joe Theisman was quick to call him a right-handed Michael Vick, which is absolutely preposterous. Jackson doesn't run as well as Vick, but he probably does throw better. He seems to have a pretty good command of the offense. Having said all that, let's not forget that Childress has said all along that his play calling in the preseason would be very simplistic, especially for Jackson. Nonetheless, he's succeeded very well at what he's been asked to do.

*The first Gopher Football home game is in 22 days... not that I'm counting. I've been kicking around the idea of doing a Gopher Football preview again, but I'm always afraid that I sound like I'm full of doom and gloom. I still might write a preview, but here's a Cliff's Notes version: things could get ugly, the bowl game streak could very well, nevermind, WILL end this year, looking at the schedule I'm having trouble finding 5 wins for this team. It hurts to say it, especially considering this is the first year that I've gotten real full-price season tickets, and oh yeah, I'm also dragging my wife into the often self-abusing world of being a Gopher Football fan. Yikes!