At this point in the year, no news is mostly a great thing. The only thing better is when one of the stalwarts on the roster gets an extension that is below market value. That didn't happen but there also haven't been any significant injuries so there's offset. It was announced this morning that several members of the organization tested positive and will in accordance not be available for the immediate future. People have talked about the effects of Kendricks & Cleveland missing time but don't overlook CJ Ham's value & what it could mean if he has to miss significant time, even as a veteran.
Speaking of extensions, the team & Dalvin Cook came to an impasse this week and both sides walked away from the table. It remains to be seen whether they'll reconvene before the game in three weeks but for now it's a stalemate and that adds to the cloud known as the future.
As we remain on Lance Watch, a couple developments happened this week in the Herd. Just last night Kyle Emanuel announced that he will be joining Las Vegas. Which in case you had already forgotten, means that two of the best recent pass rushers will be in the same division. The NFL may have put a ban on jersey swaps this season but I wouldn't be at all surprised if Emanuel & Tuszka found a way to exchange after one of their two games this year.
The new heads of the Track & Field machine announced that long-distance runner Jennie Baragar-Petrash will be a grad transfer from Arizona. She already has some impressive finishes to her name but a move such as this one goes to show where NDSU T & F is on the national level!
We're at least 6 months out from college 🏈 returning. Instead of waiting for a season that may never happen, the Cobber preview was released this week.
With all due respect to every other bit of sports news this week, none compare to something 30 years in the making. Yeah, the team got the #1 pick a few years ago - after one of the worst seasons ever. Hard-earned is what you call that. This go around there most likely finish was sixth, even though they finished with a bottom three record. Can't say I get how that math works but instead of succumbing to the odds or going one pick later the ping-pong balls finally went their way & they finished one spot ahead of Golden State, and everyone else too.
Some people would have quickly come to the conclusion that it was rigged if GSW had turned their one bad season into the top pick. But I think there's a better case to be made for it being predetermined as things ended up. Hear me out - The Blue & Yellow still finished with a desirable asset that they may well be able to flip to another team for a young-ish veteran that would more naturally fit alongside their nucleus while their championship window remains. As for Minnesota, their trailblazing PBO managed to do the unthinkable & turnover the roster during his first season at the helm. Included in those transactions were the departure of several players who were deemed untradable, yet he shipped them off for more than a sack of potatoes. And as a reward for that wizardry & because he is a trailblazer, he will have the opportunity to complete the triangle (or square if you really like Malik Beasley) with his choice of any player on the board.
Sure, I would have liked it to happen when there was a Zion Williamson, Anthony Davis, Ja Morant, Lebron James, etc. but no one thought that Kawhi, Giannas, Pascal Siakam or Donovan Mitchell would be who they are yet all are at or near the top of the players from their respective draft classes and that's exactly the sort of play that Sota needs to come away from the draft with.
Also, don't rule out the possibility of Rosas getting two picks between 4 & 11 because of how much uncertainty there is with this year group. If they don't find a guy that they think can be a star then accumulating more assets makes too much sense to not be pursued.
In any case, enough with all the theorizing. The whole draft will hinge more heavily than ever on the player's performance at the combine. Whenever it happens, a guy or two could standout & be just what they want. But at this point, just gotta 🤞 & hope!
Minnesota came to within a game of the midpoint of the season with the final games against Kansas City & a pair against Milwaukee in between. While earlier tests made KC look like a WS team, the Twins got things ironed out, taking four of the final five against the paupers. The back half of the season starts tomorrow against Cleveland. With 1.5 games separating them in the standings, it doesn't get any easier for the team from here.
The birds have a couple weeks of play left but with the latest week of lost opportunities the door is close to closing, if it hasn't already been shut & locked. A heavy dose of Winnipeg before the month is over will be the final shovels of dirt.
Last but not least, the prep game! Made it to a couple of the opening week ⚽️ matches as Sheyenne hosted GFRR on Tuesday then North came to South on Thursday for the newly dubbed Compass Clash. North was fresh off their first varsity win in four years and with what they showed, the Spartans won't finish the year with one win, so get out there while the weather is good!
Then on Friday, with AA & AAA still in preparation mode, the 🏈 season kicked off for most of the smaller schools across the state. With Oak Grove up in Grafton the next closest was the powerhouse from Langdon/Edmore/Munich visiting Northern Cass. The three-peat hopefuls showed why they've only lost once since the start of 2017 but check out the recap of that one & photos of all the action!
So suffice it to say that it was a 💪 start to the year for the high schoolers!
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