MINNESOTA SPORTS FAN DAILY: Tuesday, September 26, 2017

MSF Daily: 9/26/17

Twins Play Key Series in Cleveland Starting Tuesday:

It’s getting late on Monday night and both the Rangers and Angels are losing late in their games. That means the Twins are likely to be even closer to clinching a playoff berth by the end of the night.

So why is the Cleveland series important?

Well, the Twins could probably get swept and still be playoff-bound by the end of the series. However, if you want to look far enough ahead to see past the Yankees showdown and the one-game playoff (which most don’t for obvious reasons), then the importance of this series starts to unfold. As the final seed to make it into series-play, the Twins would play the #1 seed……. the Cleveland Indians.

The Indians have won 29 of their last 31 games. But, as I have said before, what goes up must come down. If the Twins can find a way to win this series it could give them a lot of confidence in multiple facets while possible starting a downward spiral of no return for the Indians? Maybe?

Tuesday Game Info: @ Cleveland – 6:10 PM – FSN

Pitching Matchup: Bartolo Colon (4-6, 5.33 ERA) vs Josh Tomlin (9-9, 4.98 ERA)

Eric Hunter (4-star) Won’t Visit Pitino, Gophers Anymore; Picks Purdue:

Well, the Gophers swung and missed on another top recruit to fill out their class of 2018.

Richard Pitino will continue to look for that 4th game changer to complete his 2018 recruiting class. I think his top choice is the late-rising guard, Anthony Nelson.

Goldy Gopher Running Over Middle-Schoolers:

So, I am not sure how to feel about this. Half of my wants to cry with laughter while the other half of me wants to punch Goldy in the face. There was a mascot vs youth football game at halftime of the Vikings’ game and Gold Gopher must have eaten his Wheaties that morning.

National Anthem Protestors/Anti-Protestors (Including President) Ruining Football Sundays:

Just as I typed that title I got a new notification about the Cowboys kneeling for the national anthem on my phone. Instead of a notification about injury updates or fantasy football last-second tips, I am seeing another team kneeling or not kneeling or locking arms or whatever during the national anthem.

Of course I have my own opinions about the protests but I’m not here to ruin the best part about sports and Sundays. I am here to beg and plead for football Sundays to return. It’s a tense political atmosphere right now. Most people don’t feel comfortable voicing their political opinion in public, or to friends, because they are afraid of backlash from one party or another.

There is a lot going on in the world. There are a lot of opinions and more places than ever to find and put those opinions.

But football is the one place where everyone can come together and root for their team. Sure, you have the opposing side just like in politics, but no-matter how much you like your favorite team and hate your rival, their fans are often your friends, family, and coworkers. Throwing jabs about the opposing QB or touting the superior brain-power of your team’s coach compared to your buddy/girlfriend/brother/sister’s coach is fun and innocent. It gets those primal competitive juices flowing in a healthy way.

25-30 years ago, a new wrinkle was becoming popular. A statistic-heavy game where you focused on player stats, no-matter the team affiliation, was starting to gain real momentum. This game called fantasy football was giving football fans reason to watch other NFL Teams beyond their own. Fantasy football would blow up with the rise of the internet and mobile devices, while spring-boarding the NFL into atmospheres once never expected or imagined by NFL Owners, coaches, players, and fans.

Football on Sundays was quickly becoming America’s….READ MORE

MSF Daily by Eric Strack @RealMNSportsFan

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