Sports

A Letter to the Minnesota Twins Next Owner

Twins Video Dear Future Minnesota Twins Owner, It’s with great pleasure we welcome you to the Twin Cities. We couldn’t be more excited for new ownership around these parts. We’re not sure if you heard, but our last ownership group alienated us, right after the team ended the longest playoff losing streak in North American […]

Published

3 weeks ago

April 30, 2025

Your Sports Nation

A Letter to the Minnesota Twins Next Owner

Twins Video

Dear Future Minnesota Twins Owner,

It’s with great pleasure we welcome you to the Twin Cities. We couldn’t be more excited for new ownership around these parts. We’re not sure if you heard, but our last ownership group alienated us, right after the team ended the longest playoff losing streak in North American professional sports history. The expression “Don’t let the door hit you on the way out” would be what we call “Minnesota Nice” if uttered toward a member of the Pohlad family. While being passive-aggressive is in our nature, you should know we’re anything but that when it comes to our professional sports teams.

We desperately hope that you are here to invest in the franchise. One thing about our fan base is that, when our teams show out, we show up. No questions asked. While we don’t have the glamor of cities like New York or Los Angeles or the rich sports history of cities like Boston or Chicago, we come out in droves when we know our teams care. Consult your wealthy friends who own teams in the NBA or NFL. It’s famously unenjoyable to play a road playoff game here. Unfortunately, when it comes to the Twins, that feeling has been missing for the past two seasons. We hope you’re here to change that. If you need more convincing, let me take you through an anecdotal tour of the town.

Minnesota Timberwolves
Have the Timberwolves been one of the worst NBA franchises in the league since their inception? Sure have. Regardless, do we pack Target Center for the playoffs and create one of the most raucous environments in the league? Sure do.

For years, the Timberwolves weren’t just the laughingstock of the NBA. but really of all professional sports. When Kevin Garnett was traded away in 2006-2007, it took an entire decade for them to make it back to the playoffs. Eight coaches later and with one of the best up-and-coming teams in the NBA, we finished in the top 10 in total attendance in the most recent season. Moreover, Game 4 against the Los Angeles Lakers drew over seven million viewers—the second-largest Round 1, game 4 audience ESPN has ever seen. That’s all while being the self-proclaimed “State of Hockey” and competing with the Minnesota Wild.

Minnesota Wild
Speaking of attendance figures, guess which fan base led the NHL in capacity percentage for the most recent season. Yep, it was us, at 102.7%—and the number has jumped to 106.9% during the playoffs. We don’t even need to be guaranteed a seat in the arena to show up for our teams.

While the Wild have been a little easier to root for throughout their tenure, we continue to pack the Xcel Energy Center despite six first-round exits in the previous nine seasons.

Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings have long been the most popular team in town. Once they earned the moniker “Purple People Eaters”, fans have continuously packed first Met Stadium, then the Metrodome, and now U.S. Bank Stadium. Arguably more than any other local franchise, the Vikings have given us heartbreak after heartbreak, going 0-4 in Super Bowl appearances and suffering multiple tragic playoff exits. Despite this, we fill the tailgate lots hours before kickoff, and more than 74,000 of us filter into “The Bank” proclaiming “this is our season”. However, that’s not unique to game days. Recently, thousands of fans attended the Vikings Draft Party in anticipation of the announcement of the team’s most recent first-round pick—even though the team was picking 24th.

Minnesota Lynx
Unlike the professional teams above, the Lynx have triumphed more than they’ve tumbled. The three-time WNBA champions have given fans plenty of reason to support the team over the last decade and, as always, we’ve shown out. The crowds for the team’s latest, not-quite-title-winning charge to the Finals were large and rowdy.

That brings us back to the Minnesota Twins and the conclusion of this letter. Dating back 25 years, when the team was almost contracted, fans have supported this club. Even when times were tough for the majority of the 2010s, we typically finished in the middle third of MLB teams in average attendance. However, when things were good, we were great. There’s no better sight than 40,000-plus Minnesotans waving their Homer Hankies ahead of a playoff matchup. If you give us a reason to support this team, we will make it well worth your investment. Be smarter than your predecessors have been.

Sincerely,
A disgruntled but passionate Twins fan

Sports

Tarpley Collects All-American Honors in the Discus Throw at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Championships

Story Links GENEVA – Nicole Tarpley and Jackie Tuzil of the Carthage women’s track & field team competed in the discus throw at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Thursday afternoon. Tarpley placed 12th, earning Second Team All-American honors, and Tuzil placed 21st. Tarpley and Tuzil started day […]

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13 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

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GENEVA – Nicole Tarpley and Jackie Tuzil of the Carthage women’s track & field team competed in the discus throw at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Thursday afternoon. Tarpley placed 12th, earning Second Team All-American honors, and Tuzil placed 21st.

Tarpley and Tuzil started day one of the championships for the Firebirds, competing in the discus throw. Tarpley’s furthest mark of 40.60 meters, first throw, placed Tarpley in 12th and earned Second Team All-American honors. Tuzil placed 21st with a mark of 37.01 meters.

“A bit of a rough start to the weekend as it didn’t take anything amazing to make the final,” said assistant coach Greg Raimondi. “The weather was definitely a factor, but regardless, we didn’t execute at the level we are capable of in these conditions. Nicole still has the hammer throw on Saturday, and I am looking forward to seeing what she can do. This was Jackie’s first national meet, and having to compete with the conditions as a first timer adds another factor to deal with mentally. Jackie has grown a lot as a competitor this year, and this setback will hopefully push her to grow even more next year.”

Two Firebirds will compete tomorrow, Friday, May 23, at the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Geneva, Ohio. For more information, visit athletics.carthage.edu.

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Sports

Southeastern Athletics Graduates 65 at Spring 2025 Commencement

Story Links HAMMOND, La. – A total of 65 members of the Southeastern Louisiana Athletics family had degrees conferred at the university’s Spring 2025 commencement exercises Saturday in the University Center. The Southland Conference regular season champion Southeastern baseball team led the department with 12 graduates. The SLU football and track […]

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18 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

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Sports

Grant Milbrath Selected for 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s West First Round Championship

Story Links INDIANAPOLIS- The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross-Country Committee has announced the participants for the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships First Round competitions. SIUE’s Grant Milbrath is set to compete in the first round of […]

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30 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

INDIANAPOLIS- The NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Track and Field and Cross-Country Committee has announced the participants for the 2025 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships First Round competitions.

SIUE’s Grant Milbrath is set to compete in the first round of the Men’s West division for the hammer throw event. Earlier this season he had a PR hammer throw at the Ohio Valley Conference Championships, May15-17, with a distance of 62.07m (203-8). This puts him in third for the programs all-time performances.

The first-round competitions are scheduled for May 28 – 31. The University of North Florida, in Jacksonville, Florida will host the East First Round and Texas A&M University, in College Station, Texas will host the West First Round. The qualifiers out of these two regions will compete in the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships held June 11-14 in Eugene, Oregon.

The complete list of participants is available on the following website.

For more information regarding the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships, and to purchase tickets, log on to NCAA.com/trackandfield.

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Sports

Emmy Klika joins fellow Pitt women’s volleyball players on national teams

Emmy Klika, a recent alum of the Pitt Panthers women’s volleyball team, has been selected to play for the women’s U23 national team. The libero joins 17 other athletes who will be training for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup. The tournament takes place in Leon, Mexico from July 25-Aug. 2. Two other Panthers will […]

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31 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

Emmy Klika, a recent alum of the Pitt Panthers women’s volleyball team, has been selected to play for the women’s U23 national team.

The libero joins 17 other athletes who will be training for the NORCECA U23 Pan American Cup.

The tournament takes place in Leon, Mexico from July 25-Aug. 2.

Two other Panthers will be competing overseas this summer as well. Outside hitter Blaire Bayless (U21) and middle blocker Abbey Emch (U19) will embark on similar journeys to Klika.

Bayless will be training in Colorado Springs, Colo., where 12 athletes will be selected to represent Team USA in Costa Rica.

Bayless, a junior, played for the U21 team last summer and in 2023 was named tournament MVP at the U19 Pan American Cup.

Emch, a freshman who joined the Panthers as an early enrollee this spring, will also train in Colorado. Selected athletes will then head to the Netherlands for additional training before traveling to play in Croatia and Serbia over the summer.

Klika helped Pitt reach the NCAA semifinals the past four seasons. She holds the program record of 64 digs in the NCAA tournament in 2024.

She was a two-time All-ACC member and now competes in the PVF (Pro Volleyball Federation) with the Orlando Valkyries. Her performance helpd Orlando earn the organizations’s first title last weekend. Klika has experience in the international competition after competing in the U21 Pan American Cup.

Twelve of the 17 athletes training in Anaheim, Calif., will be added to the team’s U23 roster when they head to Mexico later this summer.

Giustino Racchini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Giustino at gracchini@triblive.com.

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Sports

Ragland named new beach VB coach

Ragland By Greg MastThe Ottawa HeraldWMast@cherryroad.com A familiar face will take over the reigns of the Ottawa University women’s beach volleyball program. Lee Ragland succeeds Emily… Previous Post CH softball headed to state Next Post Mission to middle school Link 0

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36 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

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Ragland

By Greg MastThe Ottawa HeraldWMast@cherryroad.com A familiar face will take over the reigns of the Ottawa University women’s beach volleyball program. Lee Ragland succeeds Emily…

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Six Track and Field Student-Athletes Qualify for NCAA First Round

By: Maddie Omana Story Links HANOVER, N.H. – Six Dartmouth men’s and women’s track and field athletes have qualified for the NCAA First Round at the University of North Florida, as announced by the NCAA selection committee on Thursday afternoon. Student-athletes must be in the top 48 of their respective events […]

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50 minutes ago

May 22, 2025

Your Sports Nation

By: Maddie Omana

HANOVER, N.H. – Six Dartmouth men’s and women’s track and field athletes have qualified for the NCAA First Round at the University of North Florida, as announced by the NCAA selection committee on Thursday afternoon.

Student-athletes must be in the top 48 of their respective events to qualify for the first round. Following the first round, the top 12 in each event will advance to the 2025 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, which are being held in Eugene, Ore., from June 11-14.

Madeleine Locher, Jada Jones, and Andie Murray will be representing the Big Green in the Sunshine State. On the men’s side, J’Voughnn Blake, Max Klein, and Albert Velikonja will be competing. This is all six student-athletes’ first time qualifying for the NCAA First Round.

Locher punched her ticket to Jacksonville with a 33:39.91 finish in the 10,000m, putting her at 30th in the region. Jones, the reigning 200m Ivy League Champion, ranks 30th regionally after she ran a 52.99 in the 400m. Murray put herself at 48th in the 800m with a time of 2:05.32.

Blake qualified for the men’s 800m after ranking 30th in the east with his 1:47.72 mark. Klein ranks 34th in the shot put following his 18.28m throw at the Outdoor Ivy League Championships. Velikonja qualified for the 5000m with his 13:46.44 finish, putting him at 39th in the region.

The NCAA First Round is slated to start in Jacksonville, Fla., next Wednesday at 6 p.m.

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