New Year's Eve Thoughts

I started this blog in May as a hobby and one of my closest friends scoffed, suggesting I'd maintain the blog for a couple months before boredom set in. Well, I'm still here and am happy to say that the month of December has seen the highest amount of traffic yet (probably has something to do with Tubby Smith's 10-2 start).

So, as I sit here waiting for the alcohol to start flowing on New Year's Eve, I want to thank those of you who have made this little Internet outpost a fun--if small--community. It's been a fun year, from picking on Tim Brewster to getting overly excited about Tubby Smith's Gophers. We've had arguments--about Saul Smith and Brewster to the future of Williams Arena. And we've had laughs as well. But when we've disagreed, most of the time it's been productive and constructive. I want to thank all of you for these conversations.

Moving forward, I'm pleased that Joe Gigliotti has decided to contribute hockey coverage to PJS. Many of you requested some Gopher puck coverage in e-mails and I'm pleased Joe is stepping up to the plate. And I'm in the process of adding other features to the site. For now, those are long-term projects and the challenge of keeping this site fresh and updated is enough for now. But if there is something you'd like to see, don't hesitate to send me an email.

As 2008 begins, I want to thank ya'll for reading, commenting and e-mailing. And I hope that everyone has a healthy and happy 2008. Most of all, I hope Tim Brewster grabs his first Big Ten win in the year to come.

Couldn't Pass This Up

I could understand this more if it was midway through the first half on Saturday. As it is, clearly the tailgating was something special before Tim Brewster's first home game.



(HTs) 10,000 Takes and the Fanhouse.

Chubby 4 Tubby?!?!?!?! Yikes!

With a hat tip to The Fanhouse, I read today that there is a new Web site titled Chubby 4 Tubby. And, yes, the site does exist and, in fact, asks readers to send in a photo of their, um, chubby.

Here's a snippet from the Web site: "Just click on a shirt and get a CHUBBY 4 TUBBY! Then send us a picture of you and your Chubby, and if we like it, we'll post it on our Show Us Your Chubby page."

Um, not sure where to start. Just saying "Chubby 4 Tubby" evokes serious mental meanderings not suitable for the workplace. The Web site doesn't appear to be a joke. I ripped the picture off of the 'Show us your Chubby' page. Thankfully, considering I'm on my work computer on company time, there wasn't anything on the link that was out of line.

But, sheesh, can this be a serious Web site? Do we need to resort to pornographic references to sell T-shirts? OMG. I mean, I'm happy the Gophers landed Tubby and all ...... but not that happy!!!

Goodbye Sopranos

David Chase likely pissed a lot of people off Sunday night, with the abrubt ending of The Sopranos. But I thought the episode was a classic.

Up until the curtain dropped, Chase kept viewers on the edge of their seats. The killing of Phil Leotardo was fantastic. Those rooting for Tony certainly cheered when Phil said "Bye-Bye."

I did think the scenes with AJ were strained. Is he depressive? Bored? The Army? Movies? I didn't find it realistic, but I guess when AJ saw some structure, he decided he might like the priveleged life. I would have liked to see him fall completely off the deep end.

Ending the episode, Chase essentially leaves Tony living happily ever after, with his kingdom intact and his family together ... and happy. Concentrate on the good things, AJ quoted his father as saying. A nice and fitting ending. Maybe a three-hour epic on a big screen can fill us in at some point and let us know if Tony and his sone were ever able to find that happiness. Until then, goodbye Sopranos.

Theories On The Final Episode Of The Sopranos

It's with some sadness that I sit down to write about the series finale of The Sopranos. With two exceptions when I've been on vacation and the first half of the first season, I've watched the premiere of every Sopranos episode. This weekend, a Sunday staple, perhaps more entertaining than the NFL, comes to an end.

I'm going to lay out here a few theories on what might happen. These aren't all my own unique theories. Many of them are conglomerations of what I've read and hear other people predict for the Sopranos finale. I'll lay out a couple theories I find realistic before making my own prediction.

If you haven't seen the most recent episode this season and plan to, stop reading now. What follows will spoil all but the Sopranos finale.

** Tony's son, AJ, goes ballistic. After Tony gets revenge for the death of Bobby and (presumably) Silvio, AJ gets his own revenge. As part of Tony's other family, it has been AJ who has his father's depression. He's been shown a door into his father's world. AJ didn't like what he saw, became even more depressed, and tried to take his own life. While Tony saved AJ from his suicide attempt, he also gave AJ--in my opinion a much deserved--beatdown last week. After Tony gets revenge, and with his mob kingdom now intact again, his real family deserts him. AJ kills Tony before killing himself.

** For what seems like forever, Paulie has been on the outs with Tony. David Chase made it clear in an episode earlier this year that Tony, at least partially, wanted to do away with Paulie. In previous seasons, Paulie flirted with joining the New York crew. Paulie eventually realized he was being played. But Phil Leotardo's decision not to go after Paulie, and instead target just Bobby, Tony and Sil, leaves open the possibility that Paulie could be playing both sides. Paulie turns on Tony, and kills him, leaving Tony's real family in disarray. News of Tony's death gets infuriates AJ and Meadow. One of the two plot revenge for the New Jersey family.

** Carmella's house, which we've learned could fall down at any time, collapses and kills her.

What I think will happen?
For two seasons, David Chase has went out of his way to foreshadow a potential terrorist attack. Tony has worked with federal agents, tipping them off to sucspious activity. At the same time, the feds who were putting together a RICO investigation on Tony have been nowhere to be found during this final season. So, while the war between New York and New Jersey heightens, perhaps the only innocent character left in the show--Meadow--dies in a terrorist attack in New York. The deaths hit home to others as well, making the feud between New York and New Jersey seem relatively meaningless. Tony may or may not take out revenge on Phil before or after the terrorist attack.

I think Chase has spent too much time playing up a potential terrorist attack without following through. It would make sense for Meadow to die, however, considering the show has been about Tony's two families and his relationships with them. Killing off Tony would be too predictable. But giving the famlies a reason to come together, short of a complete mob-on-mob showdown, would make sense.

The show ends with Tony looking off into the distance, much like the photo above. His empire is intact, but his daughter is gone. Solemn ending.

This theory also allows me to use this picture of the gorgeous Jamie-Lynn Sigler.

What I'd really like to see?
A spin-off, with Meadow taking control of the Jersey mob after Tony's death. It'll never happen, so I'll just have to be content with what Chase offers us. Chase is directing the finale. I can't wait, but then again, I almost wish it wasn't happening.

Top 4 Reasons Billy Donovan Went To Orlando Before He Didn't

4. Billy Donovan has intimacy issues stemming from a rocky childhood in which his Dad ignored him and his Mother smothered him with attention.

3. Donovan's wife Christine was taken aback when she learned the Orlando City Council is run by all Democrats.

2. Once in the city of Democrats, Donovan couldn't help but fall victim to a John Kerry like flip-flip. He was Orlando's coach before he wasn't.

1. Orlando chicks are ugly. UF cheerleaders on the other hand ....

With The Number 4 Pick In The NBA Draft ....

The Memphis Grizzlies select, from the University of Minnesota, Spencer Tollackson!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

Yes, it's a mock draft. But here's the good part. It was done by Minnesota Timberwolves personnel. No offense to Spencer, but this is yet another reason why my beloved Timberpuppies are destined to do nothing during the KG era.

I was hoping this was just a joke. But all of the other choices made by Wolves personnel, who were pretending to be general managers for the 14 lottery teams, were legitimate.

See the insanity for yourself here.

Hat tip to IHeartKG.

PJS

This blog was created to cover and comment on Minnesota Golden Gopher athletics, but because the world doesn't center around college sports-seriously folks in Lexington, KY, it doesn't-items from other sports, news, politics and the media may also find their way onto the pages of PJS.

I am a political journalist by trade, living out on the East Coast. So, this adventure is an escape for me of sorts.

It will give me a chance to get my frustration about Gopher sports out without bombarding Joel Maturi with emails. Amazingly, he replies. Dan Monson did too, and frankly, I wasn't too nice to him.

Anyway, this is just fair warning that this site may stray from the maroon and gold should PJS or future contributors desire to stray from Gopher sports.

A Drive Through Kentucky

It's hard to really understand hot-bed basketball until you've seen it up close and personal. As a northerner who has moved east--not quite south enough to be amid the crazies in North Carolina--it's hard to fathom the tenacity that fans in certain areas aim toward their respective college sports teams.

In Minnesota, we live and die with the Vikings. We lament Joe Mauer's bum calf and Francisco Liriano's elbow. We're one of 3 states that still care about the National Hockey League.

Kentucky could care less. I've known many rabid sports fans, but nothing came close to what I witnessed, or heard rather, via talk radio on a recent drive through the bluegrass state. The commonwealth, to be nice, is insane.

It was local talk radio, much like the boys on KFAN radio, but in Kentucky, there was no smooth transition from boxscores to politics. It was all college basketball all the time. Never mind that the Lousiville Cardinals are fresh off their first Orange Bowl win in school history. Never mind that the state's incumbent governor is embroiled in controversy and being challenged by all sides by Republicans and Democrats for his seat (where an election is just months away).

Instead, the hosts, former Louisville coaching great Denny Crum, and former Kentucky coach Joe B. Hall spent hours taking calls from fans. The topic? Basketball recruting.

Would UK get West Virginia prep standout Patrick Patterson? We now know that answer is yes. Why did Jai Lucas choose the Florida Gators over the Kentucky Wildcats? (Unfortunately there was no discussion of how he passed up a chance to come to Minny!). Some fans were irate. How could new UK coach Billy Gillespie let Jai Lucas escape the Wildcat death grip? Others took turns bashing two players who had already committed to UK. Callers took pot shots at other prep athletes who decided to go to other schools.

It's because of this, I suppose, that UK basketball is among the most coveted coaching jobs in the country. And as a rabid college basketball fan, and a sometimes cranky Gophers basketball fan, this drive through the commonwealth of basketball frenzies made me wonder: Do I really want Tubby Smith to turn the Gophers into a perennial national power? I can't answer that any other way but yes.

But what I don't want is a day where I'm so spoiled by Gopher success that I turn my basketball passion into rage aimed at prep athletes. And more than anything, I don't want sports talk radio in Minnesota (or out East here) to turn into an incessant gab-fest aimed at reading the minds of prep athletes.

KU Fans started numerous blogs and Web sites made specifically to bash Tubby. A nice photoshop piece is pictured above. While I admire that enthusiasm, I promise to never run a coach out of town that wins my alma mater a national title.

Golden Gopher Nation: A New Beginning

As a University of Minnesota grad, it's been quite some time since it's been OK to get excited about Gopher football and basketball. Sure, the hockey team has been consistently excellent since Don Lucia took control. But for those of us who don't live and breathe hockey, and let's face it, it's hoops and football that bring in the revenue, the hiring of Tubby Smith and Tim Brewster have gone a long way toward breathing life into a hungry fan base.

Now, it's time to watch and monitor the progress. For now, it's time to sit back and trust Tubby Smith and Tim Brewster. But there are certainly questions. Can Brewster go from a position coach in the NFL to a head coach for a Big Ten school? While he certainly seems to be saying the right things, that doesn't mean he can deliver on the sidelines or in recruits' living rooms. For Tubby, his downfall in Lexington, according to the rabid locals, was recruiting. Can he do better in Minny than Dan Monson? I think some random English Lit professor at UofM could do better than Monson. But, in all seriousness, will he be able to get high-level recruits from out-of-state choose Minny and will he be able to keep the state's top talent home instead of heading east to Madison?

For now, we can only sit back and hope Joel Maturi made the right choice with a no-name, albeit high-energy coach in Brewster and a big-name coach, perhaps on the downside of his career, in Tubby.