Maybe it’s all the snow that fell, causing cabin fever to hit overload. Or maybe I’m just ready for baseball season to begin.

Scanning the Internet this week led to an interesting video on Youtube related to the Twins new middle infielder, Tsuyoshi Nishioka. See the link here: Nishioka\’s chant

It’s quite the scene when Nishioka comes to the plate, and near as I can tell it happened every time he batted in Japan. I can’t quite see something like this happening at Target Field this season, but there is already a bit of a buzz among fans to do some sort of version.

One thing is for sure, baseball in Japan has more of a “college football” atmosphere to it than the sport has in the United States. Maybe this could be the start of a trend on this side of the pond?

For a longer version of the video, including an obviously great outcome to his at-bat at the 2:30 mark, see here:

Nishioka chant II

Two weeks ago, Farmington Independent sports writer Matt Steichen posted a blog which included his projections for the Minnesota Twins lineup in 2011. In passing, he mentioned I should do a similar projection and at the end of the year we could compare our numbers and see who had the best crystal ball.

Well, here goes for the offensive numbers. We’ll check back with pitchers later as the season approaches and the rotation takes shape.

1). Denard Span, CF: I expect a bit of a bounce-back year for Span, after a sub-par 2010. That said, I don’t expect a major turn-around. To me, he is probably the biggest key to the Twins success this season.

* Projection: .287 avg., 4 home runs, 52 RBI, 82 runs scored, 22 stolen bases

2). Tsuyoshi Nishioka, 2B: Probably the most difficult prediction to make, considering he doesn’t have a track record in America to rely upon.

* Projection: .272 avg., 7 home runs, 46 RBI, 62 runs scored, 26 stolen bases

3). Joe Mauer, C: Best hitter in the American League will continue his stellar career.

* Projection: .324 avg., 15 home runs, 89 RBI, 77 runs scored, 42 doubles (Top 5 in MVP voting)

4). Justin Morneau, 1B:I’m expecting his first full season in a few years, and the numbers will reflect. Remember, he might have been league MVP last year without the concussion.

* Projection: .293 avg., 26 home runs, 111 RBI

5). Jason Kubel, DH: I think he topped out last year, but he’s a relatively steady player.

* Projection: .277 avg., 19 home runs, 78 RBI

5A). Jim Thome, DH/PH: I don’t think he sees the field as much as last year, as health is hard to predict.

* Projection: .258 avg., 13 home runs, 58 RBI

6). Michael Cuddyer, RF: Probably his last year as a Twin, unless his contract shrinks next year.

* Projection: .273 avg., 18 home runs, 95 RBI

7). Delmon Young, LF: Not quite as good as last year, but not bad either.

* Projection: .275 avg., 18 home runs, 72 RBI

8). Danny Valencia, 3B: Can’t really expect his rookie season numbers to continue.

* Projection: .272 avg., 12 home runs, 58 RBI

9). Alexi Casilla, SS: He’s never thrived when handed a full-time opportunity.

* Projection: .242 avg., 2 home runs, 38 RBI

I’ll actually predict Casilla is out of the regular lineup by June 1st, and likely Trevor Plouffe will be in his place. As my tie-breaker pick, I’ll take Plouffe’s numbers at: .262 avg., 7 home runs, 38 RBI

What’s great about the Internet is these numbers will be a great topic of conversation throughout the season. We’ll see whether Matt or I have the better crystal ball. To check out Matt’s predictions, follow this link:

http://independentsportstalk.areavoices.com/2011/02/01/twins-projections/

Even though they have only won 11 games so far this season, the Timberwolves have offered a ray of hope so far this season.

At the season’s mid-term, Minnesota has shown a few promising flashes, including the All-Star level of play from Kevin Love and the offensive explosiveness of Michael Beasley.

Beasley has a tendency to disappear for stretches of a game, and even stretches of a week, but overall he is the Wolves’ best offensive player. Considering the team acquired him for nothing more than a 2nd round draft pick, the acquisition of the small forward trapped in a power forward’s body has to be considered a success.

Love has put up the only 30 point, 20 rebound performances in the NBA this season, and even topped 30 points an 30 rebounds in one contest. He is a consistent, solid performer who fills the stat sheet. He should be an All-Star, but politics probably will result in him being left home on All-Star Weekend.

Rookie Wesley Johnson has been inconsistent, but over the past two weeks has started to string together some strong performances. During the past four games, he is averaging more than 16 points per game and is shooting more than 50% from the field. If he becomes more consistent and improves his ball-handling, Johnson will be a solid addition to an 8-man rotation on a successful NBA team.

Perhaps the most disappointing Timberwolf this season has been Jonny Flynn, whose second year has been marred by injury. Flynn has been slow to recover, and really struggled during the first half of the season. In the past week, he has improved some, but still forces things on the offensive end. His quickness is starting to return, however, and the next two months will be a key to whether or not he pans out as a legitimate NBA point guard.

The schedule during the first half of the season has been brutal for the Timberwolves, and they have a stretch of games over the next month that they should be able to win. By April 1st, we should have a pretty good idea if this team is ready to turn the corner or if it will require another off-season overhaul prior to the expected (but not guaranteed) arrival of European superstar Ricky Rubio next season.

How long has it been since the Minnesota Vikings had a franchise quarterback?

Well, it depends upon how you define, “Franchise.”

For all intents and purposes, the Vikings thought they had their franchise quarterback when they drafted Daunte Culpepper during the 1999 NFL Draft. Culpepper’s career was up-and-down, with one spectacular season mixed among a few solid ones and a couple of bad ones before he was injured, and eventually traded, after the 2005 season to the Miami Dolphins.

If you consider Culpepper a “franchise quarterback” 2005 would be the answer to the aforementioned question. If Culpepper doesn’t fit the bill, the answer is that the team hasn’t had a franchise quarterback since Tommy Kramer’s last day as the Vikings quarterback late in the 1980s.

Either way, that is a lot of turnover when it comes to the most important position in professional football. Since Kramer’s last start in 1989, the Vikings starting quarterbacks have included a list of non-descript and over-the-hill players such as Wade Wilson, Rich Gannon, Jim McMahon, Sean Salisbury, Warren Moon, Brad Johnson, Randall Cunningham, Culpepper, Jeff George, Todd Bouman, Spergon Wynn,  Gus Frerotte, Tarvaris Jackson, Kelly Holcomb, Brooks Bollinger, Joe Webb, and last but not least, Brett Favre. Yes, I know Favre technically came before Joe Webb, but it just seems like any list should end with Favre.

That list includes 17 starting quarterbacks in 21 years. Consider that the Green Bay Packers have had three starting quarterbacks since Favre started his streak in 1992.

The point is simple: The #1 goal for new coach Leslie Frazier and the Vikings this off-season should be finding a quarterback that it believes can start for the next decade. With Favre’s recent retirement (yeah, I know, I know) Webb is the only quarterback under contract entering next season. Here is my blueprint for finding that next “Franchise” quarterback.

#1: Make an effort to trade for Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton. Orton is coming off a very good statistical year with the Broncos. He passed for 3,653 yards and 20 touchdowns, with only 9 interceptions in 13 games. Those are above average stats, and Orton isn’t over the hill at age 28. Think this year was a fluke? Last year he threw for 3,802 yards, 21 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.Orton would be a huge upgrade over this year’s quarterbacks that sprayed footballs around the Metrodome. And since the Broncos seem to be hitching their wagon to Tim Tebow, Orton could be available for the right price (third-round draft pick?).

#2: Draft a quarterback in the first or second round if at all possible. Even if the Vikings get Orton, they should take steps to find a quarterback of the future, probably in the second round. The likely pick in that case? Washington QB Jake Locker or TCU’s Andy Dalton. Locker is a little bit of a risk, but at pick #12, the top two quarterbacks will likely be off the board. The Vikings should be able to get Locker (who was graded as the top QB in the draft last year had he not decided to return to college) in the second round, while shoring up another key position (offensive line or DB) in the first round. Dalton also can be had a bit later in the draft, and both him or Locker can learn for a couple years behind Orton. Dalton doesn’t have great physical skills, but has plenty of intangibles, according to most scouts.

#3: Let Joe Webb continue to develop in his role as a back-up quarterback. Webb showed some ability in his late-season starts, but is still way too raw to be considered for playing time next season.

Considering the Packers, Bears and Lions all have their quarterbacks of the future and all three are young, the Vikings are lagging far behind under center. With a little luck and planning, that could all change this off-season and the Vikings might finally find some consistency for the first time since Two-Minute Tommy. And any moves that keep the team from starting 17 more quarterbacks between now and 2024 can be considered a success.

Minnesota Gophers fans had high hopes coming into the Big Ten men’s basketball season, but those hopes have faded amidst the reality that this team is not any different than the ones that have called Williams Arena home for the past three years.

The reality is Tubby Smith’s team is going to be on the bubble for a trip to the NCAA Tournament again this year. The reason? The Gophers have a bunch of individual parts that don’t create a whole.

Each of the pieces are good at one thing, and pretty much nothing else. Al Nolen is a defender. Trevor Mbakwe is strong. Devoe Joseph can shoot. Rodney Williams can dunk. Colton Iverson takes up space. Blake Hoffarber can shoot. Ralph Sampson is tall.

If you focus on those skills, it looks pretty good. But the problem is those players don’t have the corresponding skills to make them successful on the offensive end of the court.

Nolen is a good defender and he’s quick, but not a particularly good finisher at the basket and he can’t shoot. Mbakwe is a good rebounder and can finish at the rim, but can’t consistently hit a shot outside 2 feet. Joseph can shoot and when he’s hot watch out, but he doesn’t handle the ball well. Williams can dunk, and pretty much nothing else. Iverson is what he is and that is a good garbage man who can clean up in the paint, but often plays out of control. Hoffarber is as good of a shooter as there is in college basketball, but he can easily be taken out of the offense if an opponent focuses on shutting him down. Sampson … well, he’s soft. There is no other way to sugarcoat it. Those who thought he might go to the NBA after this season have absolutely nothing to be worried about.

The Gophers will likely finish a little over .500 in Big Ten play, which would likely put them into the tournament, but there is no guarantee. The Gophers will look good when Hoffarber and Joseph get red-hot from the 3-point line. They’ll play well at Williams Arena. They’ll win some games they shouldn’t, and lose some they shouldn’t.

Where does it leave them? Wondering if their seat has been secured for a March Madness run when the brackets are announced on a Sunday evening in early March. On the bubble … again.

Now appearing for one night, and one night only. The Minnesota Vikings return to their roots.

When the Vikings return to the great outdoors to play the Chicago Bears tonight, it will have been nearly 3 decades since Minnesota’s professional football fans have watched their team play in the elements at home.

I was 10 when the Vikings last played outdoors, so most of my relevant Viking memories revolve around games played under a teflon roof. My parents did take me to several games at Met Stadium back in the day, and those are some of my fondest memories as a youngster. We’d stay overnight at the Thunderbird hotel, and then bundle up under blankets and drink hot chocolate from our seats in the lower deck near the endzone.

Tonight’s game will be a great reminder of days gone by, and it will be a good test of Vikings fans. It will be interesting to see how many decide to stay home due to the poor weather. Some experts expect only about 30,000 fans to show up at TCF Bank Stadium (which is a great venue for outdoor football). For those that stay home, what a shame. This may be the last time to watch the Vikings play an outdoor game at home. Myself, I’d give just about anything to have a ticket to the game.

We pride ourselves on being tough-minded, cold and snow doesn’t bother us Minnesotans. However, if the stadium is half empty tonight, expect ESPN to call us out as a bunch of wannabes. This is our chance to shine, and remember the good ole days. It will be interesting to see if Vikings fans are up to the task.

While we get ready for another season of Golden Gopher basketball, the news is already a little grim.

Arguably the team’s best offensive player, guard Devoe Joseph has been suspended by coach Tubby Smith for an indefinite period. Speculation is it will be at least a 5-game suspension, but it could be longer.

While the suspension early in the season might not seem like the end of the world, the Gophers have perennially been an “on the bubble” team for the NCAA Tournament in March. A couple of early season losses could seriously hurt the U of M’s chances at making the big dance.

Plus, it’s just another in a long line of bad news items for Minnesota athletics, ranging from the awful football season and the firing of Tim Brewster to the remarkable Randy Moss story, and even Brett Favre’s drama (could that be considered redundant, i.e. Favre and drama?).

Many Minnesota sports fans have been waiting for Gopher hoops to cause a turnaround in the sporting landscape. If the start of the basketball season is any indication, it may not be until spring when a winning team takes the field at Target Field that Minnesotans will be able to derive some pleasure from the sports teams.

For example, if you go back to mid-September, Minnesota’s major sports teams (Vikings, Gopher football, Twins, Timberwolves) have been abysmal. The Twins finished the regular season losing 11 of their final 13 games, including the playoffs. The Vikings are 3-5. The Gopher football team is 1-9. The Timberwolves are 2-7. An overall w-l record of 8-32. That’s just depressing. Get back soon Devoe!