Recent content from Jim Souhan
Souhan: Look at NBA history, then stop fretting about the Wolves
If you watch the 2021 NBA playoffs, and study NBA history, you see it's possible in the coming years the Timberwolves will be a dangerous playoff team with little chance of imminent relocation.
Souhan: Dramatic Twins win masks one of most disappointing seasons ever
The Twins averted a sweep, but improved their season record to only 25-37. How does this one rank among the team's most disappointing seasons?
Souhan: Is Rodgers vs. Hunter a battle that's gone forever?
For both Aaron Rodgers and Danielle Hunter, logic would dictate that they play this season with their current teams, but logic seems to be taking the summer off.
Souhan: Sign of growth, 'McBuckets' fits into Lynx 'championship culture'
Kayla McBride, the Lynx's top free-agent signing, arrived just in time to play in the regular-season opener, but not in time to know the plays.
Souhan: NFL's underhandedness goes on another ugly display in race norming case
The league's disrespect of Black players continues a long-standing practice.
Souhan: Twins fraying at corners with underachieving Sano, Donaldson
Sometimes, injury luck can decide a team's fate, and that appears to be the case with the 2021 Twins. That doesn't excuse the performances of several key players — two in particular.
Souhan: Lynx's Clarendon fits mold of a courageous, selfless WNBA
Layshia Clarendon, the first WNBA player to openly identify as transgender and non-binary (not identifying exclusively as a man or woman), took charge of the Lynx in Sunday's game despite never having played with them.
Souhan: Twins left with no other option than 'Ride Refsnyder'
The journeyman center fielder with a hot bat will get his shot with everyone else in front of him injured.
Souhan: With Parise still viable, Wild has to get ready to make nice
Wild veteran Zach Parise, when healthy, can still be one of this team's best players. It might be difficult, but all sides have to learn to coexist going forward.
Souhan: Overmatched Wild shows hope for future with 7-game series
The Wild's weaknesses were apparent in this series, but the Golden Knights were pushed to the brink
Souhan: What took the Wild so long to play Parise? Surely not his age.
The Wild chose the wrong time to make whatever point they were making by benching Zach Parise, who scored a big goal in the Game 5 victory.
Souhan: Let's count all the ways that Wild isn't measuring up to Vegas
Packaged for your convenience, here is everything you don't want to know about the Wild going into Game 5 in Las Vegas.
Souhan: His role ever shrinking with Wild, Parise summoned to fourth line
Zach Parise went from Wild franchise cornerstone to last-resort addition for Saturday's playoff game.
Souhan: Goalie Fleury beats Wild with one hand behind his back
What should concern the Wild is that Marc-Andre Fleury could frustrate Kirill Kaprizov and Kevin Fiala, the two skaters who make this Wild so dangerous.
Souhan: What to do about Rocco Baldelli? Here are some answers
Baldelli needs to adapt, but no responsible franchise would fire him. Certainly not a franchise that saw Twins legend Tom Kelly go from first-to-worst-to-first in five years.
Souhan: Wolves finally have the pieces in place to turn that corner at long last
The talent on the roster started looking like a cohesive unit over the final months under Chris Finch.
Souhan: Saints-Twins marriage one of convenience and complications
Randy Dobnak unwillingly and unwittingly provided a preview of life as a Class AAA team. The Saints will host rising stars — and big-leaguers mending injuries or mechanics.
Souhan: Fun-first Saints have new challenge as Twins affiliate
Can the Saints do the serious work of developing Class AAA prospects for a big-league team while honoring their longtime slogan, "Fun is Good"?
Souhan: Big-picture adjustments needed for Twins to rise up
After watching the Twins struggle through the first month of the season — and show signs of life this weekend — here's a list of things to consider.
Souhan: Look around, Minnesota, drafts can lead you places
There is an abundance of young talent in the Twin Cities that could lead teams to bigger and better things.
Souhan: If Rodgers leaves Packers, everything changes in NFC North
The Packers may have unintentionally sabotaged a championship-caliber team with their handling of Aaron Rodgers and drafting of Jordan Love.
Souhan: Vikings have easy draft task to tackle. Just make the right pick
This could be the magic draft that allows the Vikings to get value with the 14th pick, and have that value fix their biggest problem.
Souhan: Twins' awful stretch of baseball does not mean it's time to give up
Worry? Yes. Panic? No. This is a talented team that still has five months of games to play.
Souhan: Where can a guy get some NFL draft coverage?
There is no end to the NFL draft chatter before the first name is called.
Souhan: Buxton will be unlike any player in Twins history . . . with one big 'if'
Byron Buxton is coming back to Target Field as one of baseball's best players. And he just passed a big test in the midst of his team's struggles.
Souhan: U's Johnson must keep more of Minnesota's hoops talent at home
The Gophers might never keep all the Chets and Jalens. But if Ben Johnson doesn't find a way to keep the McKinleys and Dawsons, he'll follow his predecessors out the door.
Souhan: A-Rod buying an NBA fixer-upper (and a WNBA powerhouse)
A note to Alex Rodriguez: Your job will not be merely elevating the Timberwolves. Your job will be supporting the Lynx.
Souhan: 10 reasons why the Masters is still the world's best golf tournament
The course, the history, the risks and rewards — Augusta National and this special week in April are unbeatable.
Souhan: Hideki Matsuyama's Masters victory is a breakthrough for Japan
A golf-loving nation finally secured its first men's major championship, and at Augusta National no less.
Signs of greatness for Will Zalatoris — and an ominous sign, too
Runner-up finishers at the Masters have rarely gone on to a green jacket.
Souhan: Morning at the Masters
Augusta, Ga. — Good Sunday morning from Augusta National Golf Club. It's pretty close to perfect here right now (8:22 Central) - 64 degrees with…
Souhan: Matsuyama looks game for run at green jacket on Sunday
After shooting a 65 on Saturday, Hideki Matsuyama will have the weight of a nation on his shoulders Sunday at the Masters in the final round.
Final group on Masters Sunday 'all part of the process' for Schauffele
Xander Schauffele finished in a tie for second at the Masters in 2019, behind Tiger Woods, and has finished in the top 10 at a major seven times since 2017.
Promising golfers lurk below top 10 at Masters as rain threatens third round
The last pairing - Justin Rose and Will Zalatoris - doesn't tee off until 1:20 p.m. Central.
Souhan: The pack closes in on Justin Rose at the Masters
Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Tony Finau are among those who made moves Friday at Augusta National.
Little-known Will Zalatoris surges up Masters leaderboard
The 24-year-old American is in a tie for second, continuing a rise up the golf ranks since last September.
Midday at the Masters: Justin Rose comes back to the pack
The first-round leader struggled on the front nine Friday, allowing some big names like Jordan Spieth and Tony Finau to gain ground.
Souhan: So-called favorites stray early at Masters, may not survive cut
Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy, among other big names, struggled Thursday and might not make it past Friday at Augusta.
Morning at the Masters: Will Rose keep the lead this time?
Justin Rose built quite a lead in the first round but has led after four first rounds at Augusta without winning.
Rose grabs the lead at the Masters with a 7-under 65
Justin Rose, back under the guidance of his swing coach, birdied seven of his last 10 holes after an eagle at No. 8.
Midday at the Masters: The greens are fast and tricky
The weather is ideal — mostly sunny, with temperatures creeping into the 80s. The biggest names go off late in the day.
Souhan: Seeking to overcome its history, Masters opens by honoring Lee Elder
Elder, 86, was the first Black player to participate in The Masters, in 1975, and his presence is the latest sign that Augusta National is trying to distance itself from its discriminatory past.
Souhan: DeChambeau and Mickelson? A great pairing for the Masters
Big-swinging Bryson DeChambeau and sage veteran Phil Mickelson got together Wednesday at Augusta. Their differences are obvious. Their similarities are more interesting.
Georgia voting law brings mixed reaction from those at the Masters
Some responses were muted, but Black golfer Cameron Champ voiced strong opposition.
Souhan: Spieth practicing patience to emerge from 4 years of struggles
After youthful success was followed by an extended slump, Jordan Spieth is back at the Masters with a win in hand and surrounded by familiar people.
McIlroy looks to Masters to end majors slump
Rory McIlroy pointed to Tiger Woods' trophy case for perspective.
Souhan: This state hockey tournament brings unique pathos to the losing sides
Four championship games in one day in an empty Xcel Energy Center on Saturday introduced a unique combination of urgency and quiet to the tournament, but the pathos really began on Friday night.
Souhan: Twins build camaraderie, despite the masks and social distancing
Developing relationships and even holding meetings gets complicated for teams in the COVID era, and players and executives reacquaint themselves with simple pleasures such as the sound of fans returning to the ballpark.
Garlick provides spring surprise by making Twins' Opening Day roster
Caleb Thielbar beat out Derek Law and Brandon Waddell for the last pitching spot.
Souhan: The morning Kirby Puckett woke up with blindness, 25 years ago, changed everything
The Twins superstar was still at the top of his game when everything changed the morning of March 28, 1996.
Souhan: Running the Twins, Baldelli always has his eyes on the long game
Twins manager has succeeded in large part because of his emphasis on the big picture in a business where every decision is fraught with risk.
Souhan: For the love of Buxton, add extra padding to outfield walls
The Twins center fielder keeps crashing into them, and better protection could serve him well.
Souhan: Silly rule makes sending Kirilloff down right move for Twins
Major League Baseball's service-time rules are so silly that the Twins spent this week refusing to admit that they made a sound decision.
Souhan: NCAA contempt for women's basketball shows in weight room debacle
When NCAA women's basketball players showed up in San Antonio, they were reminded that they are afterthoughts.
Souhan: Want Minnesotans to cheer? Look to a Pennsylvania school
Lehigh University won the Patriot League tournament to earn a berth in the NCAA women's tournament. The team has six Minnesota players on its roster.
A look at Lehigh's Minnesota connections
The Mountain Hawks are seeded 13th and open up against West Virginia on Sunday. This is what coach Sue Troyan had to say about the six Minnesotans on the team.
Souhan: If not now, Mark Coyle, when will you diversify U's leadership?
Coyle needs to hire a coach who will be a distinct upgrade from the fired Richard Pitino. And he knows this might be his last chance for a while to hire a person of color.
Souhan: Pitino should be thought of as an overachiever. Here's why.
Hired before he was ready, Richard Pitino was asked to compete with the titans of the Big Ten when he should have been apprenticing for one of them.
Souhan: They haven't met, but a north Minneapolis doctor thanks Matt Dumba
Chris Williams was the rare youngster in his neighborhood who felt drawn to hockey. To paraphrase NBA coach Doc Rivers, he loved the game, but the game did not love him back.
Souhan: Vikings' mistake was in overvaluing Rudolph
When the Vikings signed Kyle Rudolph in 2019, he was three years past his high-water mark as a receiver. As such, they carry a $4.35M dead cap hit by releasing him.
Souhan: Under all that losing is a potential bright future for Wolves
The Wolves right now are a bad team playing as badly as ever. But assuming that their losing ways are predestined ignores the realities of modern sports.
Souhan: More than talk, ex-Lynx guard Montgomery effects change
Renee Montgomery, who played for the Lynx from 2015-17, is part of the three-person team that bought the Atlanta Dream, making her the first WNBA player to move into ownership.
Souhan: They can wear red, but golf at a loss without Tiger on Sundays
The final round of Sunday's tournament brought back memories of a Tiger Woods moment that was all about stars of his magnitude.
Souhan: Cousins is the Vikings' quarterback, for better or for worse
The rumors of Kirk Cousins potentially being traded away from the Vikings are out there. But unlike up to 18 other teams in the NFL this offseason, the Vikings won't be making a change under center.
Souhan: Kaprizov already proving to be best reason to watch Wild
Kirill Kaprizov is not just good. He may be transformative. He may be changing the way the Wild looks and plays.
Souhan: Whether star-crossed Woods golfs again is unimportant
If he never plays again, Tiger Woods will remain the most compelling American athlete of the past 20 years for making golf history while bouncing between heroism and villainy.
Souhan: Timing is bad, but firing Saunders an inevitable decision
Ryan Saunders was hired because of who he was instead of what he had done. Then he was never put in a position to succeed.
Souhan: Even Gophers volleyball can have an off day
Despite losing to Nebraska, watching the Gophers was a reminder of what a dynamic sport volleyball is, and what a pleasant counterpart it is to so many other sports.
Souhan: Championship-caliber Lynx keep doing non-Minnesota sports things
Minnesota sports fans are accustomed to the same pleas from local teams: Rebuild. Patience. Future. But the Lynx have not taken this path.
Souhan: Don't worry about the postseason . . . until the postseason.
Some advice for fans: Pack away those negative thoughts for now and look forward to when we can gather again at Target Field and watch entertaining baseball.
Souhan: 'GOAT' debate. LeBron makes case again in win over Wolves.
The Greatest Athlete of All Time is a category created to create debates, not end them. Those who think it's LeBron James could enter Tuesday's game as evidence.
Souhan: A dozen dreams of better times for Minnesota sports teams
Better times are ahead, and in sports as well as life, better times require health and normalcy. Here's a list of what could make 2021 an uncommonly good sports year.
Souhan: NFL predictions for 2020 were correct except on a few ...
Once again this NFL season, this columnist was correct about everything. Well, almost - er, maybe not.
Souhan: Take it to the bank. Carr epitomizes Gophers at their grittiest.
Call Marcus Carr's winning shot vs. Purdue lucky if you must, but the junior point guard paid for it by enduring hard fouls and floor burns.
Souhan: Bueckers is an athlete like few others. You gotta watch.
Paige Bueckers, the UConn freshman from Hopkins, already is a can't-miss superstar. Like so many great athletes before her, she appears to be unique.