My Brazilian buddy, Duluth FC men's soccer coach Thomas Pazo, on his team's 1-0 National Premier Soccer League home victory over Minnesota Blizzard FC on Tuesday night – "That was a gritty one from us. We certainly were not in our most technical and inspired evening. Normal, as we worked extremely hard last week and the boys were still a bit fatigued. These young men are also still developing and performance differences will happen naturally. However, this team has character and determination. It is not easy to keep knocking on the door and fight for a goal until the last second, and I’m very proud of them for that.
My thoughts on the season so far: I’m loving my time in Duluth and getting to work with this fantastic group of young men. We’ve improved tremendously as a team (tactically, technically, physically, and mentally), and we have a lot of room for growth, which is super exciting for the staff and I.
Thoughts on the upcoming matches: Two critical games coming up – a league game Saturday and a MN Super Cup Tuesday. The league game Saturday allows us to become the isolated #1 team in our conference if we win. A win or a tie on Tuesday puts us in the next stage of the MN Super Cup. I’m looking to rotate the squad so we can avoid injuries, give opportunities to players, and keep improving as a group as well as individually. Finally, we want to get positive results, of course, and above everything, represent the club and the community well."
DECC Executive Director Dan Hartman on Amsoil Arena being selected to host 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship pre-tournament games and practices in late December – "Having these incredibly talented young players skating at Amsoil Arena really speaks to our community's love for hockey. It's not just about the games – it's about bringing our hockey community together to experience this special moment. We can't wait to roll out the red carpet for these teams and create an atmosphere that both players and fans will remember."
My buddies on the Minnesota Timberwolves' playoff run:
Frank Yetka – "The Timberwolves had a great season, but ran into the best team in the NBA. We play good defense, but the Thunder plays great defense and much better than any team in the East. Thunder in 5, no matter who the opponent is. The Thunder effectively neutralized Ant by doubling him everywhere, and we could not do the same to SGA."
Paul McDonald – "They had a great post-season run and ran into a better team. OKC is deeper and better defensively. There is a reason they only lost 14 games this year. Anthony Edwards is a star, but he needs to be better off the ball with his movement to get himself free. It takes everyone playing at a high level to win in the conference finals. A true fan is not happy with the results, but excited to be in the final 4 again this year. As the sixth seed in the Western Conference, they had a good run, but they need to take better care of the rock and shoot better consistently from the arc. Go, Wolves!"
Legendary Fred Friedman – "The Timberwolves are simply not good enough to win a championship. There was nothing flukish about the OKC 4-1 rout with a much smaller payroll, yet more talent. Minnesota over relies on the 3-point shot when they are not falling, and an immature supposed superstar who is not there yet. They are a playoff team, not a championship team."
Brian Prudhomme – “If you look specifically at this postseason, it becomes slightly underwhelming. As lengthy as the overall playoff run was, it’s somewhat marred by poor shooting, turnovers, and stretches of uninspired play that leave you wondering what could’ve been. However, as I look at this franchise, I love them. From almost entirely forgotten in their own state, to the best shot at a championship the last two seasons. Not to mention, dismissing the overblown duo of LeBron and Luka. HOOOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLL!!”
Daniel Fanning – "While the season didn't end like we were hoping, it was still exciting to watch the Timberwolves make a return trip to the Western Conference Finals. It's been a really fun season cheering for the Wolves. There's clearly a strong foundation to continue to build on and there's reason to believe the Wolves can make an even deeper run next year. There's a lot they can learn from this playoff run, including how steady and disciplined OKC is on both sides of the court. Minnesota needs to get back to some of the fundamentals, find a more consistent rhythm, clean up careless turnovers, get tougher and more aggressive on defense, and position themselves to take better shots and not overly rely on an inconsistent three-point game. They have most, if not all, the pieces they need. With more experience now, they need to work hard in the off-season and come back even stronger and more determined to take the next step towards a championship. Let's Go, Wolves!"
Steve Battaglia – "Smart move not asking me last night. My 'let me sleep on it before I assess it' practice helped me put things in perspective. After 20 years in the pressure cooker as a high school head coach, I learned that my feelings immediately after a loss are best kept to myself. It was a great season. OKC exposed some things that we can look to address to try to get over the hump, but we’ve got a team that should compete for a couple more years."
Steve Korby – "There is a good reason the OKC Thunder won 68 games this season. They are tough, led by the NBA and Western Conference MVP Shai G-A. The Timberwolves need not hang their heads very low, for they had a fantastic season. It should be a great NBA finals, but I’m thinking the Thunder will win. I’ll remember many T-wolves games this season sitting on the edge of my seat on my easy chair, pulling for a victory. And don’t forget 4-1 victories over Lebron/Luka the Lakers and the Warriors. It was an exciting year, thanks to Ant and his teammates, coaches, and organization."
Arik Forsman – "How fast our expectations have risen for this Wolves squad! A team that made the playoffs once in 17 years has now made back-to-back Western Conference Finals, but despite this success, many of us felt disappointed at how the season concluded last night. While the team is young and the window is open, key contracts are up next season and it will be interesting to see how the Wolves adjust after being completely outclassed by a younger and deeper Oklahoma City squad. I will be fascinated to see how they retool, but more importantly, I am glad to have a relevant men’s professional basketball team to cheer for once again. Go, Lynx!”
The Minnesota Star Tribune, Minnesota Vikings partner to boost high school girls flag football
Girls flag football is on the rise in Minnesota, and a new partnership between the Minnesota Star Tribune and Minnesota Vikings announced today will give it another boost.
As the Minnesota Star Tribune invests in increased coverage of high school girls flag football this spring, this new partnership adds dedicated girls flag content to the Minnesota Star Tribune’s MN Football Hub, with updated scores and stats from games as well as championship day livestreaming. The state’s first championship tournament will take place June 9, 2025 and the Minnesota Star Tribune will livestream all the action on startribune.com that afternoon and evening.
The announcement comes as the state’s first high school girls flag football league, supported through a $600,000 contribution from the Vikings, enters playoff competition next week.
“A flag football player recently told one of our reporters that she hopes the sport will ‘uplift’ her school, and we’re here to help uplift this booming sport across Minnesota,” said Chris Carr, the Minnesota Star Tribune’s high school sports franchise director. “That player is right. This sport is already proving that it provides great opportunity to not only the girls and their teams but also to schools and communities. We’re proud to play a small role in this special moment with our coverage and support.”
The Vikings and the Minnesota Star Tribune are also in discussions around a future co-hosted girls flag football event and a continued partnership in 2026.
“Girls flag football has seen tremendous interest and growth here in Minnesota,” said Vikings Vice President of Social Impact Brett Taber. “Athletes, teams, and communities are joining the movement, and we are proud to align with the Minnesota Star Tribune in further highlighting these incredible athletes and their journeys. To those schools and young women interested in being a part of this great sport, we are only just beginning and welcome you to join.”
The 51 teams in the 2025 league completed double headers for four consecutive weeks beginning in April and now will compete in the playoffs at select high schools this Sunday, June 1, before the state championship tournament occurs at TCO Stadium in Eagan on Monday, June 9.
