The Not-So-Big 830

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WCCO Radio (AM 830) used to be known as the "Good Neighbor to the Northwest" when they boasted of personalities such as Charlie Boone, Roger Erickson, Howard Viken, Steve Cannon, and so many others.  Well, the neighborhood's changed since CBS bought the station nearly two decades ago.

Owing to the continued hard times in the broadcasting industry, WCCO has had to let go of several familiar voices in the name of cost-cutting and changing listener tastes.  Recently, they showed the door to Don Shelby, Dark Star and Tim Russell.

Their only recent hire of any consequence is John Williams, who once had a show on WCCO back in the 90s.  In a departure from their "live and local" format, Wiliiams will be doing his show from WGN-AM in Chicago, where he also hosts a morning program.

The reason WCCO was so dominant in their day, besides their personalities, was the lack of alternatives on Twin Cities radio for adults besides rock and Top 40.  They evolved from playing bland music to bland talk.  But people don't want bland, safe radio any more.  Today it has to take a point of view, which is why political and sports talk stations are so popular.

All this nostalgia for the WCCO of yesterday isn't helping them in the ratings today, where they're in the middle of the pack.  Of course, losing Twins baseball to KSTP (now billing themselves as 1500 ESPN) has got to hurt.

Other factors for WCCO's decline includes the fact that the station has become an on-the-air billboard, airing as many commercials as the FCC allows.  Even its studios are sponsored by Buick.

The current air staff reminds no one of the glory days.  Dave Lee is a bad imitation of Roger Erickson, Michele Tafoya (who replaced Shelby) should have stuck to sports, and what is John Hines doing here besides warming the seat for the ailing Eleanor Mondale?

The station's motto is "Newsradio 8-3-0", which should bring to mind other all-news stations that CBS owns, including WBBM in Chicago and WCBS in New York.  Well, WCCO only carries news at the top and bottom of the hour for most of the day, so it's really just branding.

People complain that CBS has run WCCO and its legacy into the ground during its ownership, and would be better served under local control.  The last time it was under local control, the owners all but begged CBS to take the station off its hands.  If CBS sells it now, would any other owner keep WCCO from going the way of the crystal radio?

21st Century Frontier Justice in Arizona

Arizona is a place where triple-digit temperatures during the summer, much like below-zero readings in Minnesota during the winter, tend to keep the riffraff out.  Now the state that gave us presidential candidates Barry Goldwater and John McCain wants to keep its eye out for the ones they consider riffraff, particulary if they are the wrong color.

A new immigration enforcement law, whic hwas signed by Republican Governor Jan Brewer, will soon require police to, among other things, check those of Hispanic descent for documents that prove they are legal residents of the state.

The law is intended to help stem the tide of illegal immigrants who keep flooding in from Mexico despite border patrols, walls and barbed wire.  State officials and residents are also worried that reports of drug-related violence from across the border might spill over and turn Phoenix and Tucson into the next Ciudad Juarez, Mexico.

But what it also does is nothing short of racial profiling for the thousands of Latinos who already live and work in Arizona legally.  Many of them came to the United States to get away from the kind of treatment they used to face where they came from.

Illegal immigration is a nationwide problem that demands workable solutions, not heavy-handed measures.  But you're not going to see Washington do anything about it, especially in an election year.  It's the proverbial third rail--touch this issue and your political career dies.  So states like Arizona figured they needed to do something on their own.

The reaction to the new law, which won't go into effect until 90 days after the state's legislature adjourns for the year, will not only create many a court challenge--possibly all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court--but it also threatens to make Arizona's economy become as dry as the desert.  The tourism industry, conventions and the 2011 Major League Baseball All Star Game may be affected.  Oh, and so are the chances of keeping the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes hockey team from going elsewhere.

Arizona is going to pay a big price for turning into a police state, just to keep a few undocumented workers and drug smugglers from crossing the border.  But if it shocks the federal government into finally passing meaningful legislation aimed at dealing with the problem, then what does that say about us?

The DFL Endorses History

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At their state convention in Duluth, Minnesota's Democratic-Farmer-Labor party nominated legislator Margaret Anderson Kelliher as its choice to run for Governor.  She won the endorsement after her closest rival, Minneapolis mayor R.T. Rybak, conceded following six ballots.

So what's the big deal?  Several states have or have had women governors, most notably Sarah Palin of Alaska, Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Janet Napolitano of Arizona (who's currently President Obama's Homeland Security secretary).  Kelliher is trying to become the first for Minnesota.

The DFL has not had anyone in the governor's chair since Rudy Perpich, and that was two decades ago.  Since then, their candidates have lost to (A) a maverick Republican who was brought in at the last minute after the previous candidate had to drop out due to a sex scandal, (B) a former pro wrestler who ran as an independent, and (C) a GOP state legislator who ran on a "no new taxes" pledge, and has largely stuck to it.

In the race to replace outgoing Governor Tim Pawlenty, however, the DFL and Kelliher have some land mines to avoid.  The mood of the country is colored by consevatives who are whipping up fear and anger over an ineffective Congress controlled by Democrats, plus President Obama's alleged "socialist" tendencies.  On the state level, the Legislature (of which Kelliher is House Speaker) and the Governor have been at odds over how to trim the massive budget deficit without hurting the many people who need those programs in danger of being cut.

Also, there's some question as to whether an endorsement means anything any more.  Kelliher will face three opponents in the August DFL primary who did not seek the party's blessing.  Two of them are spending their own personal fortunes on their campaigns:  Former U.S. Senator Mark Dayton and former legislator Matt Entenza.  The other one is Ramsey County attorney Susan Gaertner.

After that, whoever comes out of the primary will face the Republican nominee in November.  That party will hold its convention next weekend, with Marty Seifert and Tom Emmer the main contenders.

Most of all, the DFL believes they have found the person they needed to carry them to victory, as well as to make a little history for themselves.  Now all they have to do is to wait and see if voters agree.

Now It's Time For a Shameless Plug!

This blog is entering its fourth year, so I figured now would be a good time to thank the tens of thousands of you (OK, just the tens) who have come here to be entertained, enlightened and/or appalled by what our take was on the headlines of the day.

I'll have you know it's not always easy to come up with material for a blog like this.  Some days, it just falls into your lap.  Others, you might just as well take the day off.  Fortunately, those days are few and far between.

The other reason for this self-serving post is to inform you of the number of ways you can now access this blog, if you care to.

• Our new address is:  http://thebludogchronicle.blogspot.com/.
• We're also on Facebook.  Of course, to access it you have to "friend" the guy whose mug shot appears at the right of this page (or on the left if you're actually reading this on Facebook).
• And we're on Twitter, where the address is http://twitter.com/BDChronicle.   Here you'll not only find the blog I've already written, but on occasion we'll have an original thought or two to convey in 140 characters or less.

That's what's happening.  We'll try to put out a real blog soon.

Timberwolves 2009-10: Is The Worst Over?

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In case you've ignored the Minnesota Timberwolves this season, or only happened upon them while channel surfing, you'll be pleased to hear that they won't be around to embarass basketball fans in the Upper Midwest--at least until the next NBA season.

The 2009-10 campaign mercifully ended Wednesday night with the Wolves losing to the Detroit Pistons 103-98 before the usual sparse gathering at Target Center in Minneapolis, even though attendance was announced as 15,790.  And it wasn't even on local TV.

The Wolves finished dead last in the Western Conference with a 15-67 record, second only to the New Jersey Nets for the worst record in the league (they were 12-70).  For first-year coach Kurt Rambis, this must be light years away from his days as a Los Angeles Laker.

The situation was so desperate, General Manager David Kahn started appearing in TV commercials acknowledging how bad the team was, and then promising improvements.  The team also announced temporary price cuts for tickets next season.

Another major overhaul is due this off-season, with every player from Al Jefferson and Kevin Love on down as potential trade bait.  The upcoming NBA draft is significant for the Wolves because they have three first round picks, but where they draft is another story.  You see, the lottery hasn't been kind to them, especially in years when there hasn't exactly been a bumper crop of talent.  Such as this year.

Fifty years ago this month, the Minneapolis Lakers announced that they were moving to Los Angeles.  In a recent Star Tribune column, Patrick Reusse speculated on what would have happened if the franchise had stayed in town.  He thought Lakers stars such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain and Kobe Bryant would never have played here because the area was too cold and culturally limiting.

Which is our way of saying that, in a potentially big year for free agents, the Wolves are going to have a difficult time attracting quality talent and settle for taking anyone they can get for the right price.  Unless they do something to make things interesting around here, the Wolves may well be on their way to becoming an endangered species.
***
Since you asked about LeBron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers, who's been rumored to be heading elsewhere ever since the season began, it's possible that he's outgrown the team and the city.  The Cavs aren't what you'd call a destination franchise such as the Lakers or the Boston Celtics, any more than the Wolves are.

Still, we think James will be leading the Cavs into the NBA Finals this June against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers.  It'll be the matchup everyone wants--the league, the fans, ABC, Nike.  What could possibly go wrong?

Wild 2009-10: Change We Can't Believe In--Yet

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The Minnesota Wild ended their 2009-10 season by cleaning out their lockers and watching the NHL playoffs on TV, instead of being in it.  A season of change--new owner, new general manager, new coach, new players--failed to mask the fact that they are a mediocre team needing a lot more change.

The Wild finished with a 38-36-8 (for overtime loss) record, good for 84 points and 13th place in the Western Conference.  They were never really in playoff contention, with a rotten first month of the season followed by injuries to key personnel such as Pierre-Marc Bouchard and goalie Niklas Backstrom, which forced them to give playing time to the minor leaguers from its Houston affiliate.

There were players that stepped up this season, in the face of injuries and the departure of Marian Gaborik through free agency.  No real scoring leaders, though captain Miiko Koivu and Guillaume Latandresse (coming in a trade with the Montreal Canadiens) did well.

Still, owner Craig Leipold, general manager Chuck Fletcher and coach Todd Richards all seem to agree that the Wild are headed in the right direction, in spite of all the setbacks.  Though Fletcher took plenty of flack for letting Gaborik go, it should be noted that his new team, the New York Rangers, didn't make the playoffs either.

There was some question as to whether all this upheaval surrounding the team, as well as the ongoing recession, would result in fewer folks attending games at the Xcel Energy Center.  Well, there have been 409 consecutive sellouts, so that answers that.

Like we said, the Wild are in need of a lot more changes if they want to make the playoffs next season.  They can't just depend on the draft (which in 2011 will be held in Minnesota) to tide them over.  They need veteran goal scorers who will want to take a pay cut, and who can adapt to Richards' system.  And they need to stay healthy for an entire season.  Is that too much to ask?
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The Stanley Cup playoffs begin Wednesday, and the two teams that we think will be playing for one of the world's oldest trophies are the Pittsburgh Penguins and Chicago Blackhawks.

Mickelson Masters Augusta Again

Tiger Woods dominated the headlines, but Phil Mickelson earned his third green jacket at the Masters golf tournament Sunday.

Mickelson won with a collection of great shots and eagles in the final rounds to win by three strokes over Lee Westwood.  To top it off, his sick wife flew all the way from the West Coast to see him win it.

Woods finished tied for fourth place with K.J. Choi, the playing partner he had all during the tournament.  That's pretty good considering this was his first tournament in several months.  Any guesses as to why that is?

Everyone, it seemed, was watching the Masters to see how Woods would play after so much time off.  There were the inevitable distractions that even Augusta National Golf Club, notorious for the tight control over its tournament, couldn't foresee.  As Tiger teed off Thursday, a small plane buzzed the course with one of those trailing messages in the sky.  Something about embracing Bootyism.

The club also couldn't protect Tiger from himself.  At times, when Woods hit an errant shot, folks watching on TV could hear him use words he promised he'd never use again on the course in his effort to get back in the good graces of the public.

It's all the antithesis of a commercial Nike started running showing a somber Woods listening to the voice of his late father asking him what he has learned.  It sounds creepy, but Nike's known for its too-cool-for-the-room marketing featuring athletes they have under contract.

For all his problems, Tiger Woods is still the straw that stirs pro golf's drink.  ESPN racked up record ratings for Thursday's opening round, and it's likely that CBS will get a similar bounce when their ratings come out soon for weekend coverage.

This may be an unfair comparison in light of recent events, but the new Masters champion has two things going for him.  Phil Mickelson has a stable marriage (as far as we know), and is riding a wave of good will because both his wife and mother are battling breast cancer.   Life is good for him right now.  As for Tiger Woods, it goes without saying that he needs work on the golf course and in his life.

It's Michele Bachmann's World. We Just Live In It.

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The Republican Party staged a lovefest Wednesday at the Minneapolis Convention Center, with between 9,000-10,000 admirers on hand (behold the power of free tickets) to hear former Alaska governor Sarah Palin and Sixth District Congresswoman Michele Bachmann, the darlings of the modern conservative movement.   Together, they talked of taking back America from the Democrats, which could happen only if they sent Bachmann back to Washington.

The collective brainpower of those two in that room must have been staggering.

Bachmann is running for re-election in a district that's actually north of Minneapolis, but the rally and subsequent private fundraiser were held there because, well, that's where the donors are. 

The truth is, Bachmann doesn't need Palin to make a spectacle of herself.  She's been doing quite well with that ever since she took office.  Whether it's questioning the patriotism of liberals, tearing down anything President Obama proposes, or discouraging people from filling out their U.S. Census forms, you can count on her to insert her foot into her mouth.  Now the Congresswoman is telling us that, once she's re-elected, she'll be all about repealing the health care reform bill the House and Senate just passed.

The camera loves Michele Bachmann, and she loves it back.  She's a regular on cable talk shows (mainly Fox News), but seldom has the time of day for local media.  In fact, she seems to care more about getting on national TV than in helping out her constituents.

Bachmann does have the advantage of representing a district where Republicans dominate.  But the Democrats will try to put up a challenge this fall with either State Senator Tarryl Clark or Dr. Maureen Reed.  Clark seems to be on the way to the party's endorsement, having amassed more than a million dollars in contributions.  It's really Bachmann's race to lose, though.

After that, who knows?  It's been suggested that Bachmann might become Sarah Palin's running mate should the former governor decide to run for the White House in 2012.  Stranger things have happened.

Introduction to Sports Hypocrisy 101

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College sports, in case you haven't noticed, has become big bisiness.  Everybody has been getting rich off of the young men and women who play for the glory of old State U--colleges and universities, coaches, shoe companies and TV networks.  Everyone, that is, except the players themselves.  They're supposed to be amateurs, but it's getting difficult to play for free when even athletic scholarships don't cover the cost of getting a degree.  Little wonder, then, that they bolt for the pros after a year or two of eligibility.

The NCAA does what it can to get its share of the pie.  They have corporate partners such as AT&T and Coca-Cola helping to foot the bill, and self-serving TV commercials explaining how the millions of dollars they get from broadcasting rights is spent on their tournaments.  All while telling us that the "student-athletes" we're watching will someday "turn pro in something other than sports".

Another way the NCAA is making money is to put their men's and women's basketball Final Fours in domed football stadiums, such as what they did this year in Indianapolis for the men (won by Duke) and in San Antonio for the women (won by Conneticut).  This year hockey is getting into the act, with the men's Frozen Four held later this week at Detroit's Ford Field.

Now the NCAA is thinking of expanding its men's basketball tournament from 65 teams to 96.  Never mind that it will dilute the quality and importance of the regular season, but that we'll end up seeing a lot more Butlers than Dukes joining the Big Dance.  And you can forget about filling those brackets.

The NCAA might even ditch their present TV deal with CBS (which has three years to run) to sign with ESPN.  While this might mean trading in Jim Nantz for Dick Vitale and the other squawking heads on the Worldwide Leader in Sports, CBS wouldn't have to pre-empt "CSI" or "The Mentalist" for two weeks a year.

While the NCAA is perfectly willing to expand its basketball tournament, they won't do the same when it comes to a legitimate football playoff.  The reason, they claim, is that "student-athletes" already miss plenty of class time during the season.  So how come there were 34 bowl games, with more on the way?  And how much class time do basketball players miss because of the amount of games they play during the regular season, along with conference and NCAA tournament games?

With all that going on, it's amazing that anyone graduates, let alone having time to study.  Shouldn't they be compensated for all that hard work?  But then, the economics of college sports would come crashing down in a heap if they did that.  Better to keep stoking the Golden Goose until she could no longer lay eggs.  And that day might be coming sooner than anyone thinks.

Twins 2010: Taking It Outside

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After a snowless March in the Twin Cities, the local populace is gearing up for the baseball season like never before.  There is reason for optimism:  the Minnesota Twins are the defending American League Central Division champions (though it did take 163 games to get there), most of the squad will return, and that long-awaited outdoor ballpark is finally ready.

While the Twins will never be accused of being the New York Yankees, they did manage to cough up enough dough to keep Joe Mauer in the fold for the next nine seasons.  He may be the league's three-time batting champion, but he'll never be confused with Harmon Killebrew, and he won't always be catching.  So did the Twins feel any pressure to keep Mauer just because he's the hometown boy?

Joining Mauer, Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer in the batting lineup is veteran slugger Jim Thome, who's nearing the end of his career after stints with the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians.  Another added bat comes in the form of J.J. Hardy, moving over from the Milwaukee Brewers.

There are storm clouds on the horizon as far as the bullpen is concerned.  Noted closer Joe Nathan is out for the season due to an arm injury, which will require Tommy John surgery.  Francisco Liriano had the same thing done to him, and we've seen how well that's been working out.  He's still struggling.

Unless the Twins make some kind of deal to get a reliable relief pitcher, it'll be Closer by Committee, with five different arms vying for the chance to fill Nathan's shoes.  And that could end up dooming the team's chances of getting back into the playoffs.

We've been hearing plenty about preparations for Target Field's inaugural season from the corporate partners they've locked up to the food that will be served there, including the big announcement that Schweigert is replacing Hormel as the main hot dog vendor.  (For one thing, we didn't know Schweigert was still in business, let alone the fact that Cargill owns it now.)  But when rain and cold weather comes, you'll wish they'd have built a retractable roof.

So enjoy your overpriced hot dogs and nachos at the new ballpark while watching the Twins stumble to third place behind the White Sox and Detroit Tigers.  Dress warmly, and don't forget the sunscreen.

Here's who we think will be the division champions come October.

American League East  New York Yankees
                               Central  Detroit Tigers
                               West  Los Angeles Angels
                               Wild Card  Boston Red Sox

National League East  Philadelphia Phillies
                             Central  St. Louis Cardinals
                             West  San Francisco Giants
                             Wild Card  Colorado Rockies