In the big picture, this is still a good time to be a Minnesota sports fan — quite possibly the best time, in fact, in about 15 years if we consider the quantity of local teams that have aspirations of greatness.
Saturday through Tuesday? Those days weren't so great. Instead they reinforced recurring themes/nightmares that doomed local teams before.
Get excited about Gophers football after an undefeated nonconference start? Whoops, here's a home loss to a double-digit underdog to start the Big Ten season to remind you Minnesota is in transition.
Think the Vikings will be just fine without Sam Bradford for a while because Case Keenum lit things up for a game and rookie running back Dalvin Cook is a stud? Nah, here's a home clunker from Keenum against the Lions, and a torn ACL for Cook.
Confident the surprising Twins, full of swagger, will knock off the Yankees? Nope, not this time.
Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. michael.rand@startribune.com.
