Recent content from Jim Souhan
Souhan: Snagging Snell should have been gusty, great move by Twins
The Cy Young winner was available, just as the Twins learned their pitching staff needed a boost.
Souhan: Two coaches who struggled at U win spots in March Madness
Richard Pitino and Dan Monson, who struggled before leaving Minnesota for schools in lesser conferences, have teams in the NCAA men's basketball tournament. How should Gophers fans feel about that?
Souhan: Critical QB test for Vikings GM is fair and career-defining
Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah now sits on the hottest seat in Minnesota sports, and that seat no longer features a safety belt.
Souhan: Kaprizov & Co. need to get Wild out of this rut
The franchise can't afford to make another Suter-Parise signing. This summer's draft won't provide an immediate boost. Who can fix the Wild? Themselves.
Souhan: Best in the West? Wolves tumble from top of conference.
Sunday's loss to the Clippers raised a batch of issues and a revision of the columnist's power rankings in the Western Conference. Here's how it looks now.
Souhan: Gophers lucky to have player like Hawkins coming back next year
Elijah Hawkins sustained the Gophers' hopes of playing longer this season; the transfer portal product has been making the team his own.
Souhan: Wolves' Reid doesn't start, but he's still found a way to lead
Naz Reid is a force off the bench for the Timberwolves, and he has company. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Kyle Anderson combine with Reid to form a tremendous reserve trio.
Souhan: Hockey fights and court storming. Make them go away!
Why do we need to wait until after someone -- a college basketball player, a hockey 'enforcer' -- gets seriously hurt before changes are made?
Souhan: Three-time state champion coach finds new joy as youth referee
Former Apple Valley coach Zach Goring won state titles with future NBA stars, but he's happiest these days adjudicating third-graders.
Souhan: How did 'Cousins will stay in Minnesota' become a hot take?
Speculation season is here, and it's spinning Kirk Cousins to Atlanta and everywhere else but Minnesota. Here's why that's unlikely.
Souhan: The Timberwolves franchise has never been better than right now
For all the success of the Kevin Garnett era, locking up point guard Mike Conley shows the Wolves not only plan to be great this season but far into the future.
Souhan: I'm saying there's a chance. U men can make March Madness.
If Ben Johnson can coax this team into the NCAA tournament, he should be in line for a contract extension for winning under the most difficult of circumstances.
Souhan: American's stunning win was another Minneapolis Miracle
The weekend World Cup event at Theodore Wirth Park in north Minneapolis was a success just by existing. Then 23-year-old Alaskan Gus Schumacher added a miracle on the snow.
Souhan: Dear NBA media, meet the Wolves. They're not the team you recall.
The national basketball media is in Indianapolis to cover the All-Star Game, which, strangely, features two Timberwolves players and their head coach. Here's a cheat sheet for them.
Souhan: Twins should be better … unless that least-favorite 'if' returns
Minnesota sports fans might be sick of hearing it, but it's so true for these Twins: If they can stay healthy, they'll be even better in 2024.
Souhan: Why Twins' pitching plan can be both unpopular, successful
You may want the team to sign a star starting pitcher. The Twins are taking the opposite approach in bolstering their bullpen, which could prove brilliant.
Souhan: Mahomes does it again as his legend continues to grow
Brady's still got the GOAT quarterback resume. But Souhan's backing Mahomes to beat it one day.
Souhan: Don't believe everything you read about Taylor and Travis
Publicity stunt? Political psy-op? A very serious Star Tribune investigation reveals a billion-dollar league and two megastar celebrities in obvious dire straits.
Souhan: Upon further review, should Hunter be in the Hall of Fame?
It didn't initially seem like Torii Hunter was a Hall of Famer, but he was one of baseball's best center fielders and also had hitting numbers that make him worthy of Cooperstown.
Souhan: Lynx search for 'next Whalen' goes on and on and on
The Lynx have tried plenty of point guard solutions since Lindsay Whalen retired six years ago. Here are two WNBA veterans looking to fill that role in 2024.
Souhan: Despite flaws, Wolves making this a season to remember
A flawed stretch and sloppy game can't detract from the Timberwolves' overall success this season.
Souhan: Five steps the Vikings need to take this offseason
Let's start here: If the Vikings are sincere about wanting to re-sign Kirk Cousins (and Cousins is sincere about wanting to stay in Minnesota) there's an easy deal to be made.
Souhan: Seven reasons trading Polanco makes sense for the Twins
Yes, the trade will annoy fans. But it also served a purpose when you look at what the Twins infield should look like in 2024 (and beyond).
Souhan: 7 things I'll remember about Mauer, St. Paul's Hall-worthy star
Don't allow anything — not "bilateral leg weakness," a career-altering concussion or a lack of home-run power — to obscure the heart of Joe Mauer's incredible story.
Souhan: Turns out injury made Cousins more valuable to Vikings
The Vikings couldn't find a suitable fill-in and didn't make the playoffs, which reframed the team's QB conversations for the future..
Souhan: Minnesota star on the message the PWHL sends girls: 'It's just so cool'
As a kindergartner, Grace Zumwinkle forced her way into hockey. The new pro league issues an invitation.
Souhan: How long would Bud Grant last in today's NFL?
The coaching carousel is spinning into a blur as NFL franchises pivot and pivot again. Yesterday's coaching legends had luxuries of time and patience that are extinct in modern pro football.
Souhan: Gophers promising season gets cold hit of reality in loss to Iowa
The Hawkeyes' backdoor kept opening at The Barn, leaving Gophers coaches frustrated and leading to yet another trap-door loss.
Souhan: Battle-tested big shot honors Gophers alums
Sophomore Amaya Battle saw her work pay off with a clinching three-pointer against Nebraska in front of former Gophers coach Lindsay Whalen and 97 other alumni.
Souhan: Vikings could have had Harbaugh, or Carroll, or Tomlin or ...
The Vikings are in good hands with Kevin O'Connell. That doesn't stop the "what might have been" thoughts from rolling in as coaching news rolls out.
Souhan: Rodgers should go on a long walk to the end of the Earth
And ESPN's Pat McAfee is proving himself just as worthless, after the two combined again to spread lies over the air. Time to change the channel.
Souhan: Here is my ranking of the four possible Vikings QB outcomes
Kirk Cousins again? Draft a rookie? How 'bout both of those things? The Vikings have a fascinating QB decision awaiting them.
Souhan: Paranoid about Jefferson leaving the Vikings? Don't bet on it.
Justin Jefferson had 12 receptions for 192 yards and a score in the season finale against Detroit. He deserves a new contract and the Vikings will need to pay whatever it takes.
Souhan: Built to win, devastated by injuries, this year's Vikings leave fans apathetic
"Next man up" only works if the next man up can actually do the job well.
Souhan: Tyus Jones is exactly the roster upgrade the Wolves need
Apple Valley alum and former Timberwolf Tyus Jones would give the Wolves two smart, starting-caliber point guards.
Souhan: New Year's resolutions for Minnesota sports fans and teams
The Minnesota sports programs all have some work to do. As fans, if you don't like the results on the scoreboard you can at least bask in the venues.
Souhan: I wanted Jaren Hall to be the Vikings QB. My bad.
The Vikings' embarrassing loss to Packers elevates Kirk Cousins' value as another backup bungles a game.
Souhan: O'Connell, LaFleur head for another lesson on importance of QBs
The Vikings and Packers coaches will send Jaren Hall and Jordan Love into an important game instead of Kirk Cousins and Aaron Rodgers.
Souhan: Give me anyone but Mullens at quarterback for the Vikings
After the game, Nick Mullens called himself a "very good quarterback." Mullens must be confusing himself with someone else.
Souhan: Vikings stuck in the middle of standings, QB search
The top teams in the AFC and NFC have taken different approaches at quarterback, leaving the Vikings with more questions than answers.
Souhan: Who needs the Lakers? This season, not Minneapolis
For the first time, the Wolves have it better in almost every way.
Souhan: Tush push? Lumbar lunge? Ban play that dumbs down football.
It isn't a real football play. The tush push, or whatever you want to call it, should be illegal for a number of reasons. It also bit the Vikings in the butt during their loss to the Bengals.
Souhan: Did Vikings lose because of bad pushes or Mullens' bad picks?
It's time for the Vikings to try another quarterback. Come on down, Jaren Hall.
Souhan: Vikings defying odds, for now, with their many quarterbacks
Nick Mullens is the Vikings' fourth starting quarterback. Can he be their fourth quarterback to earn a win in a season that is affirming some NFL truths?
Souhan: Wilfs need to do whatever it takes for Vikings to keep Flores
Brian Flores, the Vikings' first-year defensive coordinator, has become the best reason to believe this team can make the playoffs. They need to keep him beyond this season.
Souhan: If you're distracted by his antics, you're missing KAT at his best
There are criticisms of Karl-Anthony Towns — some clichéd, some deserved — that overshadow what is happening on the court: a second act of sorts for the Timberwolves star.
Souhan: Keeping Hunter worth every salary-cap trick Vikings know
With every sack and in every game, Danielle Hunter is proving his worth to the Vikings, who simply can't afford to lose him after this season.
Souhan: Dobbs' sweet story with Vikings crashes back to Earth
NFL backups and journeymen are just that for a reason. Joshua Dobbs' story remains a sweet one, but no longer one of a season-saver after Monday night vs. Chicago.
Souhan: Perhaps out of sight, Whalen not out of mind as UConn visits
Lindsay Whalen had so much to do with the high-profile Gophers-UConn game in town Sunday, including recruiting and inspiring many of the players.
Souhan: Vikings, Wolves winning methods highlight Fleck's faults
P.J. Fleck's me-first approach stands in contrast to Kevin O'Connell, Chris Finch and other Minnesota leaders — both in style and success. Fleck has made the Gophers football program all about him.
Souhan: Baldelli on Twins, rocking his twins and rockin' Target Field
Relaxing in Rhode Island? Only a little for Twins manager Rocco Baldelii, with young twins in his hands and his other young Twins on his mind.
Souhan: Crazy smart. Crazy athletic. Dobbs' play is just plain crazy.
Joshua Dobbs' intelligence and his ability to put his mind to work on the field for the Vikings has suddenly created the best story in the NFL.
Souhan: We might actually know what 'culture' looks like now. Thanks, Vikings
The hard-to-define favorite football buzzword of "culture" is playing a big role in the Vikings' big wins.
Souhan: Conley is the cure for your Timberwolves trade anxiety
Conley, 36, has stabilized the franchise despite a feeling by many that he was over the hill when the Timberwolves picked him up in a trade.
Souhan: An emotional Minnesota sports moment on the PGA Tour
Former Gophers golfer Erik van Rooyen won the PGA tournament on Sunday and spoke from the heart about his former Minnesota teammate dying of cancer.
Souhan: 'What's up, y'all?' Dobbs introduces himself with quite a win
Joshua Dobbs didn't know how to address many of his teammates when he took over at quarterback midway through Sunday's game. "I knew a lot of first names, and nicknames," he said.
Powell battles through cramps to score Vikings' decisive TD
Journeyman receiver Brandon Powell made the winning TD catch in the closing seconds in front of more than a dozen family members.
Souhan: After QB carousel spins, here's what the Vikings should do
Jaren Hall will get a chance to keep the Vikings' winning streak alive and show he deserves the role. If the new faces don't claim the job, the team should bring back Kirk Cousins.
Souhan: Watching World Series not easy for Falvey after October fun
Great memories and energy from Target Field's big-game postseason atmosphere inspire Derek Falvey and Rocco Baldelli to do it again next year.
Souhan: Hacked! Inside O'Connell's text messages after Cousins' injury
In the aftermath of Kirk Cousins' season-ending injury, the Vikings coach's phone has been blowing up. We don't know what those messages say ... or do we?
Souhan: Cousins' injury forces Vikings to make tough decisions quickly
Are the 4-4 Vikings going to be buyers or sellers at Tuesday's trade deadline with their star quarterback out for the season?
Souhan: Cousins gives Vikings a Tarkenton-like edge over Packers
Not since the 1970s have the Vikings had a quarterback advantage like the one they'll have Sunday at Lambeau Field.
Souhan: Hey, ESPN — You're so wrong about Minnesota sports
Minnesota is not a farm system state. Franchises and programs here are filled with competitive teams, long-term stability and players who chose to be here.
Souhan: O'Connell's most impressive win has Vikings back in NFC North race
Coach Kevin O'Connell's strategic game plan allowed the Vikings to perform at a level they hadn't reached all season, and it got them back in the playoff hunt.
Souhan: Do these things, Vikings, to beat 49ers and keep contending
After a lackluster start to the year, Monday night's game could be the impetus to turning things around or add another hole to a leaking boat. These short- and long-term fixes would go a long way in keeping the Purple competitive.
Souhan: Since becoming GM, Adofo-Mensah has failed to improve Vikings
After six Vikings games this season, this is clear: Almost all the personnel decisions made since Kwesi Adofo-Mensah became general manager in January 2022 have failed to make the team better.
Souhan: Vikings victory was farcical, but they can't afford to be picky
When any team wins an ugly NFL game, you can't argue with the math. The Vikings needed to win, and they did.
Souhan: Vikings need a win in Windy City to stop hot air
Trade Kirk Cousins, draft Caleb Williams, lose Justin Jefferson ... calm down, folks. This isn't a 13-4 team but it could be back in the NFC North mix before Halloween.
Souhan: Out of U and Maple Grove, Faber puts home in home opener
Before someone handed him the puck with which he scored his first NHL goal, Brock Faber listed all of his friends and family members who attended the Wild opener.
Souhan: As Twins take postseason flight, Correa is in the pilot's seat
Carlos Correa performs well under the greatest pressure and in brightest spotlight. The shortstop has elevated his game for the postseason and is carrying his team with him.
Souhan: Vikings offense flails behind bad clock management, stone hands
Yes, Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs are the defending Super Bowl champions. That doesn't mean the Vikings shouldn't have won on Sunday.
Souhan: Tailor-made upset of Chiefs? Vikings are capable of that
Megastar-fan storylines aside, this Vikings-Chiefs game could be a close one — a close one the Vikings can win. Here's how.
Souhan: Falvey's roster building, risks paved way for Twins' success
With two high-profile moves and a flurry of unheralded acquisitions, Falvey spent the early part of 2023 building the team that's now about to play the defending champion Astros in the ALDS.
Souhan: Worst playoff curse? Twins and Vikings stake their claim.
A curse is a malevolent spell cast upon you — the Vikings might know playoff heartbreak, but the Twins are a voodoo doll pierced like a pincushion.
Souhan: Always a beast, Harrison Smith leads way to Vikings victory
Smith, the Vikings' oldest star, is being used differently by defensive coordinator Brian Flores than he was last season and made big plays when his team needed themSunday.