Recent content from Jim Souhan
Souhan: Missed call was bad for Saints, but the playcalling was, too
There were plenty of questionable officiating rulings in both championship games. But based on their earlier decisions, the Saints can't say they were cheated.
The makings of a manager: Baldelli's baseball journey has led him to the Twins
Baldelli's ascension to a managerial job surprises only those who viewed him as just a superior talent or a tragic figure. Those close to him say his intellectual curiosity and natural empathy qualify him to lead.
Souhan: Wolves can't be counted on to show heart, toughness every game
What the Wolves displayed in Philadelphia was a lack of toughness, getting blown out from the start against a team that is dealing with its own version of Butler dyspepsia.
Souhan: Drastic changes coming for Wild - but when?
The Wild is paying $3 million or more to 11 current players. But the roster as it currently stands is highly paid, too old and too unproductive.
Souhan: On second-generation pros, Nick Foles and Vikings' draft woes
A few loosely connected thoughts with local angles as the NFL playoffs wind down to the final four teams.
Souhan: A logical solution to correcting illogical existence of NFL kickers
Kickers exist mostly so coaches will have someone to blame when they lose a close game. So let's devalue field goals.
Souhan: Murphy, Gophers disappoint in home loss to Terrapins
Minnesota and Jordan Murphy came up short at home, against one of the many good Big Ten teams with which they will be competing for an NCAA tournament berth.
Souhan: Wolves finally tired of a coach who couldn't help but be himself
There is a great coach somewhere inside Tom Thibodeau, but Thibodeau couldn't hear his inner Popovich over his own jet-engine monologue.
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Souhan: Big-money deals often turn out to not be deals at all
Most big-money sports contracts, here and elsewhere, turn into albatross-shaped millstones. Players are often paid for past production and fail to maintain it at higher salaries.
Best, worst big-money contracts in Minnesota sports history
Ranking Minnesota’s big-money deals Which big contracts in Minnesota sports history worked, and which ones didn’t? Here’s how Jim Souhan ranks ’em: Best large contracts…
Souhan: Wiggins' game is too uninspiring to draw even boos
Andrew Wiggins is playing under a five-year, $148 million contract and is a key player on a collapsing team. Yet the fans, at least in person, seem as apathetic about him as he is about getting back on defense.
Souhan: Vikings didn't have much better option than signing Cousins
Blaming GM Rick Spielman for the signing and Cousins for his play and behavior is easy at this point. What's difficult is figuring out what the Vikings should have done instead.
Souhan: Should Wilf fire Zimmer and/or Spielman to change Vikings leadership formula?
The Vikings showed why they are not a playoff team in Sunday's loss to the Bears. If Zygi Wilf wants to change his leadership formula, he's going to have to make big changes.
Souhan: Vikings always entertain, win or lose, so give thanks
The Vikings have been relentlessly interesting ever since their first game, and there is more value in that than in merely winning one Super Bowl.
Souhan: 'Hail Rudy' became rallying cry as Vikings offense got rolling
When you're in an end zone surrounded by superior athletes, likability won't do you much good. Being 6-6 and a former prep basketball star will.
Souhan: DeFilippo-Stefanski move by Vikings looks like right call, now
When Vikings coach Mike Zimmer fired offensive coordinator John DeFilippo, the move may have felt like scapegoating. It may even have felt personal. That doesn't mean it won't work.
Souhan: Established bat that would take pressure off Twins teammates? That's Nelson Cruz
The veteran slugger appears to be a good fit in the Twins lineup, and Derek Falvey appeared to acknowledge as much.
Souhan: Okogie is the latest Minnesota sports cult hero
For a franchise locked in a perpetual battle with inertia, rookie Josh Okogie is, to quote one of this century's greatest thinkers, manna from heaven.
Souhan: Stefanski succeeds in debut, but tougher tests are ahead
In his debut as offensive coordinator, Kevin Stefanski faced one of the NFL's worst defenses and his game plan led to the Vikings' largest point total of the season.
Souhan: Pressure is staring right back at Zimmer
Mike Zimmer has the prerogative to make controversial decisions like firing coaches and kickers, and the responsibility to do what he believes is best for his team. But is this approach what is best for his team?
Souhan: Cousins' play leads to firing; are Zimmer, Spielman next?
Kirk Cousins' performance Monday at Seattle got offensive coordinator John DeFilippo fired, a move that should be viewed as a possible preview of coming events.
Souhan: Whalen still pulling the right strings as Gophers coach
She has defied odds by immediately transferring her analytic nature to players who are only now beginning to understand the competitive drive behind the greatest basketball career in state history.
Souhan: First Butler trade burned Wolves, second one lights a fire
The Timberwolves are 9-3 since trading Jimmy Butler for Robert Covington and Dario Saric. Trading for Butler in the first place turned out to be move not worth the risk.
Souhan: Patriots show Vikings what they do to inferior opponents
On a day when the rest of the NFC North lost and the Vikings' primary rival fired its longtime head coach, they stewed in their own frustration.
Souhan: Last antics of Randy Moss forgiven, forgotten
If anyone cares to ponder the once-difficult relationship between Randy Moss and the Vikings, Sunday would be the right day to do so.
Souhan: Restless McCutcheon picked Gophers team over a dream
This summer, Hugh McCutcheon was voted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame but he skipped this month's ceremony to be with the Gophers on the road in a crucial part of the season.
Souhan: A Gophers coach deserves kudos. But it's not Fleck
New defensive coordinator Joe Rossi has saved a football program that was headed nowhere and engineered an unexpected victory in beating Wisconsin.
Souhan: These are the wins when big-game quarterbacks are made
Kirk Cousins still hasn't won a playoff game. But now beaten the Packers in a meaningful game, perhaps burying Green Bay's season and the tenure of Packers head coach Mike McCarthy.
Souhan: Big-money QB Cousins facing a defining stretch of games
Is Kirk Cousins the quarterback the Vikings thought they bought, or the one Washington refused to pay?
Souhan: At 2-6 in the Big Ten, Fleck and the Gophers look lost as ever
The Gophers football team has not improved in its second year under P.J. Fleck, even while playing in a mediocre league.
Souhan: Gophers' Carr is a victim of NCAA's hypocrisy
The NCAA making a random example of Marcus Carr, who has the same résumé as many athletes allowed to compete after transferring, does not set a precedent that will keep athletes from transferring in the future.
Souhan: Not making big deal has been a big deal in Wild's success
Give Bruce Boudreau depth, and he can do damage to opponents. He's rolling four quality lines that might not have existed had Paul Fenton made a splashy trade over the summer.
Souhan: As stress of coaching U builds, Reeve says she's there for Whalen
Lindsay Whalen's coaching debut at the University of Minnesota on Friday night will be unique because her circumstances are almost as unimaginable as they are familiar.
Souhan: Let the Joe Mauer Hall of Fame debate begin
A look at Twins history reveals the difficulty and unpredictability of judging players whose careers were damaged by injuries.
Souhan: Freshmen were the draw for Gophers in promising opener
In a program and an athletic department in desperate need of ticket sales and financial success, Richard Pitino isn't shying away from expectations.
Souhan: Hunter puts 'superhero' skills to good use against Lions
Defensive end Danielle Hunter blends the Hulk's bulk and Spiderman's agility, and you would probably like him when he's angry.
Souhan: Both Thielen, Diggs stand-up guys for Vikings
Last week vs. New Orleans, Adam Thielen fumbled in the red zone and Stefon Diggs stopped running a route leading to a pick-six. Both took responsibility in the moments after the game.
Souhan: Butler has done enough harm; Wolves need to trade him now
Two nights after scorching the Lakers, Jimmy Butler sat in the locker room, lounging in jeans and whining about media coverage instead of playing.
Souhan: Baseball can't wave off signs of self-inflicted ills
Baseball's problem is that it is going backward while the NFL is surviving some of its problems and solving others. Here are five proposals for changing the game.
Souhan: Plenty of blame to go around after Vikings' lethargic loss
Last time the New Orleans Saints visited they aided and abetted the Minneapolis Miracle. This time, they facilitated Minnesota mediocrity.
Souhan: Vikings are in debt to Minneapolis Miracle architect
The true Minneapolis Miracle is that Vikings fans have mythologized a fluke play, caused by the most egregious missed tackle in recent NFL history, that led to an embarrassing blowout loss.
Souhan: Analytics aside, Baldelli's prime task is salvaging Buxton, Sano
If the transition from Paul Molitor to Rocco Baldelli as Twins manager is to succeed, Rocco Baldelli will have to prove he can somehow improve key players who have faltered.
Souhan: What's the rush to get Griffen back on the field?
Rejoining his teammates at the Vikings' training facility might be good for Everson Griffen. Everything else — practicing, playing, taking even light hits to the head — sounds inadvisable.
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Souhan: Sure as his hands, 'humble dude' Thielen makes NFL history
Adam Thielen left MetLife Stadium with another milestone and a cut mouth, courtesy of a shoulder to the chin.
Souhan: Vikings' QB situation hit rock bottom 5 years ago at Meadowlands
On Oct. 21, 2013 the Vikings chose to start the recently acquired Josh Freeman, who had been cut by Tampa Bay, over Christian Ponder and Matt Cassel in a Monday night game against the Giants at MetLife Stadium
Souhan: Get rid of Butler and let Towns take control on the floor
Once Jimmy Butler is gone, the Wolves won't be rebuilding from scratch. Karl-Anthony Towns is one of the best young players in the league, who soon should make the word "young" an unnecessary qualifier.
Souhan: Playing like a broken record, Thielen thrives in spotlight
Adam Thielen is making history while writing one of the greatest Minnesota sports stories of all time, prompting a new question: Who does he compare to historically?
Souhan: There's nothing 'soft' about Vikings' next two opponents
The Vikings' next two games could be as important and revealing as any two on the schedule.
Souhan: Winner? Leader? Tough guy? For Butler it's no, no and no
Jimmy Butler calls himself a winner while trying to force a trade from a talented playoff team to a horrible one. It's part of being Jimmy Two-Face.
Souhan: Dolphins, others paid for doubting Brees
In 2006, the Dolphins chose to trade for Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper instead of signing Drew Brees. Which was a good move -- for Brees and the Saints.
Souhan: Joseph possesses large body but shows off larger skills
Linval Joseph is 6-4 and 329 pounds. Sunday, when a football floated in his direction, he reacted not as a living stereotype of a full-figured lineman, but in the way any world-class athlete would.
Souhan: Vikings' Thielen is a well-grounded rising star
In a league full of spectacular receivers and prolific offenses, Adam Thielen ranks second in catches, yards and yards per game. Like Joe Mauer, he deflects praise.
Souhan: 'Falvine' didn't really tell us why they fired Molitor
Paul Molitor was fired for several reasons, and none of them would have sounded great if Derek Falvey and Thad Levine had been direct in their answers.
Souhan: Mauer stars in what should be the perfect ending
Joe Mauer could come back, could play a role, but he will never play one as poignant as the one he helped write Sunday
Souhan: Royals could teach Twins a lesson in patience
Without the benefit of a new stadium or large payroll, the Royals came within a few pitches of winning two straight World Series titles. It takes patience - and organizational leadership.
Souhan: Vikings have yet to show they can stop anybody
This was a mismatch, and given that the Vikings defense is supposed to be the strength of the team, that is a bad sign.
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Souhan: Vikings' season already tinged with tragedy, troubles
There are already ominous signs that this season could be more like 2010, when the Vikings got their coach fired, than 2009, when they came within an eyelash from playing in a Super Bowl.
Souhan: After lopsided loss, time is now for Annexstad to showcase poise
Freshman QB Zack Annexstad is leading a Gophers team that raised expectations in the first three games, and Saturday was blown out by Maryland.
Souhan: The time to judge P.J. Fleck begins now
The Gophers coach excels at connecting with talented teenagers. Whether he's a good Big Ten coach is yet to be determined, but the determining can fairly start Saturday when his young team opens conference play.
Souhan: Wolves, Jimmy Butler have reached the tipping point
NBA stars carry all the power, so the Wolves need to carefully explore all their difficult options.
Souhan: In Cousins, Vikings have QB who could match Rodgers' efforts
In a rivalry defined for 25 years by the Green Bay Packers' stability at the most important position, Kirk Cousins went into Lambeau Field on Sunday and threw for 425 yards and four touchdowns.
Souhan: Heroics can be painful but QBs live for the moment
NFL quarterbacks prove that football's toughest players are often those who receive, rather than deliver, punishment.
Souhan: Packers have a lot to lose if Rodgers plays Sunday
Here's how it should go down Sunday at Lambeau Field: If the Packers wonder whether Aaron Rodgers is healthy enough to play in Week 2, he's not healthy enough to play in Week 2.
Souhan: Veeck follows Saints from afar this championship series
With the team's founder away because of Hurricane Florence, the Saints earned a shutout to even up their series with Kansas City.
Souhan: Cousins' head-first dive was crazy, but won the locker room
New Vikings QB Kirk Cousins put his team above health with a fourth-quarter dive on third down, and fellow football players respect nothing more.
Grade the Vikings: How did the team do on offense, defense, special teams and coaching?
Use our weekly poll to grade the Vikings' performance against the 49ers.
Souhan: Vikings OC DeFilippo has a certain swagger
John DeFilippo is eager to prove himself, and follow the path cut by Brian Billick and Pat Shurmur.
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Souhan: Twins need a winter of answers to a long summer of questions
We will learn nothing from a month devoid of baseball meaning. What could matter is this winter, especially for Byron Buxton and Miguel Sano.
Souhan: With Vikings pieces in place, pressure now rests on Zimmer
Vikings coach Mike Zimmer is set up to win big, which means he is set up to be blamed if he doesn't. Vikings coaches have been here before.
Souhan: This is Diggs' time to shine as most-talented, highest-paid receiver
Stefon Diggs signed a five-year contract valued at $72 million during training camp. He's 24, entering his prime with a quarterback eager to spin him the ball. This is Diggs' moment.
Souhan: Bears' trade for Mack throws another hurdle in front of Vikings
In the past few days, the Packers signed Aaron Rodgers, the Rams signed defensive end Aaron Donald and the Bears traded for Khalil Mack. The Vikings face them all this season.
Souhan: Decker shows that risks of football can be worth taking
Eric Decker is proof that an unheralded Minnesota kid can stay in Minnesota and use the Gophers program as a trampoline to the big time.
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Souhan: Elflein situation will not go away for Vikings
What we know is that the Vikings have to find a way to field a functional line, or a remarkably talented roster will be wasted.
Souhan: Thibodeau has relaxed, recharged himself over the summer
Wolves coach Tom Thibodeau seems to be known more for growling than winning but during a long conversation last week looked refreshed and sounded cheerful.
Souhan: A's here to destroy every losing argument by Twins fans
Oakland has built one of this season's elite teams without an easily described formula, but with a series of moves that at the time were underappreciated.
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