Commenter RandBallsStu (branding!) each week tracks down a former Minnesota sports figure about whom you might have otherwise forgotten. This week, he adds SYNERGY and other corporate words to the mix by seeking out Matt Spaeth, former Gophers tight end, mere hours before Minnesota kicks off its season. Don't say Stu never did anything nice for you. Stu? ---------

The Hunt Down Name: Matt Spaeth Claim to Fame, Minnesota: a tight end for your University of Minnesota Golden Gophers from 2003-2006. A product of St. Michael-Albertville HS, Spaeth took his talents to the U, where he filled the void left by fellow Minnesota native and future pro Ben Utecht. Best year was 2006, when he was both the winner of the John Mackey Award and a first-team AP All-American, despite playing part of the season with a separated shoulder. Claim to Fame, Everywhere Else: Pittsburgh selected Spaeth in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. Although overshadowed by Heath Miller, he still has a Super Bowl ring to show for his troubles. He left the Steelers after the 2010 season and signed with the Chicago Bears. It is not known if the Packers had any interest in Spaeth, but since he usually catches the ball when thrown to him and doesn't celebrate a 6-yard gain on 2nd-and-10 like a [redacted] [redacted], it's doubtful he was on their radar. Where He Is Now: returned to the Steelers this offseason, only to suffer a lisfranc injury (this is not to be confused with a Liz Phair injury, wherein Liz writes a devastating song about you and puts it on Exile in Guyville). He is about to be placed on the IR-Designated to Return list, so expect him back around midseason. Is He on Twitter: verified. Has He Been in a Twitter Fight with Patrick Reusse: no. Glorious Randomness: Obviously, Albertville is best known for that monstrosity of an outlet mall right off the interstate, but I am stumped as to what St. Michael's claim to fame is. Your thoughts in the comments are welcome. My two suggestions are: 1) it's the location of the nearest Kwik Trip to my house (Kwik Trip is the best), and 2) it's right about where the traffic into the metro area really starts to punch you right in your soul.