Jon Marthaler bakes up a batch of delicious links just for you. Other times, you can find him here and here. Jon?

Happy Saturday -- and, as Minnesotans, it behooves us to discuss the weather before we get to anything else. (It's what we do.) Anyway, the following text message, direct from Ortonville, arrived late last night: "Snow is gusting...we have an inch or two already ... we're packing up and moving to Arizona. See you in July!"

I think Mom may be serious this time. I, on the other hand, am getting prepared to go outside and watch football in the (possible) snow, which I think is just wonderful. Clearly, the deity that answered our on-campus stadium prayers has a tremendous sense of humor, if we're already getting snow in early October. And there's no greater sound than that of 50,000 bemittened Minnesotans clapping: WHUPWHUPWHUPWHUP

On with some links:

*My takeaway from Access Vikings on the Favreapalooza TV ratings: the two highest-rated shows in ESPN history are both Vikings games. You may read all about this in Chapter 3 of my forthcoming 2012 book: "Purple Larceny: How the NFL Conspired To Steal Minnesota's Favorite Team."

*EDSBS remains hilarious in the way that few things are hilarious. This week's entry: an illustrated guide to the Florida State coaching saga.

*You may have seen this already, but Deadspin's two-part epic, titled "The Forgotten Man of Moneyball" and written by the Forgotten Man himself, Eric Walker, discusses how Walker - not Bill James, not Billy Beane - was in some ways the father of the "Moneyball" revolution. I encourage your attention. (Part 1 is here; Part 2 is here.)

Before we go this week, a note for all of the soccer fans out there. Tonight, the US men's national soccer team plays at Honduras, in a key World Cup 2010 qualifier; a win would clinch a spot in South Africa for our country. Unfortunately, Honduras sold the television rights to some random extortioners, meaning that the game won't be on ESPN or in fact anywhere on your cable dial. Luckily, thanks to the home of US Soccer in the Twin Cities, the Sweetwater Bar and Grill in St. Paul, we locals will have a chance to see the match. Inside Minnesota Soccer has all of the details. You can't see the game except at the Sweetwater, which should make your choice easy enough.

That'll do it for me. I need to get the wool socks out of storage; it's football time!