C.J.: Paul Magers returns to the Twin Cities to eulogize his buddy Mikey Andrews

The sad honor of eulogizing restaurateur Mikey Andrews brought former KARE 11 anchor Paul Magers back to Minnesota.

"Working on a eulogy for one of my closet friends … tears interrupt," Magers, a CBS2 anchor in Los Angeles, posted on Twitter, along with a photo of pages from a legal pad.

Andrews died in July of cancer at the age of 72. His wife of 33 years, Susie Andrews, now of Palm Springs, Calif., and friends had a memorial service on Monday for Mikey at Golden Valley's Metropolitan.

Dr. Leo Furcht also spoke at the service attended by businessmen John Goodman, Steve Schussler and former Twins World Series-winning shortstop Roy Smalley. The widow of late Soul Asylum bassist Karl Mueller, Mary Beth, also attended.

I spoke to Paul and his wife outside the Metropolitan, where Kathy Magers picked up right where she left off the last time we talked, giving me a rough time. It took me a few seconds to recognize her because I wasn't looking at her face; I was busy admiring what she was wearing.

"I look better than ever, right?" Kathy said.

Absolutely correct.

I remember when Anna was just a dream. Around April 1994 I had called the Magerses looking for Paul and started chatting with Kathy. During my prattling, I asked her if she was having a baby because I had dreamed that she was. Kathy was kind of stunned. She told Paul, they bought a home pregnancy test and my dream was confirmed.

In other happier memories, I reminded Paul that he had introduced me to Mikey Andrews, whose restaurants included the Loon Cafe, J.D. Hoyt's, Sgt. Preston's, Dixie's on Grand in St. Paul and Dixie's Calhoun. Paul thought I would enjoy Mikey and I did because he was side-splittingly funny.

During his time in the Twin Cities, Andrews incited most of the Jack Nicholson sightings I received. In dark glasses, they were dead ringers for each other. More than a few tipsters did not believe me when I said they saw a local guy who looks like Nicholson.

Rest well, Mikey.

Purple T-shirts with gold type reading #It'sTeddyTime are not too much to ask for are they, Vikings marketing team?

But Teddy Was Ready … Teddy Is Steady — two more good T-shirt ideas — and the sports world has taken notice. ESPN NFL analyst Mike Ditka stated it succinctly Monday on "Mike and Mike": "A rookie came in, played like a veteran."

Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic held to their predictions that the Vikings won't have a good year, while gushing over Bridgewater's promising upsides.

Maybe we shouldn't buy Super Bowl tickets just yet.

Weeks before the All-Star Game, I began trying to arrange a Q&A with Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. He looked like he might enjoy an interview that was not all about baseball.

I was told the Twins were trying get through some trades and looking for a positive moment in the season. Well, that never happened and Monday Gardy got the hook.

I e-mailed Walsko to ask if she was the reason I had received this giant box.

"Sorry to say that I was not responsible for the life-size Brian Dozier. … I got one as well. Dozier is adorable and the dogs in my office are terrified of him," she wrote. Her photographic proof makes it obvious the pooch is leery.

C.J. can be reached at cj@startribune.com and seen on FOX 9's "Buzz." E-mailers, please state a subject; "Hello" does not count. Attachments are not opened.