On PGA, Whistling Straits, Gophers and Teague, Twins and Sano

Haven, Wis.

It's a calm, cloudy morning at Whistling Straits. I would predict low scores this morning because of the lack of wind and a relatively soft course. That may change with winds expected to increase this afternoon.

Wrote about Jordan Spieth this morning, and was struck by the way he and Rory McIlroy handlined themselves in press conferences yesterday - and how they've handled themselves during their careers.

They actually seem to be nice kids. Their generation watched Tiger Woods dominate the game while treating many around him badly - his first caddy, later his primary caddy, fans, media, McIlroy and Spieth are the two best goflers in the world, and seem completely comfortable in their own skins even while under scrutiny.

I've had people with Minnesota teams tell me they see a difference in younger athletes these days. They grew up watching thousands of athlete interviews on ESPN and every other outlet. They know how to handle themselves. That seems true of Spieth and McIlroy.

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Miguel Sano hit two long home runs last night.

Had he remained healthy, Justin Morneau had a chance to become the Twins' best power hitter since Harmon Killebrew. Sano will have the same chance.

Sano's shots last ngiht were impressive but what will serve him well is the fact that, as he demonstrated with his first handful of big-league home runs, that he can take a defensive swing merely try to put the ball in play, and it might go over the fence. He has the power to hit home runs by accident.

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Call up Jose Berrios, now.

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The less-obvious but more-important aspect of this story is it highlights the hamhanded hiring practices at our major university.

MInnesota hired Tim Brewster for no good reason. It hired Tubby Smith because he was a big name. It hired Jerry Kill only because it missed out on a half-dozen other candidates, including the awful Brady Hoke. It hired Teague after hiring a national search firm.

Hiring a search firm is a waste of taxpayer money and a shirking of responsibility. It's an admission that the people who run the University don't know how to make a major hire. And it led to the hiring of a guy with a disturbing past.

When with the University of Minnseota figure out how to run a major athletic department?

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The other show in our lineup, MalePatternPurple with Viking Update publisher Tim Yotter, is also up at the site. You can listen at the website or by subscribing via Itunees or your favorite podcast ap.

@SouhanStrib