Rand: Thoughts on investigations to impersonations

• Regardless of what you think of Chris Kluwe, Mike Priefer or anyone else directly involved in the Vikings' investigation into Kluwe's claims, most of us can probably find common ground on this sentiment: The timing of the release of all this information could not possibly have been worse for the Vikings.

It's staggering to think the release of information from this independent investigation came less than a week before the start of training camp. This is an important story, but it's one that seemingly could have been handled in the offseason. If football teams hate distractions as much as the parts of the report released by the Vikings indicate, this is going to be a brutal July and August in Mankato.

• Much was made of Rory McIlroy's public relationship and public breakup a couple of months ago with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. The theory was that McIlroy's relationship was hurting his game. We could look at Rory's brilliant British Open victory as evidence that the breakup was good for him — and, in fact, Wozniacki won a tournament on the same day Sunday. Or we could smartly dismiss it all as sheer coincidence.

• Well, that was quick and painless. Twins players and officials have been pointing to this 10-game homestand at Target Field as a make-or-break stretch that would determine whether the organization was going to pursue players to add to the roster or deal players away at the non-waiver trade deadline at the end of July.

They ran into the Rays over the weekend — another team trying to make a statement, one with more talent and recent success — and with seven games left to go in the homestand, we have our definitive answer. The Twins are sellers. They ascended from atrocious to just south of mediocre from 2011-13 to this season, but anyone contending that this team can contend is wrong.

• Dumbest "controversy" of the weekend? Pitcher Colby Lewis of the Rangers getting upset at Colby Rasmus of the Blue Jays for beating a shift by laying down a bunt for a hit. "You're up by two runs with two outs and you lay down a bunt. I don't think that's the way the game should be played," Lewis said.

In the fifth inning of a two-run game, a guy shouldn't use anything in his power to get on base? Sorry, this was no Colby-on-Colby crime. Just a pitcher way off base.

MICHAEL RAND