Weekend links with Jon Marthaler

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

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Happy Saturday, and frankly, I'm a little worried. Friday night of THE BIGGEST SPORTS WEEKEND EVER really couldn't have started any better. Just as the Tigers were going from 2-0 down to 8-0 down, Delmon Young was whacking a grand slam into the bleachers in the first inning. About the time Detroit was losing 8-0, the Twins were going up 10-0. Everyone was already assuming the Twins would be just one game back, and local confidence -- at a low ebb as recently as Wednesday -- was soaring.

I have learned in the past, however, that this is usually when we get slapped down. It's always darkest before the bright, sunny noon. I know this sounds irrationally depressive, but I can't help it. And I was proved right last night, too, as the Twins managed to nearly blow a game they led by 10 runs. It feels like a sign of things to come; things are going so well lately, I can only expect that it'll all go down the tubes any moment now.

Maybe it's better that we Gopher fans have to head out to a cold, rainy morning; it'll set our expectations nice and low for the rest of the day. On with some links:

*It's college football today, so we might as well start out with a link from the best college football blog in the world: EDSBS checks in with Howard Schnellenberger's coaches poll ballot. (Note: those with delicate sensibilities may want to avoid that link.)

*It's now officially hockey season -- the Wild play tonight, the Gophers play tomorrow -- and you know I can't let that slip by without a couple of hockey links. First, Barry Petchesky at Deadspin makes a compelling case: though Hamilton is a better location for the Coyotes, the NHL must be allowed to keep them in Phoenix.

*Finally, Vikes Geek makes a point that needs to be made as often as possible in the Vikings' stadium debate: the team may claim poverty, but even though they have the second-lowest local revenue in the league, they're still doing fine, cash-wise. And if they aren't, they need to be a lot more transparent and open, rather than just asking the taxpayers for $800 million because they want outrageous profits, not just healthy profits.

That'll do it for me. One final note: I like this fundraiser from Deadspin (scroll down, past the innuendo) -- or, if you want to bypass the Deadspin picks for help, go straight to DonorsChoose.org and help out some classrooms in need. I'm not going to say that our teams need the karmic help this weekend, though.