We're only a couple days away from 2019, and this time of the year often leads to thoughts of the future.
With that in mind, here is today's question: Which of the six major sports franchises in town — Vikings, Twins, Wolves, Lynx, Wild and United — is most likely to win Minnesota's next pro championship?
First take: Michael Rand
Well, if we want to use the past as a predictor of the future, this is going to be a quick argument. The Lynx won four WNBA titles between 2011 and 2017. The rest of the group? No comment (though United did have success in a lower league before moving to Major League Soccer in 2017).
But the Lynx — even with Maya Moore and Sylvia Fowles still playing prominent roles — are a franchise in transition after the retirement of Lindsay Whalen and have a core that is aging. The other five teams at least have realistic aspirations of making the postseason in the near-term.
So while I think the Lynx is the smartest answer, I don't think it's a slam dunk.
Columnist Chip Scoggins: For me, the answer is easy, too: the Lynx. That organization knows what it takes to win championships. Cheryl Reeve not only is an outstanding coach, but she's also shown a willingness to be aggressive in constructing the roster as GM. And Maya Moore remains one of the top players in the WNBA.
I'd put the Vikings second, if Rick Spielman addresses the offensive line issues in a serious manner this offseason. I'm also curious to see how Minnesota United fares as it moves into a new stadium and whether that results in more willingness to spend big money to sign better talent.
