Britt Robson Bill Frisell’sloping, laconic guitar phrases are as implacably beautiful and subtlyshape-shifting as a prairie landscape, a perfect soundtrack forcompelling visuals. Indeed, two of the cooler items in his quilteddiscography were created to accompany the photographs of Walker Evans (This Land) and the films of Buster Keaton (Go West). Now the Walker has co-commissioned Frisell to … Read more
University of Minnesota Athletics Director Joel Maturi is a triple-A battery of a man. Walk into his office at the Bierman Athletic Building on the East Bank and he leaps out of his chair and shakes your hand as if you’re about to parachute out of an airplane together. Trim and fit at 62, Maturi … Read more
Great pick of the Diamondbacks, eh? Compassionate readers for the most part decided to withhold their “what are you thinking!?” comments on me picking against a team that had lost once in a month and clearly have some scintillating mojo warped right into their wheelhouse. Here’s my excuse, and confession: I have seen Brandon Webb … Read more
It is going to be a looong season for the Minnesota Timberwolves. This is not surprising, of course. Nor is it as disheartening as it might have been watching a team without much future upside try to overachieve its way into a bottom-rung playoff spot. No, this is a team with definite long range potential–no … Read more
In this morning’s conference call from London, I asked Randy Wittman to describe his optimal scenario for Randy Foye. Does he want Foye to be his rock-ribbed point guard, or does he want him to slide over and play the two occasionally, be a combo guard? “He is going to play both,” Witt replied. “No, … Read more
First of all, a hat tip to PiPress columnist Charlie Walters, who wrote the other day that Trenton was going to the Mavs, a rumor that, citing Shooter’s “spotty” reputation on such tidbits, I belittled. Second, I don’t like the deal. Greg Buckner is about two inches shorter and three years older than Hassell, which, … Read more
It was the Wolves media day this afternoon and this exchange with Randy Foye was probably the most interesting conversation I had. Who is the leader of this team? I asked Foye, point blank. “I’ll take it,” Foye said instantly. “I am the leader. There is pressure in that but I like it. I don’t … Read more
The media were invited to Champs for a little lunch and hunch three days before the official media day this coming Friday. Coach Randy Wittman and VP Kevin McHale leaned against tables in the front of the room and took questions from about two dozen media folk. Here’s what I gleaned from the 45 minute … Read more
The Kansas City Chiefs will be fortunate to win five games this season. And at the rate they are going, so will the Minnesota Vikings. Yesterday’s flop was the kind of tone-setter that evaporates a team’s fan base in a hurry. Other media folks who pay more attention, and are certainly more passionate, about the … Read more
My mother took me on a wild, unforgettable ride the morning she died. Drugged and nearly comatose for about twenty-four hours, she suddenly started breathing heavily, opened her dull, mucus-covered eyes, and began writhing her shoulders off the bed. I was holding her hand, and she gripped me so hard that her bones stabbed painfully … Read more