The Rake Magazine

Category: Blog Post

  • Dean Singleton to Par Ridder: Cease and Desist

    Dean Singleton, the face of the new ownership of the St. Paul Pioneer Press was in town today, meeting with various employees in addition to an afternoon general newsroom gathering, where we are told, he expressed great umbrage at the behavior of his former publisher, Par Ridder, who as most of you may know by now scurried across town a month ago to take the same job with the (formerly)arch-rival Star Tribune.

    Most interesting was Singleton, head of Media News, telling the PiPress troops that he had learned of Ridder showing interest in moving to the Star Tribune eight months ago — last August — long before former publisher J. Keith Moyer stepped down. Who approached who is not clear. But if what Singleton says is true, Ridder was at leasy considering switching teams long before he actually did.

    Singleton also told his employees that Ridder had offered a total of eight current upper level PiPress managers jobs at the Star Tribune, including St. Paul’s editor, Thom Fladung, who declined. Two offers have been accepted. The names of the other six are not known.

    Newspaper Guild officer, Brian Bonner, described Singleton’s speech as, “feisty in tone” and that Singleton seemed, “genuinely upset by the betrayal [on Ridder’s part].”

    “He said [Ridder] took confidential data and that he, [Singleton], is going to stop him from using it.” The “confidential data” business refers to a laptop computer with proprietary company information in it, which the PiPress had to insist Ridder return to them, apparently the Monday after he left. (One of the St. Paul executives involved in getting the laptop back, Kevin Desmond, later accepted a job offer from Ridder and left the PiPress).

    Bonner, who called the gathering, “One of the most dramatic meetings I’ve seen in my 24 years here,” was pleased to hear Singleton show some passion over the Ridder departure. Many in the PiPress building regard Ridder jumping ship as both graceless and disloyal.

    Singleton took pains to describe Ridder as “a good steward” of the PiPress and felt they had a solid, professional relationship, up to the point Ridder left.

    For the record, Ridder did not have a non-compete clause in his contract, and Singleton has previously said he doesn’t believe in restricting the professional growth of his people. (He is however threatening legal action against Jennifer Parratt, Ridder’s other Star Tribune hire, who apparently did have a non-compete … Singleton wants to fight over.)

    How Singleton would ever prove Ridder was using proprietary PiPress information to the Star Tribune’s advantage is hard to imagine. But Singleton apparently wanted to rally the troops with a little sabre-rattling.

    “We still expect [Singleton] to be a very tough negotiator over the next contract,” said Bonner. “He has a reputation for extracting pretty tough concessions. But I for one was pleased that he came in and said what he did.”

  • Make That 'The Meal Deal'

    God almighty, did you see poor J.D. Durbin’s pitching line for the Diamondbacks last night? It was mind boggling: two-thirds of an inning pitched, seven hits, seven earned runs, and a walk (2007 ERA: 94.50).

    This wasn’t a mop-up performance, by the way; Arizona brought Durbin into the game in the eighth, trailing 4-2.

    It’s pretty sad, actually. This was a kid, after all, who gave himself the nickname “The Real Deal,” and he was the rare case of a professional athlete whose cockiness was so dorky it was charming.

    The Diamondbacks designated Durbin for assignment this morning, which means they have ten days to trade him, release him, or put him on waivers.

  • Real Life – and other things that go along with it

    FILM
    Real Life Has No Big Budget

    bike1.jpgOnce again, the Twin Cities proves its cutting edge quality — this time in film. Tonight the Heights Theater offers a screening of RealLive, a unique combination of documentary, action, adventure, comedy and drama. Follow local director, videographer, editor, producer, musician and biker (and Columbia Heights High School graduate), Cory Parkos, on his quest to experience freedom in America. That’s right; it’s a contemporary Easy Rider. Come see what a local filmmaker can do with no script, no sets, and no big production budget.

    7 p.m., Heights Theater, 3951 Central Ave. NE, 763-788-9079.

    ART
    One Man’s Trash Is Another Man’s Art

    ArtReincar copy.jpgIt’s been a good 15 years since I’ve done any dumpster diving with artist friends, but I still have a weak spot for recycled art. It’s not that I go for the whole green, environmentally-correct thing; my dumpster-diving friends never did it as a political statement. It’s just that everything seems to have that much more context, that much more history. Tonight, at Altered Esthetics, more than 65 local and international artists will display their efforts at transforming clutter and waste into a thing of beauty. Art Reincarnated “is stuffed with everything from candy-wrapper ball gowns to more traditional scrap-steel sculptures — more than a hundred works in all. There’s a lot of range; some pieces might have been better left in the trash, but others intrigue with their wit and resourcefulness.”

    Get a sneak peak tonight, or stop in tomorrow from 7-9 p.m. for the opening reception, featuring a Reincarnated Clothing fashion show as well as sound collages made from appropriated music and recycled recordings by Jon Nelson from Radio K’s Some Assembly Required.

    1-7 p.m., Altered Esthetics, 1224 Quincy St. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-378-8888.

    THEATER AND PERFORMANCE
    Too Bad You Can’t Just TiVo It

    There are actually a couple worthy performances opening tonight. What are you in the mood for? A saucy opera, or a meandering metaphor?

    blood-wedding-home.jpg“Of all the theater companies in town, none has better taste in classic literature than Ten Thousand Things. Now, the troupe takes on Federico Garcia Lorca’s saucy Blood Wedding. Deeply poetic yet also accessible, this play sets up a gut-punching war between the heart’s passion and the human brain’s limited capacity for reason. Armed with nothing but their wits and a bucketful of puppets, the five standup cast members (including local favorites Sha Cage and, again, Barbra Berlovitz) capture a Spanish countryside full of characters. Audience members will get to sit up close at the lo-fi venues to which this show is touring. Performed in the style of street theater, with no set or theatrical lighting, these acts of infidelity, murder, and betrayal are infused with the appropriate stark, emotional rawness.”

    8 p.m., The Minnesota Opera Center, 620 North First St., Minneapolis, 612-333-2700, 612-203-9502; $20.

    derive.jpg“Always up for an experiment, Flaneur Productions distributed a top-secret passage from an obscure work of literature to a group of six local performers earlier this year. Each was instructed to use the text, along with the show’s creepy venue (a former coffin factory), as inspiration for the beginning of a twenty-minute situationist stroll, or derive in French — the result being that the collected works will share a point of origin but drift from there on. The iconoclastic imaginations tapped for this showcase include a veritable who’s-who of the local experimental-theater scene: John Bueche of the Bedlam Theatre company, Charles Campbell from the site-specific performance troupe Skewed Visions, and Kristin Van Loon, one-half of the renegade dance duo Hijack.”

    7 p.m. (through April 14th), The Northwestern Casket Company building, 1707 Jefferson Street NE, Minneapolis, 612-203-9560; $14.

    MUSIC
    Simple Emotions

    4.jpgDo you know what emo is yet? (If you don’t, you should probably follow that link and get with the times.) Basically, it’s teenage angst music. I don’t see why we needed a new name for it. But I’m straying here, and being a bit unfair. Tonight, Seattle-based acoustic folk-rocker Rocky Votolato is playing at the Varsity Theatre, and while he’ll probably look pretty cool up there holding his guitar with a harmonica strapped around his neck, I can’t resist the emo jab. But growing up in a family of musicians did Votolato well. His simple compositions are beautifully executed and charged with raw emotion.

    6 p.m., Varsity Theatre and Cafe des Artistes, 1308 4th St. SE, Minneapolis, 612-604-0222; $10, $12 (all ages).

    Listen to Rocky Votolato.

    Not up for emo music? Here are a couple other options:

    Smart pop rocker and folk singer/songwriter Mara Levi will play selections from her new CD, What Are You? at 7:30 p.m. tonight, at the Ginkgo Coffeehouse, 721 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; $8 advance, $10 door.
    Download and listen to Mari Levi songs.

    Big band master and accomplished musician, Harry Connick, Jr. plays tonight at 8 p.m., at the Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Minneapolis, 612-373-5600; $76.50 – $43.50.
    Listen to Harry Connick, Jr.

  • In Other Words

    xoxo.jpg

    The giving of thanks: lip service is easy, but really feeling it, truly giving it away, expressing it from your heart, that’s more difficult.

    Where do you even start?

    Any fool with a roof over his head, a car to drive, a job that pays the bills, food in his cupboard and refrigerator, a sense of responsibility, a feeling of belonging, of having a family or a community or a tribe that depends on him and perhaps even loves him; who has a leg to stand on, shoes on his feet, a warm bed, clean underwear, hot water, a toilet that flushes, books to read, music to listen to, a chair to sit on, hands and feet and arms and legs and eyes and ears that still work, a cracked and compassionate heart, a brain that is still capable of manufacturing sense (even if only occasionally) and cooperates, however gracelessly, with his tongue and dispatches words to his fingers; any fool whose fingers can still grip a pen, who still has access to blank sheets or scraps of paper and who continues to feel compelled to say something; anybody, in other words, who has lived a good, long while on the planet and feels things ever stirring in his head and heart, any such person should spend at least half of whatever time he has left in the world saying nothing but thank you.

  • A Laugher, A Mess, A Pleasant Surprise

    Ugly game for Baltimore: six walks, eleven hits, three errors (should have been four); a horrendous start for Jared Wright, and an even more horrendous start for the Orioles, who started a season 0-3 for the first time since 1995. This team looked bad enough in this series to challenge the 1988 O’s, who lost their first 21 games and finished at 54-107.

    Ramon Ortiz was pretty damn good, but I don’t think anybody should get too excited until he faces a better lineup. Still, seven innings pitched, five hits, four strikeouts, and a walk isn’t too shabby, even if his ratio of ground balls (6) to fly balls (11) wasn’t exactly what you’d like to see from him. There were a bunch of pop-ups in there, though, so it wasn’t like Baltimore was hitting rockets all over the Dome.

    A nice series for the Minnesota bullpen: eight innings, four hits, seven strikeouts, three walks, no runs allowed, and a new baby (Joe Nathan’s wife, Lisa, gave birth to a baby girl named Riley Grace at 8:34 pm tonight at Fairview Southdale).

    I listened to this one on the radio, and hearing the Twins on KSTP just doesn’t seem right. Also, the reception over here in South Minneapolis is lousy. This is the first game I’ve heard since the Twins bolted from WCCO, and the whole package seemed sort of cheesy. It reminded me of growing up listening to Twins games on Austin’s KAUS. I don’t know; maybe that’s not such a bad thing after all.

  • Before You Buy That Second Home in Arizona…

    You might want to read this from the NY Times. It seems that the states out west, where mostly Republican buffalo roam, are fighting among themselves for the little bit of water they have available.

    The funny part is that, except for California’s governor, that big actor, many of the pols out there aren’t big believers in global warming.

    Of course, we here in the land of 10,000 lakes can laugh. But as soon as they figure out a way to pipe our water over the Rockies, those pictures of the high and dry docks on Lake Superior will become just as common as the ones of those mud holes out west.

    You know how those western movies about the water rights wars between the cattlemen and the farmers always turned out bad for the farmers? We’re the sodbusters, I fear, and there’s no Shane in sight.

  • McClatchy D.C. Digs Deeper into the US Attorneys

    Greg Gordon and two other McClatchy correspondents — people whose reporting used to flow directly into the Star Tribune, but with the sale to Avista Capital Partners now flows elsewhere — have an excellent story up today connecting dots in the US Attorneys firing scandal.

    Titled, “New US Attorneys Seem to Have Partisan Records”, the McClatchy team makes a point of noting that presidential advisor Karl Rove, in a speech last April to the Republican National Lawyers Association, (there’s something redundant about that, but I can’t quite put my finger on it), specified Minnesota among 11 states pivotal to GOP election prospects in 2008. They then note that Rove/Gonzalez/Sampson et al have overseen the replacement of US Attorneys in nine of those states … including Minnesota, where Tom Heffelfinger had, to the surprise of many, stepped down a couple months earlier.

    In his column last Sunday, Nick Coleman laid out connections that you’d think would tantalize any major daily newsroom. Like some of the rest of us, Coleman had waited weeks for the StarTribune to commence any kind of reporting on even the possibility of a connection between a major national story, the sudden departure of a Republican US Attorney at least as moderate as any of those later fired, and/or the processes and connections that brought Paulose to her present job. I mean folks, the 33 year-old woman arrives here direct from Gonzalez’ office in D.C., where she served as senior counsel to Deputy Attorney General, Paul McNulty, the guy now infamous for asserting that the eight fired US Attorneys were whacked for “performance-related issues”. That is … questionable.

    This isn’t a presumed guilty until proven innocent question. It isa matter of basic professional skepticism. The fundamental question of the US Attorneys scandal is whether this was done to advance the political purposes of the Republican Party by politicizing a highly influential office of the judiciary. It seems fair to ASK if there is any possiblity that is what happened here in Minnesota. Local media is forever falling over themselves grasping for the vaguest, most remote “Minnesota connectrion” to any national story. (JFK Jr. dies in plane crash! Once ate Cheerios! Quotes from General Mills spokesman to follow!)

    But in this case, nothing? What ever happened to basic journalistic due diligence? The new Star Tribune may be strapped for resources and staff, both here and in D.C., but certainly at this point, what with provocative work done by Minnesota Campaign Report, (which doth protest way too self-righteously about a minor mistake in a complicated story), a piece in the Salt Lake Tribune, (which ironically was sparked by a call from Coleman), and now this latest McClatchy report, the time is overripe for the Star Tribune to run … SOMETHING … on this.

    All the tedious tut-tutting about journalistic ethics and appearances of conflict of interest — Sid Hartman does a TV commercial! — start sounding a little hollow if the paper can’t do the fundamental work of looking in to something this intriguing and close to home.

    For the record, the Star Tribune isn’t alone in seriously avoiding this story. As best I can tell, of the local TV stations, only KMSP, ch. 9 has run a story on any kind of Heffelfinger connection. That is other than KSTP-TV’s Bob McNaney story on Paulose’s grandiose investiture early last month.

    For his efforts McNaney, nobody’s idea of a flaming liberal, has been ripped by both Powerline and Star Trib gossip columnist, C.J. . (By certain standards I guess the CJ rip rates as “some kind of reference” to the broader story.)

    Caught on the run the other night, McNaney was still steamed about the shots from those two. He smells a coordinated effort. “If the US Attorney’s office needs to use CJ to protect themselves from me they’re in even worse shape than I thought. And you can use that.”

    McNaney said he had to be careful about saying much more right now because, “We aren’t done with this story.” But he was not impressed by Paulose.

    “Watch the entire interview. All the raw tape. It’s up on our site. This is one of coolest, most buttoned-down, refined characters you’ll ever meet, until I start asking about the ceremony and the ‘problem journalist’ list. Watch her body language. The only time she squirms is when I ask about that stuff.”

    What you don’t want to think in this situation is that the Star Tribune and the rest of the Twin Cities newsrooms are hanging back on asking impertinent questions about Heffelfinger’s departure and Paulose’s arrival … because she is a minority female. Modern newsrooms are hyper-sensitive to such issues, usually for good reason. But by definition anyone in a US Attorney’s job is a big girl playing in the big leagues with large, bonafide public responsibilities.

    If you’re in the news business it is your job to ask such people, or people who know such people, tough questions.

  • A Glance Back: Superheroes, Glam, and Anger

    ART
    Superspective Retrostar

    BarryMcMahon.jpgAre you a fan of storybook illustrations? How about comic books? I mean, who doesn’t love a superhero? It’s hard to be content with our everyday lives. This is what Barry McMahon’s recent work is all about; he pits the iconic superhero against all the bothersome everyday stuff we have to put up with as mere mortals. Is he challenging our daily realities? Is he challenging our hero worship? You decide. His current exhibit, Retrospective, spans over two and a half decades, features previously unseen work and work from his most recent series, and shows the evolution of McMahon’s artistic endeavor.

    Noon-9 p.m., Mira Gallery, Center for Independent Artists, Instituto de Cultura y Educacion, 4137 Bloomington Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-724-8392; free.

    See Barry McMahon’s MN Artists gallery.

    ART AND FILM
    Glamorous Garbo

    GretaGarbo.jpgBorn in Stockholm in 1905, Greta Gustafsson came into the public eye in 1923, when she began her life as Greta Garbo, a strong-willed woman of striking beauty. In 1925 Garbo made her big move to Hollywood and spent the next 16 years making 27 films. But when after her great success, she silently retired and withdrew from the public life after she became an American citizen in 1951. Come celebrate the glamorous film career of Sweden’s first internationally-known film star at the American Swedish Institute’s photograph exhibit, Glamorous Garbo: International Film Star. The exhibit contains more than 40 photographs — on loan from the Greta Garbo Society of Sweden in Hogsby, Sweden — that explore Greta Garbo’s transformation into a Hollywood icon.

    Noon – 8 p.m., American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave. S., Minneapolis, 612-871-4907; free (usually $6, seniors $5, students $4).

    FILM
    So Truffault

    F-451.jpgI’m not a big fan of books to film, but sometimes you just have to accept the classics (that and I’m a sucker for anti-censorship movements of any kind). François Truffaut’s Fahrenheit 451, based on the best-selling novel by Ray Bradbury, is a futuristic tale of a totalitarian government gone too far. While the overriding story of a bad man turned good by his love for a liberated woman may seem trite at this point, Fahrenheit 451 is, in fact, one of the originals. Yes, it’s the age-old story. Government fireman Oskar Werner meets revolutionary Julie Christie, and through her learns to question the entire book-burning, ignorance-enforcing system. Eventually, he sets out to destroy the very system he’s sworn to protect. Surprise. Surprise. But really, you have to see it.

    7-9 p.m., Liberty Center, 799 Raymond Avenue, St. Paul, 651-646-8980; $5 donation. R.S.V.P.

    CLASS
    For Us Gals, It Ain’t about Viagra

    2265762946.jpgLet’s face it, sex is important. And after a woman reaches a certain age, it’s sometimes necessary to take extra pains to keep our sexuality intact. Not just for our emotional and spiritual wellbeing, but for our physical wellbeing as well. It’s just plain healthy. Keep the Fire Burning – Sexual Health and Libido is a holistic exploration of sexuality and relationship issues meant to awaken the heart, mind, body and spirit, and maintain desire during and after menopause. It might not be something you want to discuss at the next dinner party you go to, but hell, why don’t you? It’ll probably provoke the night’s most interesting conversation.

    6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m., Watson Education Center, 2nd Floor, St. John’s Hospital, 1575 Beam Ave., Maplewood, 651-232-7000, 651-232-2273, $15.

    ON THE WEB
    Hump Day Madness

    Perhaps you hate the expression hump day as much as I have since I officially started working (which was at 15). Nevertheless, to help get you through these mid-week blues, here are some angry worker videos you can live vicariously through — or at least get a few laughs from. Many of you have probably already seen these, but they’re just too good not to mention.

    Lily Tomlin loses her shit while shooting I Heart Huckabees.
    Director David O. Russell loses his shit while directing Lily Tomlin.
    A man gets angry with an office printer.
    A man gets angry with his office computer.
    A professor doesn’t appreciate his student’s cell phone ringing in class.
    A record store clerk dislikes his suited client.
    God gets angry. Warning: This video could insult your religious sensibilities.

  • The Three-Pointer: Past Time To Call Bullshit

    Regular Season Game #74, Home Game #36, Cleveland 101, Minnesota 88

    1. An Unlikeable Basketball Team

    Unlikeable is putting it mildly. If you still care about this edition of the Minnesota Timberwolves, they are infuriating and aggravating in the extreme. Looked at objectively, it is plain that they lack the integrity to even properly go through the motions in the final weeks of a miserable season. And everyone among the “braintrust” is either stupid or lying.

    Strong words, maybe, so let’s back them up. Kevin McHale fires Dwane Casey for a 20-20 record and a bottom-rung playoff position because the team is “inconsistent.” Randy Wittman flounders to a 11-23 record and every indication is given that he will be rehired next year.

    Tonight, Wittman bemoans the fact that the team gets off to slow starts, especially at home, at beginning of both halves, the first and third quarters. He actually says, “I don’t know why that is.” Well, let me give you a hint, coach: You’ve playing three veterans who don’t respect you, the team, the game, or themselves, at the expense of three kids who you claim are your blueprint for the future. The vets are chronic losers who are playing you and anyone who cares about this franchise for a fool, and you are going along because your personnel guy bartered away a draft pick that you desperately need and the only way to ensure you keep it is by playing this smug, pathetic trio.

    Again, let’s back up these strong words. The Timberwolves were outscored 23-14 during the first 8:28 of the game. Only then did Wittman yank Mike James and Mark Blount in favor of Mark Madsen and Randy Foye. After another 2:11, the team had been outscored 4-2 to trail 27-16 when Wittman pulled the third contemptuous sleepwalker, Ricky Davis, and inserted Rashad McCants. With all three on the bench for the next 6:59, the Wolves outscored LeBron James and the Cavs 18-15, to cut the deficit to 10. With Davis playing the final 6:12 of the half but the other two sitting, they lopped another two points off and trailed by 8, 55-47, at the break.

    Rookie Randy Foye is leading the team in scoring and assists, and rookie Craig Smith is third in scoring and second in rebounds, but Mike James and Mark Blount once again take the floor to start the third quarter. This time Wittman is a whole two seconds faster in giving James and Blount the simultaneous hook after 8:26 and deficit bumped from 8 to 14. When McCants comes in for Davis 1:26 later, the margin is 18 points.

    At the third quarter buzzer, Minnesota is down 20, 80-60. James, Blount, and Davis are a combined 4-20 FG. They collectively have grabbed 2, count ’em, 2 rebounds in a combined 60 minutes and 31 seconds of play. They have doled out 4 assists and committed 5 turnovers. Individually, Bount has 4 points, 1 rebound and 1 assist and is a -15 in 16:54 of play. James has zero points, 1 rebound, 1 assists, and 2 turnovers and is likewise -15 in 16:54 of play. Davis has 7 points, on 2-10 FG, zero rebounds, 2 assists and 3 turnovers and is -21 in 26:43 of play. And none of them played defense worth a damn.

    Meanwhile, Wittman does not play a group I only half-jokingly refer to as the Fab Five, a lineup that statistics reveal to be their best unit: Garnett-Jaric-Foye-McCants-Smith. It includes a superstar who is trying to figure out whether or not he wants to exercise his opt out close at the end of next year, a hungry ‘tweener signed through 2011, and the team’s top three drafts picks from the past two years. Now, truth be told, this unit did not play well together in very limited time during Sunday’s win in Orlando. But that isn’t why Wittman has watched his sorry excuse for a team half-ass its way to a 84-60 deficit with 10:58 left to go in the game–premature garbage time–and *then* decide to play the quintet. No, he’s either purposefully tanking with vets or he’s afraid of standing up to them by appropriately penalizing their lack of effort and absence of pride.

    By the way, the Fab Five immediately went on a 15-4 tear over the next 3: 38 to cut the margin to 13 with 7:20 to play. Cavs coach Mike Brown was nervous enough to reinsert starters Larry Hughes and Z Ilgauskas into the game (and no, he wasn’t totally played scrubs during this stretch–LeBron was in the entire time).

    2. More Verbatim Posturing

    After the game, Wittman said, “They just kicked our rear ends on the boards. There is no other way to put it.” But does anyone expect him to start Madsen, or, god forbid, Smith, instead of the 7-foot Blount next game?

    “Kevin can’t get every rebound. Our guards have to get involved too; instead they stand and watch,” Wittman continued. But does anyone expect him to start Foye, who outrebounded James, or McCants, who outrebounded Davis in five fewer minutes?

    “We had no alertness. That’s what it boiled down to. We didn’t have that sense of urgency we had in Orlando. It is like we were two different teams,” Wittman said. Well, Ricky Davis was the best player on the court in Orlando, going off for 36 points. Is Wittman perplexed or surprised that Davis followed that up with this turd of a game? Does he not know at this late juncture that turning the ballclubs he plays for into “two different teams” is a Ricky Davis specialty?

    When I asked him what he was trying to accomplish and what the meaning of these final games of the season would be, Wittman replied, “I’m trying to lay the foundation of how we’re going to play next year…and it’s not one guy dribbling the ball 11 times, 13 times…We’ve laying the groundwork of how we have to play and they are showing me who wants to play that way and who doesn’t; who can be counted on in tough times when we do get into the playoffs, and who can’t.”

    So if the Boston Bobbsey Twins of Davis and Blount, along with 13-dribbler Mike James are still with the team next year–let alone making any kind of contribution to it–we’ll know this is just more meaningless posturing from the hapless head coach. Meanwhile, the franchise will continue to give you back the stub on your full-priced ticket for the five belly-flops remaining on the Wolves’ home schedule.

    3. And Two More Bronx Cheers

    Although he certainly looked good by comparison and put forth a mostly admirable effort, Kevin Garnett was also frequently abused on backdoor cuts, baseline maneuvers, and muscular tip-ins from Drew Gooden and company as the Cavs outscored Minnesota 40-28 in the paint.

    Last and probably least, Wittman has decided that of all the players on the roster, Trenton Hassell is the most deserving scapegoat for the team’s month-long doldrums. Yes, Hassell has had a pretty lousy stretch of play recently. But why he has played a grand total of 6:50 over the past 11 quarters while the BoTwins and 13 bounces continue to get regular burn probably says more about Wittman and the braintrust than it does about Hassell.

  • Free Hot Doug!

    hotdoug.jpg

    The Chicago City Council isn’t mucking around, people.

    Doug Sohn (the sausage King of Chicago?) is the first to feel their wrath. The man behind Hot Doug’s … The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium … has been fined for selling hot dogs laced with foie gras.

    The fine for taking a stand against The Man: $250.