I'm here you're not I'm more American than you. USA!

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Central Catholic (La.) safety Ja'len Johnson picked up an offer today. He also holds offers from UL-Lafayette, Tulane, UL-Monroe, and a handful of FCS schools.

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Dominik London will visit Minnesota tomorrow. Given that he's always liked Minnesota and the Gophers are his only power five offer, it's definitely a possibility that he commits.

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Story: Gophers offer "means a lot" to Bursch

The above story has quotes from Bursch on the offer. Gophs are in a great position to land Bursch. He'll visit with Claeys and the staff next week.

the recently elected mayor of London is Muslim. Today he banned any advertisements featuring "sexy" women from all public transportation. Apparently it is a growing trend in certain parts of England with large Muslim populations to spray paint over any attractive women appearing on billboards or other ads. Interesting.

Link: Gophers extend several offers out east

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Three star Union (N.J.) defensive end Mike Tverdov also picked up an offer today. He holds eight other power five offers.

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Anyone heard or know anything?

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Douglas (Fla.) guard Corey Gaynor also holds offers from a dozen or so smaller schools.

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Phillies take HS OF Mickey Moniak #1
Reds take U of Tennessee 3B Nick Senzel #2
Braves took HS P Ian Anderson #3
Rockies took HS P Riley Pint #4
Drunken Sconnies took U of Louisville OF Corey Ray #5

Twins Draft Picks

1st Round #15: HS OF Alex Kirilloff
MLB.com Scouting Report/Review

A product of the Southwest Pennsylvania high school ranks, Kirilloff put himself firmly on the map with a fine showing on the summer showcase circuit. With the weather warming up and scouts running in to see him, he has the chance to be the highest-drafted Pittsburgh area prepster since Neil Walker went in the first round in 2003. Teams interested in Kirilloff will be buying the bat. While there is a little length to his swing, he's shown the ability to barrel the ball consistently and has considerable raw power, which he put to use while winning the Perfect Game All-American Classic home run derby over the summer. He's more athletic than one would think given his size and plays center field for his high school team. He'll have to move to a corner spot at the next level, but moves more than well enough to stay there. He has a strong arm, one that fires 87-90 mph fastballs from the mound. For him be an everyday corner outfielder, Kirilloff will have to fit the offensive profile. The team that takes him, perhaps as early as the middle of the first round, believes the Liberty University commit will do just that.

2nd Round (56): HS C Ben Rortvedt
MLB.com Scouting Report/Review

Only six Wisconsin high schoolers were selected in the top two rounds of the first 51 Drafts, but the Badger State may have two this year in shortstop Gavin Lux and Rortvedt. The latter is the best offensive catcher in the 2016 prep ranks and could be the first high school backstop picked in June. Rortvedt has a smooth left-handed swing that generates a lot of bat speed. He's strong and barrels a lot of balls, producing power without swinging for the fences. He has the upside of a .270 hitter with 20 homers per season, though the demands of catching may knock those numbers down. Rortvedt has work to do behind the plate, though he has the tools to make it at catcher and scouts believe he'll figure it out. The Arkansas recruit has solid arm strength and makes accurate throws. He sets a good target and moves well behind the plate, though his receiving and blocking skills will have to improve.

Compensatory Lottery B (73): HS (Puerto Rico) SS Jose Miranda
MLB.com Scouting Report/Review: Nothing available on Miranda

Compensatory Lottery B (74): HS OF Akil Baddoo
MLB.com Scouting Report/Review:

The Georgia high school ranks have produced 13 outfielders selected in the first two rounds in the six previous Drafts this decade, and Baddoo could add to that number in 2016. The Kentucky recruit has an intriguing power/speed combination and has improved in both departments over the last year. Baddoo has made strides with his bat as well and has the potential to hit for both power and average. He has a loose, whippy left-handed swing with plenty of bat speed. Add in his plus speed, and he has the upside of a 20-20 player if everything comes together. Baddoo's quickness stands out more than his instincts in center field, so he could wind up on an outfield corner. With his below-average arm, that would mean shifting to left field, though scouts who like him think he'd still provide enough offense to profile there.

Draft continues today at 11:30am (CT)

Told this morning that McGill Toolen (Ala.) DB Tre Young picked up an offer two weeks ago, but it didn't go public until now because he never tweeted about it. He also has offers from UCF and Georgia State.

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Today. That's what peeps be saying on Twitter. Baylor Juco OL commit. Could be someone else but he recently committed.

Link: London talks Gophers, tomorrow's visit

Dominik is clearly high on the Gophers and I would look for a decision to come tomorrow. He goes pretty in-depth on his interest in Minnesota here and why Minnesota would be a good fit.

Clay Geary from Lakeville started practice with the team this week. Gives them some RB practice depth and maybe a ST player

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Received enough delegates to sew up the nomination...1238 as of now. Will the Repubeicans rally around him to help him get elected or will they spit in the face and will of the people ?

My take on this is that the only contracts that will be reviewed will be those in the AD department.

The Regents need to back off from this and let the AD and Kaler do their jobs. The Pitino buyout appears to be the main force behind this movement. I assume that Kaler gave Teague the nod of approval with RP's contract and the $7M buyout clause and, after the fact, some Regents have their undies in a buncle over it. Big bucks but this is the big time and the Regents need to understand that.

Large coaching contracts are the norm and have been for some time. The Regents are now taken back by this which has been paramount due to last year dismal season record and all the off court issues surrounding the men's hoops program. If those issues were not there, my guess is the Regents wouldn't even care about the details of RP's contract.

Get with the program Regents or drop out the BIG and go D2.

http://www.startribune.com/u-regents-table-coaching-contract-approval-proposal/382517181/

I always think backup QB at the college level is a crapshoot for even the best of teams.. Unless you had a situation like Ohio State had a year ago, most top football teams dont have an established backup.. If you have forced platooning and maybe a QB that came back from an injury or redshirt, then you can have some experienced depth. With 5 years in a program(including redshirt year) that is not much to establish time as a backup that sees action.

I will always be old school in my thinking as a Gopher fan.. Ideally, run the ball because it allows the o-line to get in sync, takes pressure off the QB, ideally keeps our own defense off the field, shortens the game, etc. The problem is that those safeties and LBs have gotten so much more athletic in today's game so you have to establish a passing threat to get those safeties off the line and LBs thinking more than normal instead of just reading/reacting to what is in front of them.

Obviously, we run a lot of safe passes with the 1 and 3 step drops where it is predetermined where the ball is going. The screens and the TE lags where it is timing or getting rid of the ball as soon as possible.. All good.. But there are times where we have to run those deeper drops to force those safeties back and guessing where the ball is going to go. That is where I feel a QB needs experience as it gives the QB and the receivers the ability to get in sync as well as help each other out by making plays. I am just wondering if Seth Green or Demry Croft are ready for that.. I know they practice and prepare but do they feel confident they can do it in a game situation against D1 opponents with superior athletes?? I am anxious to see the new offense and if they take a few more risks, anyways.. With Mitch, we have an experienced guy so we can do more things.. I am hoping that Demry or Seth can step in and provide playmaking ability. Maybe get a blowout win by the 4th quarter so those guys can relax without worrying that a mistake will cost the game. This will be an essential conversation next year but right now it is still possible that one of those guys is needed in a game. What do you guys think about our backup QB situation??

Definitely a challenging schedule thus far compared to our soft schedules in the past. We play at least five high major teams out of a possible 13 game non-conference schedule. Out of these five games, we need to win at least 3 to give ourselves a chance to go to the postseason entering big ten play. None of these teams are blue bloods, and we should definitely be able to compete in every match up. Let me know what you guys think!

1. St. John's at the Barn: Johnnies will be a lot like us next year, coming off a horrible season but a good young nucleus of talent arrives in back court studs Marcus Lovett and Shamorie Ponds who join stud Sophomore PG Frederico Mussini. This should be a good game as plenty of experts predict similar jumps this season in each of the Big East and Big Ten conferences from SJ and MN.

2. Arkansas: We may be catching them at a good time. Anthlon Bell has graduated and takes 15.7 ppg with him and Jimmy Whitt transferred out a couple months back. They have a so-so recruiting class coming in, but their top two players in Dusty Hannahs and Moses Kingsley are back. They'll need former big time recruit Anton Beard to take a big jump this season. Definitely a winnable game for MN, especially since its at home, and we may have more depth and overall talent.

3. @Florida State: This may be our toughest non-conference game. We have won three in a row against the Seminoles, but they are loaded with talent this year after a few solid recruiting coups in a row. Almost 30 ppg comes back in their backcourt with Dwayne Bacon and Xavier Rathan-Mayes returning. Florida State is loaded on the wing with Terrance Mann also coming back and top 10 recruit Jonathon Isaac entering the mix. Should be a very tough game for MN that could come down to forcing FSU into mistakes considering they really don't have a true point guard. Talent edge definitely goes to Florida State.

4. Vanderbilt @ Sanford Pentagon: Interesting game that the public has just heard about today. Vandy loses top two players in Wade Baldwin and Damian Jones to the NBA after they led the Commodores to the NCAA tourney last season. Were supposed to be a top 20 team last season but had a very disappointing season and barely snuck into the tourney before Wichita State blew them out by 20 in a play-in game. Riley LaChance is an efficient guard who will lead their attack this season. Big man shooter Luke Kornet returns as does swing man Joseph Toye. Two big losses for Vandy with Baldwin and Jones, Gophers could and should be the favorite when these two teams match up.

5. Two game preseason tourney, TBD.

This is important enough that it deserves it's own thread.

The Clinton Foundation is clearly a tax-exempt, pay-for-play scheme that trades appointments like Judge Gonzalo Curiel's, or in this case Raj Fernando's in exchange for cash or speaking engagements.

Raj Fernando, a wealthy Chicago commodities broker has been fundraising for the Democratic Party & the Clinton's for years. He's directly donated over a $1,000,000 to the Clinton Foundation. He has no experience of any type in National Security or nuclear planning. Yet, he was both added to the list of candidates (that he was not actually nominated for) and then won the appointment to the State Department's 'International Security Advisory Board' for which he was granted 'Top-Secret' access to National Security information and was responsible for helping plan 'US Nuclear Strategy'.

This goes beyond sleazy, beyond corrupt, beyond tax evasion, this is flat our irresponsible, reckless and dangerous.

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The focus series continues with Bakary.

https://minnesota.n.rivals.com/news/focus-on-16-17-bakary-konate

Can we all finally agree that the NBA, NFL, NCAA, etc.....there indeed ARE shenanigans taking place. Things are not 100% on the up-and-up. Too much money involved. The NFL does not officiate all games, especially certain playoff games, totally fairly. Scheduling is not 100% fair. In the NCAA, conferences tend to have favorable officiating for a team to stay in the national title picture. I could continue; many, many more examples.

And it's beyond any doubt that Dramond Green was only suspended in order to lengthen the playoffs. Plus controversy = ratings. I harped on this point a few times over the last couple of years regarding the NFL. Controversy sells. That's why the NFL doesn't go to replay on the important calls. They like bad officiating. Gets everyone worked-up.

in addition to the incoming FR and RS FR, we need some returning guys to stay healthy and take a step up

Damarius Travis and Ace Rogers have to stay healthy this year for the majority of the season. We missed their big play ability immensely last year. Travis has the ability to be the best DB Sawvel has produced

Injuries, adjustments, projects...

Gentry, can someone get him some healthy hamstrings? Love his shake and bake and no one is more dangerous with the ball in his hand

Gibson, will have had 8-9 months at DE. Can he bring a pass rush?

Moore, I think he would have been the talk of camp on the DL if not for Marek Jackson. He looked like a beast against a questionable OL

Weyler, hope he his knee is healthy as he looked real good in the spring game. Very nice kid and I'm rooting for him

Holland, he needs to catch before he runs. Kid has the talent to be productive, but needs to relax on the field

Fahning, Would have gotten first team reps if healthy in the spring game. Legit OL option or???

Kafo, can he force Sawvell to run more 4-3 or can he fit as a 3-4 DE?

Are they done?

Everett Williams seems to have been passed over, does he up his game?

Duke Anyanwu, can he get and stay healthy?

Ray Dixon, what happened to him? Had some nice pass rush plays 2 years ago

Can't wait for puck drop tonight! Time for some predictions for the Cup:
Stanley Cup: Wild vs Washington
Ovie finally gets a cup and Trotz finally admits that is actually a member of the KGB.

My kid is never sick. We were leaving for the black hills this morning at 7 of course he's puking this morning. Isn't that just the way it goes