RandBall

RandBall

@randball.bsky.social

Writer, editor, opinion-haver and podcaster at the Minnesota Star Tribune. Personal writing: thefriscalatingdusklight.substack.com

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RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

Looking for an *extremely* last-minute gift? Why not give someone a subscription to The Friscalating Dusklight, the Substack where I write essays about Dad Life and the world around us all? Link below/ thread of some of my favorite pieces this year thefriscalatingdusklight.substack.com/subscribe

thefriscalatingdusklight.substack.comSubscribe to The Friscalating Dusklight, by Michael RandA newsletter about modern life, dad life and the creative process. Click to read The Friscalating Dusklight, by Michael Rand, a Substack publication with hundreds of subscribers.
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

The NHL Central Division has an established big three: Colorado, Dallas and the Wild. Is Utah primed to mess things up for Minnesota on multiple levels? startribune.com/minnesota-wild-dylan-larkin-trade-rumors-utah-mammoth-nhl-central-division-race-stanley-cup-2026/601905246?mrfhud=true

startribune.comRandBall: The Wild may have a Mammoth problem in their Stanley Cup pursuitUtah is emerging as a Central Division contender and could beat the Wild to Dylan Larkin in the trade market, complicating Minnesota’s championship ambitions.

RandBall reposted

Cassidy Hettesheimer
@cassidyhett.bsky.social

@randball.bsky.social caught up with Gophers VB and head coach Keegan Cook looking ahead at the rest of their regular season schedule and NCAA positioning for @stribsports.startribune.com's Daily Delivery: www.startribune.com/minnesota-go...

startribune.comRandBall: Gophers volleyball faces defining stretch with NCAA positioning at stakeNo. 20 Minnesota has won four straight but lacks signature victories. Five challenging Big Ten matches could shape the Gophers’ NCAA tournament seeding and hosting hopes.
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

I wrote about Gophers hockey and the "patient urgency" coach Brett Larson is operating with as he navigates both the big picture and a tough start leading into Thursday's first home game against No. 3 North Dakota. www.startribune.com/minnesota-go...

startribune.comRandBall: Winless Gophers men’s hockey faces mounting pressure under Brett LarsonLarson is preaching “patient urgency” four games into his first season, but a home-opening series against unbeaten No. 3 North Dakota will test the Gophers’ belief in his approach.
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

Danila Yurov is playing like someone the Wild could package for Dylan Larkin. He's also playing well enough that maybe they shouldn't trade him at all. But what if getting Larkin is the key to a Quinn Hughes extension? www.startribune.com/minnesota-wi...

startribune.comRandBall: Danila Yurov’s emergence complicates Wild’s pursuit of Dylan LarkinThe young center is playing well enough to make the Wild reconsider trading him for Larkin. But could acquiring the veteran help convince Quinn Hughes to sign an extension?
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

I wrote about the 2016 Vikings, who were 5-0 at the bye week before losing eight of their next 10 games. What are the similarities (and more importantly the differences) between that team and the 2026 version of the Vikings? www.startribune.com/minnesota-vi...

startribune.comRandBall: These 5-0 Vikings resemble 2016 team that collapsed. Will history repeat?A decade after the Vikings started 5-0 and missed the playoffs, this year’s team faces eerily similar circumstances. But there are also key differences.
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

giving him JJ McCarthy's former No. 9 is the cherry on top

Star Tribune Sports@stribsports.startribune.com

The Vikings are adding Beckham to their practice squad, reuniting the veteran receiver with Kevin O’Connell as they seek more depth at the position.

bit.lyVikings sign Odell Beckham Jr., pairing former LSU star with Justin JeffersonThe Vikings are adding Beckham to their practice squad, reuniting the veteran receiver with Kevin O’Connell as they seek more depth at the position.
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

Doing a postgame Lynx pod in a little while. I welcome your hot takes as we untangle a disappointing (to put it mildly) playoff sweep after such a charmed regular season.

RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

Lots of hockey content today! -- Wrote about Quinn Hughes rumors, Cale Makar's reportedly imminent contract and more: www.startribune.com/minnesota-wi... -- Pod with @justinghockey.bsky.social on the Wild, NHL analytics and more. www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhXl...

startribune.comRandBall: Quinn Hughes could cost the Wild big — and tighten their window to win a Stanley CupColorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar is reportedly nearing an extension that could finally set the market for Hughes after two months of waiting and an increasingly uncomfortable summer in Minneso...
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

I wrote our starter story on the stunning Wolves/Lynx sale news. Marc Lore reportedly is selling a big chunk of his stake to Marc Stad, will now have the controlling No. 1 share. We're launching a live blog to answer your questions and add context www.startribune.com/minnesota-ti...

startribune.comTimberwolves, Lynx ownership changes again as Marc Lore reportedly sells majority stakeMinnesota’s NBA and WNBA franchises sold for $1.5 billion last year. Lore is now reportedly selling his majority stake at a $4.5 billion valuation.
RandBall
@randball.bsky.social

Wrote and talked on Daily Delivery today about the Parise/Suter contracts and how they relate to Kaprizov/Hughes. www.startribune.com/minnesota-wi... Plus Chip Scoggins on Gophers football and my take on Napheesa Collier's big return: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

startribune.comRandBall: Are the Wild in danger of reliving the Zach Parise and Ryan Suter contracts?A Daily Delivery podcast listener asks about the downside of lucrative long-term deals for Kirill Kaprizov and potentially Quinn Hughes.