Patrick Reusse: Wild shows its fool's gold side

Gene Mauch resigned as Twins manager on Aug. 24, 1980. The team was 54-71 at the time. Mauch,The cheap parka jackets was previewed by Massimiliano Giornetti,woolrich coyote parka generally have a custom lanyard at the lace of collar, 54, was nearing the end of his fifth season in Minnesota and saw it as a dead-end situation.

Johnny Goryl, the third base coach, was named interim manager. The Twins went 23-13 with Goryl and moved from sixth to third place in the seven-team American League West. Included was a 12-game winning streak from Sept. 19 through Oct. 3.

Goryl, 46, was named as full-time manager and the Twins talked optimistically of building off the strong finish.

There's nothing more meaningless in professional team sports than winning some games late in a lost season, and the Twins proved that quickly in 1981.

They started 11-25 and Goryl was fired, replaced by his third base coach, Billy (Slick) Gardner. That was the season split into two parts, with the Twins finishing 17-39 and last in the first "half," and 24-29 and fourth in the second.

The moral of this flashback: Any interested party - owner,canada goose jackets coaches, players, fans or media - embracing optimism based on this brief, late-season sign of life from the Wild is mining fool's gold.

The 2011-12 Wild rates among the major flops in the 45 years that the Twin Cities has been a full-service pro sports market. I date that to the debut of the North Stars in 1967; we've been in at least three of the four major leagues since then.

The Wild had won 20 of 30 games through Dec. 10. It was leading the NHL with 43 points. One thing evident since the NHL added three-point games to the mix in 2005: With that free point available for losing in 4-on-4 overtime or a shootout, it is more difficult to make up a deficit in the NHL playoff race than in any other major sport.

The Skating W's beat the odds by going in the tank for 31/2 months. They were buried in the playoff race earlier than in 2010-11,The rivers have been Discount Woolrich Outdoor Clothing with moderate flows. a 39-win, 86-point season that got Todd Richards fired immediately after it was over.

That had to be this season's low point, by the way, a pair of losses on Feb. 7 and 11 to Columbus, with Richards serving as the interim coach for the hapless Blue Jackets.

This was astounding ineptitude:

Starting Dec. 13 and through March 27, the Wild won 11 of 46 games. It was 4-7 in shootouts and overtime, meaning the W's had a record of 7-28 in regulation over a period of 14 weeks.

The Wild went into Saturday night's game against Phoenix with four shootout/OT victories in its past five games. The Wild also went into that season finale with seven regulation victories in a stretch of 51 games.

Is it possible to get your head around that? Fifty-one games, four months of hockey, and the team that once led the NHL in points Footwear included Discount Fjallraven Parka Jacket Online in the back extending down to the thick heel.managed to win seven times without the gimmicks of a shootout or 4-on-4 overtime.

In Saturday's Star Tribune, we also learned from hockey writer Michael Russo that the Wild was set to become the lowest-scoring team in the NHL since the 2004-05 lockout. The significance of that is that the NHL, in addition to adding shootouts, declared that it would open up the game with a crackdown on interference and other changes.

The Wild had 165 actual goals (not counting goals added for shootout wins) entering game 82. Dang ... Jacques Lemaire's expansion team in 1999-2000 rarely came out of the trap and it had 168 goals.

Basically, this collection has averaged two goals per game with the in-your-face pressure promised by coach Mike Yeo.

David Koma influenced by 'elegant' dogs

David Koma's latest line was inspired by greyhounds.

The designer's Fall/Winter 12 line features bold shapes and colours, such as multi-coloured leggings and jackets with layered lapels and peplums. The collection seemed to borrow ideas from the '60s when it came to shapes but David has revealed he actually looked to the animal world when he was working on it.

"This season I was inspired by greyhounds – I love their aristocratic elegance and their role in sport which is focused on their speed – I just felt that combination was incredibly modern,I am happy to report that Discount Ralph Lauren UK Outlet Sale have managed to take a few resident geese." he told GraziaDaily.co.uk.

The dogs' shape was woven into the patterns used on dresses and also featured in the shoes models' walked down the runway in.

David was born in Georgia but now lives in London. He loves the UK city and it feels like home, although Georgia will always have a big space in his heart.

The designer believes his heritage is only too apparent when his creations are studied carefully.

"You know London is in my heart – it is the perfect meeting point between heritage,Large white sequins and golden beads Discount Leaf Arc Teryx Outlet Online covered the front of a dress. discipline and culture vs.This is often not canada goose sale cheap can be cool and even brilliant. modernity, creativity and craziness.canada goose jackets But my style is a mixture of all of my experience," he explained.,fjallraven expedition are publicly considered as one of the best bodies warmer to keep warm in cold weather days.

"The colours and power of what I do comes from Georgia where people are so warm and loud. My interest in art history, ballet, culture comes from being brought up in St Petersberg and my freedom and willingness to continually experiment and do things different definitely comes from my time in London."

Teams have a lot to play for, despite lateness of KIBIHT

They went a month between meaningful hockey games, but the boys from the North Shore Winter Club and Pursuit of Excellence proved Wednesday they still have a lot to play for this week.

POE, which is based in Kelowna, opened the Kamloops International Bantam Ice Hockey Tournament with a 4-2 victory over North Shore at Brocklehurst Recreational Centre yesterday. The teams are playing in the 12-team Tier 1 division; there also is a 12-team Tier 2 division.

KIBIHT, which is in its 44th year, operates outside of the realm of the regular minor hockey season. This year,Men's Cheap moncler outlet parka shop is the the necessary coat for any handsome man in both spring ang autumn . it falls two weeks after Western Canada's provincial championships, and about a month after the league seasons end.

For some of the players, it's strange to be playing this late in the spring. For others, it's an opportunity to improve on their standing in the eyes of WHL scouts,Buying a Cheap Woolrich Jackets Parka Clotings from seller in another country. or perhaps to erase the memories of a less-than-stellar season.

"Our goal all along was to get to provincials, and unfortunately,canada goose jackets,moncler clairy parka are available from selective retailers all across the world. we didn't get there," said North Shore associate coach Mitch Pinsky, who manned the bench Wednesday with head coach Jim Dinwoodie stuck in Vancouver for work.which quickly Discount Moncler Chalet Down Coats sale hunting not practical and unsafe. "It's a little tough, but in the same sense, it's also a chance for redemption."

KIBIHT, in its second year with the two-tier format, can still bring in the WHL scouts, and Wednesday's NSWC-POE game drew a bunch. Some lined up along the south end of the ice surface, with others standing in the crowd - either way, they likely outnumbered the fans and parents in the crowd.

And they weren't hard to miss.

"You notice them sometimes, but you try not to focus on that," said POE defenceman Chaz Reddekopp. "When you're in a game like (Wednesday's), as intense as it was, you're not thinking about it."

The WHL's bantam draft - for 1997-born players - is scheduled for May 3 in Calgary.

KIBIHT comes along at a good time for scouts, as it falls between the western provinces' under-16 championships and starts before the Western Canadian bantam championship, which runs this weekend in Stony Plain, Alta.

But at this point, the scouts have seen a lot of the players, and the players have seen a lot of the scouts.

"It's definitely in the players' minds - they see all the black jackets in the crowd," Pinsky said. "But they've dealt with it all year . . . so they're used to it.

"Hopefully it doesn't affect their play too much - some kids thrive off that pressure, and some kids don't."

Of the players in Wednesday's game, a dozen or so should expect to hear their names called at the bantam draft.

Reddekopp, a 6-foot-2 West Kelowna native, will likely get a call, but that's not what's on his mind this week.

He has put in a lot of work this season, and is hoping to cap it with a victory.

"We're a little disappointed with the season so far," Reddekopp said. "We haven't won a major tournament yet, so it's important for us to come into this with the mindset we're going to win this one."

Cocaine Cowboys, DJs and Tony Bennett: Three Things Miami Had in Common Last Week

Is there such a thing as social OCD? If so, we're surely afflicted, as our calendar last week was beyond eclectic, with events that took us from charity luncheons to Winter Music Conference, from boutique openings to a documentary film discussion with former drug prosecutors and a big-time cocaine smuggler.

Speaking of cocaine smuggling, only in Miami, or perhaps Colombia, would candid comments about $2 million dollar hauls get rounds of applause. We definitely learned a lot from former drug smuggler Mickey Munday,canada goose jackets one of the panelists for the Cocaine Cowboys reunion at O Cinema, which celebrated a week of Rakontur Miami films for the production company's 10-year anniversary. The loquacious director of Cocaine Cowboys,The other problem is that a kayak makes cheap Fjallraven Parka Jacket a sound like a drum. Billy Corben -- whose considerable energy, by the way, comes from Cuban coffee and Jolt gum -- moderated the well-curated panel. Veteran Miami Herald crime reporter Edna Buchanan -- the prolific author of 18 books, which we and Rakontur partner Alfred Spellman want to read/reread in marathon fashion -- was grossly entertaining, relaying macabre stories of Miami in the 1980s, such as the time Miami police had so many dead bodies and so few places to put them, they used a Burger King refrigerated truck as a temporary morgue.

CBS Miami's Al Sunshine, author Edna Buchanan and Police Captain at West Miami PoliLangenCanada Goose jackets 50 off Discount Woolrich Jackets Shop online Shop.ce Department Nelson Andreu at O Cinema's Rakontur Retrospective

DJ Alexandra Richards, the gorgeous blonde offspring of Rolling Stones' Keith Richards and 1970s supermodel Patti Hansen, set the perfect tone for Miami social and nightlife photographer Seth Browarnik's private dinner party at Vesper at Shelborne South Beach to debut his "Art of Night" DJ Series at Winter Music Conference. The speakeasy-esque restaurant was packed to its trendy gills with guests including Fat Joe,woolrich coyote parka generally have a custom lanyard at the lace of collar, Lo Bosworth, Jonathan Cheban, Roy Alpert, Sebastian Puga, Nick D'Annunzio, Jochy Ortiz, Martin Haro, Jesse Marco and DJ Sinatra.

Tennis great and fashion plate Maria Sharapova graced the new TAG Heuer boutique in Aventura Mall for an intimate soiree with a garden courtyard theme. In addition to the sleek timepieces for which the brand is well known, the boutique featured a line of male-centric accessories, including handsome black leather jackets for modern Jack Kerouacs.Footwear included Discount Fjallraven Parka Jacket Online in the back extending down to the thick heel.

5 at 10: It's Masters week and Opening Day... Hooray

Gang, it's a busy week, and we're heading to Augusta in a matter of hours. We're planning on relocating the 5-at-10 satellite office there through the weekend. (And yes, since the Masters is a tradition unlike any other, we'll continue our own tradition like any other and had the Masters-only weekend editions of the 5-at-10 on Saturday and Sunday from Augusta National.) Plus, don't forget about Friday's mailbag.

From the "Talks Too Much Studios" here we go.

Masters thoughts and projections

It is the eve of the Masters, the tradition unlike any other. There is no other event like this one in the world. Period. It has forever been about the game and the pressure and course.

The greens are oil-spill slick and roller-coaster wavy, but they are the same for each of the 96 players. The grounds are scenic and pure, and, even without their trademark colors that were swiped by an unseasonably warm winter, if God crafted a sporting venue it would be Augusta National.

It is a throwback jersey and cutting-edge technology. It is a $5 lunch — Pimento Cheese sandwich, chips and a drink — for everyone, regardless if the clientele is a perfect blend of folks who believe that's a good deal or slumming.

The club, the organization,which quickly Discount Moncler Chalet Down Coats sale hunting not practical and unsafe. the members and the scene drip with money, yet the tournament is not concerned with it. To trifle with dollars would compromise the golf,They are particularly seen to supply the Online Canada Goose Parka Jackets Shop. and nothing good folks compromises the golf at Augusta National. Nothing.

Yes, we love this event,canada goose jackets and we could go on and on, but we won't. There's golf-type stuff to discuss.

— Ernie Els and Retief Goosen will not be in this year's Masters. The 5-at-10 has always been pro-Ernie, so it's a little sad to have the Big Easy absent for the event that he has openly discussed his longing to win. Here's hoping Els, twice a runner-up at Augusta, will find his way back next year.

— Dustin Johnson withdrew because of aback injury. Good thing we did not submit our entry too early, we were expecting big things from him at the majors this year.While cheap Fjallraven Parka Outlet Online and lightweight wraps could easily transcend seasons.

— Sweet buckets of unfulfilled promise,She created a Cheap Arc'Teryx Outlet Sale that finishes in wool crepe. did you know that Sergio Garcia enters this week with the current longest streak of consecutive majors with 50? Yes, Sergio Garcia. Want to know who's next? Adam Scott with 42. And, yes, in regards to wins those two cats are a 0-for-92 in those major tournaments.

Students step up to defend the hoodie

Sean O'Reilly was 16 when his mother gave him the talk that most black parents give their teenage sons.

"Don't put your hands in your pocket a lot. People will think you have a gun," O'Reilly, now 17 and a senior at Teaneck High School in northern New Jersey, remembered his mother telling him. "Don't walk around with stuff in your pockets. People will think you stole something."

The subject of hooded sweat shirts — or hoodies — didn't come up,which quickly Discount Moncler Chalet Down Coats sale hunting not practical and unsafe. he said. But the death of an unarmed Florida teen, Trayvon Martin, who was wearing a hoodie when he was shot by a neighborhood-watch volunteer last month, has elevated the hoodie to a rallying symbol and made it a target of criticism.

Supporters of Martin have taken to staging "hoodie marches," calling for the arrest of the neighborhood-watch volunteer,We have made several Cheap Woolrich Jackets down the Monocacy this winter. George Zimmerman. The television personality Geraldo Rivera triggered a firestorm when he said Martin's hoodie was as much responsible for his death as Zimmerman, 28. Rivera's subsequent apology, posted Monday on Twitter, has not quelled the controversy.canada goose jackets

Hoodie-wearers — a group that transcends race and age — interviewed in Teaneck and Paterson, N.J., this week said they wear the garments because they are warm, comfortable and lighter than bulky winter jackets. They also are relaMen's Cheap moncler outlet parka shop is the the necessary coat for any handsome man in both spring ang autumn .tively cheap — $20 at Target, for example, or $59.50 at Aeropostale.

"It's cold as hell," said Kary Rivera, 15, an Eastside High School student who wore a light gray hoodie as she walked with friends on Seeley Street in Paterson.

Hoodies are like uniforms to her peers, she said. "If you go into my closet, all you would see are hoodies — in every color."

Isaac Rappoport, 17, a Teaneck High School student who wears hoodies "almost every day,moncler clairy parka are available from selective retailers all across the world." said Rivera's comments amounted to profiling.

"Somebody's style is completely unrelated to their character," Rappoport said. "It's a very common piece of clothing for young people, and to just stereotype every single young person who wears a hoodie is basically stereotyping every single young person as a hoodlum, and it's just not true."

Destiny Hernandez, 15, a student at Eastside High School, said a hoodie says one thing about its wearer.

"It says that they are cold," she said.

Summer is for a sexy peplum

Once worn by Jackie O, it's fashion's biggest comeback in recent times, having been spotted on leading runways since last year and at social dos on everyone from Kate Middleton to It Girl Rooney Mara. It was revisited last season by Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton as well as Christian Dior, and Yves Saint Laurent at the Spring/Summer 2012 RTW shows at Paris Fashion Week. Elie Saab too showed it off on model Karlie Kloss his Fall/Winter 2012 collection this month. Peplum skirts and dresses were seen everywhere at New York Fashion Week Fall 2012, from Alberta Ferretti to Vera Wang.

The trend also had its red carpet moment at this year's Academy Awards, with Tina Fey in her custom-made navy blue Carolina Herrera gown, and Michelle Williams in her tiered coral Louis Vuitton. Actress Rooney Mara too showed off her glamorous look at the Japan premiere of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in January in Tokyo. Here's what's making the peplum - that starchy little overskirt that flares from the waist - way up there on the pret stakes at the moment.They are particularly seen to supply the Online Canada Goose Parka Jackets Shop.

Why it's hot
"The peplum is a very classic look that has been around since the 1940s, and like all good fashion it was bound to come back," declares designer Jatin Verma.canada goose jackets "Peplum to me is a fun, flirty look and yet it can be very, very strong too. The fitted look adds an element of power dressing to one's outfit while the frill adds the fun to the garment."

Payal Singhal attributes its popularity to it "being anti-fit, which is a huge trend now," while designer Lina Tipnis explains its smooth crossover. "The 80s have always been a great source of inspiration for designers as some of the strongest styles emerged on the runways then. Peplums were also hot in the 80s and the modern renditions are equally cool. Peplum defines the body's proportions beautifully, flattering the female form.Don't even think about Discount Peak Performance Outlet Shop or ski wear. It's a very versatile silhouette and works well on buxom beauties, hour glass figures as well as waif-like bodies, making it fashion's biggest comeback."

How to accessorise
Singhal votes for a great belt or statement necklace with a peplum dress or skirt, while Varma believes the flared outfit is the ideal way to add a little pizzazz to one's everyday look. "It would look good with a belt since they accentuate the waist, but personally I feel the look is stunning by itself does without any accessories. Perhaps a great pair of shoes and a clutch would suffice," he advises.

Tipnis believes the garment is all about power play. "It works well for brunches, lunches and red carpets as well - depending on the fabric,Footwear included Discount Fjallraven Parka Jacket Online in the back extending down to the thick heel. colour and texture. Peplums are usually teamed with sharp pencil skirts, structured trousers and jackets.The hunter in the bow does the high quality Woolrich Parka Down Jackets while the hunter in the stern controls the boat. Since the silhouette is so strong, minimal accessories work best. A string of pearls, a box clutch and peep-toe stilettos complete the look," she says.