Stanzel’s Sports Takeout — BREAKING NEWS: 8.26.26

Aug 26

Back to a normal Takeout schedule.

A quarter of the NFL players who died in a five-year span had CTE. Not a shock, and at least the NFL is not pretending it’s not happeni ng, unlike the NHL.

Vikings and Broncos Friday in the final pre-season game. Worth noting that Carson Wentz and J.J. McCarthy split reps with the No. 2 unit in practice. WR Jeshuan Jones, the team’s leading receiver in the pre-season and the “other J.J.”, has been suspended for the season’s first three games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy when he refused a breathalyzer earlier this summer after a traffic stop.

I didn’t want to like the U.S. Open’s new mixed doubles competition that’s actually a week before the tournament starts, but I love it. Good daytime TV yesterday, too. Tonight’s semiinals are under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Suddenly Slumping Twins Fall Three Back of Wild Card

It’s getting down to do or die time for the Twins, who just a week ago had lifted themselves to the wild card lead with a sweep over the first-place Braves.

Since then, they’ve lost four of five, including a lopsided sweep at San Diego and last night’s 4-2 loss in Sacramento against the A’s. Suddenly, the Twins are three games back of a surging Guardians team that’s won six in a row.

To make bad news worse, Byron Buxton left the game last night with an apparent hip injury. He’s already been on the injured list two times this season with a hip issue.

Taj Bradley got roughed up for four runs in 6 ⅔ innings - that won’t work with this lineup - and the Twins have lost four of his five August starts after winning five of his six July starts.

The Twins have scored 16 runs over this 1-4 stretch.

Connor Prielipp, who has allowed 14 runs over 11 innings in his last two starts, toes the rubber in tonight’s series finale.

It doesn’t get any easier after tonight - the Twins return home to face the Central leading White Sox this weekend.

Valkyries Keep Slight Hope Alive for No. 1 Seed by Beating Lynx

It was a rare off night Monday for the Lynx, who just didn’t have it in an 80-66 loss to Golden State at Target Center. The loss snapped a six-game winning streak and moved the Lynx to 16-2 in the last 18 games.

The Valkyrie’s win gave the team a brief breath of hope - there are five games left in the WNBA season and they trail the Lynx by four games for No. 1 overall.

Minnesota could conceivably clinch No. 1 before the World Cup break - they visit Atlanta on Sunday before the 19-day break.

If the season ended today, the Lynx would play Dallas and Paige Bueckers. It’ll be either New York, Washington or Dallas in round one.

Loons Finally Win, but Lose Key Member of Front Office

The Loons bested San Jose 5-1 on Saturday in a complete shocker, considering the team hadn’t won in nine straight MLS games. Keivin Yehoah, who had been benched recently, broke out with two goals.

Minnesota, however, must now recover from its chief sporting director (essentially the GM) as Khalid El Ahmad bolted for Austin. Not that he’s done a lot to reshape this roster…

The Loons host Orlando City this Saturday.

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