Jon Laging, Talking Sports

I was glad to see the football Gophers win this past week-end. They celebrated joyfully and I don’t blame them. There is something so final and absolute about their past losses. You either win or you lose. There is no in-between.

I really don’t have much to say about the Vikings loss to the mediocre Bears other than they got out-coached, out-played and out-quarterbacked.

It’s time for the annual sports quiz. I probably heard more about the previous quiz than any column in recent memory. This multiple choice quiz will feature nicknames or monikers as old sports writers used to say, of Minnesota teams. This will test your knowledge of sports with some fairly obscure questions. As before, it could be better to finish lower than higher. Perhaps it is better to finish in the middle

1. The St Olaf team is known as (A) The Fighting Swedes. (B) Svens. (C) Oles.

2. Hamline University is the (A) The Snellings. (B) Bishops. (C) Pipers.

3. St. Cloud University teams are the (A) Huskies. (B) Fighting Saints. (C) Bobcats.

4. St. John’s is known as the (A) Saints. (B) Gagliardies. (C) Johnnies.

5. U of M women’s basketball team is the (A) Gophers. (B) Valkyries. (C) Gophettes.

6. Southwest State at Marshall is the (A) Flatlanders. (B) Mustangs. (C) Dragons.

7. Minnesota at Duluth is the (A) Eskimoes. (B) Voyagers. (C) Bulldogs.

8. Minnesota at Mankato is the (A) Fighting Tigers. (B) Mavericks. (C) Cowboys.

9. Minnesota at Bemidji is the (A) Beavers. (B) Ducks. (C) Bears.

10. Minnesota pro basketball ladies are the (A) Lynx. (B) Meadowlarks (C) Jaguars.

11. Minnesota pro basketball men are the (A) Lakers. (B) Timberwolves. (C) Muskies.

12. Before the Washington baseball team moved to Minnesota they were known as the Washington: (A) Presidents (B) Senators. (C) Supremes.

13. The failed Minnesota Soccer team was the (A) Strikers. (B) Thunder. (C) Lakers.

14. The short-lived Rochester pro basketball team was the (A) Mayo’s. (B) Fire. (C) The Med City Dribblers.

15. The college player Rochester baseball team is the (A) Mustangs. (B) Sluggers. (C) Honkers.

16. Here’s a change of pace. My wife’s favorite movie cowboy star was Roy Rogers. I was not a big fan, thinking Gene Autry was more of a tough cowboy. Here is my question:

Roy Rogers called his horse (A) Champion. (B) Trigger. (C) Horsey.

The answers are:

1. C 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. A 6. B 7. C 8. C 9. A 10. A 11. B 12. B 13. B 14. B 15. C 16. B

1-4 correct: It’s a cruel world.

5-9 correct: Congratulations. You are the friend of a sports fan.

10-14 correct: You are a sports fan

15-16 correct: Please seek help.