We are Maroon and Gold Episode 013

A roundup of sports news, including the NBA and NHL playoffs; a preview of the NFL Draft; and Aaron's album of the week.

We Are Maroon and Gold Episode 012

Chandler provides what analysis he can about the Gophers' spring football game, he and Aaron sift through various sports topics, and the two spend a little time on the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Perkins Reinvents Himself, Finds Unexpected Success

Chandler originally submitted the following piece for a journalism class. He shamefully recycles it here, with minimal modification, as content for his blog. The format and style may be a little different from that of the usual content published in this forum, but hopefully it is no less enjoyable to read.

In September 2006, Glen Perkins made his major league debut at Fenway Park. He got out all four batters he faced, striking out the first of them, Carlos Peña, on three pitches. The Twins lost the game 6-0, making the chase for the AL Central title and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs a little tougher, but for Perkins, it was an easier "L" to take.

From the day he was drafted by his boyhood team, the Stillwater native and University of Minnesota alumnus took just 836 days to rocket through the minor leagues. When the team got back to Minnesota four days later, he marveled at using the same locker room as Kirby Puckett and Kent Hrbek, and he remembered asking Tom Brunansky for baseballs in right field.

"There’s all these moments where it's a whirlwind," Perkins, who retired in January, said. "And then you get to take a second and think about, 'Man, I got to do this.'"

After an impressive cup of coffee and a postseason cameo, Perkins was included in both Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus' preseason prospect rankings lists. He thought the experience wouldn’t end.

"When I got up, I… thought, like, I was just going to be there forever," Perkins said. "'Okay, I made it, and now here I am.'"

We Are Maroon and Gold Episode 011

In their 10th episode together, Aaron and Chandler compare sports bucket lists.

2018 Southwest Basketball Tournament

Seven Texas schools made the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Four of them didn't make it out of the Round of 64. Texas Tech was the most successful, but the Red Raiders fell to No. 1 seed (and eventual champions) Villanova 71-59.

The only Texas school to win the Tournament was, famously, Texas Western (now UTEP) in 1966, and the only other school to finish even runner-up was Houston in 1983 and 1984.

Texas produces plenty of talent despite its reputation as a football state, but it hasn't translated that into Tournament success.

What if they had another prize to win?

We Are Maroon and Gold Episode 010

Aaron and Chandler sift through some sports notes and then ponder what makes a good stadium experience.